monday. decern ber 1, 1975
page 4
daily nebraskan
This year's AS UN Senate is giving the most high
powered performance of any UNL student govern
ment since the Bruce Beecher administration of
1972-73.
The senators-or at least a vocal few-evidence
admirable concern for how students' money is
spent, how much voice students have in university
decisions arid how much power the ASUN Senate
actually wields.
Yes, these senators' concerns are commendable.
But their modus operandi smells to high heaven.
Take one recent "for instance": The proposed
construction of a Campus Assistance Center in
what is now the TV lounge of the Nebraska Union.
In opposing this construction and attempting to
rally student operation, a few ASUN senators have
put into play the same tricks of which they have
accused Union officials covert moves and half
truths. To these they have added innuendo and
emotionalism.
In a guest opinion in the Nov. 24 Daily Nebr
askan, Sens. Frank Thompson and Robert Simon
son informed students of a petition drive to gather
student sentiment against the construction of the
Campus Assistance Center.
Thompson and Simonson brought up a member
of quite valid points in their opinion, but the effect
is spoiled by their selective use of some facts and
ignorance, whether deliberate or incidental, of
others.
For example:
-The senators say, accurately, that plans for the
center were first brought to this year's senate on
Nov. 12. They omit the fact that Carol Lou, dir
ector of the center, had been petitioning for time
on the senate agenda for more than a month.
They also neglect to mention that ASUN sena
tors and executives had been involved with the cen
ter's planning as early as 1972; that, in fact, sena
tors from the Beecher years had a hand in suggest
ing that such a center be established.
Thompson and Simonson, in stressing the fact
that the center will be located in the Union's TV
lounge area, do not equally stress the fact that the
TV lounge is not being replaced, but only relocat
ed. The senators claim no new services will be
offered students by the assistance center. This
simply is not true.
According to Carol Lou, Dean of Student
Dear editor,
I would like to express my deep regret for the closing of
Dave's Snack Bar. Although I have, known Dave and his
unique establishment for only a short time, I will sincerely
eat a tasty, inexpensive lunch.
It is disappointing to see this small, friendly business
crowded out by a larger, more easily financed chain of food
establishments such as Dippy Donut. It is a shame that the
1 1 years of hard work required to operate a small business
successfully should end on such a depressing note.
Over a time, students will probably become accustomed
to Dippy Donuts microwave hot dogs end will frequent
their establishment as they would any such place with this
convenient location.
However, the university end its students who know Mr.
and Mrs. Dave Michel and their snack bar will not soon
forget their hospitality and concern for students, as shown
by his part-time employment of student customers.
Wednesday was the 33rd weddtag anniversary for Mr.
and Mrs. Michel and this day will mark the close of Dave's
Snack B&r. I'm sorry to see this change and I would like to
wish the Michels the best of luck in the future.
Bob Hosier
Dear editor,
At long last we can sleep safely, as another menace to so
ciety has been brought to justice. This menace is just one
more sign of the decline of the American empire and a tool
of the Communist fiends seeking to undermine respect for
authority among American youth.
What could possibly be so evil, you ask, and lurking on
the UNL campus?
Development Ely Meyerson and his assistant, Jack
Baier, the center will provide students a cassette
tape library, central access to student organization
literature, a headquarters ior K.eucuai
versity tour guides) and a location for academic
advising outside advisors offices.
-The "hastily called" Nov. 19 Union Advisory
Board Meeting referred to in the guest opinion was,
according to Union Board members, a regularly
scheduled meeting.
The Daily Nebraskan did not print the meeting
agenda because it was not received in time; but, as
far as we can teH, the agenda's delay was not due
to "the haste with which the meeting was called."
As for the series of questions Thompson and
Simonson ask at the end of their opinion:
-If students are just now learning about the
Campus Assistance Center, it is through no fault of
Ely Meyerson or Union Director Allen Bennett.
The Daily Nebraskan printed an article about the
center on Aug. 27 of this year, detailing costs for
the center, services it would provide, where it
would be located, when construction would be
done, and the fact that the TV lounge would be re
located. -Bennett (and Meyerson, whose project the
center is-a fact that the guest opinion does not
mention), were far from waiting three years to get
student input on the center. They have consulted
with students, including Union Board members and
ASUN senators and executive, since the concept
for the center was suggested.
The TV lounge area was not selected without
considering other sites, and student indebtedness
will not be increased by construction of the center,
according to Bennett, Meyerson and Vice Chan
cellor for Student Affairs Ken Bader.
