The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, November 07, 1977, Image 1

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    Task force ideas
meet opposition
By Mike Patten
Six people attended the ASUN task force on student
government's open hearing Sunday night, but only one
person indicated approval of any of it's proposals to
change the structure of student government at UNL.
Don Macke, president of the Nebraska University
Public Interest Research Group, told the task force he
thinks its idea of consolidating student groups is excellent,
but suggested the task force find a way to give student
government more power.
"Right now we can put in our two cents worth and
that's all we can do," he said.
Ken Christoffersen, ASUN vice president, said he
objected to increasing the size of the elected body to 76.
He also said the task force has not met the goals it was
charged with when it was created last spring.
"I feel that if you had 76 senators who were all ready
to go," he said, "you'd spend all your time debating.
Charlie Fellingham, ASUN first vice president, said he
did not think there are 76 people at UNL who would be
interested in running for a student government position.
"Last year I hadto reappoint over of the senate,"
he said. "The plan can not work because you won't have
enough senators on the ballot."
Task Force Chairman Steve Pederspn said the proposal
was designed to create more interest in student govern
ment. ASUN President Greg Johnson objected to a proposal
to allow voting faculty and staff members to serve on
student committees.
"You have to remember that this is a student govern
ment," he said. "They already have a government to
represent them and no one has invited me to attend. I'd
like to attend if they would let me, but I don't think
they'll let me."
inside mondaij
Whoa, folks, take another look? Changes needed
'in student government, but editorial says it
needs another look .p. 4
Try pulling their leg, Jimmy: Former U.S. Ag
official suggests arm twisting method of pro
moting American agriculture .p. 7
"Hoe-down in Star City: 1 3th annual anniversary
of the Nebraska .Oldtime Fiddlers Associa
tion celebrated in Lincoln Sunday . , .p. 8
monday, november 7, 1977 vol.101 no. 38 lincoln, nebraska
Campus policewomen to get hearing
The State Court of Industrial Relations last week
blocked the reclassification of two female UNL police
officers.
According to Police Chief Gail Gade, Officer Barbara
McGill was to have been reclassified because she is preg
nant and can no longer do the job she was hired for. He
said McGill's doctor had said it would be better if McGill
worked indoors as a clerk, for example. Reclassification
from officer to clerk involves1 a paycut.
Gade said another proposal was to have McGill take
her sick leave and vacation during her pregnancy.
A reasonable time after her pregnancy, McGill would
have been given back her job as an officer at the same pay
level, he said.
Gade also said Officer Mary Fleming was to have been
reclassified because of a knee injury, but her doctor last
week said she was fit to go back to work.
A hearing Nov. 14 by the State Court of Industrial
Relations will determine if reclassification is in order,
according to Gade.
Another female officer, Joy Citta, said the hearing on
that date will decide whether the labor union she is presi
dent of has the right to become the collective bargaining
unit for the campus police. The court was told Citta has
been harassed by Gade because she is president of the
union's local.
Citta said her reason for making Local 567 of the Inter
national Brotherhood of Police Officers the bargaining
unit for campus police is to have a better way of bargain
ing for wages, hours and working conditions.
Gade said he opposes the union.
"I am opposed because I don't see any reason for a
union in our department. A union would create problems
between management and labor," he said.
Officers McGill and Fleming are union members, but
would be ineligible to vote in a representation election if
they are reclassified.
j- v S ' - i J 1
yj r y ' (h
, Photo bv Ted Kirk
Even the Star-Spangled Banner didn't keep this policewoman from her duties at Faurot Field in Col
umbia, Mo. before kickoff in the Husker-Tiger tilt. For more on the game turn to p. 10,
By arry Lutz
News Editor
State Treasurer Frank Marsh expresses surprise and
disappointment with the result of a relationship estab
lished in 1972 with a pioneer of the Unification (Moonie)
Church.
Mis consternation concerns a reference made about him
by Lokesh Mazumdar on page 330 of a church training
manual obtained by a reporter, Marsh said the reference
was made without his knowledge or approval.
Marsh also said lie was surprised to learn that his and
Mazumdar's recollection differed on the details of their
early relationship.
