Student Association President Jim Fischer is ineligible to serve as a student member of the University Council because he is not taking the required nine credit hours this semester.

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.” The document also states the SA president shall serve as a voting member of the council. Fischer has been serving on the UC this semester while only enrolled in six credit hours.

However, the constitution does not separate the SA president from the other student members of the council, UC Executive Secretary Judith Bischoff said. If the SA president does not meet the eligibity requirements he can appoint a representative to the council, she said.

Fischer said he will be addressing the Rules and Governance Committee in regards to his status on the council for spring semester. “If they (the rules committee) indicate that I do need to carry nine hours, I will,” Fischer said.

He said, “It is vitally important, in my perspective, that I be a part of UC, and I want to be a part of it.”

Fischer said due to “schedule problems,” past SA presidents also have served on the council while enrolled in six semester hours.

“Although this has happened to several presidents, it does not make it right,” Bischoff said.

Although Fischer served on the UC this semester while being ineligible, Bischoff said his vote did not make a difference on issues that were acted upon. “Only two votes were taken by roll-call this semester,” she said.

One vote dealt with referring constituitonal revisions back to the constitutional task force, which resulted in a tie broken by Bischoff.

The second vote dealt with a motion to send the wording of the grade appeals policy to the UC academic policy subcommittee. The vote was approved 18 to 14, so Fischer’s vote did not make an impact, Bischoff said.

At the Faculty Assembly meeting Wednesday, council members questioned whether Fischer was enrolled in nine semester hours last spring while being a student member of the UC. Fischer did not want to comment on whether he was enrolled in nine semester hours at that time.

Because of a final exam, Fischer will not be at the Dec. 16 UC meeting, when council members are scheduled to vote on the proposed constitution. Cam Davis, SA vice president, will be his alternate. Davis is eligible to vote, Fischer said.

Bischoff said other student members of the council are taking nine semester hours.