V
7'
i
page 10
daily nebraskan
monday, august 29, 1977
a i r sea
rches
for -stability'; one central authority
By Mary Jo Howe
Three bosses in two years was too much for one UNL
administrator so he's moving on.
John (Jack) Baier, acting dean of student development
at UNL, will be the new assistant vice piesident of student
affairs at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Tex. this fall.
Baier served two years at UNL, the first as associate
dean of student development and the second as the acting
dean. He also taught part-time in the Psychology Dept. as
an assistant professor.
Higher pay, a better position and a more stable admini
stration are reasons for moving to Texas, Baier said.
Baier said the major problem he saw at UNL was its
administrative instability because there are so many
administrators in "acting positions." . ; .
Baier said he had never seen so many people in acting
roles until he came to UNL.
Unstable environment
" "It makes it so hard to plan beyond one year when you
don't know if you're even going to be here," Baier said.
"Such an unstable environment is not good for retaining
forward-planning, goal-oriented people."
. v Baier said he thinks one reason for the administration's
instability is its inability to recognize the talent that
already is here.
- "The administration will conduct a year-long national
search, looking for that one Utopian person to fill a posi
tion," Baier said, "and then they, end up by appointing
a person who was already here."
. To point out some of the problems he has encounter
ed, Baier mentioned he has had" three bosses (vice ,
chancellors of student affairs) during the two years he has
been at UNL.
Carpenter without hammer
"With so many people coming and going, it is
impossible to look ahead and find support among the
people around you," he said. "I feel like a carpenter with
out a hammer." '
Two years ago Baier came to UNL with hopes he could
do something to improve the policies and programs that
already were here-"to make a Chevrolet into a Cadillac,"
he said.
But those hopes were strangled with budget cuts,
paper work and getting to know new bosses, Baier said.
One major project Baier had hoped to implement at
UNL was the Student Development Transcript. This is
an advising program designed to humanize the educational
process and develop the total student, Baier said.
Under the program, each undergraduate would be
assigned to a non-academic adviser, one of the staff
members in the Student Affairs Dept. The student would
meet with this adviser once a semester and a record of the
student's non-academic development would be kept.
"It's an attempt to let the student know he is more
than just a grade point average," Baier said.
The transcript could be used for job applications, to
let the employer see what students really are like-what
organizstions they have been members of, how they have
developed culturally and morally and what leadership
qualities they have developed, Baier said.
Survey conducted
Last fall, Baier conducted a survey of several hundred
parents and students about the programs., He now is
tabulating the results and it looks like the vote is running
about 75 in favor of the program, Baier said.
He conducted a national survey of advisers at other
schools about a year ago and received enthusiastic
support, he said.
"Sure, the program is breaking new ground," Baier
said.
"Administrators in large universities don't seem to feel
there is much use in trying to get to know the students
because there are so many."
But with 16,000 undergraduates and 250 Student
Affairs staff members, each staff member need be assigned
about 75 students per semester, Baier said.
"And that would break down to about four hours a
week spent talking to students," he added. "It would be
a great experience for both the students and the staff."
Baier had planned to start a pilot program with 200
students next year, but the move to Texas will hal that,
lie plans to implement the program there but also hopes
that his successor will continue the plan here.
His successor will be Jayne Wade Anderson, now
coordinator for-fraternities, sororities, and cooperatives.
"The move to Texas was a tough decision to make,"
Baier said. "There is so much good at this university; the
students are so concerned with their education and their
state. Lincoln is a great place to live and bring up
"children," he added.
i Baier said one decisive factor in the move was the great
similarities between Lubbock and Lincoln, and Texas
Tech and UNL.
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