OQlIU
Wednesday, april 11,1 973
lincoln, nebraska vol. 96, no. 97
by Nancy Stohs
Accused of "Mickey Mouse"
actions and poor attendance, the UNL
Faculty Senate Tuesday questioned its
functions and tossed about ideas for
reorganization-with barely a quorum
present.
It also passed a resolution
restricting exams during "dead week"
and ordered reorganization of the
senate committee on intercollegiate
athletics.
Paul Olson, professor of English,
said he was "dismayed" by this year's
poor attendance at senate meetings.
He outlined a motion which will go
to the senate at its May meeting that
would appoint a committee to study
making the senate a representative
body.
Currently, all of UNL's faculty
members comprise the senate.
David Hibler, assistant professor of
English, also presented a resolution for
action in May.
His four-point proposal included
setting aside "protected" University
meeting hours so that more faculty
members could attend and appointing
a long-range committee to investigate
senate committee structure.
In 1970, a representative senate
was proposed, but voted down.
Senate President Wallace Rudolph,
UNL law professor, said the mail
ballot system adopted in 1970 was one
major cause for recent drops in
attendance.
In other action, the senate adopted
a resolution prohibiting hour exams
and final exams during "dead week"
unless by unanimous consent of the
students in the class.
A second resolution called for
adequate publication of the policy
both in the Campus Handbook, the
Daily IMebraskan and letters to the
faculty at the end of each semester.
"Students should be made aware
that violations of the policies can be
reported to the appropriate
department chairman andor dean,"
the resolution states.
The senate tabled a resolution to
dissolve the senate liason committee
on Intercollegiate Athletics, but voted
that the committee redefine its
functions.
According to Edgar Pearlstein,
professor of physics, the committee
"deals with a subject that has nothing
to do with creative and constructive
programs at the University or with
faculty welfare."
Pearlstein introduced the
resolution.
Others disagreed, asserting pride in
UNL's athletic department and
pointing out that while the committee
is not mandatory, the other Big Eight
Senate restricts
dead week exams
. if
I y "
English professor Paul Olson
attendance at Faculty Senate.
schools have one.
Olson said his concern wasn't the
existence of athletics, but the
committee's understanding of its
responsibility.
He suggested forming a committee
that would annually report on
. said he is dismayed by the poor
scholarships, academic programs for
athletes and other items related to
academic purposes.
In a substitute motion, the
committee on committees was
appointed to redefine the athletic
committee's functions along these
lines.
Exon calls language of shield law 'too broad'
Gov. J. James Exon signed Tuesday the "Free
Flow of Information Act," LB380. But he announced
he would not have signed it if he hadn't been
promised that another bill would be introduced in the
Legislature to limit the scope of the so-called "shield
law."
The promise came from Omaha Sen. John Savage.
Savage sponsored LB380.
In effect, LB380 provides that newsmen shall not
be forced to disclose sources of information given
them in confidence, nor be forced to give up their
notes or other unpublished material.
Exon said the language of the bill "is entirely too
broad." He said he will ask for changes which will
include:
-a provision requiring newsmen to give testimony
on serious crimes they might witness.
-a more narrow definition of newsmen so as to
exclude reporters for underground newspapers or
school publications and authors of books and
pamphlets.
Under the proposed limitations the requirement
that a subpoenaed newsman testify would apply
when he or she "was witness to a ciirninal matter
wherein the defundent is charged with the ciime of
homocide, felonious assault; assault with intent to
kill, wound or maim; or assault with intent to inflict
great bodily injury, kidnapping or othei such ciime
for which the punishment may be death 01 life
imprisonment."
However, the proposal would permit a newsman
subpoenaed in such cases to obtain a hearing before
the court to determine if the evidence he might
present is "necessary and relevant." If it isn't found
to be relevant, the newsman may be excused.
LB380 was sponsoied by Savage. He also will
introduce and support the bill limiting LB380.
Savage said he will lead a drive to enact the new
bill. The only major change involves testifying in
major crimes, he said. Duiing his own journalism
careei, Savage said he hadn't known a peison who
wouldn't testify in such a cast?. Savage is a foimei
photogiaphei foi he Omaha World Herald.
The law does not piotect newsman horn libel 01
in cases involving inesponsible tepoiting, he said.
Task
force
terms
fees
essential
by Mary Voboril
Student fees are self-imposed taxes and collection of fees is
justifiable and essential, according to a preliminary task force
report on student fees used for programming.
The eight-page document, dated Api il 5, was due Feb. 1 .
Mandatory assessment of fees against students is justifiable
"in order to provide a comprehensive libeial educational
experience in an institution as complex as a university, the
report said.
The document also said it is of "utmost importance" that
use of collected fees be determined by persons who provide
the money the students themselves.
The task foice recommended establishment of a fees
allocation board similar to that proposed by two other task
forces-one on student fees administration and another on
facilities and other fees users.
"The board should be responsible for coordinating
programming and distributing all student fees," the report
said. "If there was one central agency, and its availability
well publicized, there would be no reason for students or
organizations to complain of confusion concerning the
progr a m m i ng pi ocess
It said that now, unless a student is well-versed in
"machinations of the Student Activities office, ASUN
programming procedures or the Nebraska Union organization,
he is in a quandary " concerning proper ways to request use of
student fees.
The lepoit also recommended that all members of I he
allocations board be UNL students. Previously the
administrative task force had said such a board should be
composed of five voting administrators andor faculty
members and five voting students.
Another programming task force recommendation called
for ex offico (non voting) members of the allocations boat if.
These members would include the chancellor, vice chancellor
foi student affairs, comptroller , faculty senate convocation
committee, cultuial affairs committee and duectoi ol the
Union.
"The expertise and counsel of those persons listed will be
necessary to insure proper coordination of programs and
continuity from year to year with adequate administrative
support," the report said.
Other recommendations included:
The fees allocations boaid lie tequiied to produce an
annual ieXjit, both statistical and nanative, and that H
ptovide foi appiopiiate accounting pioceduies "T he queslion
of accountability, moie than any mhei pioo!em, is piobably
the cause foi the cieation of the student lee task foi cos
initially. The fees allocation board must answei for its
activit ies..."
-The board provide for a formal statement of its
responsibility to the Board of Regents and to the...Univeisity
community, "...the approval for disbursement of funds must
finally be reserved for the Board of Regents. ..we urge that the
board not use withholding of approval of disbursement of
funds as a device of censorship."
- The boaid piovide foi a foimal appeal system, with final
appeal piovided by the legents.
The board be tried expei imenlally foi a pei iod of two
years, at which time it should bo systematically i ('evaluated.
"No single solution of the 'student fee problem' should be
considered ultimate," theieport said.
In its concluding statement, the tcott wains that it
repiesents only a majority of the task force.
'individual members of the task force may provide
minority reports or disclaimers of certain portions of this
document," it said.
A sH)kesman from the offico of Ken Bader, vice chancelloi
for student affairs, said Tuesday that the reoit was "only
pi climinar y."
The charge of the task force was "to undertake a complete'
study of student f ee su)xji ted programs and recommend
(xli(;y and procedures for insuring tin: maintenance of a
balanced pmgiarn which will seive all elements of the
University community." Badei was (jut of town Tuesday and
unavailable for comment .