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MONDAY APRIL 21, 1969
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
VOL 92, NO. 93
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April come she ivill
May, she
Poll shows students would increase
faculty salaries for better teachers
by Jim Pedersen
Nebraskan Staff Writer
More than half the students polled
In a survey taken last fall by the
ASUN Legislative Liason Research
subcommittee say that if they could
spend their own tuition money, they
would increase faculty salaries in an
effort to recruit and retain better
teachers.
Forty-nine per cent of the students
added that they would be willing to
pay more tuition to help solve the
University faculty problem, according
to Wally Dean, chairman of the
research subcommittee.
."I think we can draw valid con
clusions from this survey," Dean said
Sunday. "It represents an accurate
cross-section of the male, female,
greek, independenl and Lincoln
students at the University."
TWENTY PER cent or about 700
questionnaires were returned to the
subcommittee of those originally
distributed.
Of a possible 604 first place votes,
students awarded improved faculty
saaries 334 votes and 128 students
rated it second. Improvements of
classrooms and laboratories came
second on the list with 141 first place
votes out of 620 possibilities.
Better library facilities, more
research grants, and money spent on
the administration of the University
followed in that order. Few students
Individual
education
) by Ed Anson
i Nebraskan Staff Writer
I Social concern.
I Friendship in place of
paternalism.
I Education in injustices and human
I ri&hts-
These are phrases Dan Looker used
in describing the Student Action Front
1 (SAB"). Looker, who helped organize
! j 6AF and is now responsible for orien
J tation of volunteers, said his group
I did not actually organize the new
! program but simply filled a need.
Q "Social concern ... is a fad, an
$ increasingly popular thing," he said,
fj SAF simply helps meet the student's
; need "to put social concern into prac
I tice." Accordingly , the number of
j students involved has increased from
if the three who began organizing last
$ December to about 150 volunteers,
f I But the goal of SAF is not to do
f I 'something for the disadvantaged. The
n volunteers want to "worl: with them
and not for them," Looker explained.
The idea is to develop on-going rela-
I 'tionships with individuals rather thnn
ganization.
I And idealism Is not essential to the
J volunteer. Looker said and other
Hvorkers generally agreed that the
volunteer probably gains as much
from the relationship as the person
lie works with.
i Tha work is educational, he ex
plained. It provides experience which
out-performs any University Class in
teaching about human rights, in
justices, social problems and the best
way to work for solutions. That ex
perience, he Indicated, is action.
fAr organizers are trying to una
r the volunteers jobs with great
educational value, Jobs In which they
: i
ivill stay
inserted a write-in choice to designate
money allocations, but those who did
rated better parking facilities high.
"Obviously students are concerned
about the faculty," Dean said.
"Because they are in everyday con
tact with teachers explains why they
placed faculty first and administration
last on their priority list for money."
ACCORDING TO Dean, the
University has been spending for
physical plant improvements; it has
made plans for a library addition;
and it has adequately supplied funds
for research and administration.
"Although the University pays a
great deal for faculty salaries,
students feel that the University
should spend more to get a better
faculty," he added. "The University
hasn't reacted with as much vigor
to this problem as it has in other
areas."
Just because the legislature ap
propriates so much money for im
provements on the physical plant
doesn't mean that there aren't any
other priorities, Dean continued.
There are, and one of them is faculty
improvement.
"The University isn't paying enough
to keep top-flight instructors here,"
Dean said.
ALTHOUGH 49 per cent of the
students taking the survey indicated
they would accept a tuition raise,
relationships instead of charity,
in human rights, SAF goal
which will teach them about social
problems.
THE GROUP is operating with a
minimum of formal organization in
freedom and independent creativity in
their own jobs, Looker said.
However, SAF does have definite
programs, each with its leader.
Volunteers work with children and
with senior citizens. They also assist
community organizers and do odd jobs
when needed.
The work with children is aimed
primarily at giving them a chance
to have wider experience, according
to Andy Cunningham, a worker and
organizer in this program.
Under normal circumstances these
children mostly from low-income
families would never have any ex
perience outside their own
neighborhoods. They sign up for the
program, indicate their needs and
form a' friendship with an SAF
volunteer, Cunningham said.
THE PROGRAM is loosely struc
tured so the volunteers can work
spontaneously. A good deal o f
originality is expected of a worker,
he added.
One such worker is David Coufal.
He spends about an hour a week with
a second grader named Bobby,
playing chess or helping with a scrap
book. "He's a big fan for cars," said
Coufal of Bobby, and so they paste
pictures of cars In the scrap book.
At first they played checkers, he
added. But Bobby soon came to prefer
chess. The last couple of games were
ties. Coufal admitted.
. Plans include playing catch and
going on trips to places like the capitol
'building. Bobby had never been to
the cnpitol, he said.
juorrif OVTV tn tb wvM
Afro Society's twelve demand
to bring University response
The University will release a state
ment Monday concerning a list of 12
demands presented to administration .
by members of the Afro-American
Collegiate Society last week, ac
cording to G. Robert Ross, dean of
student affairs.
