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Three state senators who regularly receive letters from'
NU Dosid of Rc:nts Chiirmcn Robert ELnmcns ciy the
letters are a valuable source of information. Dut Ctauha
Sea. John Savage said Monday that he thought "some
times Simmons mouth works faster than his brail.
Simmons, a Scottsbluff attorney writes letters to the
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Omaha Sen. John Savage
eight senators from his regent's district after each regents
meeting. In the December letter, Simmons said two other
unnamed regents voted for Ronald Roskens as interim
NU president because they thought the job would be a
career-killer.
Simmons also wrote, that while Roskens was chancellor
of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), he
violated a university directive against lobbying in the
Nebraska Legislature. ,
In letters sent out during the past four months,
Simmons also reportedly criticized NU administrators for
having outside interests. Several administrators serve ca
the boards of directors of some banks. --
SaVage said he thought that Simmons "seemed to be,
against Omaha." ,
-; , Say comments!
"Some of the silly comments he's made would make -his
illustrious father turn over, in his grave,' Savage said.
Simmons' father, Robert Simmons, was chief justice of
the Nebraska Supreme Court. He"was on the court from
1939 to 1963. -
Savage said he thought Simmons is trying to politically
dominate the western part of the state.
"I don't know if he's planning to run for governor or
what," Savage said, "but I oppose everything he'ssuggest
ed. I would support any sensible ideas Simmons may
have." - v. . .
Savage, a member of the Appropriations Committee,
said Simmons criticism of some university projects would
Increase possible
for student fees
Another student fee increase, in addition to the $330
increase approved in November by the NU Board of
Regents, is possible for next year, Ron Gierhan, vice
chancellor for student affairs said Tuesday.
Gierhan said he w21 cot know until Feb. 15 if the
increase is necessary, but "preliminary indications are that
BAuuwiii icc wiai uavc iu i up ucai sciisc&lci.
He said he could not estimate how much the fees
could increase.
Gierhan said he w2! ask officials from the
Nebraska Union, University Health Center, and the
Student Development office to reassess their programs for
next year.
"We want to find out what it will cost to offer the
students the same level of services as this year," Gierhan
said. -
The proposed additional increase from the current $63-a-semcster
fee is because of a5 J per cent increase in
salaries and a five per cent increase in operating costs,
Gierhan said. ' ". ,. . -
The $330 increase already approved by the regents
was to pay tor bonds issued for the construction of the
East Campus Union. . t
Gierhan said the proposed increase also wEl depend on
the number of hours part-time students register for next
semester. Part-time -students taking seven hours or more
psy studsnt fees and are eligible for services full-time
students have. .
. "If a number of students taking seven hours this
semester suddenly drop down (and Uke) four or five
hours next semester, student fees may have to p up,"
Gierhan laid. .
Cut, he said it would take a significant drop in credit
hours taken by part-time students to further increase the
fees.
not affect Savage's judgment of NU budget requests.
Wavcrjv ,
ben;
Jerome Warner, chairman of . the
mittee, said he thoirht ihe letters &3 cth
were an additional source of information m evaluating
the actions and that "it would be helpful if all the regents
had a similar approach,
"From what I've known of Simmons In the past, he's
outspoken about his views," Warner said.
He said he doubted whether the letters would affect
the decisions of the Appropriations Committee.
1 woddnt be affected'
"There are a great many ways every legislator is con
tacted, both pro and con, as far as the university Is con
cerned," he said. "Speaking for myself, I wouldn't be
affected and I dont think anyone else would."
Most of the letters were not directly related to the NU
budget, Warner said.
Senators Robert Clark of Sidney, William Nichol of
Scottsbluff and Jack Mills of Dig Springs agreed that
Simmons' letters were inforiivs about regents meetings.
The three are from Simmons' regent's district.
Clark said Simmons' letters provided him with "the
only way we have of knowing what is going on.
"I think Simmons is doing a fine job and I appreciate
receiving his letters," Clark said. "He has enough nerve to
put what he thinks down on paper, which is something a
lot of people don't have, although I'm not talking about
4 40w
Nichol said he hopes Simmons continues to send the
letters because the senator Jceeps and refers to the letters
during the legislative session. The letters are a source of
insight not found in the news media, he said.
"Siu..ons isn't a rabble-rouser," Nichol said. "Even if
something isn't the popular thing to say, if it's the truth,
hefl say it."
Nichol said he didn't think the Appropriations
Committee would be affected by the opinions expressed
in the letters or that the budgets of either UNL or UNO
would suffer as a result of the letters.
Mills said he thought the letters were written more to
inform the senators of the regents' ideas than to influence
the senators.
"The letters have helped me to become familiar with
the regents and their ideas and I appreciate Simmons'
efforts, Mills said.
."He may not always be in the majority, but the
minority opinion is important also. Simmons is trying to
do his job as a regent to inform those within his regent's
district J
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January 23, 1977 vol. 100 no. 64 lincoln, nsb.
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Photo by Scott Svoboda
Vtlao are these people lookhj for? For the answer and more pictures turn to p. 1 1 .
Ca rter ta I k won 't cool U N L efforts
Don't worry about wearing a second sweater at UNL
this winter in light of President Jimmy Carter's suggestion
to set thermostats at 65 degrees.
UNL's target has been 67 degrees, said Ray Coffey,
assistant business manager. ' , ,
UNL's efforts to conserve energy began about three
years ago, when the energy crisis first became a public
concern, Coffey sdd.
"WeVe.had to analyze each buildings' heating system,"
he said, "and we have everything from old steam radiators
to the latest systems designed with minimal fuel consump
tion in mind." . . i
Coffey said considering the heat load of a room (the
amount of people, equipment and lights), the fresh air
intake, and whether the room has exterior or interior
walls, it often savss energy and money to keep a room a
few degrees warmer:
Coffey said Nebraska's recent shortage of fuel oil
no. 1 and 2 did not affect UTT. He said the university has
always run on natural gas, but it does have an alternate
tTJly exiled fuel no. 6.
, In case of a shortage, the natural gas is saved for
residential area and UNL relies on its alternate supply.
On October 15, Coffey said, UNL was switched to fuel
no. 6, and has been usirg it ever ilice. .
"Ve have not had a serious problem with no. 6 fuel,"
he said, "but the price has gone up because the supplier
was hcldi-g back."
Soc.e other measures have teen taken to save energy,
according to Richard Fleming, asiitant to the chancellor
and director of University Information.
Fleming said two or three years zgo monitoring
systems were installed to keep fans and equipment off
when not in use.
Last summer UNL offices changed their working hours
to 7 a jn. to 4 p jn. so air conditioning units could be shut
off one hour earlier in the afterodon. -
Signs have been posted asking people to turn off lights,
and energy conservation has been advocated in campus
publications, Fleming said. :
- Although UNL -will 'continue its energy-saving
measures, there have been no new plans for conservation
since Carter's recommendation.
"I wciuld be hopeful that his (Carter's) appeal for
energy conservation helps people realize that UNL is
doing its best," Coffey said, "but we need the coopera
tion of faculty and students.
Nev.'i: Pound Hall student assistants raise money for
their cleaning lady whose home and possessions were,
destroyed by fire ............ . p. 9
Estertalismeiit: Loose .Ends at the Sheldon Film
Theatre and even looser ends on Queen's latest al
bum t ;p. 12
Sports: The Huskers will try to shoot down the Jay
hawks tonight p. 14
