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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1970)
Future dim Prospects for a faculty-student senate In the near future seem dim, but students may be able to pull it off If they can show the faculty senate it would profit by including students, according to Paul Olson, chairman of the Faculty Senate Human Rights Com mittee. Creation of a student-faculty senate might be able to help both ASUN and Faculty Senate over their identity crises, Olson said, by eliminating duplication of efforts and confusion over who has power over which areas. He admitted that Faculty Senate isn't "terribly powerful" but said some of its committees are such as the :-. liaison committee. Some Senate committees have student members with voting powers, such as Olson's Human Rights Committee,, but these student representatives are not chosen by ASUN, he said. The only way students could get on Senate committees now lacking student input is for the specific committee's structure to be revamped by the Faculty Senate, Olson explained. One barrier to getting more student input in the decision making process of the , University is the traditionally closed style of government at the University, according to Olson, who said openness was not encouraged by former Chancellor Clifford Hardin. -1 5- J 4,,W .. v . .:ftfeMrthrfAi!Jk?v H .. . f : for joint "All of us are threatened by having students on committees because it is more cozy not to have them around," he com mented. But, Olson says this fear is unfounded because his experience with students on committees is that "they haven't said much." And "given the present level of political consciousness among students," he isn't sure what they could contribute to decision making. To be effective, students must understand how the University functions, Olson stressed. "It won't help students to be in the Senate if they don't know how it works," he said. The present Faculty-Senate '.wr.wwwiW.w'w.'..'W wy.'v))M.wngy.:.'llykW i WW has some advantages that would be lost by switching to a student-faculty body, Olson continued. Currently, any faculty member with the rank of assistant professor or above can attend and air his or her views. "This tends to make our faculty less paranoid than some others," Olson said. Lincoln Campuses President Joseph Soshnik didn't want to take sides on the question, saying the issue of a student faculty senate is up to students and faculty. He doubts that such a body will take shape soon. Since the Faculty Senate rejected the notion of a representative senate of elected faculty members, it is not nw - t ,x , . L,A.- ' . 'V . ..v . Jxy . v ri senate likely to okay the even bigger change-over to a student faculty senate, Soshnik ex plained. Students can have a greater and quicker impact on their destinies by expanding their influence in the colleges and departments where most of the curriculum decisions are made, the president advised. Soshnik praised the Arts St Sciences Advisory Board for its work in establishing new science courses for non-majors and an integrated studies pro gram. The successes of the Arts & Sciences Advisory Board could be expanded to other colleges, he suggested. This type of participation as well as student , input in the library committee, teaching council, search committees and in Centennial College is "direct and consequential." Soshnik says he realizes "there is some objection in ASUN to the way students are selected for Faculty-Senate committees," but he thinks this Continued on Page 12 Veterans elect new officers In recent elections, the Stu dent Veterans Organization has chosen Dan Cuda of Teachers College as president. Ken Brauer of Business College was selected as vice president of the Vet group; Les Schulz, Architectural College, secretary; and Joe Bahns, Business College, treasurer. Jackson heads TKE officers Jim Jackson has been elected as president of Tau Kappa Ep silon fraternity. Dan Sterup will serve as vice president; Don Westerhold as secretary; and Vic Sterup as treasurer. Pledge trainer vill be Larry Kauffman; chaplain, Jim Van Kirk; historian, Tom Bell, and house manager, Fred Griend. ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL and SCHOOL Juno 29 - Auguit 30 three orchestral private Instruction chambor muiio opera conference on ) contemporary muslo teachers program for Information, write! Aspen Music School, 1860 Broadwiay, Room 702, New York, N.Y. 10023 PAGE S THE DAILY NEBRASKAN FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1970