At its meeting Wednesday, the University Council discussed the possibility of a textbook rental system to combat the increasing price of textbooks. It also discussed the upcoming rededication ceremony of Altgeld Hall.

“There are desirable characteristics of the program,” NIU President John Peters said. “However, this is a complex issue, and I’m unconvinced that it’s a viable option for us.”

The issue of price hikes for textbooks has recently been brought to the national spotlight, as schools continue to suffer budget setbacks.

A report from the Illinois Board of Higher Education was issued at the meeting that outlined steps that could be taken at the state level to alleviate the strain of textbook costs. Among the suggestions presented were creating a Web site where students could buy and sell books and using the same text for three to four semesters.

Also on the Council’s agenda was the rededication ceremony of Altgeld Hall, which is scheduled to take place today.

“It will be a simple, dignified dedication,” Peters said. “We will present the history of Altgeld and thank the various contractors for their hard work.”

“Connecting” will be the theme of the President’s speech, as he will relate how Altgeld is now connecting the last 100 years of NIU’s history with the next century.

Smaller issues on the Council’s agenda included the approval of the faculty holiday schedule through 2005 and progress made in finishing the fiscal year 2006 budget.