A ruling last week by the University Council Rules and Governance Committee confirmed Student Association President Jim Fischer’s standing as a voting UC member.

Committee Chairman William Monat said the group’s decision in regard to Fischer’s UC status was “the university constitution and bylaws unambiguously appoint the SA president as a UC voting member.”

“This fact in itself referenced Jim’s standing,” Monat said.

The question of Fischer’s eligibility for the UC arose last semester when it was realized he had only six credit hours. NIU’s Constitution and Bylaws state, “Students in good academic standing who are carrying a minimum of nine semester hours each semester shall be eligible for membership (on the UC)….”

However, UC Executive Secretary Judy Bischoff said only two roll-call votes were made last semester in which Fischer’s vote could have changed the vote.

In one instance, Bischoff had said she broke a tie vote to which Fischer contributed, dealing with the referral of constitutional revisions back to the constitutional task force.

The second vote dealt with a motion to send the grade appeals policy’s wording to the UC academic policy subcommittee. Bischoff said it was approved 18 to 14, so Fischer’s vote had not made a difference in that situation, either.

The NIU constitution “doesn’t and can’t specify the SA president’s requirements,” Fischer said.

The SA constitution’s requirements for SA president are that the candidate be a “fee-paying student in good academic standing,” Monat said.

Fischer said he was concerned about the inaccuracy of the conflict a month ago.

Monat said, “I don’t think anybody really looked at it (the constitutional provisions) clearly enough. And the issue had never been raised in the UC before.”

Fischer said he is enrolled for three credit hours, but is attempting to obtain more through add-drop.