As the NIU constitution undergoes review, faculty members are requesting changes which would give them more representation on the University Council.

Mary King, administrative aid to the Provost office, said faculty want a stronger voice in the council. King is a member of the constitutional task force representing the Operating Staff Council. The task force was formed last year to revise the university constitution.

King said some suggestions discussed by the task force to increase faculty representation will go on to the special council meeting next Tuesday. She said she is uncertain what suggestions will go to the special meeting.

Jim Giles, executive secretary to the council, said a committee of the council also is reviewing the constitution. He said the committee recommended giving the Founders Memorial Library staff the appropriate representation on the council.

The library staff is included in the Supportive Professional Staff, which is represented on the council by its president. The SPS is made up of staff not ranked as faculty and the library staff. The problem of proper representation is for those members of the library staff who have faculty status, said Arlene Neher, SPS representative to the task force.

The committee suggested SPS have two representatives on the University Council, one for the members with no faculty rank and one for the library staff with faculty rank, Giles said.

Pat Hewitt, Operating Staff Council president, said members voted to request an increase of representatives on the University Council because the council felt it should have the same right as SPS.

Giles said, “I don’t think they have a basis for requesting more representation … we’re not increasing the representation of the SPS but giving the library faculty their own representative,” he said.

King said the council might revoke their request if the University Council decides the library faculty should be viewed as a separate entity.