page 4
Wednesday, march 29, 1978
daily nebraskan
SI,
Speaker funding inches through unclear definitions
Score one for speakers.
In their 1978-79 budget recom
mendation, the Fees Allocation
Board has included some money for
a speakers program. In case you for
got, the NU Board of Regents told
us at their Feb. 18 meeting that man
datory fees could not support a
speakers program.
In a report to FAB, a subcommit
tee stated that they see no reason to
not budget for a speakers program
next year. Actual allocation to the
Talks and Topics committee or any
such counterpart is pending a regent
definition of "speaker." Lord knows
when that will be, since speakers
were not even discussed at this
month's regent meeting.
Obviously, the 5,000 signatures on
a petition supporting mandatory fees
for speakers meant something to
FAB members. Obviously, the same
5,000 signatures meant something
else-or perhaps nothing-to the
regents.
But in any case, at least the
money for a speaker program is there
if needed.
The next step is to define speaker
and then see how that definition fits
with FAB's allocation for Talks and
Topics.
It looks like this is going to be a
long, tangled process-possibly so
lengthy that nothing will be finalized
until after the semester ends and the
majority of students have left UNL.
If such is the case, the earliest
we could have a speaker-if, in fact,
they are even allowed -would be
probably spring '79.
Reviewing this complicated pro
cess, we applaud UPC and FAB for
working within such nebulous guidelines.
However, we cannot help but be
frustrated by the whole process.
The regents have complicated the
speaker issue and as yet have done
nothing to help clear it up. It's hard
to work with budgets that may
may not include a speaker program.
So far, it looks like speakers will still
be around, funded by mandatory
fees.
But it's hard to work with
maybes. We need a definite, clear-cut
solution to this problem now, while
students are still around to voice
their opinion.
Language loses all 'person -ality through non-sexist words
What can you say about a society which
measures the level of cultural acceptance of
a new trend' by how quickly it enters John
ny Carson's monologue or gets used in a
commercial?
I suppose that finding out about a new
fad by "Carson's Barometer of Fad Accep
tance" is as good a way as any, but finding
out that we have somehow gone wrong via
an Alka Seltzer Commercial makes me a
little uneasy.
michael
zangan
Well, to make a long story short, we
blew it again. Rmember when there were
high hopes that the word "person" when
used as a tag for traditionally male-oriented
occupational titles, would help raise con
sciousness? Initially, it seemed to raise more eye
brows than consciousnesses, but somehow
it creeped into the vocabulary anyway. It
now has made it's way into the wonderful
world of advertising, and it is just about
ready for burial.
Witness: a new Union Pacific Railroad
commercial. (Over the catchy and very
cute Union Pacific jingle) The camera
sweeps over the happy and busy workers,
"Joe Blow: Switchman", "John Doe: Line
man", (the camera continues it's sweep of
various men until it comes to a woman em
ployee) "Jane Q. Public: Uneperson."
There are other commercial's that use
the same line, of course, but somehow this
one seems to be the most graphic in it's ref
lection of what has come to be.
It's obvious isn't it? "Person" means
woman. There are businessmen and busi
nesspersons now (The business person is
the one in the pantsuit.) We've come a long
way, baby.
The capper comes in the form of a Cali
fornia survey. The new one says that in
nearly all cases where it is used, when "per
son" is inserted, it is used as a reference to
a woman. The same survey tells us that
"Ms." has now replaced "Miss" (in most
cases "Mrs." still is used for married
women.
Admittedly, I dislike the "person" label.
I prefer the simple tag "woman" where it is
appropriate, but would use anything if I
thought it would even things out a bit.
I hope we are far enough along that we
do not automatically assume that a doctor
or lawyer is a man, or assume anything
about anyone.
Whatever the, case, get ready for the
next onslaught. A man at the University of
California at Berkeley has just received a
grant to explore the possibility of inserting
the new word "E" into the language in
stead of heshe.
Are you ready? "Meet Ms. Sally Sadie
horse, E is the new batperson for the Yan
kees, E works with John Jetison "the busi
nessman of the bat" as he is affectionately
know..."
Why do I feel like I'm drowning in a
symantic cesspool?
I
to the editor
The ASUN Electoral Commission would
like to inform the students of UNL of
what happened in the reporting of the
1978 election results.
At approximately 2 a.m. March 16, the
Electoral Commission contacted the Daily
Nebraskan and reported the election results
for the ASUN executives, the student fee
referendum, and the senate positions in all
colleges except Arts and Sciences, Engineer
ing, and Graduate.
At that time, the Daily Nebraskan repre
sentative did not want the vote tally for
the senate positions, although we offered
to give them to her.
The Daily Nebraskan was informed at
that point that the SOAR party had won
all the senate seats, except one in the
College of Home Economics. The Daily
Nebraskan also was notified that the rest of
the results would be available as soon as
possible after we met at 6 p.m. Thursday,
March 16 to finish counting.
The Electoral Commission had been
working for 21 hours straight, and we were
so tired that we decided to finish counting
on Thursday evening to ensure accuracy.
The Electoral Commission could not
meet earlier than 6 p.m. Thursday because
of class and work conflicts.
At approximately 8 p.m. March 16, 24
hours after the polls closed, the Electoral
Commission notified the Daily Nebraskan
of all senate position results, and also
partial results for the advisory board posi
tions. The Daily Nebraskan informed us
that Friday's issue already had been sent to
the printer and that it was too late for the
election results to be included.
The Electoral Commission feels that the
Daily Nebraskan staff should have waited
for these results. The Daily Nebraskan
knew that the returns would be available
Thursday evening, and we also are aware
that th" Daily Nebraskan can easily include
any news it receives prior to 9 p.m. in the
following day's issue (such as actions taken
at ASUN and CSL meetings).
The Daily Nebraskan was able to wait
until 2 a.m. to find out who won three
executive positions, so it is difficult to see
why it could not wait until 8 p.m. to find
out the winners of 35 senate positions. The
Daily Nebraskan easily could have inform
ed UNL students who their ASUN senators
were in the Friday issue.
We would also like to point out several
errors in the Friday, March 17, editorial.
The Electoral Commission announced
Thursday morning not Thursday night,
that the election results would be avail
able on Thursday night.
In addition, most of the ASUN Senate
winners were notified of their election on
Wednesday night or on Thursday by president-elect
Ken Marienau. The Daily Ne
braskan is not the only way that news
travels on campus, so we doubt that too
many senate winners are "holding their
breaths".
President-elect Marienau was notified of
the senators who had won at around 2:30
a.m. Thursday morning, right after the
Daily Nebraskan was called, and we
imagine that he got started on his "senate
groundwork" before the editorial was even
published.
We admit that there was a communica
tion breakdown between the Daily Ne
braskan and the Electoral Commission con
cerning the publication of the election
results, but before the Daily Nebraskan
points its finger at the Electoral Commis
sion as the source of all blame, it should
realize that three of its fingers are pointing
back at itself.
Ken Christoffersen
Lori Von Minden
Steve Korff
Richard Johnson, ASUN Faculty Advisor
The Daily Nebraskan printed what was
available to us within our deadlines.
On election night, the Electoral Com
mission agreed to call the Daily Nebraskan
when they had tallied the votes.
Arrangements were made two weeks in
advance to accomodate election night re
sults. Results were called in beginning at 2
a.m., four hours after the paper's final
deadline.
Senatorial votes wen- not printed be
cause the commission had not made a final
count. To ensure accuracy, the final tally
was needed.
Continued on page 5
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