The NIU chapter of the University Professionals in Illinois union unanimously recommended to support the filing of a class action lawsuit against NIU concerning the grades given to students who illegally registered for spring 1988 classes using a fraudulent “REG” stamp.

Charles Larson, an NIU communications studies professor, said he is one of several instructors whose grades were altered by the NIU judicial system without his consent. Larson said the grade he attempted to issue the student suspected of illegally registering in his class was changed from an “F” to “Delete,” which makes it appear the student never registered in his class.

Larson said, “My first inclination was to give an ‘F’ because the student had not gotten the grade legally.

“The university has a contract with me as a faculty member. It has to honor that I have the right to give or take grades,” Larson said.

Art Doederlein, communications studies undergraduate director and professor, said in an Aug. 31 memorandum to Larson, “I (Doederlein) can attest to the changes in grade having been carried out by Registration and Records. Those changes have since been rescinded by action by Associate Provost Lou Jean Moyer in a directive to Registration and Records.”

Doederlein said Tuesday, “Students and faculty have rights about grades that administrators don’t. I’m glad the union is going to pursue it in court.”

Moyer said the only administrative grade change made after the original change to “Delete” was to restore the original grade given by the professor.

“There were never any failures awarded (by the administration),” Moyer said.

Students’ cases were heard individually by panels composed of two students and one faculty member, Larson said. University Legal Counsel George Shur said, “It appears that certain faculty members object to the hearing board.”

Karen Dewey, assistant university judicial office director, said the judicial office is still completing about 15 cases dealing with students’ illegal registration.

Assistant Dean Wayne Albrecht of NIU’s College of Business said that, to his knowledge, students found guilty of illegal registration were automatically withdrawn from the class without credit. Students found innocent were given the grade they earned in the class.

Moyer said that, in one case, Larson and Doederlein were involved with one student who was allowed to keep her class credit and grade. The student had won her case through the judicial process and the grade she earned was reinstated.