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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."
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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.