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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1999)
Lori Simpson/DN The 1998-99 Daily Nebraskan staff I It was a very good year UNL experience teaches that work is needed to make university, students the best they can be ERIN GIBSON is a senior news-editorial major and Daily Nebraskan editor. I read an opinion column in the Chronicle of Higher Education this spring in which a professor said his best students were academic activists: They questioned, debated and some times complained. They were the students who were never satisfied with the status quo, he said. They were the students who cared to improve their classes, departments, university and community. They were the students who knew their voice could make a difference, and they were willing to raise it - even if speaking out was at the expense of their own popularity. I’ve been blessed this year to lead a staff full of student activists - smart students driven to make the Daily Nebraskan the best-ever center of cam pus news, discussion and debate. Most of my senior staff members worked 40 or more hours a week in the DN base ment and carried full course loads. They impressed me at every turn and were rewarded professionally with internships and job offers on both coasts and many states between. At the same time this year, the edi torship has allowed me to come into contact with outside students, staff and faculty members and administrators who shared the same mindset. They were hell-bent on making this universi ty better, even if they had to pour countless hours after 5 p.m. into their research, classes, meetings or special projects and had to fight hard through some drag-out discussions on the uni versity’s future. I want to thank those individuals, especially Chuck Van Rossum, John Harris, Barbara DiBemard, Moira Ferguson, James Griesen, Bill Avery, James Moeser, Marilyn Bugenhagen, Andy Schuerman, Kara Slaughter, Kerk Fong Kee, Paul Schreier, LaShara Bunting, Adair Shanks, Alison Knudson, Chuck Hassebrook and the late Jim Van Horn. V I also want to thank those profes sors whose courses were so outstand ing, I looked forward to each class. Special thanks to Hilda Raz in English, George Tuck and Alfred “Bud” Pagel in news-editorial, Sidnie White Crawford in classics and Dane Kennedy and Ken Winkle in history. The people I’ve mentioned would be disgusted with the words “average,” “third tier” and “status quo.” So I call them activists even if they wouldn’t admit to the term. As for you folks who get annoyed and ridicule those of us who push hard er each day, question the system and debate the future -1 like to think you’ll work for us someday. Until then, I have to leave you with a few last comments on improving my favorite Big Red U. 1. Students should graduate from here thinking, “If I get rich, NU gets rich.” They should leave with a loyalty that’s second to none. They should be walking advertisements for Nebraska. But I’m not sure that’s possible when seniors get phone calls a week prior to graduation saying, by the way, they can’t graduate, because the univer sity just reanalyzed their records and realized they were a couple of credit hours short. It’s happened to two good friends in the past year and a half. One got the call Friday. My fingers are still crossed that I don’t get such a call this week. A billion tiny requirements make this university doggone difficult to graduate from. So when students get their senior checks, they should be able to count on them. When they get the signed note saying they’re set to gradu ate, that note should be a contract - signed and sealed. Long-planned family graduation parties shouldn’t get canceled in the last week. That tends to hack off sever al generations of potential donors at once - and especially the graduate. 2. The University of Nebraska Lincoln should be treated as the only flagship Research I campus in the system. Since I arrived at UNL, I’ve seen an expansion of programs and services on Kearney and Omaha campuses. I fully understand that those campuses help the University of Nebraska better serve Nebraskans with bachelor’s programs. But part of serving Nebraskans must be allowing the best and brightest graduate students and professors to compete on a national level at a top ranked, Research I university. That means concentrating the rather slim resources that a state with only 1.5 mil lion people can provide. In other words, spreading thin resources for sustaining top-quality, research-heavy Ph.D. programs among three campuses is a recipe for disaster. Take this year, for instance. When budgets tighten, UNL is forced to cut or shrink some academic and research programs. Departments can’t afford to hire the folks they want to hire or keep the folks they want to keep. Thus, the flagship institution’s programs lose quality at the same time NU continues to build new distance education pro grams and programs in Omaha. We can have one outstanding cam pus and two adjunct campuses that feed off its renowned research programs, or we can have three average campuses - not one of them in the second tier. Such choices are tough, but the payoffs of an all-around top-notch research and learning university in Nebraska would be real - both in the increased retention of intellectuals and in the all-important corporate research partnerships. The university system needs to refocus and reanalyze its mission. Serving Nebraskans doesn’t mean making it possible for anyofie to con duct Ph.D.-level research within an hour of their homes. 