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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1975)
lincoln, nebraska vol. 98 no. C( doilu f ' t " '' " ., ..." i L - :,' , . .. w ... s ' ' - -M, , ' r SJI i ... . . . . Jf'h I'M SOL candidates oppose fee distribution to student clubs SOL party ASUN presidential and vice presidential candidates, from top left, counter-clockwise: Del Gustafson, president; David Hamilton, second vice president; Randy J auk en, first vice president; and campaign manager Kevin Boyd. By Rex Seline An issue-oriented campaign based on opposition to . collecting and allocating mandatory student fees to private organizations, programs and publications will be waged by the Sons of Liberty Party (SOL), according to its three executive candidates. ASUN presidential candidate Del Gustafson, first vice presidential candidate Randy Jauken and second vice presidential candidate David Hamilton pledged SOL support for "individu; determination of contributions to private causes" in an interview Tuesday. SOL joins the United Student Effort party, the Cut the Crap party (CTC) and a number of independents in competition for office in the ASUN elections, March 19. "No government agency knows how a student wants to spend his own money as well as the individual student," Gustafson said. Eliminate fees SOL will work to eliminate the $5.50 of student fees that go to student organizations and activities under the control of reregistration fee reduce The deposit for preregistration for Fall 1975 classes at UNL has been reduced from $50 to $25. The fee has been lowered to encourage students to participate in early registration, according to Ted Pfeifer, director of registration and records. It also helps the university know what classes are in demand and enables colleges to make available what the student wants to take, he added. The number of students taking advantage of pre-registration declined by 500 from first semester' 1973-1974 to first semester 1974-1975. He said there also was a decline in enrollment and the two go "hand in hand." lie added that there were 200, less persons pre-registered for second semester than for first semester of this year. "This is a more accurate picture," he said. Pfeifer thinks some of the reasons that less students are pre-rcgistering is they don't have the $50 it takes and also they are reluctant to sign up for classes early when their plans may change. Pfeifer said the small decline in pre-registration has not had much effect on general registration. However, he thinks that with the lower fee, more students will take part in pre-registration and the number of days of general registration could be reduced. The amount of tuition and fees remains the same, Pfeifer said. The other $25 is paid when tuition is due, he said. He added that the fee is refundable until Aug. 8 for those who decide not to return to UNL in the fall. Pfeifer does not foresee any great increase in the number of people who pre-register. "The main purpose of the fee reduction is to make it easier on the student," he said. "$50 this early is quite a chunk of money for a student to pay at one time." Pre-registration begins on March 17 and must be completed by April 4 for class priority. Pre-registration forms will be accepted until July 9. the Fees Allocation Board (FAB), according to the executive candidates. "We don't want to have 20,000 students contributing to a cause that even one may not support," Gustafson said. "We aren't making any value judgments on individual organizations. If an individual wants to contribute to a cause, he should be able to do it on his own." Gustafson said the SOL position "is not going to kill any organization on campus;7' "Many organizations on campus flourish without student fees. Other organizations that don't fill a need might die," he said. The candidates cited campus religious organizations and the band society, Gamma Lambda, as organizations that are surviving without fee money. Make clubs stronger "In the long run it might make student organizations stronger," Hamilton said. "Right now students might give money (through student fees) and neglect to give any time or show any interest in the organization. If a student gives the organization money personally, he'll have a vested interest in its success." Gustafson and Jauken blasted opponents who support the continuation of fees for organizations and FAB allocation power. "The other side thinks the individual student is an idiot and has to be led to pay for causes he supports," Gustafson said. "People might scoff at the (fees) idea, but volunteer organizations like fraternities and sororities have done a great deal to raise money for charity causes," Gustafson said. "These causes (and others) might get more if the student had his $5.50 back. "If he wants to spend it on beer, then it's his choice also," Hamilton added. FAB make up The candidates also leveled charges at the make-up of the membership of the FAB. According to Gustafson, five FAB members are chosen from the largest interest groups which get student fee money. "That's unbelievable," Gustafson said. "It doesn't make sense to have private interest groups sit on a board to decide they get." r how much money HIMM !PWUpUMM!!" II lWPIIMgJUlM,(aLJ4WWM,J frffliiiiitiiir r mm-rtkmtwtittnii 9 I hmmm nmnm n win rinniiwM immwiumm Gustafson said FAB allocations to private organizations are comparable to government contributions to private organizations. "The same people who support continuation of fees allocation probably castigate Nixon for ITT and milk fund involvements and it's nearly the same thing. At least Nixon was hypocritical enough to do it under the table," Gustafson charged. He termed those who accept the fee money over the table "brazen hussies." SOL candidates said they chose the fees issue because they were outraged when they found out "what was going on" and because they want to be "realistic." Legislative channels Gustafson said the party has opened channels in the Legislature for use if they are elected and they have found "very receptive ears." The platform also pledges: -to oppose the current ASUN budget and seek a reduction in it. opposition to the "tyrannical practice" of ASUN censorship of organization constitutions and posters with the removal of fee support. Continued on p. 8 UNL extension claims top U.S. enrollment By Don McCabe The UNL Extension Division provides the largest university-based independent study program in the nation, according to Hal Allen, Extension Division information officer. In the last fiscal year, 14,318 students enrolled jn independent study and, according to Allen, the program is still growing. Although enrollment figures for the current fiscal year are not yet available, he said, "there isn't any doubt" that more students are enrolled this year than last year. Of those students enrolled in the program last year, 1 1,31 1 were from high schools and 3,007 were from colleges. Students came from 91 countries in Nebraska, every state in the union and 130 countries throughout the world, he said. Started in !929 Monty, McMahon, program director, said independent study was started at UNL in 1929 to provide an alternative to those who could not attend formal classes. Through independent study, the student studies at home by correspondence. Instructional materials for each course are provided by the Extension Divison. Independent study enables adults to receive a high school diploma. It allows a student already in hirfT school to take courses which, because of schedule contlicts, he was not able to take before, McMahon said. College courses through independent study are for working noncampus students and those persons living long distances from UNL, he said. Resident oncampus students also may take independent study courses when they have schedule conflicts at UNL, he added. Study for anyone According to McMahon, UNL colleges allow from 30 to 60 semester hours of independent study to be applied toward a bachelor's degree. "Independent study is not for any particular group," McMahon said, "but for anyone with an educational desire." Most foreign students enrolled in the program are dependents of U.S. military personnel and students living and working in missions throughout the world, McMahon said. Some are children traveling overseas with their parents, he Said. McMahon noted that the courses often reach students in isolated areas. He said 807 high school age students in a remote area of northern Alaska registered for courses last year. 171 high school courses The 171 courses offered through the high school section range from plumbing to piano lessons. McMahon said the high school independent stu'dy is the only such program fully accredited to grant Class A diplomas in the country. The program is accredited by the Nebraska State Department of Education and the North Central Accrediting Agency. The college program otters 140 courses from UNL, he said. Although the courses are primarily undergraduate, a student may take a maximum of six hours of graduate work, he added. Approval must be obtained from each department before one of. its courses is taught through independent study, McMahon said. He said a member of that, department then works with the Extension Division outlining the course material so the student can use the material himself. Counselors available Full-time counselors also are available in both the college and high school sections of independent study, he said. The UNL Extension Division also provides course material for other universities, including Pcnn State, the University of Georgia and the University of California-Berkeley, for use in their own independent study courses, McMahon said. Tuition for independent study courses is $20 per credit hour, which McMahon said includes the course syllabus but not textbooks. In addition to its independent study program, McMahon said, the Extension Division enrolls students in evening classes at UNL and in off-campus field programs in Nebraska.
