monday, September 29, 1975
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NU President DJB, Varner
Daily Nsbra&wt Photo
Smoke sets off false alarm
in Administration Building
Smoke created by a power saw set off a
smoke detector alarm at 1:16 pjn, Friday
in: the Administration Bldg: : ' "
"It (the smoke detector) just did what it
was supposed to do," Lincoln's "A" Zone
District Fire Chief W.L. Malcom said.
Claire Coleman, carpentry foreman, said ,
his workers were sizing fire doors, which
dulls the saw blades and causes smoke,
when the alarm went off,
Ilarley Schrader, UNL physical plant
director, said that to prevent the smoke de
tectors from sounding false alarms they
may be disconnected or the alarm to the
Fire Dept. may be delayed.
He said he is hesitant about disconnect
ing the alarms, however, and probably will
have the alarms to the Fire Dept. delayed.
, Campus smoke and fire detectors are
connected to the UNL switchboard opera
tors, he said. When one of the alarm lights
flashes, the operators notify the Fire Dept.
Schrader said the operators would be
instructed to delay calling the Fire Dept.
for about two minutes when an alarm
sounds in one of the work areas to give
workmen time to call the operator if it was
set off accidentally,
By Marian Luca3
NU .President D.B. Varner settled the
controversy over the role of the systems
office and its realtionship to the three
campuses Friday .afternoorv at the 39th
annual meeting - of - the University of
Nebraska Foundation.
Varner, who spoke to the largest gather
ing of trustees in the foundation's history,
said the operations of NU were misunder
stood. The regents represent "the ultimate
base of authority for the university," he
said. .. . .
"When someone asks the question 'Who
runs the university," he said, "the answer
is abundantly clear-the regents."
He told the 146 trustees that the
freedom of action accorded to the chancel
lors of the separate campuses occasionally
has been misinterpreted to mean that the
campuses are independent.
Originally the systems office, or central
administration, was to be, a small, but
strong coordinating office to help the NU
Board of Regents organize the budget and
establish academic programs and other,
relationships among the three campuses,
Varner said.
The regents' thought the purpose of the
central administration was to achieve maxi
mum effectiveness with the money avail
able to the board and to provide top
educational programs with the available
resources, he said.
Improved program
Citing NU's "improved graduate pro
grams," coordination of computer services
and a "sorting out" of program responsibil
ities which involved the transfer of certain
colleges to Lincoln or Omaha, Varner said
he believed this system has effectively
served the university and the state.
But, he said, "it is an equally under
standable position of the Board of Regents
that coordination, cooperation and, at
times, consolidation, must be achieved in
the interests of maximum use of resources
and that becomes the administrative
responsibility of the system office."
Changes possible
Varner said that though the administra
tive structure has served the university's
purposes well, he suggested it could be
changed if circumstances warrant it. Citing
the federal government as an example,
Varner said "there are external forces
which may necessitate a review of some
iparts of our administrative" structure."
Because of external forces such as civil
lights laws that require compliance, there
may be a need for improving the univers
ity's ability to coordinate its data, infor
mation, accounting and budgeting systems,
he said.
Idea meets negative reaction
UNO, NU separation study proposed
ByRexSeline
A suggestion to study separating the
University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO)
from the NU System, made by State Sen.
John Murphy of South Sioux City, met
some negative reactions this week from
three fellow senators and UNO Chancellor
Murphy said his suggestion Is just one of
many that he said should be studied by a
special legislative committee which is
considering a long-range plan for
Nebraska's higher education program,
Tm not advocating splitting-out
UNO,' Murphy said. "But we should keep
it in mind as a very possible situation.
State Senators Frank Lewis of BcUevue
and John Savage of Omaha have joined
Rosksni ta disagreeing. Sen. , ' Richard
Marvel of Hastings declined to endorse the
suggestion but said all ideas need to be
considered.' v. "
Murphy said hit Idea was prompted by
committee discussions and a call . for
additional suggestion! from . committee
chairman Sen. 1mm Warner,' Waverly.
'.'' Coof&nitks besrd
The committee is studying the establish
ment of a coordinating r governing board
for all state institutions of higher learning,
according to Murphy. He . said such
coordination might prompt UNO to call
for greater autonomy,
"I know resigning UNL Chancellor
James) Zumberaa took tmral shots at the
present system," Murphy said. "It seems
that the system "rnight nave encumbered ,.
all three of the chancellors. ,
"It may be hard for Roskens to sit there
and watch Wayne and Kearney (State
Colleges) get direct access to a controlling
board," he continued, "But it's very
contingent on how the coordinating board
evolves."
Murphy tald 'It's entirely possible" tht
that under a new system the University
Medical Center (UNMC) also might want
ntr ntnmv hv hninv saturated from
the system.
' "If all three chancellors are fretting
about the system, then it's conceivable
to me that anything can happen," he said,
"I know it's not all smiles and happiness,
although Omaha is happy to have state
instead of city funds for their university,"
Dlxussbn Ufa .
According to Murphy, th idea is "just
something that occurred to me in dis
cussion. I cant honestly put my finger on
a specific thing that gave me the idea that
they want it.
