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thursday, april 6, 1978 vol. 101 no. 94 lincoln, nebraska
Crowd of 20 gathers to discuss Union renovation
About 20 students and other interes
ted persons gathered in the main lounge of
the Nebraska Union Wednesday to
question proposed building changes in the
Union, with several demanding more stu
dent input on the issues.
The open hearing was called by the
Union Board in an attempt to enable stu
dents to express their opinions about such
Union additions as a plant shop, delicates
sen, variety store and travel agency on the
main floor of the Union.
The chcjiges also would include moving
the barber shop from the basement to the
now-defunct record lending library across
from the south desk. The changes were ac
cepted tentatively at the last Union Board
meeting.
Several students said that student input
should be directed to the board through
channels such as a student vote or a
questionnaire.
One UNL graduate student felt that
building additions and rental lease space in
the Union was not a solution to Union de
ficit problems.
"At what point do you want to stop
prostituting the Union to make it finan
cially viable?" graduate student Bob
Simonson asked the board.
Simonson and another student, who
would not be identified, expressed the
opinion that although the additions would
not raise student fees immediately, they
would eventually cause another student
- fees increase, while failing to alleviate any
future deficits.
Simonson said the board should
examine the bad financial situation of the
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Photo by Mark Biliingstoy
Things that go bump in the night . . . One UNL student found that a chase is not so merry if it ends abruptly.
Michael McRoberts, 19, of SS21 Navajo Trail, was riding his motorcycle on 1 4th and T streets at about 10 p.m. when a Lin
coln Police Department patrolman tried to stop him for a traffic violation.
Lt. Peter Larimer said McRoberts refused to stop and led the patrolman on a chase across campus. McRoberts hit a bump upon
entering R Street and crashed, thus ending the chase.
McRoberts was uninjured but was taken away in the patrolcar. His cycle received about SI 75 damage. Larimer said McRoberts
will be arraigned this morning on charges of fleeing to avoid arrest. ,
Union and determine the function of the
Union.
But Vance Colling, Union Board vice
president, said that building additions and
possible lease space in the Union was the
boards solution to financial problems.
Colling said it was a question of cutting
services or the additions and leasing Union
space to generate revenue.
"We need to do something quick,"
said Colling, of the proposal to lease rental
space.
Concerning other proposed changes,
two women students were opposed to the
renovation of the women's lounge across
from the South Desk to add a travel
agency, saying that the lounge was a good
place for off-campus women students to
relax between classes. Under the new plan
part of the lounge area would remain.
Another student feared that a variety
store, which would be apart of the north
desk area renovation, would compete with
the university bookstore during daytime
hours. The proposed variety store also
would be open during evenings and on
weekends.
Bakery missing cash;
police suspect theft
About $1 80 was found missing from the
Nebraska Union Bakery between 5 and
5:30 p.m. Tuesday. University police are
unsure if it was stolen.
Sgt. Al Broadstone said the money was
in a cash box below the counter. It may
have been taken to the bank by an employ
ee, but police suspect it was taken by a cus
tomer while the cashier was away from the
counter, Broadstone said.
University Police were notified of the in
cident at 5:25 p.m. after the cashier no
ticed the box missing. At 7 pjn. Wednes
day, police still were trying to contact em
ployees who may have taken the box to
the bank.
Partisan system better-Bereuter
By Rex Henderson
A debate begun in 1915 over the form of the Nebraska
Legislature-one house or two, .partisan or nonparti
san -still is being fought.
Douglas Bereuter of Utica, who hopes to leave the
Nebraska Legislature for the U.S. House of Representa
tives as a Republican for the 1st District next January, has
switched sides.
Bereuter says he entered the Legislature a supporter of
Nebraska's unique single-house, nonpartisan system. His
four-year tenure has convinced him otherwise.
"This year 1 see the emergence of techniques in the
Legislature that are not in the public interest," Bereuter
said. Among the techniques he named are "vindictive at
tacks" and "coercion."
Bereuter complained that the nonpartisan Legislature
creates a clublike atmosphere, where the force of person
alities, rather than platforms or substantive legislative pro
grams dominates debate.
"I came in at the end of the Terry Carpenter (former
state senator from Scottsbluff) era He was a power
vacuum in the Legislature at the time.
"As no other man he (Carpenter) dominated the entire
flow of the Legislature. This year there are several people
attempting to emulate him."
The Carpenter tactic Bereuter said he objects to is
intimidation.
Without the discipline of parties, Bereuier said the
quality of debate, traditions of senatorial courtesy and the
committee system are breaking down.
Too many bills that should be held in committee are
being advanced to the full Legislature, he said. Also, too
many bills that would be killed in a partisan system are
being passed through vote-trading and log-rolling, he
added.
The result has been poor legislation coming out of the
Legislature, Bereuter said.
Partisan election to the Legislature also would make
senators more directly responsible to the voters, Bereuter
said. The party affiliation gives voters a clearer idea of
their senator'6 position on specific issues, he said.
The nonpartisan Unicameral also is more subject to
special interest pressure, he said. Lobbyists need only
pressure a few of the dominant personalities in a single
house legislature.
In a two-house, partisan system, lobbyists have to con
vince more people of their positions.
Bereuter warned that Nebraskans should not let pride
and emotion over Nebraska's unique legislative system
stand in the way of an objective view of it.
"It's discouraging to see how little research is being
done on the system," he said.
A long-time sympathizer with Bereuter 's point of view
is Sen. Richard Marvel of Hastings.
Marvel has served in the Legislature since 1953, most
of that time with Carpenter.
Marvel said power in the Legislature has been spread
more evenly since Carpenter has left.
But he agreed with Bereuter that the Legislature
passes a large percentage of the bills introduced, and
that too many get through committee without opposition .
Marvel said he supports a partisan legislature because "I
don't know another mechanism to promote discussion we
are not getting in committee. "
In a partisan system each bill would face organized
opposition, he said.
Sen. Dave Newell bf Omaha has introduced bills the
past two years to put a constitutional amendment before
Nebraska voters to make the Legislature partisan. Neither
bill moved out of committee.
Many senators know that a partisan system is better,
Newell said, but they are too comfortable with the
non-partisan system to change it.
Under the present system most senators can avoid
taking a definite stand on issues. A partisan system would
force them to support their party's legislative program,
and defend that program to voters, he said.
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Photo by Tod Kirk
Sen. Douglas Berueter of Utica
inside
UfSOOAJ
Ladies get lift out of life, daily: Legislature's op
erators have their ups and downs page 5
The U.S. Open it isn't: but frisbee golf is competi
tive page 8
A UNI student is seeking the regent's seat: Kirk
Erlich is a 1st District write-in candidate
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