Members of the Faculty Assembly had the opportunity Wednesday to informally discuss problems and issues of higher education with Board of Regents Chancellor Rod Groves.

Issues included public criticism of the costs and the quality of higher education. Also discussed was the relationships between the Regents, the Board of Governors, the Illinois Board of Higher Education and NIU.

“I did want to say that there has been a lot of criticism recently on higher education which has been (coming) principally from Washington,” Groves said.

Groves said the public feels people are not getting their money’s worth in higher education. He said that possible reasons are excessively large introductory classes, heavy reliance on multiple choice examinations rather than writing skills, inadequate basic skills courses or a feeling that five years are necessary today to graduate rather than four years.

“I don’t know what, but there is a feeling of resentment out there that we should be aware of,” Groves said. “How we respond to that, I don’t know.”

Groves said some compromises in higher education were made by major universities in the 1970s due to the double-digit inflation. He suggested steps in the 1980s should be taken to address the “erosions” that took place to “try and strengthen the educational product that we (the faculty) provide,” he said.

Gordon Shneider, professor of the College of Law, said he appreciates the faculty’s role with the Joint University Advisory Committee, which reports to the Regents, and he asked Groves if he saw any “prospect for direct faculty involvement as observers or participants in (Regents) executive sessions. Students have their representatives there … we do not,” Shneider said.

Groves said he did not see any changes in the faculty’s role in the Regents. Jim Giles, executive secretary for the University Council, said he had approached William Monat, former Regents Chancellor, with a request for faculty involvement. Giles said Monat did not think the possibility of a change was very likely.

Groves was asked what role he would play as Regents chancellor in negotiations concerning the development of facilities and the offering of high technology courses.

“It’s hard to say, because the process by which this whole thing is going to be accomplished is not clear at this point,” Groves said. He said there are many areas, such as budget and legislation, which will play a part in achieving this goal. How those areas work together is unclear to the Regents right now, he said.

“I see a role for myself as trying to clarify what those features and expectations might be and facilitating the efforts of the university,” Groves said.