State Rep. John Countryman, R-DeKalb, told the Board of Regents Friday the Regency system needs to continue communicating its needs to the legislature if it hopes to receive any money this fall.

Countryman, who earlier said the Regents do not understand the legislative process, spoke after the board approved a $150 tuition increase for the spring semester. The speech came after the Regents passed a resolution saying the board "objects to the insufficient funding provided higher education in Illinois."

"I'm only reminded that when I was a student here 20 years ago, my tuition was less than $150 a semester," Countryman said. "I will continue to persist in the issue of solving underfunding."

Countryman said legislators have received pressure from other groups besides higher education—including an over-filled prison in Pontiac and the Department of Mental Health—for more funds.

"I recognize the resolution. But you need to be aware you're in a cesspool of desires," he said. "I also regret to say that the rest of the legislature feels the solution is a tuition increase. I think what needs to be done is for everyone to communicate those concerns to those in the legislature."

Countryman said relief for Pontiac and elementary and secondary education rank higher on the priority list with the legislature if supplemental funding becomes available. The reason higher education ranks below the other two is the presence of more school boards and constituents for those groups, he said.

Countryman said when all education is considered together, it ranks high on legislators' lists. He said he could not estimate how many legislators support supplemental funding for higher education, but he said an identifiable percentage in the House is between 20 and 30 percent.

Illinois State University Student Regent Chuck Sutton said now that the Regents have implemented the tuition hike, the student Regents will have to push for students to participate in the Illinois Student Association's Day of Action Oct. 21. One part of the Day of Action is a student and faculty strike.

Countryman said, "I've told (Student Association President) Jim Fischer that they would do better with letters," he said. "The individual contact is much more effective than marching around the campus."

University officials are developing a "whole spectrum" of programs and events to combat the problem of racism on campus said Jon Dalton, vice president for student affairs.

Dalton said NIU President John LaTourette's office is developing an Institutional Action Plan which encompasses a "series of actions designed to enhance and promote minority relations," such as residence hall workshops and educational programs.

e said, "The Institutional Action Plan is now still a draft moving toward finalization." It is just one example of the efforts to implement the recommendations of the University Task Force set up last spring in response to racism.

Another recommendation of the task force was the "Unity Through Diversity" week scheduled for Sept. 27 - Oct. 3, he said.

Gary Henderson, graduate assistant of student affairs, said, "The Unity Through Diversity week will include a number of cultural and social events with an atmosphere of support for all (cultures)."

The Presidential Commission on the Status of Minorities also is planning a special anti-racism committee, said Martha Palmer, an adviser to the Black Greek Council.

She said this new interracial committee is being developed under the direction of Walter Owens and is designed to be a "vehicle to address (racial) problems as they arise."

Palmer said, "All races, creeds, and colors must be together collectively to identify discriminatory problems and bring sensitivity to different racial backgrounds."

NIU has other, long-standing institutions guarding against racism besides these new programs, said Dalton, such as the Affirmative Action Office.

Dalton said one action of this office is to ensure the hiring and retention of minority workers on campus.

Larry Bolles, director of the University Judicial Office, said, "More people are willing to follow through with the complaint process" at his office since the racist problems have increased. Students encountering racial problems can go to the judicial office to file a complaint for action.

The judicial office is keeping a record of all racial incidents on campus this semester, including those not officially reported, Bolles said. This record will be evaluated at the end of the semester to determine the differences between reported and unreported cases.

Bolles said he feels a "sense of responsibility and citizenship" is coming back to the campus, which will help in the fight against racism.

Palmer said some advances have been made against racial discrimination. For example, the black fraternity Delta Sigma Psi was warmly welcomed when they moved into a house on Greek Row this year, she said. Palmer said this type of anti-racist action must continue in order to cure the discriminatory problems of this campus.

Leadership, image and maintenance of downtown businesses were the top three improvements recommended at Thursday's Downtown DeKalb Planning Meeting.

About 40 merchants, property owners, city officials and customers who attended the meeting were divided into seven groups to prioritize problems identified at the last meeting. All seven groups said a full-time manager is needed to lead the downtown revitalization.

Tom Wilson, executive director of the Galesburg Downtown Council, said the job of bringing customers to downtown DeKalb would be "ten-fold" more difficult without someone to manage downtown. Wilson managed a revitalization of downtown Galesburg.

An outside manager is not necessary, Wilson said, adding a manager for DeKalb is probably "right here in this room."

oger Hopkins, director of the department of community development, said downtown DeKalb has been slipping in recent years in terms of its market share and property tax receipts. The major issues for the commission's next two meetings will be funding and leadership for a revitalization plan.

Wilson said he visited some of DeKalb's downtown merchants. He said while improvements in maintenance are needed, "you're (DeKalb downtown) not falling apart. You have a lot going for you."

NIU is an important asset for improving business downtown, Wilson said. A promotional discount for Knox College students in Galesburg was very successful, he said. Businesses need to "invite" students into their stores, but the attitude of the salespeople will determine if students return, he said.

Wilson said about 80 percent of Galesburg's downtown businesses participate in its downtown council. All of the property owners participate through a 1 percent special service property tax used to fund a full-time maintenance crew, he said.

Thursday's meeting is a step in the right direction, Wilson said. Both the public and private sector contributed to the meeting. Cooperation among both sectors is important to a revitalization, he said.

