pep 4
monday, epril 25, 1977
dally ncbn&ken
UM. education quality:
mediocre or excellent
"Nebraska is a normal, healthy, uninteresting sort of
place and so is its university, (There) the most popular
specialties are the same as at any other mediocre land
grant university. They are, in order: education, business
administration, and engineering." (From College
Confidential by Lawrence Handel.)
"The University of Nebraska is No. 1 in football-and
vice versa. And that just about tells the story, for sports
are a more integral part of student life at Lincoln than
nearly, anywhere in the nation ,"
"Besides , the phys ed department, however the Uni-
paved paradise
versify of Nebraska's scholastic offerings are mediocre at
best. Students admit that the school might not be so hot,
but are quick to point out that it is easy. Mired in the
state school syndrome of large classes, so-so teachers,
and uninterested students, chances for improvement .
here appear dim in the near future."
"Apolitical overall, the students rarely give their elders
cause for concern. As one student said, commenting on
the first signs of decay for the still strong Greeks, It
takes a while for things to happen here." If you're not a
dyed-in-the-wood football maniac, cross Nebraska off
your list of prospective colleges." (From- The Insiders'
Guide to the Colleges by The Yale Daily News. )
As someone associated with the university, these ex
cerpts may amuse, upset or not affect you. Certainly such
critical commentary on the quality of UNL is not uncom
mon. Then again, praise for the quality of our university
is also not uncommon.
An Ad Hoc Faculty Senate Committee report asserted
that, "there does not appear to be any substantial
evidence to support a contention that at the present time
undergraduate instruction at UNL is inferior to that at
other comparable institutions. There is, instead, ample
evidence to the contrary. In fact, while several kinds of
indications do not support the assumption that UNL is
failing in its attempt to provide quality undergraduate
education, it is possible to document the lamentable
position of this university on various indicators of re
search (outside funding received, grants submitted, etc.).
Darn! Some more criticism snuck in with the compli
ments for UNL. Nevertheless, concerning undergraduate
education at UNL, from some the descriptive word for
UNL is mediocre, but from others the message is quality.
Who is right?
Only UNL students know for sure. For they are the
people who are most involved and affected by the quality
of undergraduate instruction at UNL. Yet students are not
playing a major role in recent efforts to evaluate and,
possibly, improve undergraduate education at UNL. It is
UNL students who should be raising the question of
quality and demanding that action be taken to improve
educational quality where necessary.
One attitude which needs further development at UNL
is that students are consumers of education. Students
attend the university to receive an education. They pay
for it and "consume" it as they would any other "pro
duct" that they buy. As consumers of education, students
have the right to demand a quality product. They have the
right to have their opinions heard and their questions
answered in their efforts to acquire a quality education.
Students share responsibility for the present quality of
instruction at UNL. And it is students who must decide
w hether their education is mediocre or good. UNL can be
No. 1 in more than football.
Arthur E
fa Hi
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yoat fimfivM M raver UubssI MMrM Jr B. $m
letters
In conclusion, 1 believe our student representatives are
not enforcing the rules they themselves have established.
Such actions ultimately result in embarrassing court cases
on which student apathy feeds. Please don't let these
errors continue if you want the regents, faculty, and most
of all the students to have faith in.student body represent-
Representatives' duties
The holding of elections seems to present problems
every year.
In 1977, the Student Court was indecisive and late in
hearing a court case which led to the postponement of
elections on March 16, 1977. As a result of the courts
ineffectiveness, candidates campaigns went unrewarded
for close to one month, students enthusiasm was stunted,
and most of all student fees were wasted. The question
enters my mind: are student representatives fulfilling their
duties? ' .
The result of the Student Court case wherein ASUN's
actions since December 1, 1976 being declared void
immediately comes to mind. The student body representa
tives were proven to have not fulfilled their duties. The
cause f this mishap was the result cf the ASUN body not
adhering to the rules set down in its constitution. I believe
the light has been tamed on and there is a need for change
right now. Is that needed change corning about?
There is a group of students who organized the SUN
party and had sweeping success despite the meager 10 per
cent (approximately) voter turnout. The SUN party along
with several other candidates worked hard to bring the
issues themselves to the students. I was glad to see the
elections go smoothly, but ! have been appalled by our
student representatives again seemingly showing
themselves to be inefficient.
Once again the basic mistake was not following the
rules which had been set up by the student representa
tives themselves. It is my belief that if you make a set of
rules, or a constitution for that matter, you should be
prepared to enforce and abide by those rules.
Prior to the elections and most notable the day of the
elections, (April 13), several candidates' signs could be
seen in bathrooms, dormitory walls and doors, in class
rooms, and generally everywhere one looked. The rule
which the candidates were to follow read, "In University
buildings, election poster and sign distribution must be
limited to bulletin boards. Election materials are not
permitted on walls or other surfaces not designated as
bulletin boards. Chalking or painting of buildings or use
of classroom blackboards is prohibited." Yet, another
example, involves the SUN party having a booth near the
sight of balloting. Campaign regulations stated, "Persons
engaged in active campaigning and candidate campaign
material must not be located within 100 feet of election
booths on election day."
