lincoln, nebraska vol. 98 no. C(
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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."
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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.
