Higher Education Reporter

The last day of April concluded the last University Council meeting of the academic year.

The meeting was brief, with the entire council anxious to visit NIU President John Peter’s home for dinner and cocktails.

“Watch out for the rabbits when you pull up,” Peters said. “If we’re lucky, we’ll even see the two fawns that have come up to the back door every night this week.”

Before dinner, however, Peters mentioned a brief update on the budget.

“This is the end of the year update,” Peters said. “Summer plans are in place regarding the four-day work week. I think [Human Resources] has done a good job implementing that.”

Peters also said the 2003 budget is “finally put to bed, although we still have some hurdles to go through.”

Peters informed the council that he had just prepared and sent a rather bottom-line, stern letter to the “Four Tops” of the state legislature about the impact of the cuts and what it means to NIU.

“I am very happy with its accuracy and its warning,” Peters said.

The letter will go public after Peters believes it has made its impact on the legislature.

Usually, the Board of Trustees meets at the end of June each year to discuss the next year’s tuition. Peters said this year that won’t be the case.

However, a tuition meeting is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. on May 5 at the Holmes Student Center’s Clara Sperling Sky Room, Peters said. The board wanted to hold the meeting as soon as it could, he said.

Peters also brought attention to another letter he wrote to high school guidance counselors, informing them that NIU would process and admit all admittable students with the right documents if their applications were received by today. All other students would be put on a waiting list, being informed in July if there was room for them in the fall. If not, the students would have to wait until January.

NIU was awarded the Chancellor’s Cup on April 16 at the Governor’s Mansion for the university’s exceptional giving and participation in the 2002 SECA. Peters presented the plaque and cup saying, “Look, I’m Tiger Woods!”

Vice Provost Robert Wheeler was recognized at the end of the meeting for his hard-work and dedication at both NIU and on University Council.