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'
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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
