Wednesday, February 8, 19S4,
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Daily Nebraskan
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Benefactors' means,
not end, meet with
strong disapproval
The Daily Nebraskan already has stated its desire
that LR225CA, which would give control of univer
sity government to the Legislature, be defeated. But
we strongly disapprove of the method one NU
alumnus is using to bring about that defeat.
James Coe, a 1923 NU electrical engineering
graduate, and his w ife Jessie last week sent a letter
to Gov. Bob Kerrey implying that they will withhold
bequests from their estate if the governing of the
university is changed. The Coes also sent a copy of
the letter to the Daily Nebraskan.
"With LR225CA and other stupid ideas hanging
fire, we have informed the (NU) Foundation to stop
work on the trust which we had planned to favor
UNL on our passing," the letter said.
The Coes, who donated 1 ,300 gold Krugerrands to
UNL in 1080, expressed concern that NU would
become a "political football" if the regents were
appointed. They said the reason for their 10S0 gold
coin donation was that the regents were an elected
body "whose thoughts and actions were non-political"
The letter comes dangerously close to political
blackmail The implication seems to be that law
makers should not make their decisions on what
they consider best for NU but rather on whether or
not they want to be included in the Coes' wilL
But the Coes certainly have a right to express
their views on how the university is run and to make
their bequests however they see fit. It is up to the
Legislature and Gov. Kerrey to see that all implied
threats are ignored when a final decision is made on
whether to put it to a vote of the public.
James Coe told the Omaha World-Herald last
week that the estate, which includes the couple's
house, jewelry and precious metals, is valued at
about $1 million.
In a time when the university is cutting almost
every area of the budget, outside funding is wel
come. It would be easy for lawmakers to allow oth
ers to decide the fate of NU but it simply is not in the
best interests of the university to bow to the whims
of potential contributors for a few more dollars.
If the Coes truly are concerned about the well
being of UNL, they will allow the Legislature, gover
nor and, if necessary, the voters, to decide the
structure of the university's administration. We
challenge them to make their bequest without
stipulations.
Finally, we again encourage the Legislature to
defeat LR225CA, not because of the wishes of James
and Jessie Coe, but because the current system of
elected regents seems to be working.
Unsigned editorials represent official policy of
the spring 1984 Daily Nebraskan.
Other stqffmembers mill write editorials through
out the semester. They will carry the author's name
after the final sentence.
Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of
the university, its employees, the students or theNU
Board of Regents.
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Eefbsnnssdl Parade GtjiE hlwsre
I life and die by Parade magazine. Each week, I
eagerly await the arrival of the weekend and the
chance to read "Lloyd Shearer's Intelligence Report"
and Amy and Irving Wallace's "Intelligentsia." I also
) Mike
J Frost
browse with gutteral excitement the ads selling
swell items like flowers that grow in aquariums and
a million gummed address labels for 50 cents.
More than anything else, however, it's Walter
Scott's "Personality Parade" column that highlights
my weekend reading agenda. So, naturally, I was
buoyed when I read that Scott (who I once read is
actually Lloyd Shearer) is planning to alter the for
mat of his long-running column. In honor of the
upcoming electoral season, ShearerScott will be
answering readers' queries about politics and politi
cians in his new "Political Parade" column.
Here are some examples of the questions Scott
wiM be answering in his first few outings.
Dear Political Parade:
What is this I hear about Edward Kennedy, the
dapper young senator from the state of Massachu
setts and vivacious model Christie Brinkley? And
why do you go by Walter Scott instead of Lloyd
Shearer? P.C., Boden Springs, Idaho.
P. C: Actually, it is incorrect to call it the state of
Massachusetts. The state is officially. billed as the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a title it gained
in its pre-colonial days. It 's interesting to note that
the state 's land area is 7,825 square miles. Nearly 3
million acres are forested.
Dear Political Parade:
What is Edwin Meese's least favorite food? S.S.,
Jackson, Tenn.
S.S.: Soup.
Dear Political Parade:
Who should I vote for? AJ.I., Elio, Kcv.
AM.: Never end paragraphs with prepositions.
Because of your poor grammar, I will not give you
the answer, and Vll csk you nsver to write here
again. If you do, 1 71 give you what 'sor.
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