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friday, august 30, 1 974
lincolrt, nebraska vol. 98, no. 5
riciear reslqnaiiorv siows ombudsman nun
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By Randy Gordon
The question of how clear a resignation
must be has arisen in the delayed search for a
new ombudsman at UNL.
The ombudsman's office is a liaison
between students, faculty and administra
tion. Complaints that cannot be resolved
through other means are investigated by this
office.
James Suter, UNL's first ombudsman, who
resigned Aug. 1 to head the State
Comprehensive Health Planning Bureau,
said the UNL administration knew of his
intentions to resign as early as July 1973.
"There was no misunderstanding. There
was nothing unclear at all," Suter said. "I
V -"rtt
J?mes Suter's resignation as UNL ombuds
man is being questioned.
told both Ned Hedges, assistant vice
chancellor for academic affairs and Chancel
lor James Zumberge when I agreed to
.'continue as ombudsman for, the remainder of
last year that I would be leaving in July,
1974."
His resignation was made official in a letter
sent to the chancellor May 8, 1974, he said.
Suter said when he accepted the job as
ombudsman at the start of the 1972 fall
semester he told the chancellor's office it
would be a temporary appointment.
He said ha quit the position not because ha
was disillusioned, but to help maintain the
independence of the ombudsman by not
becoming a permanent fixture.
"I enjoyed It but it was emotionally
demanding," Suter said. "You are always
concerned with other people's problems and
its difficult to remain uninvblved."
Ken Bader, Vice Chancellor of Student
Affairs, said Suter's desire to quit was
understood in July, 1373.
He said the chancellor's office needed
more than an understanding before the
resignation was official, though.
"We needed to have a written resigna
tion before we couid choose a successor,"
Bader said.
"Someone telling us they are quitting
won't do. We can plan partially on that, but
we can't recognize the resignation until we
have the official statement. We can run Into
all sorts of difficulty if we do," he said.
Suter saiche did not fill out a resignation
statement before May because he was not
sure until then thai he would feave for the
State Health Department. ,
"No one asked me for anything in writing,"
Suter said. "It was an oral agreement that I
would be leaving the ombudsman position
whether I sayed at the university or left to
work for the state.
"I would have been' resigning' from tha
entire university, not just from tha tola of
ombudsman, if I had completed the
administrative reassignment and leave ef
. afesens form," Suter said. ., , ..
No one asked me for anything in writing,"
whether I stayed at the university or left to
He said he believes an ombudsman may
never be selected if it is not done by th end
of this semester. ; "
The chairman of the second Search
Committee for an ombudsman, Braskamp,
new ombudsman quickly.
Rraelrumn a!4 Ho fire tsairfh rftmmlligA
was formed July 22 and had not received ny
qualified applicants by the Aug. 7 dssdHns.
He said the committee decided to postpcna
the search until this fall when more qualifies!
. nominees would be on campus and could
contacted,- ;.
Dave Howlett, ASUN Second Vice Presi
dent, said the search for a new ombudsman
began April 16 when a Council on Student
Life (CSL) ad hoc committee was formed to
consider the value and contribution of the
ombudsman's office to UNL.
Howeltt said the ad hoc committee
recommended to CSL on May 6 that the office
be continued but that a quorum was not
present to vote. He said the report was
agreed to Informally and sent to Chancellor
Zusnberge.
Both Vice Chancellors Bader and Hedges
said tha study by CSL was needed. .
"We must have an evaluation of tha
imparlance cf the effice before vy tf&tul
Bader Said there was a delay in receiving
nominations for persons from ASUN and the
faculty Senate to serve on the ombudsman
search committee.
See Ombudsman, p. 0
Proposal lifts sex restrictions
By Lynn Silhasek ;
Male sorority pledges?
Females suiting up for Cornhusker
football game??
No, women won't be playing in
Memorial Stadium on Saturdays this
fall. Nor will there be coed living
quarters along "fraternity row." But
both sexes may be participating in
activities this year at UNL that were
previously restricted to one sex.
The possible changes come from a
Department of Health, Education and
Welfare (HEW) proposal to implement
Title IX of the 1972 Education Amend
ments. That provision, with certain
exceptions, prohibits sex discrimina
tion In education programs or activities
which receive federal funds.
. Area3 that the regulation would affect
Include athletics, campus organiza
tions, courses, financial, aid and
University employment. HEW officials
will sponsor hearings throughout the
country to determine whether to adopt
the regulation.
With UNL Chancellor James Zum
berge's approval in July of an expanded
women's Intercollegiate athletic pro
gram for the 1974-75 school year, UNL
complies with a part of the regulation
that requires institutions to equalize
athletic opportunities by providing
support and training in areas previously
lacking both,
Program expansions are outlined in a
report by the Chancellor's Commission
on Women's Intercollegiate Athletics.
The report, approved by Zumberge,
provides the program with a $60,000
budget that includes scholarships and
training in seven sports including
volleyball, basketball, gymnastics,
swimming and tennis.
The women's intercollegiate athletics
program will now be within the
Department of Intercollegiate Athletics,
temporarily headed by Athletic Director
Robert Devaney, according to Zum
berge. Last year the program wa3 in tha
Department of Physical Education for
Women. The department's 1973-74
budget designated $12,790 for women's
athletics, according to figures obtained
from the Legislature's Office of the
Fiscal Analyst. Through contract with
the men's athletic department, $1 ,500
was received for women's intercolle
giate athletics, according to the figures.
Expansion of women's athletic pro
grams drew a mixed reaction from those
attending a July HEW hearing in
O nnhs, Hccordinjj to two UncoinIts
who attended.
Ron Bachman, Nebraska Wesleyan
University football coach, said school
officials who attended the hearing
agreed women are getting the short end
of the stick In athletics.
A developed athletics program with
scholarships would require recruiting
and bidding on athletes, he said, "and I
don't think women want to get involved
in this kind of thing."
Steve Fowler, state senator and
former ASUN president, said some
women involved in athletic programs
also opposed the regulation at the
hearing.
Sea HEW p. 9
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