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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 14, 1979)
1. n i Wednesday, march 14, 1070 llncpln, ncbraska vol. 102 no. 04 V n o rr0 i. i' id ?. V--: 4 f V ' CM t4 , Ti IP? 1 if it 5" Here, catch! JtV spring and that ineans frisoees ,ir'""""r ""' ' Httto by Miry Afm Golon Universities interested in Chmese-UNL exchange By Karen Wittwer The possibility of a UNL exchange pro gram with the People's Republic of China is good, NU President Ronald Roskens said Tuesday during a news conference describ ing his recent trip to China. Roskens and his wife led an educational special interest group of 25 Nebraskans on a three week tour sponsored by the Center for Study of Comparative Education at Kent-State University. Roskens returned to work March 3. Roskens said he visited four of the six major universities and all expressed interest in exploring exchange programs of stu dents, faculty and publications with UNL The group visited Peking University, Nanking University, Futon University in Shanghai and Sun Yat Sen University in Canton. A delegation from Canton is scheduled to visit UCLA and Washington D.C. in April and Roskens said he invited them to stop in Nebraska. Low enrollment Enrollment in China universities cur rently is well below capacity because the universities were virtually closed during 1966-71, Roskens said. The Gang of Four had labeled universit ies as worms destroying socialism and Insisted that university faculty go out to the fields and learn to work with their hands, he explained. In addition to the universities, the tour visited primary and middle schools in Nan king, Wushi and Shanghai. Roskens said the Chinese educational system is a. national system as opposed to individual school systems in the United States. Children enter school at age six and attend classes six days a week, five hours a day. Lack of funds threatens Temple proposal By Randy Essex Because of a lack of money , renovation of UNLa Temple Theatre building might be tabled, members of the Legislature Ap propriations Committee said Tuesday. Urban senators on the committee were more supportive of the plan than outstate lawmakers, but even the two Omaha sena tors on the committee said funds may not be available for the project., ; LB385, Introduced by Lincoln Sen. Dave tandis and Bellevue Sen Frank Lewis, Would allocate $6.6 million dollars are four years for addition to and renova tion of the building. However, thHNU Board of Regents capital construction request asked for $50,000 during the next two years for planning the project. The project was listed 21st en the regents truest. , Committee Chairman Jerome Warner of WaverlyMdhe will be surprised if more than one or two of the projects actually receiving financing Warner laid he doesn't think there will be enough revenue available for the Temple project, lie said he supports keeping the budget under a 1 percent increase, which leaves only slightly more than $20 million for new projects. Fowler to support Temple ' Lincoln Sen. Steve Fowler said he will support the Temple project tn fcommittee, and that he thinks the funds necessary ire ' available; v. " 4 "But It shouldn't be assumed that the , project would be adopted at the expense of another university project, Fowler said. He explained that the plan is competing for money with request for new state pa - trol ears, HM-y&ivsrsity X tosstructiofi projects tniJditfcnai staff for state agen . ties.-: '." " - - - r Fowler fc! J the Temple renovation : should ta cne of the highest uriverclty tap ital construction priorities, despite the re gents request, He said he does not think passage of L&385 goes against a 1977 Nebraska Su preme Court ruling, that the regents have ultimate control of the university, and not the Legislature. "We can appropriate funds on each capital construction project as we see fit,' Fowler said The allocation process did not change after the court ruling, he added. Senators power questioned But Don Dworak of Columbus, Myron Rumery of North Platte and Ron Cope of Kearney questioned the appropriateness and ability of the Legislature to go against the regents judgment Dworak said his first reaction is to follow the regents priorities. Cope said he doesnt like the idea of telling anyone how to run their business. Dworak explained that NU employs people to determine the priorities, and said it would be irresponsible for the Legisla ture, not to look at the management de tisioa seriously wt just don't think we can go against what these people are paid to do," he said Dworak added that the committee only heard seven; people with, an interest in v theater say .the building should be a hiier priority. He said he also hears from agricul ture and electrical engineering students, asking for Imprdvemenu in their buildings No final dec&o&v " v. - But Dworak said, he realizes the Temple building is Li bid shape, and hisnl made a final decision yet.