Ross said Sunday the release would
be the statement of the University
in response to those demands.
Members of the administration, in
cluding Ross, will meet Monday
afternoon to discuss the 12 demands.
Vice chanceUor and dean of
faculties C. Peter Magrath said Sun
day he had been meeting informally
with Drs. Russell Brown, assistant
dean of student affairs, and Walter
Brunning, assistant dean of arts and
sciences, concerning those demands
relating to curricular and faculty
areas.
MAGRATH SAID NO conclusions
had been reached at this time as to
increased inclusion of black faculty
on the current staff, the elevation of
statics of minority faculty currently
some of them made up part of the
61 per cent who said they would be
unable to pay more tuition under any
circumstances.
"In Nebraska if many of the
students say they are willing to pay
more tuition, it is significant," Dean
added, "but the figure loses some
credibility when 61 per cent say they
cannot afford a tuition raise."
Dean feels that it at least shows
that students are concerned enough
over the faculty problem to consider
paying more to solve that problem.
Besides the faculty figures, another
statistic which Dean feels is signifi
cant concerns student reaction to a
question asking if they intend to re
main in Nebraska after graduation.
ONLY 30 PER CENT answered
affirmatively. Of the remainder, 44
per cent said they definitely will leave
the state and 26 per cent were un
decided. "When the best students in the state
graduate from high school, they either
go out of the state to college or they
come to the University, " Dean said.
"The remaining Nebraska youth with
the most potential are here."
"The legislature has voiced as its
main concern that it must keep young
people in Nebraska," he continued.
'I suggest to the legislature that their
last chance to capture the youth of
Nebraska is the University."
This survey shows that the
grade, Bobby is skilled in multiplica
tion and division. Other children have
fallen behind their classmates and
need a different kind of attention.
Their SAF friends try to help them
develop a better attitude toward
school so they won't drop out, Coufal
said. If they need special help with
reading or arithmetic they get it, he
added. "We all want our little friends
to do well."
Coufal works with several other
SAF volunteers at Clinton grade
school. The school recommends
children for the program and allows
the volunteers to work during class
time.
Cunningham Is working in a community-oriented
program originated
by Robert Randolph of 729 S. 20th
Street and sponsored by the First
Plymouth Congregational Church.
SAF STAFFS the program In a
small neighborhood, almost unnoticed,
somewhere between the capitol
building and Lincoln High School,
Cunningham said. "It's a two-way
deal," he commented. "Were getting
a lot being exposed to these kids."
The original idea of SAF was to
organize a tutoring program, he
recalled. After a fruitless search for
unfilled tutoring needs, he discovered
Randolph's project and agreed to
help. He Is now preparing to expand
the program in the fall.
Other volunteers do much the same
thing but with people of a different
age group, Vicki Van S'.eenberg works
with Mrs. Lola Ulstrom of the Senior
Citizens Bureau to match workers
with senior citizens.
Much of the activity is a lot of
"just visiting," Miss Van Steenbeig
said. "Some of these people .. . have
had very interesting lives," she commented.
employed and the initiation of a black
studies program, three of the 12
demands.
An assessment of the present situa
tion is currently being made, Magrath
indicated.
Not in response
An action taken by the University
Board of Regents Saturday to grant
44 new tuition waivers for University
students was not made in response
to the demands of the Afro-American
Society that the University increase
its colored enrollments by 200, Regent
Richard Herman said Sunday.
Herman added that no list' of the
demands of the black students was
presented to the Regents by either
the University administration or by
members of the Afro-American
Collegiate Society.
The recent series of demonstrations
on the Lincoln campus were not
discussed, according to Herman. He
said, however, that several Regents
commented on the orderly and
legislature hasn't been doing an ade
quate job of influencing young people
to remain in the state, Dean added.
"The survey shows that kids are
willing to stay in the state until they
come to the University,"according
to Dean. "Here is where they make
their decision to leave.
"They don't like what they see.
They don't feel the state is making
an effort to get them to stay in
Nebraska."
Still, when students were asked in
the survey if the education they are
receiving fulfills their goals in at
tending a university, 60 per cent said
yes while 40 per cent said no. Asked
if they were being adequately prepar
ed for intended occupations, 440 said
yes and 198 said no.
According to Dean, the Budget
Committee of the Unicameral has
seen some of the survey's statistics
and the full report will be presented
by Dean in the public hearing on the
University budget.
"MEMBERS OF the ASUN
Legislative Liason committee will also
be meeting with individual state
senators as much as possible In the
next few weeks," Dean said. "We
have broken this survey into districts
corresponding with those of the
legislators so that we can present
pertinent comments and facts from
members of their districts to the
senators."
ONE LADY 90 years young
asks not to be visited on nice days,
though. She likes to go fishing, Miss
Van Steenberg explained.
The visiting often leads to specific
helps. Some people are reluc
tant to talk about their problems, she
said, but tlia volunteers generally find
them out.
Some seniors are 111 and need help,
she explained. Others need
transportation, or help getting their
food stamps or shopping.
