Pag 2
Ncbraskan Editorials:
The Ultimate Authority
The Student Council Judiciary Committee ac- The IFC is responsible to the Interfraternity
Won, placing IFC, Panhellenic and the Student Board of Control, actions of which are ". . . bud-
Union Board under the Council scholarship ject to review and control by the Chancellor
tandard has created a storm of controversy. and the Board of Regents."
In fact and in theory, the ruling merely ex- The Student Panhellenic Association ". . . shall
tends the scholarship requirement, which was be under the supervision of the Associate Dean
passed late last fall, to virtually all University for Women." Answerable ultimately to the Chan
organizations. The requirement stipulates that cellor and Regents.
board members must have a 5.0 average, officers Interpretation here would seem to indicate
5.7. that these three groups are in no way subject
Heretofore, IFC, Panhellenic and the Student to the Council, but answerable only to parent
Union Board have been exempt from this re- agencies established by the Regents,
quirement because their constitutions were not But just as the lines of authority of these
rigSjftiiy approved by the Council. three groups are not given to the Council,
The committee ruling, then, is but an inter- neither are they given exclusively to the parent
pretation of a policy which has long been in ef- bodies of these three organizations nor are they
feet. And the philosophy behind the interprets- expressly denied to the Council,
tion is, simply, that if a ruling is put into effect, And the Council constitution states that it has
it should be applied to all University organiza- the power to (1) "regulate and coordinate ... all
tions, and not to a certain segment of these student organizations of general university in
organizations. terest;" (2) "to recognize and approve the con
In other words, why pass a law to which three stitutions of any new student organization," and
large campus groups are immune? (3) "to review the constitution of any student
The reasonableness of extending the scholar- organization with power of revocation."
hip standard to all campus organizations is Interpretation at this point would appear to
quite evident. The issue is not policy but en- mean that the Council, even though it may not
forcement. be able to approve these constitutions, can
However, the big problem lies behind the Ju- nevertheless call them up for review,
diclary Interpretation of the scholarship re- However, both the Regents' Bylaws and the
quirement: What control does the Student Coun- Council constitution are too vague and too gen-
cil have over IFC, Panhellenic and Student eral to explicitly clarify the lines of authority
Union? between the Council, Panhellenic, IFC and the
Each group, because of their unique qualities, Union,
have been specially provided for by the Board As an admitted test case, the Judiciary Com-
of Regents By-laws. The Union . . . "shall be mittee decision may provide the means to ulti-
responsible to the Chancellor and The Board of mately delimit these lines of authority and
Regents." settle the question once and for all. B. B.
An Easier Way
The Mortar Board petition to the Faculty tion for entry in the Men's Sing or a pageant or
Committee on Student Affairs, asking for finan- some like sidelight is established,
cial aid and more control over Ivy Day, appears i lodging their petition, the Mortar Boards
to be an unfortunate and unnecessary move. did not previously consult Innocents their
, First, there was little need for the petition; counterpart, legally and theoretically in spon-
aecondly, it was lodged with the wrong authority, soring Ivy Day, nor did they petition Student
and thirdly, it could possibly violate the consti- Council, the organization presiding over all
tutions of groups presently participating in Ivy student groups and from which Mortar Board
av' derived their original lines of authority.
Mortar Board claimed three advantages from K was fl leapfrog action perhaps , justi.
tte petition: fmanaal aid, clear cut control over fied bufc certajnl not the ethical means to
Ivy Day and greater all-University participation. accomplish the original Mortar Board objectives.
However, none of these reasons, in and of them- , . , ...
selves, or in any possible combination, were Las' however' m askin for complete control
reason enough to appear before the Faculty over Mortar Board neglected the Kos-
committee me a constitutions, which stipulate
Financial aid could have been assured by go- exPlicitly that ,each organization exercises con-
ing straight to the administration-rather than J1 respectively over the all-Fraternity and all-
asking the committee to draft a resolution to this Women s SinSs-
effect. Undoubtedly, Mortar Board was acting from
The ultimate control over Ivy Day was drawn the best of intentions, but the hastiness and in-,
up in a Council committee report last year, giv- advisability of the petition was apparent as the
ing joint authority to Mortar Board and Inno- Council rebuked the group in a resolution
cents. The report passed unanimously. Wednesday and both senior honoraries began
And, by definition, Ivy Day can become little negotiating a compromise solution,
more of an all-University function unless more Something which could have been done easily
people enter activities, independent groups peti- and quietly, without a formal petition. B. B.
