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By Mary Jo Fitd
Increased student fee support is about the only way
the Nebraska Union can recover from a $32,115.99 de
ficit, according to Union director Al Bennett.
The $32,115.99 is the amount Union expenses have
exceeded sales and fee income from July until Dec. 31,
1976, said Union operations manager Larry Emmons.
On Jan. 1, 1976 the Union was $9,900 in the black,
Emmons said.
The $42,000 change in profit position has Bennet and
his staff evaluating the Union budget for ways to slow the
increasing rate of loss.
"It's not impossible, but momentarily improbable, that
well (the Union staff) do any more than stop the rate of
loss, Bennett said. He said if Union operations contin
ued at their present rate, the change in profits could ex
tend from $60,000 to $70,000 when the fiscal years ends
June 30. Bennett said he hopes the staff can hold the loss
to $50,000 or less.
"The loss figure is no more or less than an under
funded base," Bennett said. Three sources-general
income from retail sales, pre-paid university costs for
utilities and student fees- comprise the base for the
$1,400,000 annual Union budget.
Student fees is the only money source which can be
increased, Bennett said. General Union income is down
$53,000 from last fiscal year, while operating expenses
are up $25,000 and labor costs tip $26,000, he said.
Pre-paid university costs are fixed to cover only utility
bills.
The Union currently receives $6.78 a student each
semester in student fee support.
Bennett said he will ask the Fees Allocation Board
(FAB) for increased student fee support of the Union.
Since it is the student who is requesting the service in the
first place, the cost increase of the service should be
passed along to the student, he said.
In addition to increasing student fees, Bennett said
other tions for reducing Union losses are to cut back
UnIo-rvices or add new services to attract more busi
ness. Bennett and Emmons also listed reducing inventories,
cutting back employe hours, eliminating jobs, closing at
earlier hours and limiting weekend services as other
methods to reduce Union losses.
Any changes in Union operation wi3 be studied by the
Union Advisory Board and diacuiadd with the commun
ity before being put into effect, Bennett said.
Bennett said he is not now in the proper position to
introduce new Union services. Student protests against
a $40,000 Union advertising campaign and a proposed
$35JD00 budget for replacing Union signs have temporar
ily blocked further action by Bennett's office, he said.
Bennett said he has examined several areas where cut-
way to rcovr i
backs could feasibly be made in Union operations.
Despite the $42,000 decrease in union profits, the
Union is not a dying organization looking for a place to
roll over, Bennett said.
'We do not see ourselves in desperate financial situa
tion," he said. There is no need for a panicky response, he
said, adding that a tight management process is in order"
to help recover from the deficit,
Bennett said the deficit has to be cleared in a year, or th
amount will be carried over into next year's books.
The Union closed its 1975-76 budget with no deficit
because Ve budgeted well and managed well," Bennett
said.
Ron Gierhan, interim vice chancellor for student
from oevicii r
Although the Nebraska Union is suffering a deficit,
one other major student fee user just eliminated
its deficit. For the first time in nine years the
University Health Center & operating in the black.
Seepages.
affairs, said representatives from ASUN, the Union
Advisory Board, the Union staff and his office will meet
to see what can be done to alleviate the deficit. He has set
no date for the meeting.
Gierhan said he is surprised to see such a large deficit
when there was none before since the same services were
offered both years. The deficit could be caused by compe
tition, insufficient operating funds, lack of marketing
Union services, or a combination of all three, he said.
We have to find some answers to that, and we need it
quickly," Gierhan said.
Bennett further explained that the Union is operated
from two main accounts.
The bond reserve account, from which the. controver
sial proposed signs would be financed,, must be used
strictly for maintenance of Union facilities. This includes
updating and replacing equipment.
The Union's operating account is drawn from student
fee support, general income from retafl sales and pre-paid
university costs for utilities. The operating account is
the one suffering the deficit, Bennett said.
Union to drop advertising campaign
The Nebraska Union's advertising campaign, which has
cost $40,298, is being discontinued because it is not as
effective as it would be liked " Union director Al Bennett
said Monday.
