BDRAB
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 197Q
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
VOL. 94, NO. 3
Fs ID ,:f
September IS, 1970
Dear Mr. Davis:
The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska has
asked that I inform you that the action taken by the Board
with reference to your proposed appointment as an instructor
was not based upon any specific charge or complaint made .by
any person or institution.
The Board, which legally has the reponsibility for
approval or disapproval of faculty appointments, was not
convinced that you possessed the qualifications which it desired
and for that reason ceased the processing of personnel actions
which would have lead to your appointment as an instructor at
the University of Nebraska,
Sincerely,
G. Robert Ross -Corporation
Secretary
Davis disputes
Regents' reply
by BILL SMrniEKMAN
Nebraskan News Editor
"Either the University of
Nebraska Regents didn't have
any reasons for not hiring me
or they are ashaned to admit
them."
This was the first reaction of
Michael Davis, a pre-doctoral
fellow at the University of
Michigan, whose appointment
as a philosophy instructor at
Nebraska was denied by the
Board of Regents.
Davis, who had been ac
cepted by all faculty and ad
ministration authorities con
cerned with hiring new
Michael Davis
teachers, was rejected by the
Board in its August meeting.
After his rejection, Davis
sent a letter to the Board ask
ing for specific, complete
evidence, and reasons why he
was not hired. In their Monday
meeting the Regents authorized
a reply to Davis.
Davis had not yet received
the letter Thursday, but had
instructed vice-chancellor G.
Robert Ross to release a copy
to The Nebraskan. A member
of the Nebraskan staff read the
letter to him over the telephone
Thursday evening.
I y
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"This cuts to the heart of
academic life," Davis said.
"This is the same situation as
that of a union worker who is
fired with no appeal to a
grievance committee. It Is bad
business for a University."
Davis called the Regent's
action "irresponsible because It
. is without foundation." He said
he plans to file a complaint
with the Nebraska chapter of
the American Association of
University Professors within
the next few days.
Though the Regent's letter
listed no specific charges
against Davis, he defended his
academic actions. .
"My concerns here have been
with the reform of the
university," he said. "The
situation at Michigan has been
fluid enough that we have been
able to work within the system
and make changes."
Davis continued that there
had been virtually no student
violence at Michigan for
several years.
"I believe this was partly
because other students and I
have been able to work within
the system and make con
structive changes," he said.
The philosophy department
at Michigan was "extremely
upset" when they found out
what had happened, Davis said.
They will decide what to do
after they see the letter, he
added.
Davis said he sees three ef
fects of the Regent's action:
1. It diminishes NU's ,
credibility in the academic
market it is difficult for the
faculty to make commitments
if they can't be sure they will
be honored.
2. It strikes at the ability of
the academic community to
choose Its own men on the basis
of relevant criteria.
3. It points up the fact the
students of Nebraska have a
stake in having a good faculty
and having them chosen on the
basis of their academic
qualifications. '
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6y)
"What do you
rop &
"I opened the doors and ran
like hell. I wasn't about to get
trampled by a herd of
students."
That was the reaction of a
Janitor when he unlocked the
doors of the Nebraska Union at
7 a.m. Thursday and was
greeted by hudreds of students
arriving early for drop and
add.
su -u
J&K.
Waiting
T
X
Waiting
1
j,
mean, we need a time appointment card?
add is pain in !$?:
By mid-morning the line of
students, trying to take ad
vantage of the lengthened free
drop and add, extended from
the second floor of the
Nebraska Union to 75 yards
outside the north doors of the
building.
Typical was the experience of
Linda Simonson, a senior from
Mullen.
"Administration told me I
wouldn't need a time appoint
inv fif n; fif .. .!
4
if -1
j vw - - Ml
KJ J
i
1 V
J - i
ment card for Thursday and
that I could get right through."
Linda arrived in the line at
7:45 a.m. At 9:30 she was
handed a time appointment
card for 10:30. Finally, at 10:43
she was admitted to the drop
and add center where all the
classes she wished to take were
closed.
By the end of Friday over
6,000 students will have gone
Jump to page S
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