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monday, april 7, 1975
lincoln, nebraska
vol. 98 no. 107
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'Saigon could fall any time'
Students' families in Vietnam
By Gina Hills
About a week ago, Ho Minh Si got a letter
from his family in Saigon, South Vietnam,
reporting that they were "still safe," but unable
to predict how long that would last.
After the South Vietnamese Province of Dhan
Dhied fell to Communist forces, "I was very
afraid and very concerned about the situation,"
Si said. "I have a strong feeling they're going to
attack Saigon as soon as possible."
Dhan Dhied is about 110 miles from Saigon.
Bach Van Bai's family is in Saigon too, and he
wants to "get them out quickly."
"I'm worried about my family," he said. "I
don't know how long it wilf be before Saigon will
fall. . it could be any time."
Graduate students
Si and Bai are UNL graduate students who
arrived in August 1974 to complete their
education. Si, 34, is studying weed control and
agronomy. Bai, 38, is studying mechanized
agriculture.
They are attending UNL through the Agency
for International Development (AID) in
Washington, D.C.
AID pays for their education and living
expenses during their two years of study at UNL.
Si left his wife, 6-year-old daughter and
parents in Saigon when he came to Nebraska. Bai
came to UNL while his parents in Saigon when
he came to Nebraska. Bai came to UNL while his
19-month-old son, wife, in-laws and
brother-in-law remained in the South Vietnamese
capital.
Both students are working desperately to get
their families out before South Vietnam falls, t
they said.
UNL junior Mike Mitchell of Butte, is trying
to reunite Si and Bai with their families. He lives
on the same floor jn International House as Si
'and Bai.
"I got into this when I found out what the
situation really was in South Vietnam," Mitchell
said.
He went to 1st district Rep. Charles Thone's
office, State Sen. John DeCamp of Neligh and
State Sen. Steve Fowler of Lincoln for guidance
and help.
"Senator DeCamp has been real good," he
said. "Right now he's in Saigon trying to talk to
the families and trying to make arrangements"
for their emigration, he said.
In addition, the students have contacted AID,
the International Red Cross and local religious
groups for help, Mitchell said.
A long time
"If I have to go through the usual channels it
will take quite a long time to get my family to
the U.S.," Bai said.
"I think the intervention of the U.S. State
Department in Nebraska and the Embassy of the
U.S. in Saigon can help us get our families out of
Saigon," he added.
AID sent them forms to be completed that
would help speed up the process, Si said.
"But if Saigon unfortunately falls and the
Communists gain control, I don't think we can
get them (the families) back," Si added.
"We hope we can rely on all Americans to
help cut red tapes as soon as possible," Bai
added.
"We are so confused now, and we're glad that
our friend Mike (Mitchell) is helping us out," Si
said.
Athletic program
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By Larry Stunkel
It has been projected that the UNL athletic program is going in
debt. How much debt could depend on the Legislature.
Figures given to the Omaha World-Herald Wednesday by Husker
business manager Bill Fisher shows the Athletic Department could
lose $86,982 this year, and up to $398, 000 by 1977.
This does not include expenses that could be incurred from
operation of the new sports complex (expected to be completed by
December), and from an expanding women's intercollegiate
program under Title IX of the Health Education and Welfare Bill
passed by the U.S. Congress in 1974.
"If we don't get funding from the Legislature for women's
athletics and the new field house we'll really be in a fix," Atldetic
Director Bob Devaney said in a March 14 interview. "We couldn't
even come close. Our income just supports our present programs."
State colleges financed
Colleges such as Kearney State, UNO, Wayne State, Chadron
State and Peru State all have athletic programs financed through
the Legislature.
In the past, UNL's football program has profited enough to
support the other programs, all of which operate at a loss.
Last year contributions from booster clubs Touchdown Club,
Extra Point Club, Beef Club and Husker Educational Athletic
Awards-brought in $175,939 which helped the Athletic
Department achieve a $30,438 profit for fiscal 1973-74.
This year inflation has affected travel expenses for games and
recruiting, operation costs, food bills and scholarships and a loss is
projected for the next three years.
In addition, Fisher said the projected income assumes:
-all home football games will continue to be sold out.
-there will be additional income of $90,000 from basketball
after completion of the new sports complex.
booster club contributions and concession incomes will
continue to increase each of the next three years.
Of the listed expenses, guarantees of income from ticket sales to
visiting athletic teams and operation costs combine for over $3
million of projected costs. Another area, grants-in-aid, accounts for
$670,000, much of which goes back into the university for tuition,
fees and housing.
