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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
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