page 4
daily nebraskan
monday, january 12, 1978
d.n.
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letters to
the edit
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes letters to the
editor and guest opinions. Chokes of material
published will be based on timeliness and
originality. Letters must be accompanied by the
writer's name, but may be published under a pen
name if requested.
Guest opinions should be typed, triple-spaced,
on nonerasable paper. They should be accompanied
by the author's name, class standing and major, or
occupation. AH material submitted to these pages
Is subject to editing and condensation, and cannot
be returned to the writer.
Editor's note: The letter below was written in response to
letters that appeared in the Daily Nebraskan prior to
vacation.
Deal cuitOf,
I am the owner of the Dippy Donut Shoppe that will
open at J227 "R" Street in January, 1976. There are five
points I think need to be clarified.
1. We rented the location of Dave's Snack Bar with
no knowledge of Dave's problems with the Nebraska Book
Company. We were originally told of the location by a
local real estate agent who knew the location was for rent.
2. We also feel badly about Dave's situation. I met
Dave after we had rented the building. I think Dave is a
nice fellow and is obviously well liked on campus. We had
no idea that Dave had not been forewarned that his
location was for rent.
3. 1 am not in any way "big business." I am a franchise
owner, married, with three children. I will own this shop
and manage it myself. I have been in the donut business lor
five years. We rent a home in Lincoln. My wife and I
are familiar with Lincoln because we have both done
graduate work at UNL.
4. We will employ college students to work at our
business.
5. We are completely remodeling the building. But
there will be no "microwaved" fast-shuffle operation. We
serve fresh ground coffee and all of our pastry will be
made fresh every day from fresh ingredients. We will be
open 7 days a week, 24 hours per day.
In summary, I feel as though we have people with bad
feelings toward us about our location. I feci that any
reason for Dave's leaving his location should be discussed
with the Nebraska Book Company and not wrongly
blamed on Dippy Donut.
Respectfully,
Scott J. Smith
Rule averts conflict of interest
' At the beginning of a new semester, it seems
appropriate to pause and remind readers of the
Daily Nebraskan that journalists are their repre
sentatives in the arena of public events.
News gatherers use their professional status to
seek the news from whatever corner it comes.
Reporters collect and question facts and editors
analyze and weigh events-news from both public
and private sources.
Guided by the public's right to know and that
public's trust in newspapers, journalists become a
part of the public arena, while not being part of
the actual decision-making that makes events
turn.
Or so it should be.
Beginning this semester, the Daily Nebraskan
will put into practice a guideline for news-editorial
staff members which has long been a rule of
thumb for responsible journalists everywhere.
Daily Nebraskan news-editorial staff shall not
participate in elected or appointed university
policy-making or recommending bodies-including
task forces, search committees, representative
governmental bodies and their subcommittees
unless representation is clearly acknowledged as
being that of the Daily Nebraskan.
It makes one wonder why it wasn't done
before.
Professional news organizations such as The
Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta
. Chi have all embraced similar guidelines.
The Society states in its Code of Ethics: ". . .
political involvement, holding public office and
service in community organizations should be
avoided if it compromises the integrity of
journalists and their employers."
The reason for such rules is to prevent both
news staff members and the newspaper from
becoming involved in conflicts of interest. Those
conflicts are dangerous because they can lead to
working difficulties for reporters and can com- -promise
the credibility of the reporter's product.
Credibility is lost when reporters serve as
ASUN senators and are viewed as advocates of the
newspaper. It weakens the stand of the Daily
Nebraskan and cneats tne sruaenis wnose
opinions are represented by that senator-reporter.
By serving in both capacities, public servant and '
public observer, that student diminishes his
effectiveness in both.
Credibility is lost when a reporter is appointed
to a committee seeking to keep its findings secret
until a certain date. If the newspaper finds out
and prints the information, it probably would be
assumed that the reporter serving on the commit
tee had leaked the story, regardless of how the
paper got the information.
Credibility is lost when the Daily Nebraskan
purports to be an objective, unbiased news source
and its staff members are part and parcel of the
very groups the paper is trying to be objective
about.
The decision was somewhat thorny as staff
members for this semester were requested to give
up their involvements in the pertinent groups.
They have complied with the request.
