Fees breakdown
Dear editor,
In the interest of promoting rational, if not
intelligent decision-making, would you
publish a breakdown of the disbursement ot
student fees? The entire issue concerning the
use of these fees is entirely emotional and
rather pointless without this information.
If possible, a complete listing of all
activities and programs funded in part or in
whole by student fees should be given. The
list should also include per cent of student
fees fund to that program and per cent of that
program's reliance on student fees for
funding.
Rich Steinmetz
Dear Mr. Steinmetz,
Easier said than done
student fee disbursement,
immediately that there is no solid black and
white in the current policy setup-every thing
is a convenient shade of gray.
Some fee information is well-kept and easy
for the individual student to find. Most,
however, is not. Most agencies, while
courteous and helpful, are hopelessly
confused themselves about their current fee
setup. The truth is that few agencies
understand their own fee structures, which
indicates a certain failure in the system.
A case in point is the Recreation and
Intramurals Department, which on inquiry
was not certain whether it received $2 per
semester per student as the bursar claims, or
$1 as one of its administrators claims. Further
In researching
it became clear
inspection backed-up the $2 figure, but the
confusion displayed is typical.
Along with this confusion on student fee
receipts comes confusion on exactly where
the fees are going. Prominently listed in the
fee disbursal is an itme called "unallocated
monies."
According to the bursar's office, this fund
is distributed to student fee areas "at the
discretion of the comptroller." Effectively,
this means the fate of each student's $1.95
lies in the hands of an administrator, to use at
his discretion.
This $1.95 is 70 cents per student more
than the Daily Nebraskan receives per
semester. It is six and one-half times as much
as is allocated to ASUN. And nearly as much
as is allocated to either recreation facilities or
recreation equipment.
Where the unallocated funds have gone is
unknown. "We'd have to do a lot of checking
into individual budgets," an administration
official said.
In other areas, where no confusion exists,
questions of propriety in the distribution of
funds do exist. One such item is the $5
bonded indeptedness fund, which goes
primarily for University housing. Why all
students, the bulk of whom live off-campus
pay for funding on-campus living quarters is
not explained.
Also unclear is why 41 per cent (the largest
percentage) of the total fee budget goes to the
University Health Center. According to Dr.
Samuel Fuenning, Health Center director, 85
per cent of the fee monies is used for
operation of the center's clinic services. These
Fees distribution
$ 5 s -o
? o t? $ p
f
University Health Center $21.00 41 63
Union bonded indebtedness 9.50 19 100
Union operation, facilities 6.00 12 27
Bonded indebtedness (housing) 5.00 9
New student union (E. Campus) 2.50 5 100
Recreation facilities 2.00 4 100
Recreation equipment 2.00 4 100
Unallocated monies 1.95 4
Daily Nebraskan 1.25 1.5 43
ASUN .30 .5 94
$51.50 100
'figure not available
Daily Nebraskan Table by Vickie Horton
services, while available to all fee-paying
students, are unused by a large percentage of
UNL students. Yet all students pay $21 per
semester to the center.
These questioned fee areas are only a few
among many in which serious doubts can and
should be registered as new fee disbursement
procedures are being set up by the
administration. Student input into the new
plan for fee distribution is essential.
One can only hope the new plan will clear
up some of the confusion and problems the
current system has in abundance.
Jim Gray
r
Youth and
other related
disasters
1
, Qfthur
hoppe
nocont
r
bustonde
The latest Gallup Poll shows our
nation's yoath now favor Nixon by a
whopping 61-36 per cent-an even wider
margin than the President holds among
their parents.
While the poll surprised the experts, it
stunned parents everywhere. Surely there
wasn't a rational parent in the country
who didn't read the news with a growing
sense of unease. For here, clearly, was
another straw in the mysterious wind
that's been gathering strength lately.
Typical was the reaction of Wilbur
Wasp. Though a staunch Republican,
Wasp felt a familiar churn in his stomach
as he read the item and he automatically
bellowed: "Irwin, come here!"
"Here I am, Dad," said Irwin,
appearing quick as a flash. "Anything I
can do for you, sir?"
"Will you please explain to me, Irwin,
why your generation should
suddenly ..." said Wasp, looking up
from his paper. "Irwin? Irwin, is that
you?"
"Sure it's me. Dad. I guess you didn't
recognize me with my new short haircut.
All the guys in my frat have one. I hope
you like it."
"I never knew your ears stuck out like
that," said Wasp, frowning. "Frat? Don't
tell me you joined a fraternity?"
"I thought you'd be happy, Dad. I
mean you've always talked about what
fun you had in yours in college. And
don't worry about these saddle shoes. I
bought them myself. I've got a paper
route, so I won't have to sponge off you
this semester."
"A job? Tell me something, Irwin,"
said Wasp, glaring suspiciously at his son,
"are you stoned?"
"Stoned? Gosh, Dad, we don't smoke
marijuana any more, not after the
President said it might have long-range
effects on our minds. Just a beer now and
then, like you used to do. That's okay,
isn't it?"
"Yes. No. I mean . . . Look, first tell
me why you got a job. Wasn't your
allowance sufficient?"
"Oh, it wasn't the money, Dad. It's
what the President said about the work
ethic and the value of honest toil. He's
sure right about that. I really feel great."
'That doesn't leave you much time,"
Only tne name
said Wasp dryly, "to demonstrate for
Students to End the War and Hang th
President."
"""c nad, that was just a phase. I
mean the President must know what he's
doing. He's such a swell, decent guy.
Besides, if I got arrested, it might hurt my
chances of getting a job with a big
corporation when I graduate."
"I thought you wanted to be a bongo
player."
"I switched to Biz Ad, Dad. I just
want to get married some day and raise a
family and contribute what I can to a
strong America and a sound dollar. Aren't
you pleased?"
"Yes. No. I mean . . . Look, Irwin,
rtas own cnatigtxj
when you're young, it's the time to try
new ideas, new ways of doing things. I
can't figure out what your generation's
up to now. Don't you see the danger?"
"What danger, Dad?" asked Irwin
innocently.
"Damn it, Irwin!" thundered his
red-raced father. "You're going to be just
like us!"
That evening, Irwin recounted the
scene word for word to a group of his
young friends who clutched their sides
with glee throughout the telling.
"Man!" Irwin managed to say between
gasps of laughter when he'd finished. "At
last we've found the way to really drive
them up the wall!"
Copyright Chronicle Publlthlng Co. 197?
page 4
daily nebraskan
friday, September 22, 1972