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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1972)
page 2 CfSSQp report systems by Sara Schwieder Upon first hearing of 'The Cresap Report," one might mistake it for the Vermonter's guide to the sap season or think it some crazy R. Crumb equivalent of the Knapp Commission. But it's neither. The Cresap Report is a giant report card of the University, commissioned by the Board of Regents and performed by Cresap, McCormick and Paget Col., Inc., of New York City. The report is a study of the University a look at its weaknesses and strengths-which is a fancy way of saying that it is a study of how the University spends its money versus how much it gets for that money. Cresap obviously applied this principle to his report. For the nifty sum of $100,000 the University got a massive, 3,000 page effort that looks like a cross between the New York phone directory and a disliked politician's black list. It is encased in a powder blue binder with the title: 'The University of Nebraska Management Study Phase Two, Volume Two of Two." The Daily Nebraskan never laid its eyes on Phase One, which reportedly deals with administration. At any rate, Phase One, according to sources, was a generally favorable evaluation of NU'i Administration, released last year. Some of its recommendations already have been carried out. For example: -the title change for D.B. Varner from "chancellor" to "president," and vice-versa for the heads of the three campuses. a new administrative headquarters for the entire system, being constructed across from East Campus. -one graduate school for the whole system. the movement of Institutional Planning and Research Department from the system level to the UNL campus. The only bomb-out on Phase One is the special committee that was to define the role, responsibilities and operating procedure of the Board of Regents. The committee was never appointed, although Administration sources say the Governance Commission Report has a section in it dealing with the regents' role in the University. Phase Two disected the nonacademic activities of the University: the Nebraska Union, the health center, housing, budgeting. In general, it found that the University managed nonacademic activities "satisfactoraly," but politely reprimanded officialdom for a lack of long-range planning. The report recommended improvement of a long-range plan-christened the Five Year Plan-recently approved by the regents. Some specific findings included: Housing-University's itom and board rates of $940 per year rank in the middle of all Big Eight schools. The report found the housing operations "well managed and efficient," but made the following suggestions for improvement: -A central phone system in the dormitories, which would provide each room with a telephone at nearly the same price as the present switchboard system. Service would improve immensely but the cost to students who do not now have residential phones would increase by only $1 for the academic year. House phones would be available in the lobby to enable guests to call residents. The housing fee payment plans should be modified to encourage early payment of room and board. They recommend keeping the single payment plan of $860 on or before Sept. 1 or semester payments, but urge that the monthly installment payment plan be dropped in favor of only two installments per semester-one at the beginning and the other at mid-semester. Nebraska Union-the Cresap people were satisfied that the Union is well managed and is "providing a good service to UNL and is on a sound financial footing." But they also found that the program effots of the Nebraska Union and those of the Coordinator of Student Activities "occasionally come into direct competition." The report states that "because of the natural tendency for students to seek advice from both the Student Activities and the Union Programs staffs, and because of the efforts by both to be active in campus wide programs, there is some duplicattion of effort." 'Thus far," the report continues, "such duplication has caused only minor problems, but competition for . . . fees is potentially possible." Their recommendations include: -That duties of the Student Activities Office and the Nebraska Union Programs staff regarding student programs should be clearly defined, and Continued decentralization of student programs among the Nebraska Union crew, the Student Activities Office and the Housing Office, but suggest defining each's scope. If a conflict should arise, the Dean of Student Affairs should settle it. Student Health a rather stiff admonition from Cresap here: 'The student health center is not properly organized for efficient management." They found poor organizational structure and "a lack of adequate planning of the many departments." They also raised eyebrows on funding: "... The basis for charges in some areas is questionable," particularly a fitness laboratory used by the Athletic Department. Yet they found "health care service at UNL is comprehensive and is well regarded by the students." They recommend that: -The health center be reorganized. -New budgeting and billing procedures be developed. -Students should participate in the assessment of benefits from each program since student fees fund these programs. -Student health physical space should be reallocated. -Present dietary services should be discontinued, and future food service should be furnished by residence halls. Health center accounts should be handled through the Bursar's office. UNL Placement Office-the UNL Placement Office is hidden away in a corner of the Union, nearly invisible in the boiling bureaucracy of the University. It is intended to be a coordinating center for students and prospective employes and offers a limited amount of career counseling to students. Cresap found "... a general lack of depth to the counseling provided, many academic departments do not assist students with career plans and students have little awareness of available career counseling and vocational placement resources at UNL." "Partly as a result of counseling deficiencies," Cresap says, "a significant number of students enter their last year at UNL with little awareness of what they want to do or what jobs they are qualified to do," and recommends: -More comprehensive and coordinated career counseling. -More publicity. Photographic Productions-Cresap broadsided the Photographic Productions Department, for losing $17-20,000 per year. Photo Prod provides photographic and art work for educational needs and the University public relations