Worthwhile Purpose
Wednesday and Thursday University students serving to explain some of the mystery and re-
fought several noisy battles over issues in the create the hectic confused atmosphere of the
Mock Political Convention. It was a hotly con- actual nominating convention,
tested platform and body of rules that delegates Students have learned, if the amount of
discussed in this emotionally charged atmos- caucuses are any indication, that not all the
phere. work of political conventions is done on the
The decisions they reached are irrelevant in floor. They have also learned what it is to be
long-range perspective. What counts is the fact pressured from all sides to support this or that
that University students were on a convention candidate for varying advantages,
floor, learning how the sometimes confusing The fact that most of the issues have been con
American political system worked. The conven- tested should be quite rewarding to the organ
tion is serving the worthwhile purpose of sorting izers of the convention. The convention is more
out seemingly unrelated pellets of information than a project of NUCWA to pull the organiza
gained in political science classes and misinfor- tion out of the doldrums it suffered in the past
mation gained through hearsay into a cohesive few years. It is an honest attempt to encourage
body of knowledge that will prove useful. healthy political activity among University
As Governor Anderson pointed out in Thurs- students,
day's session, political conventions are to the The Nebraskan heartily endorses the conven-
average citizen like a football game is to a Zulu tion for its intended purposes,
warrior something that looks like organized The Nebraskan doesn't care what students
mayhem. The Mock Political Convention is think politically, just so they think. J.B.
Narrowing Breach
Administrative support of the pending Spring student body who will take part in making the
Day activities May 4 was emphasized Thursday ivy Day weekend one to rival CU days,
when the Dean of Student Affairs announced And finally, credit must go to an Administra-
that all afternoon classes for that day would be tion who allowed plans to congeal by themselves
cancelled. It was decided at the Faculty Senate without interference.
meeting-Tuesday afternoon. Perhaps Spring Day as yet untried and un-
This will allow all undergraduate students to proven will be positive proof that something
attend the fun and games at Ag College, and pre- good can come out of co-operation between the
pare themselves for the barbecue and dancing student body and University officials.
In the evening, , Then, perhaps, the University can settle back
The attitude of the Administration toward the to the business of being a university, with
formation of Spring Days has been excellent all students dividing their time between scholarship,
through the planning period. The student body activities and socializing, and with the Admin-
bas been allowed to go ahead with Spring Day istration doing their job of directing the affairs
with no intervention by the administration. Ap- and interests of the University,
proval has been sought by the student commit- go far, it looks like it might work F.T.D.
te for its . plans, and this approval has been
granted.
One reason for this support of Spring Pay, of KIJnU I It a
course, Is that the University does not want the '''9 LITC
destruction and degrading publicity of another Two students taking a night course had not, for
riot-pantor raid. Spring Day would be the one reason or another, been attending class too
answer to this danger. regularly. One night, finding nothing on tele-
But more important thing is that the Admin- vision, they decided to attend and impress the
Istration is standing behind astudent proposal instructor with their interest and punctuality.
and Is letting the students go ahead with their Arriving at the reasonable time of 7:30 p.m.,
owa planning." It makes the fabled breach be- they found no one there but themselves and the
tween the students and the administration look instructor. "Well," one said brightly, "there
tyjite a bit narrower. doesn't seem to be many people here tonight."
If Spring Days is a success, credit must first "It may be because we have been meeting at
go to the students who planned and organized 8 p.m. for the past five weeks," the instructor
the events. Credit must go secondly to the answered.
Tho Nebraskan
FIFTY-FIVE YEARS OLD " P"ntJ. February 8. 1985
Entered as second .clan matter at the post office In
Memberi Associated Collegiate Press Lincoln, Nebraska, under the act of auiu . 1912.