Specifically, Marsh and Mazumdar disagree on
whether they exchanged gifts during the "Moonie's" fre
quent visits to Marsh, who was then lieutenant governor.
Marsh said he knew of Mazumdar's church member
ship at the time but did not think it significant. The
church's activities began in the United States in 1962 but
were still little known 10 years later, when Marsh and
Mazumdar became friend.
Mazumdar was In Nebraska doing pioneer or mission
ary work for the church, which was founded by a Korean
minister, the Rev, Sun Myung Moon. Mazumdar was the
first church official to come to the state.
Meeting with Marsh
It was during that time Mazumdar met Marsh.
Now, Marsh says, he regrets the outcome and would
do the whole thing differently if lie could, since he thinks
lie went "beyond the bounds of ordinary propriety" in
extending his friendship to Mazumdar,
The friendship began five years ago when they were
introduced by a mutual -friend. The friend introduced
them because he knew of Marsh's widespread reputation
as a "friend of the foreign student." Mazumdar, a native
of India, said although he was not -a student, he was
received warmly by Marsh. f
During those visits, Mazumdar says he exchanged gifts
with Marsh. In the manual, he is quoted as saying he could
Valk into his (Marsh's) office anytime," that he "always
took (Marsh) a gift" and that he "never left empty
handed." ....
Mazumdar said it was crucial he make important
friends whom he deemed influential.
This story was written as an assignment in the Depth
Reporting class at the UNL School of Journalism, The
author is a senior from Lincoln. He was a Daily Nebraskan
reporter for a year and an associate news editor for a
semester before becoming news editor, .
Although Mazumdar later became a high official in the
church's bureaucracy, Marsh said their relationship was
never more than a blooming friendship.
Candles, candles
"When Lokesh came into my officeit was always on a
close, personal level," Marsh said. "He gave me gifts but
they were never anything of consequence. Candles,
candies, flowers, things like that."
Contacted in New York, Mazumdar would not specify
what the gifts were, but he did say they were "significant
and tangible."
.He said his gifts were "a token of love, even though it
may sometimes seem phony or artificial."
lie said the gifts were "material and always of some
worth,"
Marsh denied any of the gifts were valuable and said
there was nothing significant he could have given to
Mazumdar.
"The only tiling Lokesh carried away from this office,"
Marsh said, "was our friendship." Marsh denied giving
Mazumdar any gifts, saying Mazumdar must be speaking
in symbolic terms of their friendship.
"I had nothing I could give him from this office.
There was nothing he could have carried away,"
In addition to the manual's reference, Marsh said
there was one other surprise, indicating he may have
nisjudged Mazumdar's intentions.
Recommendation letter
In 1974, Mazumdar asked Marsh for a letter of recom
nendation, which Marsh agreed to write, Marsh said he
thought Mazumdar would use the letter as a character
eference in New York "to get himself introduced."
He said he was "glad to write the letter. It was an act
if open trust,"
Marsh has since learned that the letter was used to
help establish a "Moonie" college at Hempstead, on Long
Island, N.Y. Marsh said he regrets writing that letter and
intends to ask that it be withdrawn.
Marsh said he was "chagrined to learn my name had
been used for the church's benefit." He said his friendship
with Mazumdar had been tarnished, but that to protect
that friendship, he had not yet asked that the letter be
withdrawn.
Marsh, a United Methodist and chairman of his
church's administrative board, said he would not judge
Mazumdar's religious beliefs. He added that he thought
Mazumdar showed religious concern and dedication.
However, Mazumdar's religious zeal may have damaged
their friendship, according to Marsh.
Cannot trust
"I don't think I could completely trust him now,'
Marsh said. "If he walked into my office today, I would
smile at him and be courteous, I just wish he hadn't taken
advantage of me or my name.
"I believe now he may feel some uncomfortableness
about our relationship. I was never brainwashed. I just did
not , know he was using our relationsliip to help the
church,"
JMarsh said spontaneous visits were not unusual. Marsh
said his new friend often would cdme in with a group of
students to visit, but just as often would come alone.
Continued on p. 5
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Photo courttsy of Stt Tnaturtr's off let
State Treasurer Frank Marsli: "I was never brain
washed. I just did not know he was using our
relationship to help the church."