Bennett told the ASUN Senate last week that no more
money would be spent on the campaign this semester.
Some ASUN senators had criticized the campaign and
three resolutions were passed asking for more student
input in Union decisions.
. "We had planned to take in more money," Bennett
said.
The advertising contract with Lincoln's J. Gregg Smith
and Associates will not be renewed when it expires this
month, Bennett said. Some advertising will continue to be
seen through March, however, because it was included in
the February contract, he said.
Although the Harvest Room, Colonial Room and
Bakery have responded profitably to the ad campaign, the
Crib is suffering a dramatic drop in sales, he said. Union
food service units have lost $21,500, he said.
Bennett said dropping the Crib may be considered for
next year after consulting the Union Advisory Board and
university community.
Promotion of the catering service, the largest profit
margin. Union operation, was scheduled to begin this
spring, Bennett said. That campaign has been blocked,
however, because the ad campaign is now "shot full of
holes," he said.
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Wednesday, february J 6, 1977 wl JQ&no. 76 linooln. nsbrsska
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UNL scientific glassblowe
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OaHy Kobraakm photo
Oasilower Lloyd Moore touches up one of Lis orations ia his wcrkshe? ia II:
ton IL-l's fcasrmeut.
By Osl Stork
As his title implies, blowing glass is
more than a hobby for Lloyd Moore, UNL
scientific glassblower. While similar crafts
men are making glass swans in demonstra
tions. Moore may be in his Hamilton Hall
workshop designing the fabrication glass re
search equipment for the entire state of
Nebraska. .
However, Moore does not always go by
his UNL title, nor does he spend ail of his
time blowing scientific flasks and tubes. To
students in the two glassblowing classes at
the F street Recreation Center, Moore's
title is teacher.
Moore teaches his beginners the basics
of the skill: glass rotation, flame tempera
ture and glass gathering before they even
work with glass. He said the skills aren't
.difficult, but take the entire 10-week
beginners session to develop.
The advanced classes branch into
creative glassblowing with students turning
out swans, birdbaths and cocktail glasses,
Moore said. The advanced classes six
person limit, enables Moore to give indivi
dual instruction.
Seven years at center
He has taught both beginning and
advanced courses at the center for more
than seven years, but said he really could
not pinpoint how they started.
According to Joe Elsener, director of
the center, the class was first offered on a
trial basis, but the size of the response
warranted adding glassblowing to the.
center's permanent program.
Elsener said he thought Lincoln had the
only recreation center in the United States
that offers glassblowing. Another advanced
session is scheduled for Feb. 24, and a
beginning class is in the planning stages.
Teople like it because it's a skill,"
Elsener said, not just something to do."
Moore said he expects a variety cf peo-
pie to enroll in the upcoming sessions.
Cassis popular
The class's popularity speaks for
Moore's success as a teacher. He said he
thinks he is responsible for creating
enthusiasm in the students and is rewarded
for his efforts.
Elsener cited examples" of people en
rolling over and over in Moore's advanced
cr ai1 fif hail fn turn rnrmlr
away from several of the sessions. He attri
buted this to the uniqueness of the class
and Moore's ability.
Moore said the only other scientific
glassblower in the state is one of his former
students,' who has a scientific glassblowing
&op at Omaha's Creighton University.
When not teaching creative glassblowing
or working on one of his original smoking
pipes, which he sells right out of his
mouth, Moore repairs enough tubes, flasks,
and beakers to save the university thou
sands of dollars, he said.
For example, a thin, six-inch tube
standing in his workshop was a part he
completed for a $400,000 massspectro
meter. The part itself was valued from
$300 to $400, but cost Moore about $50
to make.
Moore described his job as exciting.
"Each new day there are new challen
ges. There hasn't been a high point in my
career yet. It just keeps going up and up.
News: Gov. J. James Exons proposal to
build for less may not solve the UNO pro
blem p.2
Entertainment: like the Beatk's, Pink
Floyd titillates American rock music
listeners.- p. 8
Sports: UNUs women's basketba'l team
tonight plcys UNO ia Orsha p. 20