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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 16, 1973)
n . dailu monday, april 1 6, 1 973 lincoln, nebraska vol. 96, no. 1 00 Vs. W Varner . . . said he's not as emotional because the University intends to cut graduate programs anyway. Budget, Legislature delay alcohol action First the Legislature must approve the University budget, then the regents will consider a proposal to allow students to have alcohol in their dormitory rooms, ASUN executives were told at a Friday night Intercampus Student Advisory Council meeting with the Board of Regents. 'Those are the political realities," Omaha Regent Kermit Hansen said. Action now could be "detrimental to the entire University," he said. ASUN President Ann Henry, at her first Friday night meeting with the board put the proposal on the Friday night agenda even though it didn't appear on the regents' Saturday schedule. She did it, she said, because "there's a lot of concern on the part of students at UNL that it will just be put off and put off and put off." A proposal to allow alcohol in rooms and in lounges on special occasions was tabled at the regents' March meeting. The proposal stipulates that 85 per cent of the residents in each living unit must first approve the new liberty. Lincoln Regent Ed Schwartzkopf said he was disappointed with students' priorities. He said he feels they could be concerned with more important issues than alcohol consumption. ASUN First Vice President Mark Hoeger said "most students agree it shouldn't have to be a priority." But, Henry said, they see it as securing their "rights as citizens of this state." The regents praised a library study commissioned by the out-going ASUN senate. Hansen called it "a remarkable exhibit of student interest." Schwartzkopf expressed brief concern at the study's cost-$2,400saying he thought ASUN's money should be spent for "more student-kind activities." "It was the collective view of the ASUN Senate that student needs could best be served by this study," said former ASUN First Vice President Sam B rower. Minden Regent Robert Raun told the new ASUN executives he hopes they're giving "diligent thought" to stimulating more student interest in student government and elections. Twelve per cent of the UNL students voted in the spring ASUN election. The regents collectively praised the 1972-73 ASUN executives, President Bruce Beecher, Brower, and Second Vice President Michele Gagne. Regents: graduate study cut already in NU planning The University of Nebraska regents Saturday tabled a move to open up $452,000 to NU because, according to Lincoln Regent Ed Schwartzkopf, a University program already qualifies NU for the money. The regents were discussing an amendment to the University budget bill, LB259, which offered NU $452,000 for graduate and undergraduate programs if seven Ph.D. and three masters-level programs are phased out beginning January 1, 1974. NU President D.B. Varner said the amendment's intent is to "insure we'd do what we said we'd do in the Five-Year Plan". In the plan, the University said it had "overextended" itself in graduate programs and pledged to eliminate some in an effort to strengthen the remaining programs. The regents "were already committed" to the goals of the amendment and intend to meet its stipulations to qualify for the money, Schwartzkopf said. So a motion by Omaha Regent Kermit Hansen to that effect and an amendment offered by Minden Regent Robert Raun to have, by April 28, the list of 10 programs to be phased out, was tabled. But the regents joined Norman Cromwell, NU Vice President and chairman of the Graduate Council, and Desmond Wheeler, UNL professor of chemistry representing the Faculty Senate liaison committee, in denouncing Legislative intervention in University programs. "Legislators have delegated academic governance to the regents and should stay out of academic programming," Cromwell said. Board of Regents Chairman Robert Koefoot of Grand Island said, "This confirms my opinion, the y (the Legislators) feel the Board of Regents is not doing its job. I think they've put it (the stipulation) in wrongly." Varner said he's "not as emotional on this issue as others" because it's something the University intended anyway. UNL Chancellor James Zumberge had this to say about the amendment: "I would feel it irresponsible on my part to get my back up on a matter of principle, 5452,000 is not to be sneezed at. We need this money to do our job." Cromwell, who advised against accepting the Legislature's directive, outlined the currentUniversity plan to eliminate one graduate program, begin suspension of admission in three and consolidate four others. But Varner said some of the plans don't satisfy the legislators' definition of "termination". They suspect programs are simply being reshuffled, rather than ended, he said. In other action, the regents voted unanimously to ask for Legislative action to adjust upwards the retirement benefits of faculty who retired under a University benefit plan which ended in 1961. A constitutional amendment approved at the November general election allows the Legislative action. The adjustments would cost the University about $345,000 which it will seek from the Legislature, according to NU Vice President Merk Hobson. The Regents also approved an agreement with Wyoming to accept four Wyoming students per year into the UNL College of Dentistry. Such admissions were part of the stipulations attached to federal funds which helped build the College of Dentistry building. Varner also said that, contrary to press reports, the University has not adopted a "tuition free" policy for Nebraska Indians. Instead, Varner said, the University position is that if the Legislature provides the requested $150,000 for UNO and $100,000 for UNL financial aid to students, "it would be possible to provide tuition waivers for all Indian students who qualify for admission next year." -1 - ji J." OKI A- ' 7 V , V - A f t, f -i f r, i i - ' i 7 x. Regents Ed Schwartzkopf (left) and Kermit Hansen . . . explain that student alcohol proposals won't be discussed until the Legislature adjourns. Students will file apartment complaint by Dennis Onnen "The students feel they were wronged and they want their money back. That's all there is to it," according to Jed Buechler, chairman of the ASUN Legal Rights Committee. He was referring to a class action suit which will be brought by students against Charles Pederson and Pederson Apartments, Inc. later this week. Some of the student complaints involved include damaye deposits being withheld, checks received for deposits which bounced, non-maintenance of apartments and shutting off utilities. According to Buechler, the suit will ask that Pederson bring his books to court. The plaintiffs will attempt to show that damage deposits have indeed been withheld. If that is found to be true, a separate criminal complaint could then be brought against Pederson, charging that he had a "fraudulent intent" in withholding the deposits, Buechler said. He said he hopes that students will see this as something officers of Pederson Apartments, Inc., in older 1o lodge llieir complaints, but have been unsuccessful due to misleading addresses and telephone numbers. "That appears to me to he an evasive measure," he said. Originally, 24 students were to be named as plaintiffs in the suit, Buechler said. He explained that they won't all be named when the suit is tiled, since not all of the 24 could be located. He said he hopes that students will be this as something tangible that ASUN is doing for students. He pointed out that the Legal Rights Committee is simply organizing the students and not sponsoring the suit. Buechler said that the problem was first brought to his attention by UNL Ombudsman James Suter. Suter said he first received complaints at the beginning of the fall semester. By the end of the semester, about eight to 10 people had registered complaints, he said. Lincoln attorney John Stevens Berry will represent the students. He said that the suit probably will be filed either Tuesday or Wednesday. Buechler said he hopes the case will come up U-lore the end of the semester so the student plaintiffs will still be in town.