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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 1971)
sUlAi MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, byGARYSEACREST Staff Writer Stephen L. Rozman, out of a job as of August, vowed Sunday to carry his case to federal court, national and local faculty channels, and the University community in an effort to save his academic life at the University. Rozman, who was involved in last May's anti-war protests on the Lincoln campus, was ousted from the NU faculty Saturday by an unanimous vote of the University Board of Regents in one of the stormiest meetings of the Regents in recent history. The controversial assistant professor of political science said he plans to file an injunction as well as a damage suit against the Regents. Noting that he also intends to file an official complaint with the national office of the America Association of University Professors (AAUP), Rozman remarked, "the University should be censured for this outrageous action." The president of the local chapter of the AAUP, Desmond Wheeler, said Sunday he assumes Rozman could make use of the chapter's special legal defense fund recently created for academic freedom cases. Rozman. who has started his own legal defense fund, said, "1 hope the whole University" community gives generously to it." He added he plans to appeal his case to the NU Faculty Senate because, "I want the faculty to recognize that the Regents' decision affects not just me, but the whole University." The Faculty Senate has a regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday. The Regents concluded Saturday that "the interest of Dr. Rozman and of the University will be best served" Meetings, fast scheduled in sympathy for Rozman Meetings, get-togethers and other activities are planned for Monday in connection with the firing of Steven L. Rozman, assistant professor of political science. In a "mandate Wm the Senate" ASUN leaders have called a special meeting of the Student Senate for Monday at 8 p. m. in the Union, according to ASUN President Steve Tiwald. Chancellor D. B. Varner and President Joseph Soshnik are slated to attend the open discussion to explain the "contradiction between the faculty fact-finding committee report and the Regent's actioa," said Tiwald. An open meeting for anyone wanting to speak-out on the Rozman case is scheduled for noon Monday in the North Union Lounge. A group of students led by Senior Bill Art mann plan a fast in Soshnik's Love Library V7 1971 if Rozman was not re-appointed. The Regents said his contract terminates in June, but Rozman contends he has a contract to teach summer school. The Board's ouster of the 30-year-old Rozman was reached despite the report of a special fact- finding committee (composed of five faculty members) appointed by the Regents to investigate the actions of the political science teacher during last spring's anti-war demonstrations, "it is the general finding of the committee," the faculty group concluded, "that Dr. Rozman was not quilty of inappropriate actions during the week of May 4." After Regent J. G. Elliott of Scottsbluff finished reading the Regents' resolution to dismiss Rozman, several students stood up and shouted obscenities at the Board about the resolution. Rozman then bolted out of his front-row seat and asked the Board: "Do I have a chance to speak? Does the defendent have the right to speak before sentencing is passed?" Regent President Robert Raun of Minden ruled Rozman out of order and refused to let the political science teacher address the Board. A roll call vote was taken on the motion to oust Rozman and the eight Regents all casted "aye" votes. The Regents then quickly adjourned and left Rozman to address a crowd of nearly 250 students. "You have abused and used this committee," Rozman shouted to the Regents after the meeting. "I've never seen such hypocrisy." Rozman then asked Chancellor D. B. Varner for his comment on the Board's action. "This is a decision of the Board of Regents who have judged the case," Varner said office Monday morning. "During a period of two days (Feb. 8 and 9) we shall consume only liquids," said a statement released by Arfmann. "The deficiency of our physical consumption during these two days shall reflect what we perceive to be the deficiency in the educational environment at the University." When Soshnik's offices close at 5, the group plans to go to the north steps of Love Library and wait "until a fellow member of the University community shows solidarity with us by taking us to his or her residence for the evening." The following morning the students plan to return to Soshnik's office. The statements calls upon students and faculty to join the fast or to write letters supporting the fast to Chancellor D. B. Vamcr and to the Regents. n n snnnnnn 1U 5 LINCOLN, NEBRASKA with a look of pained reluctance: "In my opinion your conduct was inappropriate on the night of May 4th." Rozman added later: "This is the first time in judicial history where the jury turned in a finding of not-guilty and the judges unanimously passed a judgement of guilty." Although the Regent's resolution acknowledged appreciation for the service rendered by the fact-finding committee, it added: "Realizing that five Turn to Page 3 J C I PS" l Jl "Let me talk before I'm sent away,"...Rozman protested before the Regents, who unanimously decided not to renew his contract. Belt-tightening begins already as Regents face budget cuts On the first day of classes last fall, Chancellor D. B. Varner announced his goal the University should become the finest school in the Big Eight. But now, at the beginning of the second semester, Varner's goal appears to be indefinitely postponed. lujtead the Lincoln campuses are faced with the prospects of cutbacks in programs, a freeze in enrollment, a tution hike and a halt to filling personnel vacancies without advanced authorization. The University has already begun the arduous job of belt-tightening to fit Gov. J. J. Exon's budget recommenda tions that call for cutbacks in state aid for the University for 1971-72. Hardest hit were the Lincoln campuses, where Exon recommended $2.7 million less in state funds for next year than the campuses are now receiving. The University Board of Regents Saturday unanimously JK to fmht "Even though Dr. Rozman has stated that he believed that he was acting in the best interests of the University during the Military and Naval Science Building occupation, his actions in refusing to leave the Military and Naval Science Building when directed to do so by the administration and in refusing to cooperate with the administration efforts to secure the evacuation of the building after it had been determined. . . that the action of the students had become disruptive to normal University operations, are not approved by this Board and will not be condoned. . Regents resolution 0 1 MM approved nine recommendations made by Varner in an attempt to make the necessary changes if Exon's a ustere budget recommenda tions are adopted by the Unicameral. Varner urged the Regents to re-study the tuition increases that had been proposed last September because the assumption at the time was that the University "would develop an educational program of better quality which would inevitably cost more money and that the students should by prepared to pay their fair share of the increased costs. "Since it now appears unlikely that we can deliver on our end of the bargain, he added, "it would seem unfair to ask the students and the parents to bear an ever-increasing share of the cost of their education. Exon used the tuition increases as a replacement for increased state aid for the 1 VOL.94 NO. 57 on p, -j 4 h 6 University's operation in 1971-72. "It is our fervent hope," Varner said, "that the Legislature will review with us the implications of our present situation and will provide the funds to permit us to remain competitive." . However, the Chancellor told the Regents the University cannot afford to wait until May or June to make the necessary changes if Exon's budget recommendations are adopted. At Varner's request, the Regents set a goal that the University "establish without qualification its objective of becoming the best university in the Big Eight in those areas" it now offers programs. "It seems quite clear," Varner asserted, "that if we are to o perate at even approximately the level of financial support being recommended, we cannot achieve the level of quality Turn To Page 2 ft- t i I ft ',- ft I' t '