UNIVERSITY OF NEBR,
LIBRARY
FEB 21973
OQIIU
friday, february 2, 1973
lincoln, nebraska vol. 96, no. 65
n
V
Weston failing to act
lowered U.N.'s reputation
by Ruth Ulrich
Although forty-five minutes late in
starting and with 30 of the 90
registered delegations still somewhere
out in the snow, the Model United
Nations Conference opened in the
Nebraska Union Thursday as British
diplomat Michael Weston addressed
the General Assembly.
Weston, First Secretary of the
British U.N., Mission, discussed
mid-eastern conflicts, Britain's role in
Northern Ireland and in the U.N. and
the functions of the United Nations in
general.
He said the U.N.'s low reputation,
especially among western countries, is
because of its "failure to do anything
at the last session." Elsewhere, the
reputation of the U.N. is scarcely any
higher, he said. Africa sees the body as
doing nothing more than "producing a
torrent of words," Weston said.
"However, there is a brighter side,"
he said. First, there has not been
another world war. Secondly,
economic and social affairs are going
well, and thirdly, the U.N. has
provided a forum for discussion of
"new frontier" subjects, he said.
Weston, a mid-eastern affairs expert
who has served in Kuwait and Iran,
said the U.N. since it was organized
has been closely linked with the
.Middle East.
He said he thinks the Middle East is
a good example of the problems facing
the U.N. 'The smaller countries tend
to bring their differences to the U.N.,
not to solve them, but to continue
them," he said.
Because Northern Ireland is part of
the United Kingdom, it is considered a
duty of the British to find solutions to
political problems there, he said.
"The main purpose of the United
Nations," Weston said, "is the
preservation of peace and the resolving
of disputes. It can't force any nation
to do anything contrary to that
nation's policy."
Weston expressed Britain's deep
concern about the trend in the world
toward violence, including terrorist
' , it
Britian's Michael Weston (left) . . . discusses his country's
policies with a model United Nations delegate.
activities, skyjackings and guerrilla
tactics.
"However noble the ends may be,
they cannot justify these particular
means," he said. The United
The United Kingdom has
consistently supported the U.N.,
Weston said. "It's the only U.N. we've
got, and if it doesn't live, it is doubtful
that any agreement could ever be
reached on the formation of anything
half as good."
ii: i : i -
ii luiai i auviser empnasizes academics
: 1 1
l t
Karen Buller . . . Indian counselor on an
interim basis.
The most important thing on Karen Buller's mind
now is seeing that all 24 UNL Indian students receive
cdequate academic counselling, she said Thursday in
an interview.
Buller is the new Indian counselor, replacing John
Arbuckle, who resigned in December. Buller, on a
leave of absence from graduate studies in educational
psychology, accepted the full-time post in an interim
capacity.
'The emphasis is on academics," Buller said.
"Keeping everybody in school is the most important
thing."
She said that some Indian students are taking
advantage of the tutoring programs offered by the
Minority Affairs Department.
She said financial and social differences between
Indian and white students tie in with the academic
difficulties of Indian students.
'The biggest problem is finances," Buller said.
"Some Indian students can't concentrate on their
studies because they're worrying about where their
next meal is coming from."
Buller said she thought "nearly all" enrolled
Indian students were receiving adequate funding at
least for this semester, although funds for first
semester of next year have not been confirmed. ,
Buller said most UNL Indian students are active
members of the Council of American Indian Students
(CAIS) and that the club has several projects
currently underway.
-CAIS is starting a library of relevant books, which
now rest in Buller's closet, and are available to
interested students.
-CAIS has a basketball team, but no cheerleaders. "If
you're in a dormitory, the whole dormitory comes
and cheers, but in our case, everybody is on the team,
so there's nobody left to cheer," she said.
-CAIS is planning an Indian Culture Week for April
11-15. It will be in conjunction with the Nebraska
Union Program Council, and will feature speakers, a
concert, arts and crafts and a pow-wow.
Buller said CAIS is separate from the American
Indian Movement, which is a national Indian
organization.
"Indian students (at UNL) are very independent
here unci rlnn't uant tn ha affiliatari i!th nkor
political groups at this time," she said. J
Rising postage costs may junk garbage mail
by H.J. Cummins
Most everyone, including the UNL student, is on
at least 150 mailing lists, according to a 1971 survey
by the Association of American Publishers (AAP).
These lists are used by merchant in their "direct
mailing"-junk mail as it's more commonly called.
National statistics show there are 400,000
customers with third class postal permits. (Ninety per
cent of all direct mail is sent through third class mail.)
Statistics also show that 20,000 of these permit
holders are mailing list companies.
How do UNL students' names find their way to
these lists? Telephone directories are one obvious
answer. But companies told the AAP surveyors that
they've gotten names from voting registration lists,
car registration lists, school records, charge accounts
and military and service records.
Zip codes have gone from being the companies'
curse to their best friend, mailing list companies
reported. If a record company wants to advertise to
students they need only learn the university zip code
number-in UNL's case, 68508-and send their
mailings to all addresses with that number. They can
reach most dormitories and Greek houses that way,
they said.
The UNL Builder's Buzz Book appears to be
another useful tool for the companies who use junk
mail.
Past editor of the book, Jim Gray, said the book
always has been popular on campus because it lists all
students and their Lincoln addresses, even those not
listed in the phone book.
Gray said Builders never has had any complaints
from students.
A Kansas City, Mo., firm, Modern Guide to
Buying, Inc., used the book this month to contact all
graduating seniors at UNL, a representative said in a
phone interview. (The Buzz Book also lists a students'
class and hometown address.)
He said placement offices in other universities
always have given them lists of graduating seniors.
UNL Computer Network Director Walter Bruning
said he thinks the University receives few requests
from businesses for mailing lists because of the book.
Gerald Bowker, UNL director of academic
services, said the University "is not in the business of
selling mailing lists." The list of students is released
only to Builders and ASUN during its spring
elections, he said.
But the AAP survey indicated that direct mailings
are falling by the way. They're becoming too
expensive.
Postage is now 40 per cent of the companies'
direct mailing bill, compared to 25 per cent 10 years
ago, the report said. Newspaper and television
advertising, because it reaches more people for the
same price, is replacing the direct mailings.
Companies are becoming more efficient too,
selecting ever smaller and more probable client lists,
the report said.
So even if students continue to receive record club
advertisements and dry cleaning coupons, those
furniture pitches may soon stop coming around.
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