The Liberal Arts and Science chairs gave their nod to extending LA&S Dean James Norris’ term for one more year last week.

Norris’ fourth term will end at the close of the 1993-94 school year.

NIU Provost J. Carroll Moody would neither confirm or deny any meeting or meetings to discuss a possible Norris extension saying the matter was a personnel one and not for public discussion. Sources said the meeting was held in the form of an LA&S senate last Thursday while Norris was out of town.

Moody said he was surprised The Northern Star knew of the matter and said no meeting date has been set to discuss a Norris extension.

Norris confirmed that he was out last week, but said he knew nothing about last Thursday’s meeting, however confirming that next year would be the last of his term.

On winding up his fourth term Norris said with a laugh, “That’s enough, don’t you think.”

Norris came to NIU from the University of Missouri-Columbia where he was the history department chair. Norris also has served as acting vice president and provost at NIU during the 1984-85 academic year.

It was the sentiment of LA&S higher-ups that Moody should work out a compromise with Norris to extend his term for one more year, which they expressed in a letter to the provost and again at Thursday’s meeting.

With a North Central Accrediting Association review for NIU just around the corner, the college of LA&S said they feared an appearance of a lack of stability as searches are already on for a new provost, business college dean and director of continuing education.

LA&S has the greatest number of NIU students and faculty at NIU.

Moody did say that no decision has been made on a possible one-year extension for Norris.