Staff members are not being barred from all
student organizations and activities-that dis
tinction is important. They are refraining only
from being a part of groups which are comparable
to holding public office-for our purposes they
are public office in the university realm.
Criticism of the policy has been heard from
some quarters. The main contention is students
will not be allowed to exercise their educational
alternatives by being part of, say, ASUN and the ,
Daily Nebraskan simultaneously-
The Daily Nebraskan does not agree. Our
purpose is to inform the university and to provide
an educational experience for students who are
on the staff. If some of those students wish to
participate in other public realms, at some time,
that is a choice they will have to make.
Choices also are part of an educational experi
ence. For present and future journalists, college
seems an appropriate place to begin making
those choices that will be their life's work.
Sign of Lewis petition urged
In the long months since the Sept. 24 shooting
of Arvid Sherdell Lewis, citizens who were dis
satisfied or uncertain about the action found
themselves waiting.
Waiting for the report of the shooting incident
to be released. Waiting for city and county offi
cials to act. Waiting for the official's request, as
the City-County Common, that Lincoln District
Court Judge Samuel Van Pelt call a grand jury
and appoint a special prosecutor so questions
about the case could be answered.
Many citizens still are waiting. And the ques
tions still remain.
Tuesday is the deadline for those citizens who
have been circulating petitions calling for a grand
jury investigation. Of the 4,828 signatures they
need on the petition, they are still about 1,600
signatures short.
Whatever feelings students may have about the
shooting and its aftermath, they are encouraged
to sign the petition if they are registered to vote
in Lincoln. They also should be sure their regis
tration is correct. Being registered in Lincoln
implies some interest in the city and its affairs:
your signature is evidence of that interest.
Vince Boucher
innocent
Ik
1
Cherry Bowl salutes
Unnlf Qaann xtith ciultc
By Arthur Hoppe
"Well be ready to start the second half of our
half-time ceremonies here at the Cherry Bowl in just a few
njujesfolks. Meanwhile, what did you think of the first
"It was great, Ed. That 5000-piece Ottawattanamee
University Marching Band showed it was a real contender
for Number One. It isn't often you see the entire Declara
tion of Independence spelled out down there on the
field."
"I thought I spotted a typographical error in the tuba
section."
"That's right, Ed, A comma was out of step. Cosdy
errors like that could hurt them. It's a shame. Ihese kids
spend 18 hours a day practicing. They're dedicated stu
dents; And ambitious, too. There isn't one of them who
doesn't dream of being a drum major some day."
c WeJ?i luT 80i a !um,p w my throat MUt- h Uncle
Sam did that authentic Boston Tea Party Hustle with Miss
Canned Bing Cherries and the Statue of Liberty on too of
that building. Was that a replica of the Lincoln Memorial?"
No, Ed, that was the Lincoln Memorial. It was onlv
on loan rom Washington, though. What Hike were those
500 topless dancers from The Azusa Ballet School &
Bowling League. They somehow made you feel what the
First Continental Congress was really like "
"That's right, Milt. But tell me what you thought of
that dramatic re-creation of The Battle of Bunker Hal?"
"Well, it was a perfect hill, Ed, 500 feet high. It'i
amazing how fast those kids can dig up a football field.
But the real stroke of genius, I thought, was In using live
ammunition in those cannons and muskets. It really made
history come to life."
"That's right, Milt. And well be ready to resume play
down on the field just as soon as those stretcher bearers
remove the last of the casualties. Are you looking forward
to a great second half?"
"I sure am, Ed. This 4500-piece Ashtabula Teachers
College band has surprised everybody this season. They re
quick and determined. I think they'll put on an exciting
aerial show for us."
"You mean when they re-create the Battle of Midway?
I think they're beginning to flood the field for it now.
Say, is that a repiica of the aircraft carrier Lexington
steaming in, Milt?
"I don't think so, Ed. It sure looks like the real thing
tome."
"Before we start the second half, Milt, let's give some
credit to the stars of the first. Who was the kid who
played Nathan Hale?"
"That was the late Herbert L. Calosh, Ed. And I really
choked up when he said his only regret was that he had
but one life to give to these Bicentennial half-time
ceremonies."
"That's right, Milt. They make you really proud to be
an American."
(Copyright Chronicle Publishlnf Co. 1976)