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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 1973)
J(Bgnim TUN S imft Mvlirag onp it nit wan gsil ff 6ttntt5Qll dliiiesiiiiQini9 f.'di tor's note: I lie information for this urlide was obtained from past issues of the Daily Ncbraskan and from former Nebraska free University (Sf'Vl commit tee chairmen. By Dave Madscn ilMigher education at the University of Nebraska is not living up to its responsibility and commitment to its own goal of 'total education'. " I hut was the beginning of a statement addressed to the "University of Nebraska academic community and the people of Nebraska." which cieated the Nebraska free University (NIU). Dec. 7. I'JM,. I he statement said that a pailial answer to the ediHalinii.il p i oli If ins al UN!, was the esi.ililislniK'iii ol Nil'. One ol the piohlems I e I c 1 1 ed lo w.i . lh.it "'I I 'i c-i i ! 'I i ',1 ied . in i k hIuim . . evlillill- .1 I.k k 'il ionises 'lul n-lrvjii! In Hie denies .ii i v 1 1 1 (..-1 i m ,i si'.'ii;! i, ,ih ( se; men! ol It Indent I ii hI . I he planning stage of NMJ began in October l((. according lo ollicials ol the Coordinating Committee lot a Iree University (CCIU). Ahich organized NI U. I hat committee now is referred to as the Nl U coinmitlee of ASUN. During the planning, CCIU ollicials estimated that about 100 students would register fur the 2.1 courses offered. When registration was completed, leb. 10. j')n7, Ml students had registered. Some of die courses offered that first session were theories of Communism, human reproduction and psychedelic drugs. Nineteen courses were offered when NIU began its second semester in the I. ill ol I f 7 NMJ ollicials s;iid at the lime they hoped to piovide a program ilia' would decrease (he large number of students who dropped out of NI U first semester. It was said theie was gieatei mleiesl in the second session than in the first. This may have been the case, however, only dOO students registered, an enrollment loss of It for Is to reduce the number of drop outs were futile. Almost half of the students enrolled in NI U courses diopped the class. American ethnic music and sea serpents, ghosts and Hying sauceis weie two couises available. The spring of 1968 saw NFU faking on "definite goals and a new image." Officials hoped to make NFU "a wedge to change (he present formal University structure ..." It was said that NTU should advocate a change of regular University courses from basically lecture-style to more of a discussion group formal. NMJ was based almost entirely on discussion groups. Although registration dropped slightly (from 000 to 550). the number of courses almost doubled. Members of the NIU committee attributed the decline in registration lo the fact that the novelty ol Nl U was wearing oil. During that semester, academic and administrative faculty had been asked lor help in organiing courses. Approximately 1,000 letters were mailed with no response. The most piobable cause behind this, the committee members said, was that the faculty was too busy to do anything which did nol pay. Two of the most highly attended courses were applied black magic and the image of woman. Autumn Jn8 was when ASUN llrst appropriated funds to finance the program. ASUN budgeted $450 to NIU lor the S-(V academic year. During that semester, the NI'U committee asked that credit be granted for NI U courses. Committee members said they knew there was small chance that credit would be granted. Il wasn't until spring lu7J. llial tin- leanest was gri "'. and tin ii milv lor a lew muses. I "0 ci mi s-", vere available i i ibeievoul 1 1 vi .mi who ivgisleied lor M I ; I. ill l''(N. l licial . -aid dial a la: imiiibei ol ilie 1 .050 were mm students, although an exact count was unavailable. I his was the first session in which established small groups had the opportunity to be recognized as M U courses. The NMJ committee would help such groups find a meeting place, a leader and additional students. 'I he draft and you and rock music were popular courses that semester. In spring ), NT U took a nose dive. Only eight courses were offered. The chairman of the Nl U committee was entirely on his own and said he couldn't do all the work adequately by himself, 'h' said that the small number ol classes was a bit tor m ihe dec leased ivgislralioii thai seme ,l,'i . Ai'"lh'-! I'li'Mi in wlih h ( unlimited I al l.u.'c 4