dailu n
monday, december 3, 1973
lincoln, nebraska vol. 97 no. 52
UNL given reprieve on fire safety compliance
By Charles Wieser
The State Fire Marshall has granted UNL an
18-month extension in its effort to comply with fire
safety regulations, according to Harley Schrader,
director of UNL's Physical Plant.
Fire safety violations involving 46 UNL buildings
were not corrected by the Dec. 1 deadline.
Some of the needed improvements include
construction of a fire escape on Piper Hall,
installation of fire alarm systems in Love Library and
Teachers College Bldg., stairwell enclosure in the
Temple Bldg. and the rewiring of the electrical system
in Stout Hall.
State Fire Marshal Joe Pluta said the extension was
granted because UNL has been in "50 per cent
compliance" in working to improve fire safety.
He said the extension also was granted because of
budgeting factors and the time factor involved in
major construction of such things as fire escapes.
In reference to the Temple Bldg., Pluta wrote in a
report Nov. 29, 1972, "I would recommend that you
discontinue the use of this building."
Since the report, Schrader said, the university has
made "many fire improvements" in Temple.
"Three exits have been added from the basement
leading directly outside and we removed two to three
truck loads of junk that was considered highly
flammable material from Temple's hallways," he said.
"We think the building is many times more fire
safe then when the original inspection was made,"
Schrader said.
Pluta, who has served 32 years in the fire service,
said violation penalties include $5-$100 fines for each
day noncompliance continues.
Schrader listed fire safety priorities set by the
State Fire Marshal as being adequate exits from
buildings, fire alarm systems and stairwell enclosure.
He said UNL has been working in conjunction
with the State Fire Marshal to meet these priorities.
"As long as reasonable progress is made, the
university will be allowed time extensions," Schrader
said.
After the 18-month extension, Pluta said, charges
may be filed against UNL if compliance is not 100
per cent or a further extension may be granted.
Pluta, who has served 32 years in the fire service
said violation penalties include $5-$100 fines for each
day noncompliance continues.
"We anticipate and have high hopes that
compliance will be completed (following the
18-month extension)," he said.
But Pluta acknowledged the difficulties facing
UNL in receiving the necessary funds to eliminate fire
safety problems.
"My experience has been that you can't get blood
out of a turnip. If you don't have the money, then
you can't get anything done," Pluta said.
Schrader said $350,000 was allocated last year for
UNL special maintenance.
"We had to use the money to correct handicaps,
improve fire safety and for deferred maintenance
(roof repairs and hallway painting)' he said.
Schrader said UNL officials must set priorities
when deciding what improvements buildings need
most.
Poster art
Posters to solicit
student comment
For College of Arts and Sciences majors who feel they
are "getting screwed," help is on the way, according to
posters publicizing the availability of the Arts and Sciences
Advisory Board.
The posters, which will be put up by Tuesday, invite arts
and sciences students to send in their problems, questions
and comments about the college for the board to review. If
the board decides a change could improve the college, it
will advise Melvin George, college dean, of its decision.
In past years the board has asked for change on the basis
of what they felt was needed. Now it would like to know
the feelings of everyone in the college. "This year we're
trying to be more of a service organization." said Scott
VCooper, chairperson of the board.
Students question Nixon's
energy conservation steps
By Mark Hoffman
UNL students apparently doubt the
seriousness of the energy crisis and the
effectiveness of President Richard Nixon's
energy conservation proposals, according to
man-on-the-street interviews conducted
Thursday by the Daily Nebraskan.
Nixon has called for reducing speed limitcs
to 50 m.p.h. on the nation's highways, reducing
building temperatures to the 65-68 degree range
and conserving electrical energy.
Linda Engel, 21, said of Nixon's
conservation proposals, "I think they would
really be effective if people would follow
them."
She expressed concern that requesting
people to go 50 m.p.h. might be asking too
much. During a recent trip on Interstate 80,
"traffic really got balled up" as cars going
60 65 m.p.h. were crowded by cars traveling
faster, she said.
Barry Oelschlaegor, 19, said the measures
advocated by Nixon would not be effective
because "people will say 'the hell with it'" to
lower speed limits and other measures.
"Americans don't do anything until they get
hit in the face by it (the energy shortage)," he
said about voluntary measures to combat the
shortage. He said stronger measures should be
taken by Nixon.
Monte Wendell, 21, said he thought gas
rationing should be ordered.
"Peopl? won't quit driving until they are
forced to," he said. He could ride a bus instead
of driving to campus from his off-campus
residence, he said, but wouldn't unless a tax
was placed on gas or gas rationing was
implemented.
"I don't know how serious the energy
shortage is. If it is that serious, president Nixon
should be taking stronger measures," he said.
The seriousness of the energy shortage also
was a question to other students.
H. Yamamoto, 30, said "I am not sure of the
degree of the energy shortage, but if I believe
what I read and hear, yes-it is serious."
Elizabeth Boilesen, 23, called the energy
shortage "a fabrication to divert people's
attention from Watergate."
While she said she believes gas should be
rationed if the energy shortage is so serious, she
said President Nixon would not implement
tough measures that might hurt his popularity.
"He is trying to be nice. That is why he's not
being so tough," she said.
Energy-conservation consciousness has
caused her and her husband to walk more than
a mile to classes every day, regardless of
weather, she said.
Tom Paulson, 21, said his personal
energy-conservation measures included
bicycling two to three miles to class instead of
driving.
He added that he and his roommate talked
to other UNL students in their apartment
complex about starting a car pool when the
weather gets bad.
The car pool has not materialized yet, he
said, because other students cited
"inconvenience. ..they wouldn't be able to go
home when they wanted."
Other students said the energy crisis has
made them more aware of shutting off
unnecessary lights and reducing the
temperature in their living units.
Stove Boerner, 19, saw the energy shortage
in slightly different perspective. When asked
what he planned to do to conserve energy, ho
replied, "sleep more."