3.The university must increase its diversity. What I wouldn’t give to have a sig nificantly diverse journalism school from which to recruit new staff mem bers. A diverse staff is the one thing we lack at the Daily Nebraskan, and it hurts us. But it’s not just us - lagging diversity hurts every organization and department at the university. Different outlooks and ideas challenge us to think and to grow in new directions. They’re essential to a good education. Of course, improving the universi ty’s commitment to diversity also means fully recognizing gay rights with partners’ insurance benefits. It’s a tough cookie for many Midwesterners to swallow, but it’s right. In fact, a big part of increasing and respecting diversity is just plain of doing the right thing. In the end, I wish all good things to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and to the people who sustain it. I’ve had an inspirational and active few years, here, in class and on the Daily Nebraskan staff. Thanks to the readers that made it possible, and, as always, Go Big Red. 200s Fef sale Are you ready for summer? ‘98 Trek 820 21-speed mountain bike, our most popular model, regularly $325, now $249 with lifetime adjustments. Cycle Works 27th and Vine 475-2453. Full suspension demo bikes on sale! Full warranties apply. Specialized FSR Extreme, regularly $1599, now $999. Klein Mantra regularly $1399, now $899. Cycle Works 27th and Vine, 475-2453. Brand new MS Office 97 for only $80. You will save hundreds! 00227909@bigred.unl.edu Wanted: 2-4 tickets to June 12 Dave Matthews at Sandstone. Call 474-4368. ‘87 Mustang GT, street or strip, too many performance parts to list. Call 476-7511, leave message. ‘90 Civic. 4 DR, LX. Auto, full power, 92K, excellent throughout, $3650. Baers Auto, 1647 S. 3rd. 477-6442. FOR SALE: Good School Car; most important feature- Virgin Mary Medallion on dash! Okay folks, now you’re wondering- why does this car have as its “most important feature” a medallion of Our Holy Lady? Well, I was driving along one day and spot ted this little black 1987 Ford Tempo, 4 door, boppin’ along with 4 nuns in it and a “for sale” sign in the window. Welt, my girlfriend needed a car, so we called the number. As luck would have it, the nuns were Mexico The Daughters of the Holy Spirit, to be exact. That worked well for us, because my girlfriend is from Costa Rica and Spanish is her native tongue. Anyway, one thing led to another and we bought the car. sister Mar garita Iturbide, as a part of the deal, left the Holy Mother medallion on the dash and said a blessing over the car before I drove away with the Holy Mary watching over me. So why do I want to sell it? Well, my girlfriend has never learned how to drive it- it’s a manual. She’s driving my car and I want it back. So we need to sell this one and buy her an automatic. This car really is a good car. It doesn’t use any oil and gets about 26mi around town. I need $1,300 for it. If you're in the market for a good school car and want one that has a divine force watching over it, then call Tim Sullivan at 465-0026. You’ll blessed. 300s Services ft Adoption Happy, secure couple awaits newborn to show them the marvel of life. In return we will provide loads of love, laughter, and opportunity. Expenses paid. Greg and Diane, 1-800-466-3864. Auto Accidents & DWI Other criminal matters, call Sanford Pollack 476-7474. Free Preanancy Test Birthright is a confidential helping hand. Please call for appointment or more information, 483-2609. Check out our website www.birthright.org. Daily Nebraskan I .. 34 Nebraska .ibipnjB RO. Box 880443 ')[ llncoln, NE 63588-0446 £ Academic Expressions Resumes, curriculum vitae, theses, dissertations, newsletters. Academic editing, MLA/APA/AP/Chicago Manual. 402-628-2221. ironctad@navix.net. 400s Hml-I 1-2 M/F roommates needed to share 3 bedroom house in country. Rent $190-280. Call Michelle 798-0328 or 580-0575. Email: shello@gowebway.com. 1-3 nonsmoking females to share 3BR house; walk-in closets; large kitchen, living and dining rooms; sun room, wood floors, french doors, fireplace, C/A, partially furnished. $265 per person, utilities included. 499-3069 or ps35101Qnavix.net. Graduate student needs 1 roommate to share new, large 3BR, 2 1/2 bath, W/D, DW, garage, duplex xrr South Lincoln, 420-2052. Male roommate to share large house near campus. $160/month + $150 deposit + 1/4 utilities. 423-7953, call after 5 p.m. Need roommate to share 2BR house. Has W/D, garage space and fenced-in backyard for pets. If interested call 438-8449, ask for Dustin. Need roommate to share 4BR house. Needed May through August. House has W/D, dishwasher, central air, and parking apace. If interested, call 435-1051. Responsible N/S roommate needed to share nice 3 bedroom duplex , close to capital, $285.476-4577. Two or three male/female roommates needed for large house one block north of city campus. $150-$200/month plus utilities. Like to have fun? Move in ASAP. 477-1429 2 bedroom, fenced yard, garage, affordable and nice. 2275 Orchard, $475+ deposit. 483-5445. 4 BR, 2 bath, near UNL. Range, central air, refrigerator, washer/dryer, rec room, off-street parking, $800. 489-9294. 721 N. 30th. Restored 2 1/2 story, 5 bedroom, 2 baths. C/A. $1150 + deposit. Available July. 430-9618 or 467-6177. 1143 Charleston. 3BR, $630+ deposit Call 890-8909. 1531 N. 22nd very nice 4 bedroom 2 baths near UNU $800.432-0644, 4200 Baldwin, 6 bedrooms, 2 bath, C/A, W/D, $900. -340-8046, 440-2248. 5BR, 2 bath, 1204 Charleston. C/A, washer/dryer, range, refrigerator, $850. Call 489-9294. Available July 1 and August 1,3 and 4 BR houses. Contact 483-4887 or 483-7720. Great 3, 4, 5, and 6 bedroom homes near campus. Re serve now for summer, fall or both now, and relax! All appliances provided. 423-1535. Houses available in August near UNL, 432-0644. 3204 Holdrege, 4BR, garage, $800. 804 Y, 3BR, $675. f