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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."
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- 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.
