cbilu
thursday, january 25, 1 973
lincoln, nebraska vol. S6, no. 60
v
JV .
UNL gets tough on bad checks
Anyone who wrote an insufficient funds or a no
accout check to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
could have disregarded the letter UNL sent him and
waited until registration or graduation to pay the
check. If he didn't want to re-register or graduate, it
might not have been necesrary to pay for it-ever.
But that's in the past, according to Ronald
Gierhan, assistant in student affairs. Now if someone
writes a bad check and disregards the notice sent by
UNL through certified mail the check will be sent to
the county attorney for collection after 15 days,
Gierhan said.
Bad checks are a very real problem for the
Nebraska Union, according to Gierhan, but few bad
checks are written for tuition or housing payment to
the University.
Betty Vodenal, head cashier for the Union, said
about 300 bad check, averaging $15 each, are written
to the Union each year. Larry Emmons, business
officer for the Union, said that on the average, the
Union holds $1,000 worth of bad checks.
Emmons said all but $200-300 of the $1,000 is
recovered, but the real cost is in the service of holding
checks and notifying people. Only about one per cent
of all checks written each year are bad, Emmons said,
and of those only about three of the checks are
forgeries.
Gierhan said that under the previous policy the
University had no immediate recourse if the check
was not paid. He said such was the case with the
relatively small checks written to the Union. If a bad
check was for a large amount for example those
written for tuitipn or housing payments-immediate
action could be taken. The student was asked to
appear before the Student Tribunal.
But, Gierhan added, even in these cases, the
student could just walk away. If he quit school there
was little the University could do.
"Students here are adults. Let's treat them that
way instead of having a sanctuary where they can get
away with something," Gierhan said.
He added the UNL will continue to contact
students before sending the check to the county
attorney. He said the school has a responsibility to
notify the student, but not to wait indefinitely for
payment.
"We were really protecting the student and
creating an unreal world here (at UNL)," Gierhan
said. "If he wrote a bad check to Brandeis, or Miller
and Paine or any other store, the check would be sent
to the county attorney."
DeCamp
welcomes
changes to
abortion bill
by Steve Arvanette
Sen. John DeCamp of Neligh said
he expects some amendments will be
offered when his bill to modify
Nebraska's abortion law comes before
a Unicameral committee for public
hearing. The senator introduced
LB286 after a U.S. Supreme Court
ruling Monday that declared abortion
laws similar to Nebraska's statute as
unconstitutional.
Particular areas where DeCamp
would recommend amendments
include dropping from the bill a
provision which requires consent from
a woman's husband before an abortion
could be performed. He said he also
would approve lowering the age when
a woman could receive an abortion
without parental approval from 18 to
16 years old.
Under DeC amp's current bill, a
woman could receive an abortion
within the first three months of
pregnancy with her husband's
permission, if she lives with him. A
woman under 18 years old would
require approval of her parent or
guardian.
After the first three months of
pregnancy, DeCamp's bill would allow
an abortion when two other physicians
concur with the woman's doctor that
continuation of the pregnancy might
result in the woman's death, or serious
harm to her physical or mental health.
If an abortion is performed for any
other reason, the abortionist could be
convicted of a felony and fined from
$2,000 to $30,000, or imprisioned one
to 10 years. DeCamp's bill calls for a
prison term from 10 to 50 years if the
woman dies durjng a criminal
abortion.
"At the public hearing of this bill I
will introduce amendments which, if
implemented, could eliminate almost
all abortions and make every baby
conceived a wanted baby' DeCamp
said in a prepared statement.
When asked to elaborate on the
comment DeCamp would only say
"that's the mystery." He added that
an explanation would be made later.
A copy of the court's decision was
received Wednesday by the Nebraska
Attorney General's office. James
Duggan, assistant attorney general,
termed the ruling a "far reaching
opinion affecting nearly everyone."
ASUN senators blast library, Daily Nebraskan
by Sara Schwieder
ASUN came out for neace and alcohol on campus
Wednesday, but leveled some criticism at Love
Library and the Daily Nebraska !.
According to a poll taken by ASUN and the
Residence Hall Association (RHA), more than 90 per
cent of UNL students favor alcohol in University
living units.
Based on the poll results, ASUN directed that a
proposal be written legalizing alcohol in University
residences. The measure will be presented to the NU
Board of Regents for aproval.
More than half of all University residents said they
favored "the unrestricted consumption of alcohol in
campus living units," while 37 per cent favored liquor
in restricted areas. About eight per cent of Greeks
and co-op members said they did not favor alcohol at
any time on University property, while 12 per cent of
dormitory residents said they did not favor alchol on
campus.
Of the 37 per cent favoring "restricted" alcohol
consumption on campus, most preferred that alcohol
be allowed in student rooms and designated party
areas with the permission of the proper authorities.
Approximately 35 per cent of Greeks and co-op
members answered the survey questionnaire, while 49
per cent of the dormitory residents responded.
The Senate also approved ASUN President Bruce
Beecher's proposal that classes be suspended next
Monday afternoon, "to show the University's
commitment to peace." Beecher said a convocation
of students, faculty and administration might take
part in discussions or programs to "show our relief
at the cease-fire announced by President Nixon
Tuesday. The proposal wiil be submitted to NU
President D.B. Verner for approval.
In other action, ASUN approved a $2,400
management study to be conducted on the UNL
libraries. The study will be done by a consulting firm,
and will evaluate library service, policies and
management, Beecher told the Senate. Money for
the project will be taken from the contingency fund
of the ASUN budget
"This is something useful to all members of the
student body," Beecher said. "The library is a very
real problem that students are faced with."
Some of the senators wondered if the
administration would follow its recommendations
when the study was complete.
"If a committee of students with no expertise
came up with the survey, the administration might
take it lightly," Beecher said. "But a professional
survey-l don't see how they could ignore it. This
report is not going to be cast aside."
In other action, the Senate seemed disturbed at
Vice President Michelle Gagne's announcement that
ASUN will buy a full-page advertisement every week
for 15 weeks to be published in the Daily Nebraskan.
The first advertisement appeared Wednesday. Each
advertisement will cost about $136, Gagne said.
"A number of things at ASUN have ... not been
covered at the depth that we need," Gagne said. "Out
programs are not publicized well enough, and
students are not well enough informed about our
actions."
ASUN Sen. Bill Freudenburg said he thinks the
Senate should have been consulted on the matter,
while other senators wanted to know why ASUN
wasn't getting adequate publicity,
"I think it's a reflection on ASUN, that our news
is not newsworthy," ASUN Sen. Marcia Hale said.
"It's a wrong policy that student governments
must advertise in the student newspaper," according
to Sen. Ron Frank. "We're elected representatives
and our actions should be reported. It would be a
good idea to invite the editorial staff to answer our
questions on the coverage ASUN has been getting,
the Senate approved Frank's suggestion, and The
Daily Nebraskan editors will be asked to spesk to the
Senate on the ASUN coverage.
Other actions included :
-Approval of the Electoral Commission report.
The report recommended that ASUN elections be
held on March 14-two weeks before spring
vacation-so that new senators could start work over
the break.
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ASUN Sen. Ron Frank . . . invites Daily Nebraskan
editors to explain ASUN coverage.