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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 1973)
OQIIU friday, January 26, 1973 lincoln, nebraska vol. 96, no. 61 Discrimination report stumbles on judicial board differences by Jane Owens The Council on Student Life (CSL) recommended Thursday that a Judicial Board on Equality, as outlined in a 1971 discrimination report sponsored by CSL, be established as part of a two-step process for investigating descrimi nation complaints. The Council, reviewing a position paper written by Ely Meyerson, CSL member and Dean of Administration, voted against Meyerson's recommendation that the student tribunal handle discrimination appeals. Under the Meyerson plan, no Judicial Board on Equality would be established. The council, however, did accept Meyerson's recommendation that UNL Committee on Equality be established as the first step in the process for investigating discrimination. The committee would be established to prevent discrimination by race, creed and sex. Patterned after a 1971 proposal to establish a UNL Committee on Equality and a Judicial Board on Equality, the committee concerning "limitation of access to participation in educational, social, cultural or other activities of the University (UNL)," according to the proposal.' Discrimination also would be prohibited in housing "supplied or regulated by the University for students and staff including fraternities and sororities," unless based on distinctions between the sexes. The committee ' also would investigate discrimination of off-campus UNL-sponsored activities. Meyerson's position paper includes a comparative analysis of two programs to prevent campus discrimination-the Equal Employment Opportunity Grievance Procedures and Committee Structure and the 1971 proposed UNL Committee on Equality and the Judicial Board on Equality. The Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, sponsored by the NU Board of Regents in 1971, investigates discrimination practices relating only to University employ. The 1971 CSL report, however, would establish a two-step process for investigating discrimination complaints. A nine-member committee, consisting of faculty, staff and students, would first review policies and practices and then recommend appropriate changes. - The report also would establish a seven-member Judicial Board on Equality, consisting of faculty, staff and students. The board would receive appeals from the UNL Committee on Equality and recommend policy changes. All actions then would be forwarded to the chancellor. The Meyerson paper, however, recommends some changes in the 1971 CSL report. One change, not approved by CSL, would send appeals from the UNL Committee on Equality to the student tribunal. No judicial board would be established. "Personally, I think we need a Judicial Board with some expertise (to handle discrimination complaints," CSL Chairman Don Shaneyfelt said after the Thursday night meeting. The proposed Judicial Board would also include. members from minority groups, he added. Meyerson also recommends that the UNL Committee on Equality review only discrimination complaints from students. All University employes, including student employes, would take discrimination complaints to the Regents-sponsored Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, according to the Meyerson paper. Because it is uncertain whether student employes may take discrimination grievances to the Regents-sponsored committee, Shaneyfelt said he plans to send a letter to the Board of Regents, asking for a clarification of what University employes may bring to the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee. - - The Meyerson paper alto recorrimends as an "ultimata goal" the iitabHshment of a "faculty-staff-student body to study the feasibility of revamping the Board of Regents'-sponsored committee to serve all students, staff and faculty at the University." The process, which would allow all members of the University community to use the same grievance procedure, probably could not be established before next year, according to Meyerson. The position paper attaches a "second level priority" to the establishment of the all-University grievance board. The Meyerson paper, including a statement saying CSL does not accept all recommendations, will be sent back to Meyerson's office, according to Shaneyfelt. Because Meyerson was absent from the CSL meeting, the chairman said he was uncertain whether CSL was intended to consider the Meyerson paper on a formal or imformal basis. According to Shaneyfelt, the discrimination investigation procedure "is needed because of allegations we have had of discrimination by professors in the classrooms. We have also had complaints of discrimination by sororities and fraternities." In other business, the Council discussed several "minor objections" raised by ASUN Senator Bill Freudenburg to the "Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures". The code was approved by CSL in October. ASUN has not yet accepted the entire code. The major objection raised by Freudenburg concerned the definition of personal misconduct. The report includes personal conduct off campus "which directly, seriously, and adversely interferes with or disrupts the educational or other function of the University" under the definition of misconduct. "The statement is rather ambiguous, to say the least," Freudenburg said. He expressed concern that the statement might be interpreted to include conduct that "should be regulated by civil authorities," such as public drunkeness. According inclusion of adversely" in protection as any the statement. CSL noted Freudenburg's objections to the Conduct Code and plans to send two representatives to next week's ASUN meeting to discuss the Code. According to Shaneyfelt, the regulation will be discussed by the Faculty Senate in February. CSL will then consider all objections to the Code made by both bodies, he added. to CSL member Harry Canon, the the words "directly, seriously, and the statement "probably is as strong a against a broad interpretation of University students may soon say 'charge it' by A.J. McClanahan Picture it now-using a Master Charge card or a BankAmericard to pay for anything on campus, including housing and tuition. That is a picture of the near future, according to Miles Tommeraasen, UNL business and finance director. Master Charge is now used several places on campus, Tommeraasen said, and added it has been successful. One campus wide reason for use of cards is the high cost and risk of the Nebraska Union check cashing service, according to Union Director At Bennett. Cost for the service comes to $10,000 annually and includes sending certified mail letters (65 cents each) for bad checks, hiring personnel and a small write-off for unrecovered money, he said. A high risk to the Union also is involved in keeping so much cash on hand for checks, Tommeraasen added. If enough students use the charge cards, they probably will cash fewer checks and consequently take monetary pressure off the Union, he said. If the cards do not cut down the number of checks cashed, the Union may institute a five to ten cents a check service charge, according to Bob Lovitt, financial coordinator for business and finance. Lovitt said the UNL officials have worked on instituting charge cards for about two years. He said he thinks there will be fewer collection problems with the cards because those companies have their own collection agencies. One of the cards' advantages, according to Tommeraasen, is that once the student has it, he has instant credit and can take more time to pay his bill. He said some people would rather use the card than obtain a bank loan. He said cards may be especially helpful for students or parents who can't pay all of their tuition or housing at one time. UNL cannot accept installment payments, but students could pay the credit card companies that way, he said. If a student (or anyone else) decides to pay his bill over a period of several months, he will be charged one and a half per cent interest each month, according to Howard Mattison, assistant manager for Master Charge in Lincoln. But if a student pays his bill within 25 days after receiving it, he is charged no interest, Mattison said. Spokesmen for several Lincoln banks said that for small amounts of money borrowed for. a s... period of time (a year or less) students would be charged about 18 per cent interest a year anyway. According to Mattison there are three ways students can get charge cards depending on their financial status. A student who has minimum $250 a month income can have his own charge card. The company extends him up to $300 credit. Mattison said when Master Charge started business the minimum income was $400 a month with $500 credit extended, but both have been lowered. A student who has a small income,(below $250 a month) but who's income is supplemented by his parents or guardians still can get his own card. His parents or guardians must agree to be responsible for debts incurred on the card. Minors cannot get cards, no matter what their incomes are. When the student has no personal income, the company will issue a card to his parents or guardians with their names on it. The student may sign his name on the back. If the parents have their own cards, the student's will be a third card. A BankAmericard spokesman said his firm has about the same requirements, but no definite rules. He said BankAmericard will consider a student without income, if he has a large saving account. Minors are allowed cards with their own names on them, if the parents or guardians agree to it, he said. Mattison said his company issues cards to students because its a way of getting the company's name before the public. "We are hoping students won't always pay on time (within the 25 days), because then we'll break even," he said. 7- 1