"There certainly Is plenty to do,"
she assured. There are io or 15
students in the program and more
workers and work are coming In all
the time, she said, and there is still a
need for more volunteers.
OTHER WORK is being done in
community organization. LAP is
divided into target areas, according
to Paula Heinke, SAF program
coordinator. Someone from each area
or community is chosen to be an
organizer.
The Idea is to help combat apathy,
Miss Heinke explained. The com
munity organizer is In charge, she
added, but two or three SAF volun
teers are assigned, to each leader to
offer whatever assistance becomes
necessary.
About 75 volunteers have regular,
continuing jobs working with children,
senior citizens or community leaders,
Miss Heinke said. Another 75 are on
call to do odd jobs, she added.
Volunteers who don't feel they have
time for a regular job can put
themselves on call to work on moving
crews, provide transportation, take
care of children or paint houses or
whatever needs to be done, the
coordinator explained. ,
Wlmted nn pare 4
responsible manner in which the
demonstrations were conducted.
THE SUBJECT also was not
brought up by members of the Afro
American society, eight of whom at
tended the meeting "to observe".
Society president Wayne Williams left
before tine meeting ended.
The Board voted to continue the
tuition waiver programs in Lincoln
and Omaha, adding 20 waivers for
each school for each of the next three
years. In addition, tuition would be
waived for four students for each of
the next four years at the University
of Nebraska Medical Center in
Omaha.
During the meeting, there was no
reference to the kind of students for
whom the tuition would be waived,
aside from reference to those students
for whom tuition was waived this
year.
In the list of 12 requests presented
Ito University officials by the Afro
American Society, the use of
"negative labels" such as "high risk"
and "culturally deprived" in connec
tion with the tuition waiver program
had been criticized.
The 12 demands
This is the complete list of the
demands recently submitted by the
Afro-American Collegiate Society to
the University's administration:
1. The immediate recognition of the
Afro-American Collegiate Society as
the official representative body of the
black community on this campus.
2. That all affairs and programs
affecting the black community on this
campus be first cleared with this body
(A-ACS).
University legislation
slow in Unicameral
State legislation affecting the
University has slowed with, the ad
vancement of the Unicameral calen
dar, but state senators' interest in
University affairs is now evident in
comments on recent student
demonstrations.
Scottsbluff Sen. Terry Carpenter
told reporters Saturday that he will
attempt to close the University if
current demonstrating escalates into
violence.
"No one has the right to obstruct
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On campus
1 today
i i
Actress Judith . Anderson will
present a series of selected poetry
readings at the University's 41st
Honors Convocation April 22 in the
Coliseum. The convocation is held
each year to honor those students who
rank in the top 10 per cent of their
respective classes. Distinguished
teaching awards for faculty members
will be presested by the University
Foundation and Builders.
Student Action Front volunteer
I J . it
.... v ?W v v X.?5v .
3. That the University increase its
minority enrollment by 200 by Sep
tember, 1969 and that future years
witness an increase to this figure.
(The figure 200 given for September,
1969 should include Mexican
Americans and American Indians.)
4. That a black coordinator chosen
by black students and approved by
A-ACS be hired by this institution by
June 1, 1969 for the 1969-70 school
year.
5. That a black conselor be hired
by this institution immediately. This
person is to be chosen and approved
by the black community and A-ACS.
6. That a black recruiting team,
employed by the University, be
established to effectively attract black
students. (The black counselor and
black coordinator are to be a part
of this team if they feel their
participation necessary.)
7. That black-oriented courses deal
ing with areas of literature, culture,
history and institutional racism,
taught by black professors, be in
corporated into the history courses
now being taught at the University.
8. That the black man's true role
in history be incorporated into the
history courses now being taught.
9. That the number of black faculty
be increased and the present members
elevated in status.
10. That a black Studies Program,
staffed and directed by black
scholars, in its entirety be instituted
by September, 1970.
11. That all negative labels be
.eliminated in regards to the 20 "High
Risk, Culturally Deprived" incoming
black students.
12. That the University initiate
Visiting Scholars' Forum for minority
groups in this country.
movement in or out of any public
buidling, ... and this includes any
university building," Carpenter said.
"In my judgement the tenor of toe
legislature is to stand for no nonsense,
even if we have to close the university
to stop it," he said.
"I would suggest to the Board of
Regents and to the chancellor that
this kind of trouble doesn't happen
(at the University)."
Omaha Sen. Henry Pedersen
generally concurred with Carpenter's
statements, noting that the
Legislature would respond swiftly if
the Afro-American and other students
"go beyond peaceful demonstration."
"If they get out if hand I am offer
ing a resolution which will inform the
Board of Regents of the feeling of
the Legislature," he said. "This feel
ing I know is that the Board should
run the University, and not give in
to the pressure of the militant few
who seek only to distrupt and not
to improve the University.'1
The University Budget Committee
hearing is now scheduled for April
28, and speculators are wondering
about the effects of possible student
strikes and deomonstrations on the
final appropriations for the
University's 1969-71 school terms.
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