Three local political officials have agreed to serve as coordinators for Sen. Paul Simon's presidential campaign.

DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow, DeKalb County Clerk and Recorder Terrence Desmond and Kane County Coroner Mary Lou Kearns have all accepted positions as 14th Congressional District coordinators for Simon's campaign.

Eric Adelstein, assistant political director for Simon's campaign, said each of the three officials received letters from Simon thanking them for their willingness to help with campaign efforts. More coordinators might be selected he said, adding there is not one coordinator but "a series of them."

Desmond, who worked on Simon's 1984 senatorial campaign, said "(Simon) is the finest person I know in government at any level. His quality would bring a positive dramatic change specifically with education, human rights and fiscal management."

In the next few weeks, volunteers will be enlisted to help with Simon's campaign efforts, Desmond said. He said there will be a student organization formed to support Simon.

Sparrow said he accepted a position as a coordinator as well. He said, "My major concern is that he (Simon) get elected." He said he has supported Simon since he won the democratic nomination for senator.

Kearns said she is "happy" to coordinate campaign efforts with the other officials. She said she is a personal friend of Simon. "I'm looking forward to seeing him run this country as president."

Tim McArnarney, special assistant to Simon supporter Alan Dixon, D-Ill., said he is a friend of Simon and has been working on his campaign in some of the districts including the 14th. He said the initial efforts for Simon's campaign will be focused on Iowa and New Hampshire.

"We're just starting to move into this (DeKalb) area," McArnarney said, adding that he is "comfortable" with the three coordinators selected so far. He said the three will be working to coordinate campaign efforts in the 14th District.

Desmond said most of the efforts would be geared toward the Illinois March 15 primary election. He said local campaign efforts will have to deal with NIU's spring break, March 12-22, because students will not be on campus to vote. Students will be encouraged to vote at home or with an absentee ballot before they leave.

Anyone interested in volunteering to work on Simon's campaign should contact one of the coordinators, Desmond said.

The dark clouds over the Holmes Student Center set the mood yesterday as the Joint Facility/Finance Committee reluctantly approved to formally recommend a $150 tuition increase to the Board of Regents.

egents Chancellor Roderick Groves recommended to the committee that "tuition be increased by $150 at Northern Illinois University and Illinois State University commencing in January and $100 at Sangamon State commencing at the same time."

NIU President John LaTourette said tuition for non-Illinois residents would be boosted by $450.

The board will vote on the recommendation today. Regent Clara Fitzpatrick said she does not expect there to be any dissenting votes, but both the Regents and student Regents are opposed to hiking the rates.

"Talk about being between a rock and a hard place—we're there," Fitzpatrick said.

Committee Chairman Milton McClure said the chancellor's office was instructed to consider all possible alternatives, such as cutting costs at the Regency schools.

Groves said the tuition increase was the only realistic answer, especially when the state cannot be counted on for support. He told the committee, "Don't think we'd come to you with this recommendation if we thought there was prospective state funding."

Committee members agreed that the increase is the only way to combat the $9.1 million reduction in the Regency system's base budget, which resulted from Gov. James Thompson's failed June tax increase proposal. NIU's share of that decrease was $3.3 million.

"The result (of the budget cut) is we find ourselves with added burdens and significantly less money," Groves said.

e said one of the burdens facing the Regency system is unavoidable cost increases, which already is evident at all three Regency universities.

iring is the primary source of unavoidable cost increases because it is conducted in the spring and implemented in the fall, Groves said. This means hiring agreements are made before the level of appropriation is known, he said.

LaTourette said it was necessary to put the university in a high risk position by staffing as much as possible because enrollment increased by 880 over last year.

An enrollment freeze also will be necessary in order to bear the brunt of the budget cut. He said, "we'll not be able to admit as much as normal even with a tuition increase."

Fitzpatrick said enrollment will decrease because of the freeze but also because students will no longer be able to afford the tuition rate.

This means the projected amount of funds from the tuition increase might be too high because there will be fewer students paying the additional money, she said.

NIU Student Regent Nick Valadez said if relief from the state is found when the general assembly reconvenes in October, tuition should be decreased.

owever, Groves said the budget cut is a permanent one and not a condition that will go away next year. He said "the question of tuition would come back to this table" if state relief was given. "We'd factor that in to the whole tuition equation."

Students are "paying for things that are inherent in the original tuition cost," and they assume when they originally paid tuition "the state would provide the professors ... they (the students) think they've already paid their burden," Valadez said.

As part of his efforts to keep a situation like this from recurring, Valadez said a resolution should be drawn up so "the board fully comprehends the impact" of the increase.

Committee members and Regents suggested lobbying in Springfield in October in order secure some type of state relief.

LaTourette said he will be lobbying at the capitol when the general assembly reconvenes Oct. 20-21 and Nov. 4-5. He said he had been there half of June trying to garner support for Thompson's tax increase.

egent Harry Wellbank said, "If everyone affected by this wrote a letter to their congressman, we'd get the money (from the state)."

A letter-writing campaign already was attempted at NIU, but Valadez said there will be another attempt. This type of lobbying is the only realistic method, he said.

ISU Student Regent Chuck Sutton said, "The bottom line is more pressure needs to be put on the general assembly. We need action and we need it in October."

Tuition increases at other public universities in Illinois have been speculated, but action has been taken only by the University of Illinois. Students there will be paying an additional $150.