Election recount
reverses decision
A recount of the ballots from the recent University of
Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) student government election
has reversed the earlier decision.
The new total, reached after compensating for a
"human error", starts the machinery for a new UNO stu
dent government.
A referendum providing for a new student government
at UNO received a majority of votes, according to a
recount Tuesday.
Election Commissioner Jeff Koneck said the vote was
363 for and 200 against. This compares to the earlier
figures, 286 for, 205 against, which were found to be in
error.
Two persons counting the votes had put the ballots
into piles, but had not counted them, Koneck said. How
ever a figure was given to Koneck that he reported to the
public, he said.
Later, he said he questioned the information because
it "didn't seem right to me," and lie called for a recount.
"We were all real tired that night and I just accepted
the figure," Koneck said.
The earlier vote represented only a plurality, not the
majority required for it to pass.
The referendum will put into effect a new constitution
for student government, he said.
I
Wednesday, november 30, 1977 vol. 101 no. 48 lincoln, nebraska
Four charged in Cather blast
By John Ortmann
Four UNL students were arraigned Tuesday afternoon
in Lancaster County Court in connection with an explo
sion late Monday night in Cather Hall.
Those arraigned: Edward Bannister, 19, Philip Harris,
18, Michael McCaulley, 18, all from Holdrege, and Martin
Mullican, 21, from Omaha. All are Cather Hall residents.
They were charged with destruction of a building with
an explosive device, a felony carrying a penalty of five
to 15 years in prison andor up to a $10,000 fine, accord
ing to Deputy County Attorney Alan Everett.
The four may also face charges of violating the Univer
sity Code of Conduct, according to Suzanne Brown,
assistant to the vice chancellor for Student Affairs.
Brown said it would "appear likely" that the students
would go before the university judiciary on charges of
possessing an explosive device, damaging a UNL building
and possibly others.
Anyone convicted under the code faces probation, sus
pension or expulsion from UNL.
Brown said no definite date has been set for bringing
This constitution will give total control over all student the university action
fees to the Student Government Association (SGA). Bannister, Harris' and Mullican were arrested early
Koneck said the proposal will go before the NU Board Tuesday m ming m Cather m by Campus
ot Regents Saturday. officers. McCaulley was arrested Tuesday afternoon
, , ,. ., shortly before the arraignment.
UNO student president-elect, Paul Hoffman said information provided by other Cather Hall residents
such student control is against regent policy. Hoffmann ie t0 the arrests, according to Campus Police Capt.
said students shouKI have final recommendation over fees, Robert Edmunds.
but not total control over them. The explosion occurred at 11:30 p.m. Monday in a
. stairwell on he 13th floor of Cather Hall, Edmunds said.
He said the blast caused approximately $150 damage.
Apparently there were no injuries.
. j J -' J ' ' ' Evidence at the scene indicated the homemade bomb
inSIO W OHO SOQtU was a castiron PJPe about six inches long and one-half
& inch in diameter, Edmunds said. The bomb was charged
. with black powder and detonated with a firecracker's
" fuse, he said.
Not playing with a full deck: Nebraska's foot- . - susPects w,e,Leeleased by County Judge Jeffery
baU team may no. even p.av in front of a dfflifS
pair ot cards . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. J McCaulley and Mullican, Everett said. Harris will be requir-
Three bears out of court: UNL police hearing ed to provide his own counsel since he can afford it,
completed but decision is pending p. 7 Everett said. V
New meaning for cold turkey: Stolen Toms The suspects are not required to enter a plea until after
were full of experimental drugs. p. 9 a Dec. 13 docket call in District Court, Everett said.
4
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Photo by Tim Ford
The explosion on the 13 th floor of Cather Resi
dence Hall caused damage estimated at $150,
according to Campus Police.
Bowl bid brings criticism
By Mike McCarthy and Mike Patten
Football, not books apparently was on
some decision-makers' minds when UNL
officials accepted , an invitation to play
in the Dec. 19 Liberty Bowl in Memphis,
Tenn. against the University of North
Carolina. .
The game is scheduled during finals
week at UNL and although finals week
scheduling will not change, the decision
to accept the bowl bid prompted a
response by some UNL faculty members.
Meeting at the request of Chancellor
Roy Young Nov. 18, the Intercollegiate
Athletic 'Committee (IAC) recommended
the "scheduling of athletic events during
examination is . academically unsound.
Athletes as well as other students should
be expected to follow nornial final exam,
ination schedules as published.
"For the national image and general
welfare of the entire University, we feel
this tentative agreement should be honor-
ed," the recommendation said. "We, as a
committee, further feel that whenever
possible the scheduling of future athletic
events that may conflict with university
academic pursuits should be avoided."
The committee, which is a liaison be
tween the faculty and athletic department,
includes chairman William Sesow of Teach
ers College and UNL Athletic Director Bob
Dcvancy.
No other bids
Sesow said the IAC thinks UNL would
not get any pther bowl bids if they turned
down the Liberty Bowl.
"There was a feeling that if we did not
accept the Liberty Bowl our football team
would stay home this year, he said.
"It's unfortunate, just an oversight by Mr.
Devaney. Accepting the Liberty Bowl bid
during finals week was academically un
sound. "If anything like this happens again,
to put it bluntly, we won't like it. I hope
the faculty will be flexible (in holding
students to final exams). It's a bad deal
all the way around."
Devaney said he agreed the date of the
bowl corhes at a bad time.
"I admit it's not an ideal date," he said.
"Next year if the same situation comes up
we'll stay home if that's our only choice."
Considerations made
Ned Hedges, interim vice chancellor
for academic affairs, said arrangements for
football players and cheerleaders will be
made so that they may attend the game.
"Individual faculty members are en
couraged to make arrangements for
examinations upon request by individual
members of the football traveling squad
and the chee Heading squad to allow
participation in Liberty Bowl activities,"
he said.
Band members already have voted
to go to the Liberty Bovyl. Now they
need to raise the money to get there.
See the story on p.7.
Sesow said he could not explain why
the athletic dept. would schedule games
during finals.
"Only one guy can give you that ans
wer," he said. "I have a lot of respect for
Mr. Devaney, but I don't know how he
thinks."
William Alschwede, Faculty Senate
liaison to the IAC, said an informal survey
taken by the Faculty Senate's executive
committee indicated disapproval with the
decision to accept the bid.
"There is always a possibility of some
one failing a class because of bowl games,"
he said. "We encourage the athletic dept.
to avoid that jn the future.
"It was 'our feeling that even though
academics are desirable, it might be in the
best interest of the state to have the foot
ball team represent the university in a
national bowl."