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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1977)
daily nebraskan monday, October 31, 1977 page 6 Five-year liquor-on-campus effort yields one victory By Janet Liiteras Whether or not students should be allowed to drink on campus has caused a struggle between the NU Board of Regents and UNL students for at least five years. Records show the regents have dealt with an average of one alcohol-on-campus proposal per year since 1972. The first major attempt was spring, of 1973. Then chancellor James Zumberge presented a report to the regents have dealt with an average of one alcohol-on-campus proposal per year since 1972. The first major attempt was spring, of 1973. Then chancellor James Zumberge presented a report to the regents titled "Alcohol Consumption on the UN-L Campus." In the study, compiled by ASUN and the Residence Hall Association (RHA), the two groups said alcohol consumption would encourage individual responsibility and personal, intellectual development of students. It said, "Students are not asking for special privileges, only for the opportunity to exercise their legal right as mature adults." On June 23, 1973, Zumberge presented three different proposals to the regents. All were defeated. The first requested posses sion of alcoholic beverages by students 19 or older in residence halls, fraternities and cooperatives. It was defeated 2-4 with one abstention. Next, he proposed to allow beer only. This was defeated 2-5. Zumberge's third and final attempt con cerned the. sale of liquor. He asked that the regents permit catering of alcoholic bever ages for special occasions in Sheldon Art Gallery, Faculty Club, Nebraska Center for Continuing Education and Nebraska Union. The proposal was amended to apply only to the Nebraska Center, but it still was defeated, 1-6. Place on ballot The next year, students initiated, drafted and put through the legislature an alcohol-on-campus bill. Senators decided by a vote of 35-9 to place LB783 on the November 1974 ballot for final approval, but the bill never appeared. . , On April 11, senators voted 40-3 to indefinitely postpone the proposal, so the bill died on the floor. While the debate was going strong in the unicameral, the regents went on record opposing the bill because they said, "there would be no direct contribution to the educational process by the presence of alcohol on campus." Zumberge was ready with another pro posal, however, and on April 20, 1974, he presented a proposal which modified residence hall visitation hours and contain ed a clause legalizing alcohol consumption. Regents accepted the regulation's modi- fications but voted to let the alcohol policy "remain as it is." The students were not about to admit defeat. The following spring, ASUN began to work on yet another proposal. Ken Bader, then- vice chancellor for student affairs, said the proposal was approved by all student groups, such as Council on Student Life and RHA. Staff input It was student originated "with an awful lot of staff input," he said. Richard Yo- kum, assistant director of the Lincoln Council on Alcoholism and Drugs, sup ported the proposal. The proposal, which was presented to the regents Feb." 14, 1976, asked that alcohol be allowed in residence halls with certain restrictions. Students could only drink in their rooms and on designated floors. No parties or k'eggers would be allowed. It also was suggested that an alcohol education program be provided for the UNL community. - The key arguments against the proposal, Bader said were whether it was advantage ous to have alcohol in the residence halls and how it would improve the educational setting. He said those favoring the proposal claimed that residence hall life should be no different thanan apartment environ ment. They also claimed that it was difficult, if not impossible, to enforce the no alcohol policy. "There were a lot of strong feelings and frustrations on both sides," Bader said. Most of the opposition came from out side the university, such as from parents, church groups and Alcoholics Anonymous, he said. The proposal failed, 14. Three regents were absent. Recent attempt The most recent attempt was on Jan. 8 of this year. Mrs. Carl Rohman asked per mission to serve wine or alcoholic bever ages in the Nebraska Art Association Room in Sheldon Art Gallery to art association members only . This would be only two or three times a year, primarily at preview openings of exhibitions, she said. The regents denied permission, 1-7. "They were quite air," she said. They told her they were afraid that if permission was granted to the association, they would be forced to grant permission to other groups. ... , Not all proposals have met with defeat. There is one place on campus where students can consume alcohol legally, the College of Home Economics on East Campus. On April 20, 1974, the regents approved the use of alcoholic beverages in certain food and nutrition classes, the only such proposal ever approved. Mixed views concerning alcohol still brewing 4 The controversy about UNL students' right to drink on campus continues. Regent Robert