Intercollegiate Press r, EDITORIAL STAFF
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Published at: Boom 20, Student Union &,":::::::::
14()i AT? ' Copy Editor Luclcraee Switxer, Monroe Usher,
. , . , Barbara Sharp, Bob Cook
University of Nebraska num iw Editor Bob t o
linrnln NphraKka A Kdltor Wllfr-d Srhnts
. . VlUCOm, IeiraSKH NehraHkan staff writers Mary
T! Nrhrathan la pubilthed Tuesday, Wednesday and shellrdy, Arlene llrbek, Cynthia Zschan, Walt Wore.
S"rMJF during tlie school year,1 except during vacations Reporters: L.lnda Levy. Bob Ireland, Fat Tatroe, Nancy
amd exam porlods, and one Issue Is published during lelnf, .Marianne Thygesen. Sara Alexander, Pat
August, by students of tbe University of Nebraska under Drake, Diana Bsvmond, Alvce t'ritchman, Bob Wlrx,
(tie authorization of the Committee on Student Affairs George Moyer and Dick I-air oner.
an expression of student opinion. Publications under DTTCTvrce ornafTj
the jurisdiction of ths Subcommittee on Student Puhll- CUMINc.3a Slftfr
'"'' h1', J " from editorial censorship on the Manager George Madsen
part of the Subcommittee, or on tbe part of any member . . ... . ...' 7 ..
f the faculty of the University, or on the part of any Business Managers Mirk Neft, BUI Bedwell,
perwm outside the University. The members of tbe Connie Hurst, Don Beck
ftebraskan staff are personally responsible lor what the Circulation Manager Elchard Hendrlx
THE NEBRASKAN
Friday. March 16, 1956
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
by Dick Sinter
' ,jrlw ywti
1
a A CHIMNEY SWEEP WV M' THERE HASN'T BEEWAFKf
ON THIS FLOOR. FOR. TWENTY YFARS.'"
The Challenge
cisic Schoolisi
3 id Necessity
Eds. Note:) Today's Challenge was written by Alfred Landon,
Republican nominee for President in 1936 and governor of Kansas
from 1933 to 1937. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas
and has been a leader in Kansas politics since 1928. This Challenge
was written especially for The Nebraskan by Gov. Landon.
Answering your request "to give students a little more aware
ness of the world around them and the society in which they live and
the forces shaping both," they should be aware of their deficiencies
in reading, writing and arithmetic.
The ability to read with understanding is essential not only to
embryo lawyers, doctors, scientists, teachers but to all those who
would understand the nature of homo sapiens.
Good literature is elevating. Reading contributes to the joy of
life as well as to efficiency on the job. It widens the outlook and
gives subtle directions not only in daily work but in the endless
choices on the roads of life's labyrinth.
News stories, the editorial, financial, and sport pages in the
newspapers give a daily view of life and human conditions.
One of the characters of a Roman playwright says, "As a human
being, I am a party to every jot of human experience." Quoting
Toynbee, "This is surely a saying which we should all take to heart."
Business and industry are crying for better mathematics and
English. Science is demanding higher mathematicians. The big need
of ordinary business is employees who can do simple arithmetic. The
emphasis is for people who can express their ideas cogently and
intelligently.
Several year ago I was talking with a division production super
intendent for a large oil company about the petroleum engineering
courses at the different universities.
He said, "Where they are falling down is in the English courses.
They are not teaching their graduates how to express their ideas,
either in personal conversations or in written reports, so that I can
easily grasp them."
Several months later I was visiting with the head of a college
that had been left a three hundred thousand dollar endowment for
the particular purpose of studying the petroleum industry.
The president told me that during the past year he had inter
viewed the. heads of a number of major oil companies. They told
him the same thing.
As one of them put it, "Geologists are a dime a dozen. But
geologists who can express their reports cogently, clearly and intelli
gently are what I am looking for."
f 'W t
ft GREEN j
Henegar, Monegar
"Hennegar, Monegar, why do you drag?
With a hey-ho, derry-down day.
"Oh, I went to Nebraska and picked up a Rag,"
With a hey-ho, derry-down down
Down.
"Hennegar, Henneger, why pants so your breath?"
With a hey-ho, derry-down day.
"Oh, is my name Arthur or is my name Beth?"
With a hey-ho, derry-down down
Down.
"Monegar, Henneger, why do your teeth rattle?"
With a hey-ho, derry-down day.