Out-of-state tuition
Unlike some schools, UNL charges out-of-state athletes
out-of-state tuition. Projected increases in out-of-state tuition
could add to the problem by adding to scholarship costs.
Besides these expenses, the athletic department still owes $1
million in bonds for construction of the south addition to
Continued on p. 3
Industry, city planning among mayoral issues
By Ron Wylie and Lori Demo
Two women are among the contenders for mayor
.of Lincoln in the primary election Tuesday. If one is
elected, it will be the first time Lincoln has had a
woman mayor.
The candidates are current mayor Sam
Schwartzkopf, city councilwoman Helen Boosalis and
housewife Jo Bragg.
Incumbent candidate Schwartzkopf said he
doesn't see any need to spark the area's industrial or
corporate growth by offering tax incentives or related
financial aids.
"I don't feel we need to make such offers," he
said. "We haven't in the past. We have been very
selective in the acquisition of industry for our city. '
- Lincoln better off
Cities which offer incentives to industry are
experiencing difficulties, according to the mayor, and
Lincoln is better off relying on management
techniques and coordination between public and
private sectors.
While concerned with its growth needs, the city
administration also needs to concentrate on
low-income housing projects and on the rehabilitation
of neighborhoods, Schwartzkopf said. ' " "
"Lincoln is a relatively new city as compared with
the rest of the country," the mayor contended, "but
now we have some deterioration. From this point on,
rehabilitation is something which will be ongoing."
Another priority for a second Schwartzkopf
administration would be redevelopment of the
downtown area, the mayor said.
"We need the Centrum project (renewal of a
central business district block and development of an
area plaza) for the regeneration and beautification of
the downtown area," he contended.
Schwartzkopf said he looks for a greater
consolidation of city-county government in the next
four to eight years.
Hie mayor said he was proudest of the modern
fleet of buses introduced in the last four years. The
new system is "a better system today under city
management than when we had a private operation,"
he said.
Improvements during his first term range from
doubling the capacity, of the city's sewage plant,
building three new fire stations, and resurfacing 105
miles of city streets to creating more than 600 units
of senior-citizens' housing, the mayor contended.
He said he created the Police Examining Board to
air complaints .against officers and started a school
resource officer program to acquaint schoolchildren
with the duties of police officers.
The morale of the police officers has been affected
recently by charges of police abuse, Schwartzkopf
said, but added, "they're only being criticized for
enforcing the city ordinances."
"I think we have a very highly trained police
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Lincoln mayoral candidates
force," Schwartzkopf said, "and I think they're doing
a tremendous job."
Boosalis priorities
A comprehensive transporation system, a
continued freeze on big commercial developments
and a more "visible" city administration are among
the projects candidate Helen Boosalis said she would
like done in Lincoln.
A 26-ycar city council veteran, Boosalis said she
thinks her experience as present chairman of the
council and as first vice chairman of the council in
1965-66 would aid her in administering the office of
mayor.
Boosalis said she decided to run for mayor because
"many people felt leadership has not been clearly
exerted from that office in several years."
For example, she said, Lincoln Police
Department's (LPD) policies on alcohol-related
offenses should have been handled by the mayor.
Boosalis said the city has tried for years to keep
the LPD salaries and pay scales comparable to those
in areas comparable to Lincoln.
She said since the council approved LPD budget
last year, she "can only assume" salaries are high
enough to maintain quality in the police department.
"I think we have a good police department," she
'said. "I don't mean it can't be improved, just like any
department in the city probably could be improved. '
She said she would like to sec the city get more
involved in providing bus transporation between the
two UNL campuses and to big industries in Lincoln
such as Goodyear.
Helen Boosalis (left) and Jo Bragg. Phoiot by Stvt Bom"
"Maybe down the line there is a better way
between the campuses," she said. "The city should
take the leadership in setting up a system of car
pooling."
boosalis also said she would like to see bicycles as
part of the transportation system.
"I was instrumental in getting the mayor to set up
the first bicycle safety committee some three years
ago," she said.
"We focused enough attention on bicycles," she
said, "so that the State of Nebraska in planning for
I lighway 2 has a bicycle lane.
She said she hopes that in the future there will be
a bicycle route all around Salt Creek from south
lincoln to Wilderness Park.
, Boosalis said the question of whether more big
commercial developments like Gateway Shopping
Center should be allowed in Lincoln was settled last
summer when the council denied the construction of
a shopping center.
Continued on p.6
Honors Convocation
Hie 47th annual UNL Honors Convocation will be
held Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. in the Coliseum. For
students to attend the convocation, classes will be
dismissed on City Campus from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30
p.m., and from 10 ajn. to 12 noon on East Campus.
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