The Board of Regents received a copy of NIU’s new proposed constitution at Thursday’s meeting and might vote on it in April.

Regents’ Chairman Carol Burns said a copy of the constitution was sent to all the Regents’ members last week, and it was submitted to the board Thursday. Burns said if there are no problems with the constitution, the Regents might vote on it at their April 21 meeting.

NIU President John LaTourette said the constitution was widely approved by NIU faculty members. He said 89 percent of the faculty who voted approved of it. “I’m very comfortable with the constitution. I voted for it at the University Council meetings,” LaTourette said.

Regent L. Milton McClure raised a question about the lack of time the Regents’ members were given to read the document. McClure said he received the document only six days ago. “It is a crucial document, and I think it needs full board attention,” he said.

The constitution needs to be legally reviewed by the Regents’ legal advisers, Burns said. She said she did not believe there would be any major problems with the constitution, but she said there might be some changes in the wording.

LaTourette said he would address any questions the Regents had about the constitution in written statements. He said the constitution was the result of a three year preparation period, which included faculty, staff and student input.

The proposed constitution would make changes in the way NIU handles procedures within the University Council, faculty committees, colleges and other governing bodies.