Regents seek parents'OK of visitation policy
A liberalized Student Guest
Rights Program drawn up by
the NU Regents' Ad Hoc
Committee on Coeducational
Visitation will be sent out for
parental approval Jan. 19,
according to a student member
of the committee.
Roger Story, president of
the UL Residence Halls
Association, said the new
proposal is a combination of
the proposal turned down by
the Regents last summer and
the guidelines set by NU Pres.
D.B. Varner at the Regents'
November meeting.
THE NEW PROPOSAL,
which includes no "open door
stipulation or sponsorship
requirement, was termed "a
great thing, practically," by
Story, one of the two students
on the five-member committee.
But Story said the proposal
"doesn't have much to say"
about the principle of student
self-determination, since it
maintains the current six-hour
per day limit on visitation
privileges.
The short, five-point
proposal recognizes the right of
any student to live in a
residence hall which does not
permit co-ed visitation. The
proposal requires written
parental consent for each
student under the legal age of
majority (currently age 20)
who wishes to live in a
residence hall under the
liberalized visitation rules.
The proposal also provides
that security measures such as
registration of all
non-University guests must be
taken during visitation hours.
STORY TERMED the
proposal "much more general"
than the one defeated by the
Regents. He said the general
proposal permits a greater
degree of control by
administrators over the
security and minority rights
sections of the proposal.
Story said the committee
split only on the six-hour
question. Story and fellow
student Debbie Loers, a
Council on Student Life
member, split with the
administrators and Regents on
the committee over that issue.
The other committee members
were Regent Robert Raun,
Regent Ed Schwartzkopf, and
Asst. Dean of Faculties
Walter Bruning.
At the Regents' Saturday
meeting, Raun said the results
JgJ MM MplMMWMy MMJMW
En LJ Lo-iL
5S
"ijnpn
JAJ
MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1971 LINCOLN, NEBRASKA VOL. 95, NO. 54
Regents hear administration report
on birth control handbooks at UNL
At their Saturday meeting the NU Board of
Regents heard a report by interim UNL
Chancellor C. Peter Magrath on the distribution
of birth control handbooks at UNL.
The report said that the books were
originally purchased during the 1970-71 school
year from McGill University at a cost of
$526.23. However, the books that ASUN
received were not the same books ordered. A
political statement and photographs had been
added to the birth control information.
THE REPORT continued that ASUN tried
to return the books but was unable to do so.
Then ASUN decided to turn the booklets over
to the Association for Birth Control (ABC) for
distribution. There was an understanding that
ABC would try to pay ASUN for its costs in
acquiring the booklets.
ABC so far has paid ASUN about $ ISO of
the originial cost.
"During the 197071 school year it was
possible for ASUN requisitions to clear the
Student Activities office in the Division of
Student Affairs without one of the staff
members personally reviewing the actual
invoice," the report said. Now Ely Meyerson,
interim Dean of Student Affairs, has "instituted
a procedure for the careful review of all
expenditure requests initiated by ASUN."
ABC BEGAN its campaign to distribute the
booklets this fall, the report continues. Only in
Cather-Hall and Women's Residence Halls were
the booklets distributed in mail boxes.
The bookets were also distributed under
room doors on two residence hall floors.
UNL Interim Chancellor C. Peter Magrath
said, "In my judgement, the objective that
originally prompted ASUN to acquire the
booklets was understandable and desirable. The
purpose was to provide factual information on
birth control to students. But it is also my view
that this particular booklet substantially defeats
its informational purpose by the inclusion of
pictures that are of questionable taste and
offensive to many."
MAGRATH ADDED that political
statements in the booklet also distract from its
purpose. However, he noted that the booklets
were purchased and distributed through elected
student governments.
The chancellor made five recommendations
to the Board concerning the booklet. First he
suggested that before there is any further
distribution of the book that University counsel
determine whether it is legally pornographic.
Second, he recommended that, "ASUN and
ABC be asked to place a disclaimer in the
remaining booklets relative to the political
statement in the handbook preface, and that an
apology be tendered to any individuals
offended by the pictures and the material."
HIS THIRD recommendation was that ABC
and residence halls distributing the booklet do
so in such a way that it will not be distributed
indiscriminately to all students.
Fourth, the Chancellor suggested that
Birthright participants have a full opportunity
to express their views on the birth control and
abortion booklets discussed in the booklet.
Last Magrath recommended that CSL with
the assistance of legal counsel review residence
hall policies and procedures for the
distribution of materials.
The Regents placed the Magrath report on
file and gave the administration oral permission
to implement the recommendations it contains.
THE BOARD ALSO heard a report on the
progress of planning of the new NU systems
office building. The facility will cost about
$665,000 and should be ready for occupancy at
the end of August, 1972.
The Regents also approved a long-term
contract between the University and the NU
foundation, which is constructing the building,
in which the Regents have agreed to pay the
Foundation for space occupied by the
University. The fund used to pay the rent will
be taken from donations to the University.
In another building project the Regents were
presented with drawings and models for a
proposed expansion of Memorial Stadium.
They approved continued planning for the
structure and authorized bids to be taken.
