University Council members debated over the hiring of NIU graduates to teach at NIU and how it could affect representation of women and minority faculty at their meeting Wednesday.

Questions arose from UC members about the University Council Personnel Committee’s (UCPC) recommendation of a revised policy on hiring faculty with terminal degrees from NIU.

Generally, universities do not hire faculty with degrees from their own university to teach at that university because it does not create a flow of new ideas through the system.

“The national credidation bodies get very concerned about ‘in-breeding’ in the same institution,” said Lorys Oddi, associate professor in the school of nursing.

The UCPC recommendation is unclear about when NIU graduates can be hired. It reads: “Ordinarily, a regular faculty appointment will not be offered to a candidate whose relevant terminal degree is from Northern Illinois University unless the candidate is fully qualified for the position.”

The UC members attempted to clarify what “fully qualified” meant. NIU Provost J. Carroll Moody said, “Having a degree alone does not fulfill the policy of hiring one’s own graduates.”

Moody said NIU does not want to open the door wide to hiring students with degrees from NIU. “It is not a regular, normal operating procedure on campus.”

However, in an effort to comply with affirmative action standards, NIU can hire women and minorities who hold a terminal degree from NIU.

Marilyn Monteiro, director of Affirmative Action, said she was concerned that, “interpretation leads to conflict,” and asked for Moody to clarify the UCPC’s wording of the recommendation.

Monteiro said, referring to the recommendation, “It is important to learn what the underlying intent was of this particular passage.”

Moody said, “There may be cases, dealing with affirmative action, that the number of minority candidates or women candidates may be so small that if you have a qualified minority NIU graduate, with a terminal degree from NIU, they may be appointed to the position.”

Moody said the UCPC recommendation “allows a broader definition of diversity through a narrower definition of affirmative action.”

Monteiro said she was concerned about the number of minorities being hired through this procedure. “I know we are talking about attempting to use this after doing the natural search process. Only one in a year are hired (NIU graduates.) What would the likelihood of that one being a minority?” she said.

NIU President John La Tourette reminded the UC members there has been a longstanding policy of not hiring NIU graduates to teach.

“We did not have any intention of this having to deal with diversity,” La Tourette said.

However, La Tourette added, “It does allow for more representation of women and minorites at NIU.”