Page 2
Summer Nebraskan, Thursday, Aug. 3, 1978
Union audit slated for fall
A private firm will perform a
management audit of Nebraska Union
operations this fall in accordance with
recommendations made to the Board of
Regents July 28.
Richard Armstrong, vice chancellor
for student affairs, suggested the audit
in a report on Nebraska Union operations
and policies.
Armstrong and Miles Tommeraasen,
vice chancellor for business and finance,
were directed last month by UN-L
Chancellor Roy Young to investigate
criticisms of union management pre
sented to the regents in May and June.
Graduate students Bob Simonson and
Carol Petersen had criticized plans for
Union expansions and renovations which
Union director Allen Bennett said were
necessary to recoup financial losses of
last year and expected this year.
Regent Robert Prokop of Papillion had
questioned why the Nebraska Union last
year had the highest administrative
operating costs of all unions of Big Eight
universities, the second highest income
from funds like student fees and was the
only union to lose money.
Armstrong told the regents that the
financial status of the union is difficult to
assess because of the "nature of the
beast."
He called the Union a difficult
operation to manage because it receives
some money from student fees, some
from state funds for utilities and grounds
maintenance as well as some from self
generated income.
The Nebraska Union is currently
under a lot of pressure, Armstrong said,
because the state has budget pressures
and projects to increase self-generated
funds are "highly controversial."
Problems are further compounded
because in five years the cost of goods
have increased at a greater rate (126
percent) than the sales rate (102
percent). He said labor costs have
increased 87 percent and profits have
risen only 79 percent.
But the Union appeared to have the
highest administrative operating costs of
Big Eight unions only because "we were
comparing applies and oranges," Arm
strong said.
Armstrong said he discovered that
only two schools included in their reports
the salaries of all persons in administra
tive positions. Most were using only the
salaries of top administrative officials,
he said.
Charges by Simonson and Petersen
that student fee money in special
accounts is being used for projects other
than for what they were allocated by the
regents and the Legislature are un
founded, Armstrong said.
Because Bennett is accountable to the
Armstrong and Tommeraasen any devi
ance from regents specifications would
have to be approved by them. A great
discrepancy would be taken by the vice
chancellors to the regents for approval,
Armstrong explained.
Armstrong said the expansion and
renovation proposals that were criticized
are justified because "management has
to be creative in order to stay alive."
He said facelifting is in order "simply
to make the place more attractive to the
people in the environment." Such
projects do not need to increase revenue
to be justified, he added.
Claims that there has been an
intentional effort to convert the Union
into a shopping mall and to destroy the
living room concept of the Union are
exaggerated, Armstrong said.
"I don't believe that we are near that
point in our development."
Despite charges to the contrary,
Armstrong said decisions regarding the
Union are made with adequate student
input and influence. Ten of 14 members
of the Union Advisory Board are
students, he said.
Marijuana pickers harvest in Nebraska
Continued from page 1
Hagge said, radio stations in rural
areas will broadcast 60-second public
information announcements over the
next few months.
The announcements ask that people
watch for harvesters and sav that the
"harvesters often rent old farm houses
and live in them until shipments are
made. Many of them are from out of
state, so watch for out of state license
plates. Obtain a description and report it
to the state patrol or local law
enforcement officials."
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Hagge said State Patrol information
indicates Nebraska "ditch weed" usu
ally goes to Texas and Arizona where it
is mixed with Colombian marijuana,
which is more potent. Hagge said the
difference in quality between Colombian
and Nebraska marijuana is like compar
ing Cadillacs and Fords. He said the wild
Nebraska marijuana is of a "poor
quality" but can be mixed which would
allow a bigger profit for the selier.
The State Patrol investigated 30
harvesting operations last year. Hagge
said 69 arrests were made and that 3,235
pounds of marijuana were confiscated.
Of those arrested, 21 were from
Nebraska, 14 were from California, nine
from Colorado and the others from 12
different states.
Assistant Lancaster county attorney
liary Lacey said, cases involving harves
ting of marijuana occur in late August
and September, when most of the
harvesting is done. He said the
Lancaster county attorney's office han
dles five to ten harvesting cases each
year.
"The charge depends on the evidence,
it depends if you catch then tying it in
bundles or chopping it down," he said.
Possession of over a pound, harvest
ing or delivering marijuana is a felony
that carries a one to five year sentence.
Backpacking
Two spaces are open in the UN-L
recreation department backpacking trip
to Targhee National Forest in Wyoming,
Aug. 18-27.
Three pre-trip meetings are required
before the- group leaves Aug. 18.
The cost of the trip is $115 which
includes food, transportation, insurance
and equipment.
Dan Steller, recreation office director
at 1740 Vine Street has more information.
Rafting trip
Applications are being taken for the
UN-L recreation department rafting trip
in north-central Idaho, Aug. 19-27.
Students with rafting experience are
preferred for the 80-mile trip down the
Main Salmon River.
Two five-man rafts with paddles and
one larger gear boat with a rowing frame
will be used on the trip. A limited
number of kayakers may go, but must
provide their own equipment.
The recreation department will pro
vide transportation, food on the river,
rafts and equipment, camping equip
ment and supervisory staff. Cost of the
trip is $160 for rafters, $105 for kayakers.
A pre-trip meeting is scheduled for
Aug. 14.
More information is at the recreation
office, 1740 Vine Street.
Football
tickets
Tickets are available for the Sept. 2
Nebraska-Alabama football game at
Birmingham.
Tickets must be ordered at the athletic
ticket office. Cost is $10. Tickets not sold
will be returned to Alabama Aug. 9.
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