Prokop of Omaha also The law says 19-year-olds and older said he is against alcohol consumption in should have certain rights' and responsi- Regent Ed Schwartzkopf of Lincoln His two main reasons, he said, are that have all that they can." ISMIS- drinking WOuld create a commotional He pointed out that students are adults lation of the sate law mhibmnTpLsons Problem that,would " in a? unhealthy in the eyes of the law, and drinking already lation pt the state law prohibiting persons t d atmosphere, and that students can eo tairM i9r n livina unit. younger man trom cmmting. t- ' . . : .... ,r -r-. ents in the dorms I"; W T ". : Tl jlr nowever, ne saw, u a f "Over half of our students : are under drinking age," he said. He Said that if a dozen students gather to have a party, he does not think five students will drink while seven minors watch. You might as well forget about the law in that case, he said. tance if they want to drink. Prokop said he would support the sale of liquor in the Nebraska Union andor the Nebraska Center for Continuing Educa tion , but not in the living quarters. Regent Kermit Hansen of Omaha, how- and members should abide by the major ever, said he did not agree, ity opinion alcohol consump tion is approved there should be an option for those who do not want to drink and for those who legally cannot drink. Every living unit should vote each year as to whether it wants liquor or not, he said, t ' Zm, int. 'J' : t Former probationer works one-to-one, tries to establish a 'common ground' Jim Ifafcn is a was on probat Photo by Bob fearsor unique probation counselor. He once ion himself. By Brenda Moskovitz Jim Hahn is one of 50 or 60 volunteer probation coun selors from Lincoln Municipal Court. He will be graduated in university studies this year and is applying to both medical and law schools. This may not seem unusual, but Hahn was on proba tion himself and for the past three years has tried to help other probationers like his volunteer counselor helped him. f The Volunteer Probation Counselor Program has existed since 1968. Volunteers work with misdemeanor offenders ages 16 and up on a one-to-one basis to offer guidance suggestions and support to those completing probation. ' About one-third of the counselors are UNL students. A few get academic credit for the work but most do not. Halm said the program tries "to get someone that doesn't have a title associated with the court ... to get a little more direction in what they're (the probationer) trying to do." , Communication barriers Barriers to open communication are large, he said. "They go through probation grudgingly . . . generally the volunteer counselor is like the straw that broke the camel's back " because the probationer already has the courts, probation officers and class commitments "riding herd on you like four sets of parents." He said it is important to develop recreational interests with a counselee and to establish a common ground' "If you can finl an interest in an art-type thing, like music, then people begin to open up," he said. For example; Hahn's current counselee is interested in mechanics, so Hahn has arranged for him to help Hahn's younger brother work on his car occassionally. Such relationships take time, Hahn said. "If you meet them three times a month it takes maybe three months to develop a rappoit." "One of the biest problems is their peer group" he said, which usually "tends to commit a lot of crimes. "You try to make them stand up for themselves and see their group more objectively. You're really starting out with two strikes against you . . . these are their friends and you are an outsider." Look to future An essential part of being a counselor is getting the probationer to look at the future realistically, Hahn said. "They're removed from reality in regard to their future. I was as guilty as anybody else at having these dreams. Going through probation was a very positive thing for me. "It's very dangerous to direct them to schools," he said. "What they don't need in life right now is frustra tion." Chances are, the probationer has a hard time in high school and lacks the skills to be successful at a higher-level, he said. Hahn said he has found establishing respect with his counselees difficult. "You don't have the distance age would give you. They're going to look at you more as an equal," he said. "I have made it well known to people that I was on probation myself. ' Employment background "It's very hard for them to understand that you are a resource "he said. '., Hahn, for instance, has had a long employment back ground and is capable of directing people to sources of employment. Although Hahn praised the program as a whole, he said it "could be better organized. . .with some stipulation to get (volunteers) together and pool our resources." He cited an extensive volunteer probation counseling program in Australia as a goal to work towards. Hahn explained that by completing probation success fully, a person's crime is removed from the records, letting the probationer start with a clean slate. "They have to understand that you have something to offer" towards that goal, Hahn sail