- . w . Urnnefy tsi.l ht doubts that the ttt lature has le;d power to change t the ! regents priority list. Hs said his position . oa the Temple project was established last year, when he voted for plannhg funis, but he would not disclose how he will vote in committee. Omaha Sen. Bemice Labedz said she re alizes the need for improvement of the building, but doesn't think the project can be My financed this year. She said she will support partial work on the building. But Cope said he thinks partial work is a waste of money. The Kearney senator said patchwork spending on the building would do no good "It's all or nothing, Cope said. The regents have total control of the project, and because they have given it low priority, hes not sure if the Legislature should allocate the money, he said. "I would love to see the funds allocated, but fciven the total amount of money avail able, it's a tough one, Cope said Hoia&d limited Omaha Sen. Peter Hoagiand said he will support the Idea all he can, but limited funds limit his support He said if the funds can fee found anywhere, he thinks the pro ject should be approved v Lincoln Sen. Shirley Marsh said she sup ports the project, but she is not sure where money would come from; Randy Moody, administrative assistant for Gov. Charles Thone, said it is too early to determine what the coventor's position" will be, But, Moody taid, he. thinks Thone has set the tone for spending this year In his budget message. Thone recommended $3,025,000 for university capital construe tion, compared to $9,42200 in the regents' request. Thone has also said new construction pJans wiH have to , wait Moody added that the regents ultimate control of NU would be another considera tiofi in determining1 the govemora pssi tioa if the Temple project reaches his desk. - Children in the cities attend school for 10 years before entering a university and children in the country attend school for seven years before going to college, he said. In the schools the Chinese emphasize examinations, discipline, continuous, quick revision of books and the key school con cept, Roskens said. The key school is designed to educate talented students from across China and through them show the wisdom of education to the entire country, he explained. Emphasis on exercise The Chinese curriculum emphasizes physical intellectual and moral education, Roskens said. A Chinese school day begins with a half hour of vigorous calisthenics and marching and there are exercise breaks throughout the day, Roskens said. The Chinese believe exercise will prevent the flu and other sicknesses and enjoy the compet ition offered by sports, Roskens said. Eye exercises also are practiced in the class room to help prevent poor eyesight, he said. Chinese moral education teaches the five loves: love of the motherland, people, science, public property and physical well being, according to Roskens. Chinese educators are concerned with many of the same problems that U.S. teachers are, he said. Tliey worry about the need to Improve facilities, staff quality, exam policies and the control outside authorities have on their schools, he said. Problems blamed on Gang Politically, all of the current problems in China are blamed on the Gang of Four which was deposed in 1977, Roskens said. According to current leaders, the Gang of Four was responsible for devaluing scholar ships, disrupting production, obstructing foreign trade and falsifying the last testa ment of Chairman Mao Tse Tung, Roskens said. The Gang of Four was a group made up of Mao Tse Tungs wife, Chaing Ching, and three others who pursued a radical policy following the death of Mao. They were subsequently purged by the Houa Kuo Feng regime , now in power. Today, China's objective is to modern ize its economy through the modernization of agriculture, industry, defense and science and technology, Roskens said. The Chinese are requesting U.S. help to modernize their country and Roskens said he believes it would be to the advantage of the U.S. to offer help because in 10 to 15 years China will be a major modern power with whom to contend. Policy briefings During a briefing at the VS. Consulate in China early in the tour, Roskens said the group was told that US. policy was a con tinuation of dealing with both the Peopled Republic and Taiwan. The group also was briefed cn the Continued en page 10 life at the Legislature: Profile of wwersity lobbyist ; William Swsnson . i Vpage 1 1 Food hi the Ba Applet; Columnist : gives tips on how to dine in New' . York ; . Vpj-re 12" Bar the doors: H&h school bz ketball weekend is , upon us - JSain'fcJSe 14 . ,v v , - - .., 1 M ' 4 1 '1 r i v r