At the ffradmate leve
editorial
comment
by
Bill
WaUis
n b
iti
ozmaii.
Continued from page I
because:
-TEE REGENTS justified their action on an ex posto facto
basis of statements taken out of context from the Scranton
Commission, which investigated the nation-wide campus
disturbances that followed the U. S. invasion into Cambodia.
-The attorney for the Spelts Commission, which
investigated last spring's anti-war protests on the Lincoln
campus, expressly reported to a University faculty committee
that any direction to leave the ROTC Building was not
directed at Rozman.
-The discussion and decision concerning Rozman's dismissal
"took place in secret and not in a public and recorded lawful
meeting," contrary to Nebraska statutes and the Regents'
rules.
-The Regents disregarded the findings of a special
fact-finding committee they appointed to investigate the
actions of the political science teacher during last spring's
anti-war demonstrations. The committee, composed of five
faculty members, concluded that Rozman "was not guilty of
inappropriate actions during the week of May 4."
-THE CONCLUSION of the Regents was based on "false
rumors" and "political threats and pressures,"
Rozman's suit contends that the Spelts Commission was
not charged to "weigh or evaluate charges against individual
persons, nor did it adopt due process procedures to do so
fairly." The Spelts Commission said Rozman's actions last May
"were highly inappropriate for a teacher."
Almost SI, 000 had been collected for Rozman's legal
defense fund as of Wednesday.
But Rozman might not need the fund. In his suit, he asked
that the Regents pay for his legal fees.
PAGE 2
In an attempt to resolve my
own ambivalence about the
recent disturbing state of
relations between practically
all existing constituents of the
University of Nebraska at
Lincoln, I have come to a
number of conclusions about
the situation as it now stands
and would like to offer them
to readers of the Daily
Nebraskan. Many of them will
seem (painfully) obvious to the
well-informed i and concerned
individual; many are perhaps
not so obvious to the average
student.
FIRST, THERE IS is an
enormous gap in sensitivity
(and therefore, the product of
sensitivity, concern) between
the basically agrarian social
structure of Nebraska and the
University it supports. One
upshot of this gap is the election
of a governor who is following
in the footsteps of so
lowly-touted a public official
as Ronald Reagan where
appropriation of funds for
educational institutions is
concerned. This is, and should
be, the concern of all
constituents of the University.
SECONDLY, this
insensitivity was given much
food to grow by the
"disruptive" activities which
occurred on this campus last
May; and, in fact, one upshot
of this work was a general
disregard on the part on several
individuals for the essential
dignity and power of authority
allotted to administrative,
professorial, and student
positions. These incidents have
been publicized often enough
for all to know what they were
(and are): Students occupied
the Military and Naval Science
Building for a short period of
time. The administration found
this occupation of University
property disruptive to normal
University operations and
ordered the building evacuated.
Both the majority of students
present in the building and the
faculty members with them,
refused to evacuate the
building-the most vocal among
. .
these faculty members was
assistant professor Stephen L.
Rozman of the department of
political science. The building
was, at length, evacuated
peacefully.
THIRDLY. the
consequences of the affronts
given and received on May 5
and shortly thereafter are now
threatening the advance of
higher education in Nebraska,
and (once again) the "normal"
functions of this University:
Governor Exon's budget
proposal, which will be in all
probability be passed by the
state legislature, seriously cuts
the appropriation of funds to
the University, thus seriously
endangering its present
standing, and causing
pessimism about the possibility
of its advancement. Stephen
Rozman has not been re-hired,
and is pressing legal action
against the Board of Regents.
The decision of a faculty
committee which found
Rozman's action not
inappropriate on the night of
May 4, was not given proper
considerationby the Board of
Regents in reaching their
decision to not re-hire
Rozman. Student
demonstrations and the
consequential arrests, fines,
and suspensions of individuals
have served to create an even
greater gap of insensitivity
between the citizens of
Nebraska and their appointed
representatives, the Regents,
the state legislature, and the
governor and his staff-this-has
occurred, in addition to the
serious endangering of the
futures of the individuals
arrested.
FOURTHLY, the present
situation presents many deep
and disturbing problems to the
constituents of the University.
The University as a whole faces
the enormous and distressing
problem of taking a step
backward in a time when, if
anything, institutions of higher
learning must take great leaps
forward. Administrators must
walk a tight rope while dancing
Tribunal
by CAROL GOETSCHIUS
Staff Writer
The nine students placed on
temporary probation or
suspension during last week's
sit-ins probably will know by
Friday if the sanctions will
remain in force, according to
Ronald D. Gierhan, assistant in
the Office of Student
Affiar
The Student Tribunal held
hearings Wednesday for six
students placed on probation
and will make their
recommendations to Student
Affairs. Three students had
hearings before the Tribunal
Tuesday.
