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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1974)
tV4 'V' VV V"-'11 "V- '--'--' ctailu friday, december 13, 1974' lincoln, nebraska vol. 98 no. 62 Kearney State to study proposed college merger The proposed merger of Kearney 'State College (KSC) with NU is to be studied by a committee from the KSC faculty senate, according to senate president Bob Young. A United Press International report quoted Young as saying, "We feel that if the faculty is to be effective in helping formulate policy regarding such a merger, it needs to be better informed of the advantages and disadvantages inherent in such an action." According to UNL Faculty Senate Presi dent Richard Gilbert, the suggestion of such a merger came up last year and "arose from a complicated set of circumstances involving the state's vocational technical community colleges and the four state colleges in Kearney, Wayne, Chadron and Peru." Merger killed The issue of such a merger was brought up late in the last legislative session by former state Sen. Terry Carpenter of Scottsbluff but was killed in committee, according to Lincoln Sen. Steve Fowler. Fowler recalled that Carpenter's proposal was to split the four state colleges with Kearney and Wayne being absorbed into the NU system while Peru and Chadron would merge with the vocational technical commun ity colleges. Edwin Nelson, president of the Board of Trustees of the state colleges remembered the proposal differently. "I believe the first idea was to merge Kearney alone, then Wayne was proposed. At a hearing, Carpenter said he would not object to merging all four colleges with NU." Nelson claimed, "I don't know much about it beyond what I read in the paper. There's a Board meeting this weekend and we might hear more about it then." "Topic of discussion" Although he hadn't "developed a state ment on it yet," Nelson said, "I believe that the matter is simply a topic of discussion for the Kearney faculty." Regent Ed Schwartzkopf told the Daily Nebraskan that the matter of the merger "has never been brought to the Regents. It might be a little premature to have it come to us now." Schwartzkopf said that such a merger would benefit KSC. "Anytime arv institution or individual joins up with someone who has greater expertise and can provide more opportunities for students, they benefit," he said. Additionally, Schwartzkopf said, "You can't join someone who's struggling and upgrade your program." "A way out" Gilbert said that KSC was "in bad shape budget-wise and enrollment-wise. I'm sure their faculty and administration may be looking at it as a way out of their problems." Gilbert said that such a merger has been financially good for UNO, the former Municipal University of Omaha. Both KSC President Brendan McDonald and NU President D.B. Varner were unavailable for comment Thursday. The faculty committee at KSC will submit their report on the merger to their faculty senate in February. Regents to check five-year plan The next hurdle for the Univer sity's "Toward Excellence" plan comes Saturday when the NU Board of Regents is asked to accept the second-year updated version of the plan. The revision of the five-year plan, contained in a 135-page report, makes 13 recommendations wtuch, h.op.etuUyvy.Ul Improve, Jh& quality of education offered at NU. The Regents' meeting will be held at Regents Hall, formerly the NU Systems Building, at 38th and Holdredge Sts., at9a.m. The original "Toward Excel lence" document was approved by the Regents at their Jan. 6, 1973 meeting. The 1974 Unicameral ordered the University to submit an up dated version of the plan at the same time NU submits its 1975 1976 budget request next month. Among the report's recom mendations are: Increasing the quality of NU faculty by "Judicious use"' ot .funds tox.comGcisation, faculty Jrave.Ua year's leave with pay and exchange and visiting professors. Expanding and extending state programs such as State University of Nebraska (SUN) and agricultural extension for another year. Employ Affirmative Action officers in the Chancellors' offices to eliminate any discriminatory treatment. Furthering cooperation with the Universities of Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State and Missouri by establishing aconsortium. Improving and expanding re lationships with other higher edU' cation institutions in the state. The Regents also will consider approving amendments ..to., the University's long term disability coverage with Mutual of Omaha, which would add a cost of living raise clause, and to NU's medical coverage contract with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, by which the premium rates negoti ated and effective Jan. 1, 1974 would be continued without change until July 1, 1975. CSL approves study The Council on Student Life (CSL) Thursday night voted to form an ad hoc subcommittee to compile a list of all committees on the UNL campus with student membership, and determine the responsibilities of each committee. The motion, made by CSL member Dan Stellar, passed by a six to four vote. The subcommittee will be composed of nine members, three from CSL; two faculty members, selected from the Faculty Senate; two students-at-large, selected from ASUN; and two administration members, chosen by Chancellor James Zumberge. In other action, CSL tabled the recommendations of trie ASUN'-CSL Religion Committee. Chip Lowe, who sponsored the motion, said the recommendations need more student input and that "there was not enough to merit its adoption at the last ASUN meeting. "I think we should wait until the Senate (ASUN) has a chance to conduct open hearings and is able to accumulate all relevant data on the subject." The recommendations state that religious organiza tions may use NU buildings, "for purely social, business, or academic meetings", except in Residence Hall snack bars and cafeterias during dining hours. They propose not to allow testimonials, singing in a "worshipful manner as part of a religious service", attempts to convert students to another religious belief, prayers and "anything else that may be reasonably construed to be worship." in university buildings. The recommendations also propose that permission for use of a university building be obtained from the persons in charge of each respective building, and that they be responsible for organizations using the buildings staying within the religious guidelines. Student organizations found violating the proposed recommendations would be referred to the UNL Office of Student Affairs for disciplinary action. The ASUN-CSL committee was formed April 18, 1974 after a motion by then-CSL member Dennis Martin that CSL join the student senate in a "cooperative venture." V rr) "jm : t i 'fa , tst -.-m V., ; ... V ."on ; ,'' 'J ,fy-, I . ; . : ... '1. ? f w .rfvtf'rii,"",'"'"t"3",'Jf-': ASUN President Ron Clingenpeel, University of Nebraska at Omaha student government president Jim Snerrits and University of Nebraska Medica! Center student government president Greg Sorenson were sworn in Thursday afternoon as student members of the NU Board of Regents. Secretary of State Alien Beermann gave the oath. The three will serve as nonvoting members of the board.