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Friday, December 14, 1984
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Vol. 84 No. 78
Weather: Today, snow and blowing snow with
periods of freezing rain possible and a high of 31
(-1 C). Friday night, snow and freezing rain making
travel hazardous, low 24 (-4C). Saturday, snow
ending with a high of 32 (OC).
Bob CrubtchtrDsily Nttrtskcn
Tho Sower visit!
small townsInside
Swimmer rides high
&3aCK...Page 12
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By Gene Gectrup
Dslly Netnwisn Eecior Reporter
A high demand for courses has
prompted UNL officials to create
an additional 104 course sections
for the 1C35 spring semester.
UNL Vice Chancellor for Aca
demic Affairs Robert Fergason
said Thursday that about $180,000
has been taken from a number of
funds most coming from the
university's equipment fund to
accommodate more than 2,900
course requests for UNL students.
"It's a little gambling on my
part," Fergason said. "By intro
ducing more sections we're hop
ing students will register for
classes they wouldn't have origi
nally registered for in the first
place."
Fergason said if tuition from
the classes does not cover the
expenses for additional courses,
more money will have to come
from the equipment fund to cover
the deficit.
The new funds have created 27
new sections in the Arts and
Sciences College, including classes
in art, English, speech communi
catin, geography, computer
science and mathematics. The 27
new sections are open to about
930 students.
The College of Business Admin
istration has opened 40 new sec
tions that will accommodate 1 ,320
students. Classes have opened in
accounting, economics, finance,
management and marketing.
The School of Journalism has
opened 28 new sections for the
spring semester. The new classes
will accommodate 400 students
and include classes in advertis
ing, broadcasting and news-editorial.
Ten additional sections have
been opened in the Teacher's Col
lege. New classes in business edu
cation will accommodate about
250 additional students.
"There are too many students
that are unable to get the classes
they wanted due to full sections,
and thi3 does not allow them to
progress toward their degree,"
Fergason said.
He said the bulk of the new sec
tions will be taught by additional
instructors instead of increasing
the teaching load of existing in
structors. Fergason said he asked college
deans to estimate what they
thought their college could han
dle in terms of hiring quality
instructions in addition to find
ing the available teaching facilities.
He said sections are filling up
and should reach capacity.
Fergason said he was feeling
pressure from colleges to open
new sections, and said the addi
tional sections may be made
permanent, pending a successful
registration.
Official says traffic design
TV
niistUlowfor expansion
Dcr? i:;l-rastaa osiar Eej sorter
Trafe wl!l tonti&tre to roll
through Cnpws;cn116th:;:snd!
17th streets i VlJh and city
divert trd7;c front the univcr-
University officials want
trteriri tiztZc moved to 22r.d
and 22rd streets to a"r,v uni
versity expansion, UNL Busi
ness Manager Kay CofTysaid.
But heavy, traffic cn these
streets ould divide residential
areas and disrupt city traffic
plans, said George Selvia, city
director of transportation.
Each day about 15,000 cars
and trucks travel 16th and
1 7th streets north cAlna Street
and about 30,000 south ofVine,
Selvia said. About 55 percent
go to and from the university,
he said.
Thi3 traffic is hazardous for
more than 5,0C0 students who
must cross one or both streets
to ?t to class, Coey said.
Ipespsffc the S5-rophipec liirilt-:
on 17th Street, cars often pc-s
10 mph, Coucy said,
The arteries rJbo split rcsi-
itece;.hMf the Scoit Engineir!
iling Center::;is!i
: Cocy saidL UerOwtiu tras
would unify the campus, he
said.
University architects have
considered closing sections of
both streets and opening them
to two way trafllc, Coffey said
The university plan also
would give campus traffic bet
ter access to buildings and
parking tots, Coffey said. Be
cause 16th and 17th are one
way streets, most people have
to drive around the block to
get where they need to go, he
said.
Some want attorney general to 'pay '
Defense attorney p
reclaims Dougl
as innocence
By Brad Gilford
Daily Nefaraskan Staff Reporter
Defense Attorney William Morrow told
jurors Attorney General Paul Douglas is
innocent of the charges against him and
should not be found guilty simply because
some people want him to "pay5, for the fall
of Commonwealth Savings Co.
Morrow told the Lancaster County Dis
trict Court Thursday in his closing argu
ments that the case against Douglas is
"weak." He told the jurors that the charges
Douglas faces stem from alleged incidents
that occurred after the fall of the finan
cial institution.
Assistant Prosecutor Vincent Valentino,
whose arguments preceeded Morrow's,
told the eight men and four women jurors
to "use your logic and common sense." He
said that the jury has more than enough
evidence to convict Douglas on both
charges against him.
Douglas is charged with perjury, a fel
ony, for allegedly lying to the Legislature's
Special Comnmonwealth Committee
about:
The amount of money he received
from Marvin Copple, former Common
wealth vice president. Douglas testified
that he received $32,500 from Copple for
private consulting involving the devel
opment of some Fox Hollow property. He
later said that he had received $40,000,
but had forgotten about a payment of
$5,000 and that the other $2,500 was
written off as an expense.
The influence Copple had on his
actions as attorney general. Copple testi
fied that Douglas pushed a zoning change
through the Lincoln City Council which
enabled Copple to develop some property
he had purchased. Copple also said that
Douglas persuaded a U.S. attorney to
drop charges against James Gillette,
Copple's son-in-law.
Whether he paid taxes on the money
he received from Copple. Douglas recorded
only $32,500 income from Copple, which
he paid taxes on. But the other $7,500,
not on his 1980 return, was not taxed. If,
as Doudas said. $2,500 of that amount
was an expense, he would have been lia
ble for taxes on the other $5,000. Instead,
he received a tax refund in 1980.
Nebraska law states that it is not enough
to show that Douglas' statements are
false. The prosecution must prove beyond
a doubt that Douglas knowingly and
intentionally made the statements.
Douglas also faces obstruction of gov
ernment operations charges for telling
Copple about an FBI investigation into
possible wrongdoing at Commonwealth.
Testimony concluded ear Jy Wednesdasy
afternoon, and the jurors were seques
tered early Thursday afternoon following
the closing arguments.
Morrow told the jury that the case has
boiled down to his client's word against
that of Copple. Morrow stressed that
theme throughout the proceedings.
Morrow said Douglas had a good record
as a public servant, and he said Douglas is
"a human being just like you and me, who
makes a lot of mistakes."
Morrow told the jurors that Copple
may be trying to pin some of his blame on
Douglas. Copple faces theft charges in
February for allegedly stealing $500,000
from Commonwealth, but received par
tial immunity from future charges in
exchange for his testimony. Morrow asked
the panel if Copple might be escaping
penalties for other charges by testifying
against Douglas.
Continued a Page 11
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77r.fr? one last look . . .
Stormy clouds roll in over Western Nebraska farmland as winter prepares to cover everything in time for a white Christmas.