A LINCOLN-OMAHA split showed itself in
voting for architects on the Home Economics
building and on preliminary plans for a new
college of law.
Regent Edward Schwartzkopf of Lincoln
moved that the Lincoln firm of Unthank and
Unthank be granted the contract for
preliminary planning of the College of Law
Building. Regent James Moylan of Omaha
proposed to amend the motion to give the
contract to Dana, Larson, Roubal and Associates
in Omaha.
Schwartzkopf noted that it had been
Moylan's idea to spread University business
around the state. "Is the idea to spread it
around as long as it's in Omaha?" Schwartzkopf
said. "I don't see how you can do this in good
conscience."
"Maybe I don't have a conscience," Moylan
replied.
Dana, Larson, Rouble and Associates were
awarded the contract.
IN THE NEXT ITEM of business
Schwartzkopf moved that the firm of Harold
Hoskins and Associates, Lincoln, be retained to
complete planning and specifications for the
proposed College of Home Economics building.
Turn to page 7.
of the parental survey should
be ready at the Board's March
meeting.
AT THE NOVEMBER
meeting, Varner suggested a
liberalized policy should be
accepted if 50 per cent or more
of the parents respond that
they approve of a
modification.
A similar survey will be sent
to dormitory students in
January, to gauge their
reaction to the proposal.
Parents and students are asked
to have the surveys returned by
Feb. 4.
If the proposal is approved
by parents, students and
Regents it could conceivably
go into effect in September.
Story said the surveys will
be sent out two days after
students return for the second
semester in order to lend that
much more credibility to the
parental responses. But he
urged students to lobby in
favor of the proposal over the
interim break;
THE PROPOSAL
apparently lost the support of
a third Regent Saturday when
Regent Robert Prokop of
Wilber changed his November
abstension in the vote which
set up the visitation committee
to a no. He said he took this
action to show his displeasure
at students who he said were
taking governance into their
own hands.
Schramm Hall students
recently rejected the right of
the Regents and the
administration to dictate their
visitation policy.
ASUN slates special
meeting with Varner
A special student senate meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday in the Nebraska Union to discuss the Regents' decision
on student fees and its implications, according to Michele Coyle
ASUN 1 st vice president.
President D. B. Varner will be present to explain the decision
and answer students' questions.
A motion by Regent Robert Koefoot of Grand Island at a
meeting Saturday called for the suspension of all expenditures by
the student government and student union on all campuses until a
policy can be worked out giving the Board, more control over the
use of student fees.
VARNER SAID he would attempt to have a committee draft a
policy proposal in time for the January Regents meeting. The
policy called for in the resolution should "include newspapers,
other student publications, and all other uses."
In the interim, Varner was given the authority to "continue
normal operations of the Student Union Buildings and related
services."
Coyle said Sunday, "It appears everything we had planned to
do December through January will probably be labeled as
legitimate, and we'll be able to do it." However, she avoided a
positive statement until after the meeting with Varner.
FINANCING FOR THE ombudsman, scheduled to begin
operation second semester, probably will be considered
legitimate, Coyle added, as will the speaking tours and other
activities planned by the ASUN Legislative Liaison Committee for
the interim break.
Nebraska Union Director Al Bennett and Union Program
President Kerry Winterer gave official "no comments" Sunday
concerning the freeze on program funds.
Bennett said, "Until our board and our Program Council can
review the directive and engage in discussions with
administrators-we have no comment."
Winterer said an open meeting of the Union Board has been
called for 1 p.m. Monday and he predicted a meeting with Varner
will be scheduled soon.
AFTER THE REGENTS meeting, Koefoot said the intent of
his resolution was to restrict student fee expenditures by
requiring that Varner approve all expenditures until guidelines are
established.
Varner said he understood he is to use the "rule of reason" in
administering the suspension. "This will not stop everything," he
said.
Koefoot's motion came in the wake of a report by UNL
Interim Chancellor C. Peter Magrath on the distribution of birth
Turn to page 2.
Schwartzkopf requests
housing study funds
University of Nebraska Regent Ed Schwartzkopf said
recently an application has been filed with the office of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) for a $25,000 grant to finance a
housing study.
Schwartzkopf said a decision on providing more married
student housing for UNL would be delayed pending the outcome
of the application and the study, if the application is granted.
Schwartzkopf said the study should take "a month or six weeks"
once the grant is received.
A group of Lincoln residents held a sit-in Wednesday at the
University to protest the lack of married-student housing. The
group contended the University should provide student housing
so students would not compete with low-income families for
community housing.
Schwartzkopf, who is chairman of a special Regents
committee on housing, said he was disappointed with the protest.
"I couldn't see where that kind of protest will solve the
problem," he said. "We shouldn't attack people, we should attack
the problem.
Special issue Wednesday
Wednesday's Daily Nebraskan will be a special Christmas issue,
which will feature a special on the Orange Bowl game between
Nebraska and Alabama.
Wednesday's newpaper will be the last issue of The Daily
Nebraskan for this semester.
'-an .-
1 , i
I"'.,
f
8f,r..-.v
f '
f "(
