daily nebraskan
psgs5
Varner proposes
s
friday, October 31, 1975
alternative to NU budget si
Continued frora p. 1 "
absorb a budget cut "without severely
crippling the university's programs."
Varner said if the budget is reduced he
would recommend that the NU Board of
Regents eliminate selected programs rather
than continue to reduce funds for all
programs.
As an alternative, Varner suggested the
Legislature could raise the university's non
general fund ceiling and let it use this
money while it lasts. The non-general fund
includes money the university generates
such as tuition money, that does not come
from state general fund. By law, the uni
versity cannot spend that money unless the
Legislature appropriates it
Auditor plans amendment
Continued from p. 1
Johnson suggested that the minumum
reserve in the state's treasury should be
$5 million, and said that the Board of,
Equlaization could then set tax rates high
enough to ensure this minimum balance.
He will submit this proposal in the form of
an amendment to LB4 later in the session.
Sen. Eugenen Mahoney of Omaha,
Appropriations Committee member,
accused Ray Johnson of being partially,
responsible for bringing about the present
emergency situation.
Johnson is one of three of the members
of the Board of Equalization which voted
to reduce the amount of stater reserve
money in 1973 and 1974.
Mahoney refused to blame the current
"chaos" on Exon.
"He knew the reserves were being
reduced, and he knew the taxes should
have been raised two years ago," Mahoney
said.
Raise taxes
Forrest Johnson, vice president for the
Nebraska Research Council, Inc., told the
committee it would be better to raise taxes
than to let the treasury hit rock bottom.
He compared the state to a business
which needs reserves to accommodate
fluctuations in the cash flow.
The state is in a worse position than a
bankrupt business because most businesses
can borrow money when they run short'
of funds, but the state is prohibited by law
from borrowing money, he said.
Mahoney asked if it would be
appropriate to deplete the reserve "just this
once" to deal with the emergency cash
flow problem. Forrest Johnson cautioned
that temporary provisions tend to become
permanent.
Forrest Johson said it is time the
Legislature took a "good, solid look at the
state government to determine what we
are paying for that we don't need to pay
for."
Sen. Jerome Warner of Waverly told the
committee that tax rates should be set by
mathematical calculations.
"Politics is about ninety-nine and two
thirds per cent of the whole business of
LB4," Mahoney said.
That, he said, could create a peak in
temporary savings of $5 million in January
and February and $3 million by April 1,
helping to ease the state's projected cash
flow deficit. Those general fund dollars
would need to be called in by June 30, he
said, but that plan would be more advan
tageous than a $2.3 million budget cut.
Questioned by Sen. Marvel, Varner said
NU administrators had not decided what
selected programs might be cut entirely. He
said the School of Scoail Work had been
considered since it is in danger of losing its
accreditation and will require more money
to save it. However, Varner said, he is now
convinced that the school "is vital to the
state and should not be cut." '
ASUN protests
ASUN President Jim Say presented the
committee with a report opposing the bud
get cut, itemizing potential effects of such
a reduction and recommending alternatives
similar to Vamer's.
The report said a reduction's conse
quences might not be so dire if it merely
trimmed excesses from the budget, but
that is not the case. -
"The budget has already had, whatever
fat is contained, if any at all, removed, thus
meaning that a cut now would penetrate
the very life-blood of UNL," he said.
The report said UNL administrators
would initiate most of the following
actions if the budget is cut:
-Reduction of custodial and mainten
ance service. '"' v
-Curtailment of new building openings
-Freeze on all employe hiring.
-Completely stop university operations
for one week, probably this winter.
-Freeze on all outstate travel.
-Cancel summer sessions.
Cancelled classes
The report said an estimated 50 to 75
classes in the College' of Arts and Sciences
would be cancelled next semester if the
budget reductions are enacted.
Frank Thompson, UNL economics grad
uate student, and Mike O'Connor and Lou
Anne Rini, representing the UNO student
government, also testified before the
committee. . .
Thompson said because of departmental
budget shortages, the size of economics
class sections he teaches have nearly
doubled.
Thompson said he had discussed the
problem with Ken Bader, vice chancellor
for student affairs, and Wallace Peterson,
Economics Dept. chairman, among others,
but the problem always boiled down to in
sufficient funds.
O'Connor said the Legislature should
pay for capital improvements and that stu
dent activities are suffering at UNO
because of its failure to do so. .
Ag college plans winterim trips overseas
For those looking for something to do
over Christmas break, the College of Agri
culture is organizing trips to other coun
tries to study agricultural techniques.
One trip involves stops in Israel and
Switzerland, the other trip travels to
Colombia.
Leon Chesnin, agronomy professor, said
the Israel-Switzerland trip leaves Lincoln
Dec. 22 and returns Jan. 12. Chesnin said
Israel's modern technology and "more
advanced irrigation methods" will be
studied.
The Switzerland trip will feature a visit
to the Simmental Valley, wheie Simmental
bulls originated. Foilage production, effi
ciency of land resources, and cheese
production will be studied.
Swiss handling and utilization of animal
waste is another area to be studied, he said.
The students will spend Christmas Eve
in Bethlehem and Christmas Day in
Jerusalem.
The tour, listed under Agronomy 402,
is worth three credit hours. Cost for the
trip is about $1,400 and includes trans
portation, meals, hotel accommodations,
tuition, the guides' salary, and a workshop,
Chesnin said.
Agriculture Engineering Professor Deane
Man beck, said the Colombia trip leaves
Dec. 26 and returns Jan. 9.
"Their ( Colombia's) agriculture situa
tion is similar tothe Great Plains of 100
years ago," Manbeck said.
The tour will study cattle raising, rice,
coffee, potato, and sugar production, he
said, as well- as tropical fruits and cotton
plantations.
The trip's cost is $700, and includes tui
tion, transportation costs, shots and some
motels, he said.
The tour is worth two credit hours, and
is listed as Agriculture 499c. There is a
maximum of 20 spaces, Manbeck said, and
four or five still are open. Reservations
should be turned in today, he said.
"Feminism and
Fertility"
with
.GBRMM
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Tuesday, November s
7:30 p.m.
Nebraska Union
Centennial Room
Informal Session 3:30 p.m.
QQ3IJ Nebraska Union
TaikTandlopics Main Lounge
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If jV TO
Halloween Costume Party Dance
in the Georgian Boom at
Cornhusker The Cornhusker Hotel ;t -Combination
No Cover Charge
9" pizzas - $1.50 and a DJ.
COSTUME CONTEST
1st prize is a Symphony of Cuisine dinner
for 2 at the Landmark plus tickets to the
movie of your choice.
Costumes not required - COME AS YOU ARE! '
IJLVs necessary. Halloween Night 0:00-1:00
CORNHUSKER HOTEL
l?ih find F.T
Phone 432-4471