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Wednesday, September 3, 1975 volume 99 number 6 lincoln, nebraska
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Reduced faculty tenure
sparks attempt for union
By Randy Blauvelt .
UNL faculty members soon may have
the chance to choose a union to represent
them as a collective bargaining agent to the
university.
As soon as the State Court of Industrial
Relations decides what sections of the
university will be included in the
bargaining unit, it can approve an election
to determine who will represent the
faculty, according to Nels Forde, local
president-elect of the American
Association of University Professors
(AAUP).
The drive for collective bargaining
started because of the regents' temporary
policy to block tenure awards last May, he
said.
"When the regents decided to stop
granting tenure," Forde said, "the drive to
begin collective bargaining was activated. If
they wouldn't have done it, the idea
wouldn't have gotten off the ground."
Since their decision, the regents have
accepted a plan that will insure that the
number of tenured faculty members will
not exceed 75 per cent of the total amount
""eliglBl They also'granted tenure to 85 of
the 89 professors who originally were
blocked.
Other complaints that helped in the
drive for collective bargaining, according to
Forde, were the lack, of faculty
participation in university government and
the level of faculty salaries. Sometimes, he
said, the university administration ignores
faculty committees.
Signature cards
AAUP took the lead in the drive in May
by collecting signature cards on which
faculty members indicated if they were in
favor of calling for an election to estabhVJi
collective bargainingAccording to Donald
Haack, engineering mechanics professor
who tabulated the findings, about 60 per
cent of the UNL faculty members were in
favor of the election; He called the figure
"very conservative."
Before an election can be called, Haack
said, the court will have to decide what
parts of the university will be represented
by the bargaining unit. The court can
accept or reject the proposals or develop a
bargaining unit, he added.
Although AAUP has submitted a
proposed unit, they would not necessarily
become the representatives of the faculty,
he said. Other unions, such as the
American Federation of Teachers, could be
elected as the bargaining agent.
Groups wishing to appear on the ballot
must do so by petition, Haack said.
According to Patrick Healy, lawyer for
AAUP, the proposed bargaining unit
consists of all full-time members of UNL
who have academic rank and are not
administrators. The College of Law and
College of Dentistry asked to be excluded,
Healey said. , '
Regents object
"The Board of Regents has objected to
the proposed unit because they think UNL,
the medical center and the others out west
should be included," Healey said.
Adam Breckenridge, vice chancellor for
Academic Affairs, said he has "no idea" of
what effect the collective bargaining
process would have on the university.
Franklin Eldridge, animal science
professor and Faculty Senate president,
said the issue has not been discussed at any
senate meetings yet, but said local AAUP
president.., John. Robinson, will give a
progress report at the .senate's Sept. 9
meeting.
After the report, Edlridge said, a motion
could be made to act on the matter-and
then an official opinion would be made.
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A cigarette doesn't seem to bother this intent fiddler at the Brownsville
Music Festival. Story and more photos on p. 1 6. "
Photo by Suva Batrw
Country
Committee seeks standard occupational training
By Ann Owens
Beginning this fall, a legislative interim
study committee is "attempting to
determine the proper roles for
postsecondary schools in Nebraska,"
according to Sen. Jerome Warner of
Waverly.
The committee of nine state senators
will attempt to increase efficiency and
eliminate duplication in occupational
training offered by the University of
Nebraska, state colleges and technical
community colleges, according to
committee chairman Warner.
"What we have now is duplication in
academic and vocational technical training
offerings," Warner said. "The result is
financial overextension."
Action taken by the committee includes
talking with governing boards and
administrative officers, according to
Warner.
Reviewing information
,4The Legislature is reviewing
information they have on the situation,"
he said, "and will probably come up with
some firm suggestions in the next year."
Public understanding of the committee's
study and goals Is important, Warner said.
"Some people believe the committee's
purpose, tc coordinate postsecondary
schools, boils down to proposing an
independent board with authority over the
situation."
Rather," he continued, "the
should take olace
through the" Legislature because all colleges
depend on the Legislature appropriation
process for funding," he said.
Voluntary organizations
Whereas the Legislature deals with
policy changes, voluntary organizations in
various postsecondary institutions have
sprung up throaghout the state to discuss
career training and course credit exchanges,
Warner said.
"Administrators and governing boards
are responsible for that sort of thing," he
said, "but state-wide policy dealing with
post secondary education must be handled
by the Legislature."
If each institution's role in
postsecondary education is determined
when the study ends, it is feasible that
their governing boards can remain
unchanged, Warner said.
Alone with the leeislative interim study
committee-a commission appointed by
Gov. J. J. Exon, the 1202 Commission -is
investigating the possibility of unnecessary
career training duplication, he said.
"The 1202 Commission, with
representatives from each institution, has
minimal authority," Warner said. "They
can't pass legislation themselves, but are
able to make recommendations."
Continued on p.7
inside to
Acting chancellor selection
Vice chancellors said likely choices
By Rex Seiine
An acting chancellor for the Lincoln
campus may be named as early as the
beginning of next week, according to NU
President D.B. Varner.
Varner declined to discuss individuals
being considered for the position and said
campus leaders will bo consulted before
any decision is made.
"The decision hasn't been made yet,
and it won't be until after I've had the
chance to consult with the present vice
chancellors, the ASUN president, the
president of the Faculty Senate and the
NU Board of Regents," Varner said.
He also said final responsibility for the"
appointment will rest with . the regents,
who will meet this weekend.
'Best bet'
x According to ASUN President Jim Say,
"probably the best bet" for acting
chancellor is one of the present vice
f
everything is real tentative " he said.
Among those who have been rumored
to be In consideration is Steven Sample,
NU vice president for Academic Affairs,
according to Say. But Sample's candidacy
reportedly has its drawbacks.
"Somebody has mentioned Sample, but
there still are glimmerings of autonomy
between the campuses and the system's
administration (of which Sample is a
part)," Say siad. "Apparently some of the
faculty would be perturbed at the idea and
think it appears they're trying to centralize
things even more." .
,,, Other vice chancellors that might rate
consideration as acting chancellor include:
Adam Breckenridge, vice chancellor for
academic affairs; Miles Tommerrassen, vice
chancellor for business and finance; and
Ken Bader, vice chancellor for student
affairs, according to Say.
. Candidate corrracnts
' He has yet to make up his mind for his
suggestion to President Varner but
commented on potential candidates:
-"Breckenridge has only been vice
chancellor a month after serving as acting
vice chancellor. It wouldn't seem logical to
have him named acting chancellor only one
month after he was acting vice chancellor."
-"As far as I know, everybody has been
satisfied with the job Bader is doing now. I
don't think they've been looking for
someone to replace him."
"I don't know Tommerrassen well
enough to know any sort of good points or
bad points about him."
Chancellor input
A permanent chancellor will be named
perhaps by the end of the year, according
to Varner.
Varner characterised the system s
"track record" in the search for
administrators in the past as "good."
"I was very enthttiastic about
Chancellor James Zumberge. What we have
to do is try to strike a balance of qualities
in our selection of chancellor," he said.
Farmers Market: Closing in
September . p. 3
Thone Interns: Working during the
summer p. 6
Extension Division: Reorganizing
study now p. 7
Also find:
Editorials p. 4
Entertainment p. 1 4
Sports p. 18
Crossword Puzzle p. 6
Weather
Wednesday: Sunny and cooler
with highs in the mid to upper 80s.
Winds northerly from 5 to 15 mph.
Wednesday night: Clear and
cooler with lows of 55 to 60.
Thursday: Mostly sunny with
highs of 8 5 to 90.
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