IN FOUR HOURS of
testimony before the Tribunal,
Nola Kinnaman, Ed Anson,
Stephanie Thomsen, Bell
Behmer, Jacki Barret and Carl
Circo presented their defense.
During the testimony, the
question whether the sit-in was
a "disruptive" action surfaced
again and again.
Gierhan, presenting the
Administration's case, stated
that normal passage through
the reception area of
Chancellor D. B. Varner's
office was "somewhat
obstructed".
THE ADMINISTRATION
claimed that there was
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
the most difficult of dances,
the grovel-strut ballet, which
consists of prostrating oneself
to the givers of gifts (the state
legislature, the governor), and
yet facing with dignity and
honesty of intent and purpose
the professorial staff and
student body.
It seems to me, incidentally,
that the administrators of this
University are to be
congratulated on their wisdom,
patience, and general
good-humor with which they
have dealt with the University
situation in the past several
weeks (of these officials, I refer
principally to Chancellor D. B.
Vainer.)
A number of wise and
dedicated educators and
scholars have openly criticized
the entire manner in which the
Rozman case has been handled
by both the University
administration and the Board
of Regents. These individuals
are amont the finest teachers
and scholars in this
University-and their futures
must not be endangered by
rash acts on anyone's part. A
generally disgruntled and
ambivalent Faculty Senate is
dealing poorly with the little
power they have in the
University structure. A small
student minority are showing a
dedicated concern for
Rozman's case but have little
or no outlet for the energy of
that concern. The relations
between all constituents of the
University community seems
generally very poor, and
especially the relationship
between members of faculty
and administrative bodies.
FIFTHLY. I WANT to
make several observations:
(I) The Rozman case and
issue will be with us for some
time in the future, and the best
we all can do is hold to our
beliefs in the matter with
conviction while presenting
those beliefs with civility and
in a manner becoming to the
position and complementary to
the responsibility attached to
that position, and while
to decide by Friday
constant conversation, and
"the noise level was sufficient
for office personnel not to be
able to carry out normal
activities."
Gierhan read a report by
Campus Police Inspecter
Robert Edmunds, which stated
that the office secretary was
distressed. Administration held
that the secretary left early
because she couldn't continue
normal activities.
BEHMER TESTIFIED that
Varner refused to read the
group's statement, "Call for
Non-disruptive Action." The
ASUN senator also stated that
he heard Vice-Chancellor G.
Robert Ross tell the secretary
that she could leave early if she
wanted, that she could go to
her doctor's appointment and
need not return.
According to the
Administration, Varner told
the students at 12:05 that they
were being disruptive and
asked them to leave. At 12:10
Varner stated that disciplinary
actions would be taken against
all students who didn't leave in
IS minutes.
All students except eight
left the office. At 12:30 the
defendants were placed on
probation.
following events closely so as
to be informed of the events
which will be upon us in the
following month.
(2) Demonstrations which
disrupt normal University
activity will not be tolerated
by any concerned member of
the University community.
They should be avoided, for
the sake of the demonstrators
and the demonstrated for and
the demonstrated against--in
other words, the entire
University community. Other
channels of expression of
discontent must be found, such
as demonstrations which do
not disrupt normal University
procedure petitions, letters,
and or sheer word-of-mouth
protestation to all those sho
should be concerned.
(3) Faculty members who
have violently and valiantly
protested the Rozman decision
made by the Board of Regents
and the administrative handling
of the situation should not
endanger their position in the
University community. They
are essential to its
advancement, and their
dismissal would only make
more probable the
already-depressing prospects
for advancement of the
University at Lincoln
(4) Administrative officials
should continue with the best
of their ability patiently and
honestly to deal with old
affairs and new complications
as they arise-this they are
doing.
(5) The Board of Regents
should be appealed to by all
responsible parties to, if not
reconsider the re-hiring of
Rozman, not to act as hastily
in conjunction with hasty
administrative requests to hire
and fire. It does not require so
much time to listen to faculty
and student representatives'
views on matters as important
to all concerned as was the
Rozman.
I plead for patience and
honestly of purpose on the
part of all concerned with the
hope that the mistakes of the
past will not compounded.
THE DEFENDANTS
testified that they were
shocked at the probation
sanction: that they hadn't been
warned.
One of the main points
contested between the defense
and Administration was
whether Varner made an effort
"to end the disruption through
reason and persuasion," a
guideline-listed in the Response
to Disruptive Action Statement.
Stephen L. Rozman
collaborated the defendants
testimony. He stated that
Varner wasn't prepared to
communicate with the
students.
ROZMAN DESCRIBED
Varner as meeting the students'
questions with "stony silence."
SPEAKING FOR the
Administration, Gierhan stated
that Varner felt the issues
posed by the protestors were
dealt with in his office and
later at an ASUN open meeting
Monday.
Rozman arrived at Varner's
office about ten minutes
before the students were
placed on probation.
THE QUESTION of
Turn to page 3
Thursday; February 181071