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Arts complex
A cultural wasteland. That's how some
critics still describe Nebraska.
The University and Lincoln itself could
help cripple such scoffing by jointly funding a
proposed $10 million performing arts
complex, plans for .which were outlined last
week by a Yale University theater designer.
Both the University and the Lincoln
community have responded well to cultural
events, especially in recent years. For
example, the nationally known Menhuin
family, in Lincoln to help celebrate what
might be called Willa Cather days, were
featured in a concert that was sold out within
two hours after the ticket office opened.
According to the theater designer, Kimball
Recital Hall is tha only local building suitable
Students' support
for alcohol bill asked
Editor's note- Con Zutavern, ASUN Senate Legislative Liaison
chairperson, asked that the following letter be published as a plea
to all students concerning LB 783, which would allow alcohol on
campus.
A legislative bill which provides for the sale and consumption
of alcohol on college campuses, LB783, has been reported back
to the floor of the Unicameral It now stands on general file and
will come up for consideration within the next two to three
weeks.
The f3te of the proposal largely depends upon how visible
student support for the bill becomes. It is crucial that those
students living on campus let their senalarsicnow how thetand
on this issue,.-. .-'""'
In order to coordinate student input, the ASUN Legislative
Liaison Committee will sponsor an Information booth in the
Nebraska Union beginning today. Free postage stamps will be
made available to those students wishing to send letters to their
senators.
Also, for those who do not know who their state senator Is, a
map of legislative districts in Nebraska, including those
specifically for Omaha and Lincoln, will be provided. Maps of the
legislative districts and lobbying information will be distributed
to the Greek houses and each floor of each residence hall.
Students are encouraged to send letters, asking their senator's
support for LB783. Many state senators have been contacted by
people opposed to th bill.
If a student does not have the time nor the will to write a
letter, he should consider talking with his senator personally.
The bill was voted successfully out of the Miscellaneous
Subjects Committee, largely because almost 400 students took
time out to show their concern by attending the hearing.
As Sen. Terry Carpenter said, when he addressed the student
group who attended the hearing, "It will take 10 times as many
students to show up down here at the Capitol building when the
bill comes up for consideration." Only if wide student support is
shown will the bill have a good chance of passing the floor.
Con Zutavern
for fine arts performances; at that, its
suitability is limited to recital and chamber
music performances. And Kimball's capacity
if for a scant 800. Thus culture can come only
In small doses. But construction of a new
building, which could seat as many as 3,000,
would accommodate drama, musical comedy,
chamber and recital music and dance
performances.
in the recent past, the University has
shown commendable willingness to assume a
leadership role in promoting cultural arts. The
person behind most of such efforts is NU
President D. B. Varner, who has justifiably
earned the reputation as a friend of the arts.
The problem, as always, is money. Varner
said that he and civic leaders had "some
assurance that citizens of this community
might put up as much as $1 million" for the
new structure. But this is not
enough-Lincolnites must overcome their
monetary diffidence. And while most of the
funding should come from University and
Lincoln interests, additional money should be
sought from such groups as the Nebraska Arts
Council; the American Symphony Orchestra
League and the National Endowment of the
Arts. Additionally, a portion of student fees
might be allocated to finance the structure, as
could a slice of income generated from city
sales taxes.
Granted, it would cost only $6 million to
convert the Coliseum into a comparable
performing arts complex. But the Coliseum,
vintage 1928, would not seat as many as a
new building and is likely to incur major
repair bills in years to come.
No matter what the source of income,
plans for a performing arts complex must not
be allowed to vegetate. In just months, $10
million figures have a way of ballooning and
sailing away, putting necessary construction
financially out of reach.
Mary Vobortl
-AtUfcU II
-4
I
". . . to uphold the
them. . '
jxrjssr...
7
Constitution and the laws of the United States as I see
Alcohol, visitation issues enforce 'adulthood
Editor's note: the following guest opinion is that
of a group of off campus students. It grew out of a
discussion Sunday at Commonplace-United Ministries
In Higher Education. It concerns ASUN President
Ann Henry's letter to State Sen. Ernie Chambers on
LB783, which would allow consumption and sale of
alcohol on college campus, and Chambers' response
(Daily Ncbmkan, Feb. 22).
The current controversy over students' rights to
visitation and alcohol on campus seems similar to the
situation of the teenage girl who tells her mother she
is taking birth control pills.
The purpose is not to inform Mother of the
activities implied by taking th pill; the purpose is to
say, "Look, Ma, I'm an adult, and now you must
acknowledge me as such."
Ma may know her girl is on the pill; parents and
legislators may know students drink in residence hall
rooms, but as long as they're not confronted with the
fact, they can pretend it Isn't happening.
Many studwtts apparently would prefer to
maintain this game of what-thty-don't know-won't-hurt-thenn.
The Issue must h brought out 5i the
open, however, and the nm is not whether students
have the right or privilege to 24-hour visitation or
alcohol on campus.
The true issue at stake here is society's perception
of what constitutes adulthood and how education
may be used to enforce that perception.
The realities of education in this country are not
goals of academic excellence or broaden inq of
experience or even preparation for a career.
Education Is, in practice, a means by which society
trains human beings to accept the rules and
regulations which have come to define adulthood.
This is illustrated by a recent decision by the state
parole board to enforce penal complex hair and
tideburn length regulations for parolees as well as
inmates. The rationale was not specifically hair; it was
the idea of parolees learning to live with rules and
regulations. (Lincoln Journal, Feb. 23).
9
1 j ' 1 1 r 3 1 1
Another example is the type of reinforcement
used in many mental institutions. If patients talk
about cars and dating and getting & job "on the
outside," they may receive merit points in the form
of grounds privileges.
if, however, they talk about drugs, spiritual
enlightenment or existentialism, they may be moved
to a hioh security flow anH hsve th;:.' trsnc;u;!!.!2cr
dosage increased .
The parallel is clear: mental patients learn to
discuss Satire in the bathroom; students learn to hide
their bottles in the closet and sneak their honeys
down the back stairs.
Now the issues of alcohol and visitation me
coming into the open, and both sides are persistently
ignoring the real question.
Instead of asking whether we should be educated
as human beings or trained as automatons, students
are insisting, "Look, Ma, we're adults!"
And instead of acknowledging society's n-irrow
Definition of adulthood, parents, administrators and
legislators are replying, "Don't talk to us about booze
or war; you're there to get an education."
Before both students and legislators buy the
concept of education as "adult" computer
programming, they should ask themselves whether
adulthood depends upon others' perceptions of the
individual cr upon the individual's self perception.
And they should consider an alternative model of
education: a mode! bawd on freedom to take risks, to
make choices and to live with the responsibility of
the freedom of decision. That's what maturity is
really about.
page 4
dailv ncbraskan
monday, february 25, 1974
