Regents Prokop, Schwartzkopf: protest hurts
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Two University of Nebraska
Regents said Thursday they
fear that continued protest by
University students in the wake
of Stephen Rozman's firing
will kill the University's
already ailing case with the
Unicameral and the people of
Nebraska.
"We're going to be picking
up the pieces in the Legislature
for a long time," Regent
Edward Schwartzkopf of
Lincoln said. "It seems they
(the protesters) were playing
right into, the hands of a few
people. down at the
Legislature."
Regent Robert J. Prokop of
Papillion added that the
continuation of protests "will
destroy any case we have in the
state of Nebraska at this
point."
But he affirmed the right of
lawful dissent, saying: "In this
case it might even have been
justified. Dissent is the pillar of
democracy."
Prokop criticized those
"individuals who obviously
wanted to be arrested."
Chancellor D. B. Varner had no
alternative, he added.
Prokop added that he would
be "most disappointed" if the
Division of Student Affairs
didn't take action against the
students arrested Wednesday.
He also said that protesters'
actions would produce no
results since Rozman's case has
been "completely studied" and
"will not be brought up again"
by the Regents.
Schwartzkopf agreed with
Prokop that protesters are
"wasting energy where they
aren't getting positive results."
"They're fasting, so what?"
he said. "I would rather see
students sit down and come up
with a positive plan."
Schwartzkopf plans to
accept ASUN's invitation to
appear at a special meeting
Feb. 16. Prokop can't attend
the meeting since he will be on
call at the University of
Nebraska Medical School, but
said that he is "open to any
group."
Both Regents spoke to
campus groups Wednesday
night. Prokop addressed
members of the Inter
Fraternity Council and
Panhellenic. Schwartzkopf
spoke with students at the
Alpha Phi sorority house.
Commenting on the
Regents' resolution not to hire
Rozman, Prokop said he based
his decision to vote for it on
evidence from faculty and
administration.
He added that he felt the
Holtzclaw committee had
violated the faith of the
Regents in reaching a
conclusion. The committee was
instructed only to find
evidence, Prokop said.
The committee concluded
W
Schwartzkopf . . . "rather surprised."
Arrested 4
may include
non-students
Two of the four persons arrested
Wednesday in connection with sit-in
demonstrations in University buildings
may not be students, according to
Ronald D. Gierhan, assistant in
student affairs.
"We are checking the records to
make sure we are right," Gierhan said.
He would not say which of the four
may not be students.
All four told newsmen they were
students or part-time students, he said.
The four men were arraigned
Thursday morning in Lancaster
County Court on misdemeanor charges
of failing to leave a public building
during hours it is normally closed after
being ordered to leave by a police
officer.
After they pleaded no contest,
Michael Barret, Michael Richardson
and Dave Ratliff, who were arrested in
the chancellor's outer office, were
fined $50 and court costs by County
Judge Ralph W. Slocum. Ron
Kurtenbach, who was arrested outside
the President's office in Love Library
late Wednesday evening made the same
plea and received the same sentence.
Ratliff, who has been active in
student government, is not an ASUN
senator as reported in Thursday's
paper.
The Students are temporarily
suspended from the University and
will have hearings before the Student
Tribunal early next week, Gierhan
said. The administrator added that
hearings must be held within five
school days of a temporary
suspension.
He explained that the Tribunal has
the power to "recommend"
appropriate action to the Office of
Student Affairs, which makes the final
decision.
About 90 per cent of the time
Student Affairs accepts the
recommendations of the Tribunal as
they are, he said.
He said he "didn't really know if
the Office would accept the
recommendations, but added that he
"would like to."
Normally, the Tribunal returns its
recommendations the day after a
hearing, Gierhan said. It then takes the
Student Affairs office a day or two to
Turn to page 8
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Prokop . . . "destroying case.
in its report that Rozman was
not guilty of inappropriate
action during last May's
occupation of the Military and
Naval Sciences Building.
Prokop noted that the fact
finding committee has stated it
felt the Regents had made a
decision before meeting with it
Friday night.
The Regent emphatically
denied this. "The decision was
made after a discussion
following this meeting," he
said.
Schwartzkopf said that he
decided to vote for the firing
of Rozman from evidence
presented by the fact finding
committee.
Its report showed that
"wherever the action was,
there was Stephen Rozman,"
he said, "The University hired
him to teach in the classroom.
He was not there."
A letler from seven
University faculty members
which stated that they, like
Rozman. did not leave the M &
N Building May 5 after
President Joseph Soshnik
declared that the occupation
was disruptive, "rather
surprised" Schwartzkopf.
"I was also surprised that
they did not step forward
before the Regents decision,"
he said. "It would have been
much more effective then."
Schwartzkopf said that
before he would consider any
action against the seven who
signed the letter, he wanted
more evidence of their
presence in the building and
the degree to which they
participated.
"We have to be careful," he
said.
Union Interviews
Interviews for the two
student-at-large seats on the
1971 Nebraska Union Board
will be Saturday.
Any full-time student who
is not nowor has not
beenaffiliated with the
Associated Students of the
University of Nebraska
(ASUN) or any of its related
bodies, or with the Nebraska
Union Program Councij or its
related committees, may
interview for the two
student-at-large seats. (The
Union Board should not be
confused with its agents in
charge of implementing
programs, the City and East
Campus Program Councils.)
Interested students can
apply in Room 200 Nebraska
Union.
YR's give Varner warm reception
Chancellor D. B. Varner spent
much of the past week taking
criticism from outraged students for
the Board of Regents decision not to
rehire Stephen Rozman. Twice during
the week office was occupied by
protesting students.
But Thursday night the Chancellor
was given a warm reception when he
addressed a meeting of the NU Young
Republicans.
"The last few days I've had a lot of
help with my work." Varner joked,
pointing to students in the audience
who had occupied his office this week.
"My biggest objection." The
Chancellor said of the occupations of
his office, "is that I ought to work
with 20,000 students instead of the
same 40 to 50 students in my office."
A student, who had earlier
occupied Varner's office, asked the
Chancellor the specific reasons why
Rozman was dismissed.
"The University cannot operate
effectively," Varner replied, "if the
faculty are participants in a disruptive
activity." He added that the
atmosphere during the occupation of
the Military and Naval Science
Building last May "was one of
disruption."
"You know where we erred," the
Chancellor told the crowd of about 50,
"we should have ordered the building
closed at 11. However, given the
frustrations of the day we decided to
negotiate with those occupying the
building."
However, most of Varner's remarks
Thursday concerned the University's
budget.
The Chancellor outlined the grim
prospects ahead if the Legislature
adopts Gov. J. J. Exon's budget
recommendations for the University.
Varner said the University for the next
year is faced with its first cutback in
state funds since the 1 930's.
Asked if the University, faced with
a financial squeeze, will divert funds
from the independently financed
Athletic Department, Varner said:
"They (the Athletic Department)
do not have a backlog of funds that
could be diverted to other parts of the
University. If we said to the football
coaches give us some of your funds for
the library, then in a few years our
football team would be last in the Big
Eight, just like our graduate program is
now."