The Student Court will only hear the latter complaint.
My question is why are some rules being allowed to be
broken this year without any penalty. Does this mean that
candidates can put up signs all over campus next year
without any fear of penalty? v
atives.
I Care
Leftist speakers
While it is natural for Letelier's fans to question the
FBI documents on which Evans and Novak based part of
their column, may I suggest that we are not necessarily
to place more confidence in the understandably partial
accounts of his widow, in the partisan editorials of the
Washington Post, or in such inveterate axe-grinders as the
Nebraskans for Peace?
Contrary to Professor Erlich's assertion, no charges
have yet been disproven, and certainly none is disproven
Sn hie mrHeAm PrKe thf ecaerinatiirtri was nndrtaltn
by right-wing, anti-Castro organizations; perhaps by left
wing Chilean groups desiring to disrupt our relationship
with Chile. Only the ideologically committed, the storm
troopers of the left and the right, will embrace either
possibility before all the facts are in.
Underlying this dispute, however, is a more important
question, why is it that the speakers brought to campus,
with"the uncertain exception of Vincent Bugliosi, have
been on the left side of the spectrum? Surely there might
hail K r-r frvr of 1ot ta crMint AfltvativP
activist lawyers! I would hope that the Talks and Topics
Committee might reflect on this inequity while
coniemplatmg next year $ schedule.
Robert D. Stock
Questions welcome
The Talks and Topics Committee of the Union
Program Council welcomes questions regarding our
speakers program such as those posed in advertisements
paid for by Young Americans for Freedom, and Donald
Orion's letter to the editor (April 18). These questions
provide us the opportunity to again reclarify our position
and our procedures concerning our programs.
This past year, the Talks and Topics Committee pre
sented six speakers during its regular series, plus the
October Symposium on Power and Conspiracy In
America. In addition, the committee has cooperated with
several campus and community organizations to bring a
variety of other presentations throughout the year.
AH decisions regarding Talks & Topics programs are
made by the Talks & Topics Committee. Membership on
the Committee is open to all UNL students, and weekly
meetings (Tuesdays, 5:00 p.m, Nebraska Union) are open
to any interested person. The committee welcomes all
input regarding speakers' programs at UNL Persons with
specific questions or suggestions regarding the programs
are encouraged to attend the Talks and Topics meetings.
Jay Yost
Union Program Council Talks & Topics Chairman
rnrny spring
Good morning, housewives and other shut-ins. It's
time for another chapter of "Just Plains Folks" the
heartwarming story of one man's humble efforts to make
this old world a little bit better place in which to live by
innocent bystander
a t h a
m ... W m m vm
sssnunian ncrrcs inio
nomsmsGs.recip:
eliminating war, poverty, despotism, tin and White
House limousines.
As we join up with Just Plain Jimmy today, he's
puttering about the kitchen, whipping up some more Just
Fhin Old Homemade Foreign Policy.
Helping him are his attractive wife, Just Plain
Resalynn, his cute little daughter, Just Plain Amy, and a
couple cf dozen other members cf his Just Plain Family.
Jimmy: Well, cow, I've gone and sprinkled human
rights all over the detente. What do you think?
Amy: Mmmm, I just love human rights, Daddy.
Jimmy: Host people do, dear. All right, shall we try
our hand at a little Homemade Middle East Policy?
Amy (clapping her hands): Oh, Daddy, that sounds
like oodles of fun!
Jimmy (rumpling her hair): You can help. First we
butter up both sides and then. . . Should I throw in a
Palestinian hornelasd? ' "
Rosalynn: Everyone likes homelands, dear.
Jimmy: You're right. What about defensible borders,
though?
Amy: Gosh, Daddy, do some folks Uks indefensible
borders?
Jimmy: Good thinking, Amy. Now here's a PLO
handshake, just to be polite, and. . .Should I toss in tome
Rested solutions?
Rosalynn: With both siies buttered up, it couldn't
hurt. And if you don't, w ho will?
Jimmy: That's true. There. Now. . .
(The faithful family re taker, Just Fliin Jody, bursts
in, looking worried.)
Lssghhif at pdky
Jody: Bad news. Just Plain Jimmy. All the thousands
and thousands of professional foreign policy makers' b
buildings and newspapers all over Washington are laughing
at your Just Plain Old Homemade Middle East Policy.
Jimmy: What dent they like about it?
Jody: They say for 30 years they've been turning cut
an attractively packaged, gleaming, flawless, tough, pro
fessional Middle East Policy and you amateurs ouit to
leave such shings up to them. i
Jimmy : How's thei-s been doing?
Jody: Wdl, it exploded a3 ever the place four tirii
and, at the moment, both sides are as far apart as ev:r.
Jimmy (humming cheerfully as he resumes ttirrir:?):
Tell me, Amy, what else do you think we ought to threw
in?
Well, tune in again, friends. And meantime, remember
this eld Just ruins Folks saying: Homemade' a s' .t
messkr'n store-bought; but that den't make it any harder
torvaHcw
(Capyriilw Cbron& Fi&Kmi C, 1J77J