And to those points the fact that Bennett was
never approached by ASUN senators on the issue
before the Nov. 19 senate meeting and that he was,
in fact, not even invited to appear before the
senate, but came to the meeting on his own voli
tion, and a new picture of this controversy begin?
to emerge.
If Thompson was so concerned about this pro
ject, why didn't he voice his concern in August,
after the Daily Nebraska's article on the center?
Why, when it is clear that the center is to be
under the dean of student development's jurisdic
tion, was Ely Meyerson not raked over the coals in
stead of Bennett at the Nov. 19 senate meeting?
Why didn't ASUN President Jim Say, who has
attended meetings of the student affairs staff
where the center was discussed, inform the sena
tors of this project early this semester or at the end
of last year?
Why didn't this year's ASUN senators bother to
consult their predecessors on the Campus Assist
ance Center? Why have the senators waited until
just weeks before construction is to begin to work
themselves into a tizzy over the matter?
We have listened to, and read, Thompson and
Simonson's questions about the center. We have
questioned Bennett, Meyerson, Lou, and Baier
about the center. We believe the center will be
valuable to UNL students, and we support its con
struction. ASUN's theme song all semester has been, "Why
weren't we consulted about this?" If the senators
did their homework, if they maintained contact
with their appointees on various boards and
committees, if they read minutes of previous
senate meetings, they would not have to sing that
song.
The ASUN Senate should be concerned about
how students money is spend. It should be investi
gating how much voice students have in decisions.
It should be a more effective, powerful body.
But its members discredit themselves in trying to
achieve these goals through demageguery, rabble
rousing and other devisive techniques. They will
split the student body rather than unite it, and ulit
mately they will split their own ranks.
If the senate conducts itself responsibly-as it
has in lobbying against budget cut, in running the
ASUN book exchange, in making residence hall
visitations, in maintaining a quorum - even in
investigating Yell Squad selection-then we can
hope for a bumper turnout at the ASUN polls next
spring, for students will know their senators truly
are operating in their interests. -
But if the senate continues its present behavior,
students may turn out at the polls only in an
attempt to pick up the pieces of what could have
been a highly effective student governing body.
.Rebecca Brite
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-Graffiti!
Although now under control, let us look at the actions
of this villain: First, writing in the wet cement, as con
demned so heartily by Mr. Israel lit the Nov. 19 letters, and
second, the apprehension by our peerless police depart
ment of three students who defaced those symbols of
American democracy, the cans-deplorable! 0iow can that
each stSl?)0 f damagp? Is maintcnance going to replace
Heaven forbid that people should freely express them
selves while in a shitter! Yet such an organized campaign
(Tear of the hose has appeared magically throughout
campus) was undoubtedly the vanguard of a movement to
subvert the morality of American youth.
Such activities must be condemned by the powers that
?J ma ntf1 a stranglehold on our expression
Civil disobedience is the only answer. Graffiti writers mus
unite and M die wails and stalls of their choice in ordlr
to protect this last toothold of true freedom.
Just Another Foci in a Public Place
Dear editor,
JtS?.1?"1 the mir medium through
which UNL students exchange ideas about themselveVand
dXf COmmUnity- ,U name w8ge, that it h.
I am highly disappointed about not finding any paper on
- r-ri
sr. NICHOLAS)
W,... OUT
J
some days. What is your explanation to this situation? Is
it poor distribution or scarcity of printing materials?
pvur umnouuon or scarcity or pruning maicuow.
Could it be that it is not nuhlished dailv? If SO, 1
suggest that a change to a name like "Nearly Daily
Nebraskan will be appropriate.
Raymonds Ony. Achilefu
Editor's note: Excellent question. We appreciate your
inquiring mind and your interest k fee p?rr. Please feel
free to ask us another question any time. . .
Actually, our advertising coordinator informs us that the
demographics of die consumer market toward which the
Daily Nebraskan la oriented indicate that the market is not
sufficiently supportive of a five-day puUijMi! week to
make such an effort financially feasible. Got feat?
A few years ago, an enterprlsisig editor of the D2y
Nebraskan decided the paper'a namt w& deceiving i
readers, so he changed die name to, akipiy, The Nebraskaa.
After his editorship, an overwhelming student outcry
prompted a return to the oristesl tltic
Thia semester's editor last year mentU the paper b
caJcd the Daily (except Tuesday) Nebmkan. Stff mern
funny, they used it on our ap
" a wis.)
vCn thOUht thlt Wttfl ia fimrtu
I issue, and it has not been revived since
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