, "But why shouldn't Roskens take his
own university and say O.K., I'm equal to
anyone over there. " Murphy asked,
t , Roskens said he is not prepared to take
' his own university.
. "It's not a viable consideration,"
Roskens said. "Let's face it, we came here
on the basis of the university system
arrangement vd w believe strongly in it,"
.' Roskens said he does not sea tt.a need
for the legislative study, "but the senators
are free to explore as they wish." -
Bellovue's Sen. Lewis also disagree! with '
the separation idea,,
.. "I think we put together tho system the "
way we wanted it and we worked herd at
' doing it," Lewis said. "I'm a kt closer to
Omaha and to education than Sen.
Murphy and t don't know where he got the
idea."
Lewis is chairman of the Legislature's
EducationCommittee.
He also said he hadn't heard of any
legislative movement favoring the split.
"It's really without merit for that
committee to study the split," Lewis
added. "That committee has got some
questions about higher education in the
state to study and I dont believe that
the split is part of what the committee
needs to be studying."
Hasting's Son. Marvel, Republican
gubernatorial candidate last year, disagreed
with Lewis,
"I think all ideas should be explored,"
Marvel said, "But that doesn't mean I
endorse a split.
"I think we have fooled around long
enough about the coordination of higher
education in the state," Marvel continued.
"There are all kinds of problems to be
solved,"
Hi said he was not in a position to judge
the matter, but called for a decision to be
made,
"Wea got to make a decision if the NU
Systems Office is to be given more power,"
Marvel said. "Or should power be given
back to the campuses, wluch would mean
in effect that we dont need a systems
office?". .
Out of line
Sen,. Savgge . of Omaha termed the
suestion "way out of line. ''-..'
"t dont think there's any concern over
the matter (of UNO's relationship to the
system) and 1 dont think there ara any
problems," Savage said, There'i a place
for both campuses in the system."
"The systems offices of central admin
istrations are not destined to be popular,"
said Vomer.
"My concern is that we tend to focus
our attention so exclusively on the negative
that we lose sight of the positive dimen
sions of the university's status," Varner
said. .
He said the Legislature and the governor
have provided more than $99 million in
capital construction funds.
Support shown
Few states in the nation with Nebraska's
population and base of resources, have
given such evidence of support for their
state university system, Varner said.
Optimistic about NU's future, Varner
said the regents are unusually conscientious
and are devoted to continual improvement
of the university.
Henry Haynie, president of the Univers
ity of Nebraska Foundation, reported that
assets total $23.5 million, but true assets
are greater. True assets, he said, total about
$33 million to $35 million but many
funds are in a perpetual trust.
Paul Amen, chairman of the founda
tion's solicitation committee, reported that
Brakeley, John Price Jones, Inc., has been
, hired to study the feasibility of a major gift
campaign.
The study, which will launch a $20
million to $35 million campaign, will take
about ,three months and will cost the
foundation $300,000.
Reelected to the University of Nebraska
Foundation's Trustees Board of Directors
were Dr. Norman Carlson, Gene Tallman,
E.N. Thompson, all of Lincoln; Marianne
Folda, Schuyler; Paul Henson, Kansas City
Mo.; and John D. Mullen, Nebraska City.
Elected as new trustees were Duane
Acklie, W. Joyce Ayers, James Crabill,
, Maurice Frazer, Evelyn Gold, Lewis Harris,
Ronald .Harris, John Haessler, Harold F.
Hoppe, Dorothy Martin, Dr. John
McGreer, Irene McGreer, Richard Spangler,
Sr., Frank C. Sidles, Josephine Stewart,
Warren Swanson, and William Wright, all
of Lincoln,
Edith Babson, Boston, Mass.; Dean H,
Eastman, Seattle, Wash.; Elmer Gustafson
La Grange, 111.; Clifford Hardin, St. Louis,
Mo.; Ernest Hodder, Scottsdale, Ariz.;
LaVon P. Linn, Arlington, Vir.; C.W.
Matschullat, Shawnee Mission, Kan.;
Barney Oldfield, Los Angeles, Calif.
Henry Pascale, Seabright, NJ.;
Rob, Latham, N.Y.; Josef Sorkin, Olathe,
Kans.; Edmund Steeves, Bioomfield Hills,
Minn.; Norris Swan, Hastings; Jane Y.
Titus, Holdredge; Byron H. Weeth, Atlantis
Lantana, Fla. and Henry O. Weeth,
Seattle, Wash.
fhoto by Stmt Umrmt
State Sen. John Murphy , '
Savage said UNO has chancellor,
"same as the mod school and UNL," and
that they "supposedly have that
autonomy,
, "UNO is a place for the middle-class
student whose parents cant afford to send
him to Lincoln. They're not a fraternity
breed of student, Sawge said.
Attended UNL
He said he attended UNL "and if I
were prejudiced, it would be In behalf oi
UNL ; t
"But as a citizen of Omaha and a re
presentative, I know of the dire need for
the education of the young people here,"
Savage discounted UNL Chancellor
Zurnberge'i questioning , of campus
autonomy.
"I dont know if Chancellor Zumbergs
knew what he was talking about," Savage
said.
Murphy said he "was not waving a flag
and not making a challenge," but despite
criticism, will continue to press for the
committee study of the split.