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These are not easy days in which to be a college
administrator. There is not the student unrest
'. h marked the last generation of college
- but there is another problem, a problem
vl: rh could spawn even greater difficulties and
. more sleepless nights for those who direct
institutions of higher learning.
The problem is falling enrollment. While the
University of Nebraska state system has held its
own this year, the Lincoln campus enrollment is
"v.vn about 500 from the same time a year ago.
The decline itself is not the problem. The
iniiculty is in convincing the Legislature that the
University needs the sort of budget which will help
solve its problems.
All too often, the Unicameral views an
enrollment decline as reason not to grant the sort
of budget increase necessary to improve the quality
of education at this University.
:vcduse of this, NU President D.B. Varner
nitjnt find his hands full in defending the
University's request for funds to finance capital
improvements and expansion. Varner has said that
the University needs almost $24 million to finance
construction, remodeling and planned acquisition.
All are projects designed to meet needs currently
nc met.
The projects in the proposed budget request
include the Life Sciences Bldg., the new fieldhouse,
a new library at the University of Nebraska at
Omaha and a clinic at the University of Nebraska
Medical Center.
These are projects necessary to the University if
it is to catch up academically with other Big 8
institutions. Varner must be prepared for a long,
tiring battle if he to convince the Legislature of
that.
Michael (O.J.) Nelson
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Union.
Ironic secrecy
Dear editor,
The Council on Student Life's (CSL) decision to
shroud itself in secrecy last Thursday when it selected
student members for the Publications Committee
proved highly ironic.
Sitting before the council when its chairman,
Donald Shaneyfelt, ordered the body into closed
session was the final report from CSL's ad hoc
Committee on Freedom of Access of Non-Academic
i ' i: .i't of the report is that the free flow of
miui niduuii is as important at a university as at any
other public institution. But CSL members apparently
don't cherish that idea.
CSL bylaws now state that closed sessions are to
be used when publicity threatens the rights of
individuals being discussed.
!' vo'j'rl Ik: a sham to apply this to the
'ublkdtions Committee situation. Newspapers had
already carried the objections raised to some
Publications Committee nominees, specifically Sam
B rower, former ASUN first vice president.
Consequently, one is led to think that the closed
session was for the benefit of CSL members who
simply found it advantageous to shield their opinions
from D"!''ic scrutiny. This a gross abuse of the closed
''! !. s-ome of the discussion at Thursday's
c I'A'.nj meeting was about general criteria for selecting
Publications Committee members. Again, what
justified stifling that? In accepting appointment to
CSl, its members incur an obligation to let the public
know the reasons for their actions.
rQi ' '!.".i;ion to go into closed session reflected a
i.'imdluiu, knee-jerk response to a
' i i! ..itn.'ition.
Randy Beam
-J
Fads victimize men
Inconsiderate cyclists
D
(Mr
tut.
;' of consideration bicyclists show for
t UNL is deplorable. Twice I nearly have
bei it run over, and countless other times cyclists have
soundlessly skimmed by.
I have been in both Holland and India where one
risks biuken bones and spinal dislocation by being
..! ; bicyclists. They do not ride on sidewalks,
hov. o ,, and they use IxHIs to warn pedestrians of
., , UML eye'ists become mature enough to
show touitesy and give right of way to pedestrians,
particularly during rush hours on the 12th Street
M.ill-1
P.K. Stephens
I always viewed buying clothes as a
necessary evil that should be avoided
whenever possible. This opinion was
not changed last weekend when I set
out to buy a pair of cuffless corduroy
pants. As I began my search, the
problem became obvious there were
no such pants to be found. I traveled
from one store to the next, each time
receiving the reply, "Of course we
don't have cuffless pants."
After several hours of this, it
became clear that Lincoln has fallen
victim to a massive fashion industry
blitz on a scale heretofore unmatched
in my recollection.
The speed with which these new
and rather alien styles have wiggled
into the mainstream of social
acceptance smells distinctly like a
well-thought out grand scale
conspiracy.
It wasn't long ago that only women
were chasing the clothing fads, while
men sat back in their uniform white
shirts, snickering at the foolishness of
it all. But in the late 60s, women
finally revolted in the now historic
"Battle of Covered Knee." When they
said "no" to the yearly edicts of the
designers, it opened a broad new
freedom in women's clothing.
The Industry swallowed a hard pill
with the defeat of its "midis", but it
held something in reserve-the broad,
long unexploited area of men's
clothing, The conquest was subtly
achieved, starting with the colored
shirt. Suddenly men had to worry
about matching colors. The shirt was
followed in quick succession by the
colorful blazer, colored pants and the
return of the wide tie, all further
complicating the once simple chore of
dressing.
This massive drive in men's clothing
relied heavily on the victims'
inexperience and confusion. Where
once the only morning decision was
which tie to wear, now shirts must
match pants, socks match underwear
and all coordinate with the blazer. The
number of decisions which must be
made before morning coffee has
jumped to an almost intolerable level.
These sudden worries over clothes
are taking a heavy toll. They are a
confirmed factor in the increased
number of cases of high blood pressure
and ulcers, not to mention a severe
emotional strain that reduces once
strong, self-minded men into indecisive
hulks of jelly waiting for the next
edicts from Gentlemen's Quarterly.
I do not believe this rapid change in
male attitudes is solely the work of the
fashion industry. Rather, I sense
complicity from another organization,
one whose interests would be served if
men became distracted "ad absurdum"
with what they were wearing. I learned
through an aging clerk in a bargain
basement that the major force behind
the surge in men's clothing is the
Women's Action Coordinating
Committee International Enterprises
(WACCIE).
ohn michael
osheo
i
uiunoer
This small and well financed grour
of women has been at the heart of the
revival of men's fashions. Its members
believe clothing vanity has been a
major tool of male dominance for
years, and they have decided to turn
the tables. Their plan is to so divert
males that men lose interest in matters
of business and industry, leaving the
field to females by default.
The old clothier also confided that
WACCIE planners intend to move into
other areas, such as hair styling and
facial cosmetics.
"No, it doesn't take much
imagination to foresee the outcome if
these plans lo reconvert men into
peacocks are successful," he said. "The
question may rapidly change from
who weais the pants in the family
(both), to mirror minor on the wall."
The cle,k seemed to grow a little
older right U-foic my eyes, as he
reached into his trousers to produce
his pocket watch.
, sorry, son," the old clerk said.
1 -'hai-i the days of your plair
coiduioys die pjst and gone."
left the store feeling a little sad.
' "' octohor 1. 1973
pa go 4
daily nebraskan