"Oh, they've murdered my name and they've
cannonized my battle."
With a hey-ho, derry-down down
Down.
"Where go you now, oh my Hennegar, Honeger?"
With a hey-ho, derry-down day.
"Out to a court to refurbish my moniker,"
With a hey-ho, derry-down down
Down.
Ann Gerike
Ex Nihilo Nihil Fit
My book of life unfolds before me; barren pages devoid of print.
Nothing done and gains to show.
J. Francis Flynn
One-Way Street
The idle man finds small content
In loafing, lolling, leaning, wasting.
For sagging now, upon his couch '
He cannot stop and rest.
And growing old, he sees that life
Is but a one-way street.
Where, couch and all, he's passed the time.
A "dead end" sign's ahead!
The sleepy rider stirs. He's seen
The sign! A frightened glance
He quickly throws behind him.
As far as he can see no thing he finds,
To show that he has passed along the way.
J. Noble
1 V
i,
Students Need
Critical Eye
By Dr. WALTER MILITZER
Dean, Arts and Sciences College
(Eds. Note:) The Upper Cham
ber for this week was written
by Dean Walter MiliUer of the
College Arts and Sciences.
When I was an undergraduate I
ran across a statement in a history
textbook that impressed me greatly.
The author said that Eli Whitney
made the Civil War inevitable. You
may recall that Eli Whitney, a
Georgia schoolteacher, invented the
cotton gin in 1793.
The cotton gin produced a cot
ton economy for the south. A cotton
economy exploded into a slave
economy. A slave economy ex
ploded into the Civil War. I read
this statement about the same time
that President Roosevelt called for
a halt to scientific research and de
velopment so that society could
catch up with its inventions.
As a science student I took the
whole matter very seriously. It
wasn't until a number of years
later that I was convinced about the
error of trying to pin the respon
sibility of the Civil War on Eli
Whitney's shoulders. I should have
known at once that such an analysis
of history was exceedingly trans
parent. The kind of an education that I
received as an undergraduate did
not encourage me to draw critical
judgments. It was more like a flash
flood of theory and fact that swept
me along toward graduation and a
job. It didn't give me much time
to study the source of the flood
nor to probe the river bed that
made the flood possible.
As I look back I have no quarrel
with learning and memorizing a
million facts. One cannot think in
a vacuum. I do have a complaint
about the way theory was taught.
Theory was presented with the
same sureness as fact.
We were hurried along so rapidly
that we were taught not to sift out
the basic assumptions upon which
all subject matters science in
cludedmust rest.
Rather, we were discouraged
from challenging basic assump
tions. These had to be accepted
in order to hurry past the next
bend in the river which would
dump more water into the flood
stream.
Perhaps this frantic pressure to
get material is necessary in pro
fesional education. A .modern tech
nical society seems to demand it.
But it has done something to uni
versity education in general which
is not healthy: it has spread this
approach to other fields of know
ledge. Acquiring wisdom takes time,
and it takes a certain maturity
of mind which can come only by an
unhurried reflection and by a calm
examination of the basic assump-
From Upper Chamber
tions upon which all truths must
ultimately be accepted or rejected.
In today's education the need for
unhurried reflection is more des
perate than it was twenty-five yeara
ago. All of us know the issues that
confront society, but only a few
have an understanding of them and
fewer still know the underlying as
sumptions upon which the issuea
must finally be judged.
Only by a calm study .with an
occasional deep plunge into a quiet
pool can we come up with an un
derstanding of what goes on be
neath the ripples. In today's pres.
sures only the humanities, and per
haps the social sciences, seem to
be able to afford this attitude of
mind.
I have continually deplored the
small amount of time which a uni
versity education of today devotes
toward letting students sit back
with a critical eye on what is said
in the textbooks and in the class
rooms. If I had spent more time as aa
undergraduate on this sort of thing,
I would never have been disturbed
by the thought that Eli Whitney
or some other fool scientist waa
responsible for the ills of society.
I cannot say that I would have
known who was responsible for
them but at least I would have had
a beginning for a real education.
poooocoooooaoooooooooooooM
Al IIITLIK5
Daily 9:30 to 5:30
Thursday 10 to 8t30
DEBS
Step Smartly Toward
Spring , .
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