n
Wednesday, aprll 4, 1979
llncoln, nebraska vol. 102 no. 104
Without newly-elected president,
Legality of appointing senate questioned
ivi
anenau
By Shelley Smith
Because the possibility of committing
unconstitutional action, ASUN President
Ken Marienau asked the Student Court
Tuesday night for an opinion on the
legality of appointing the new senate to
night without its new president.
The new president has not been elected
yet because of the failure of the preferent
ial ballot-system used in the ASUN election
two weeks ago.
A runoff election is tentatively schedul
ed for April 1 1 between two candidates be
cause neither candidate met the NU Board
of Regents requirement that executive
officers be elected by a majority vote.
The Student Court's decision will be
announced sometime today.
Marienau originally had decided that the
new senate and first and second vice presi
dents would take office as planned tonight.
Alternative action
He said it was his general understanding
that, as the current president, he would
stay in office until a new president is elect
ed. However, ASUN advisor Jane Baack said
she was not sure Marienau had the- power
to "make thar kind or understanding "
state the president's term shall be the
"same as that of an elected member of the
senate," which is one year.
Bob Gleason, who is chairman of the
Government Liaison Committee but acting
as a student, asked the court to restrain the
senate from appointing its new members.
Gleason argued that the spring election
is not over because the president has not
been elected, and therefore rules pertaining
to the end of the election are not valid.
He asked the court to require ASUN to
appoint the new senate when a president
was elected saying it is the only way to
obey the constitution.
"Future actions of the ASUN senate
would be tainted because the appointment
would be unconstitutional," he said.
First vice president
Marienau's petition claims that restrain
ing the senate from taking office tonight
would mean the .entire senate and the1
executives would serve a term longer than
one year, and would leave the new senate
with only three meetings until the end of
the semester.
One part in Marienau's petition
mentions the possibility of the first vice
president becoming president.
It states that a clause in the constitution
specifies the first vice president's power as
succeeding to the presidency "in the event
of the vacating of that office."
However, it also reads: "In case the
president of the association shall become
unable to fulfill his duties by reason of dis
qualification, disability, death, or impeach
ment and conviction, the first vice presi
dent of the association shall , assume the
powers and duties of the office and serve
for the remainder of the original term."
Marienau's tltiohv JoVvtjfe r Student
Court states there are alternative actions
open to the senate but urged the court to
allow the current president to remain in
office until a speaker of the senate could
be selected.
Although this might not occur .until
April 11, Marienau said it would' allow the
first vice president-elect to assume the
duties of the president. The speaker would
then take over as first vice f president.
Advantages of this proposal, according
to Marienau, would be having a president
constantly in office, as well as having three
executive officers working simultaneously.
Stay appointments
However, Marienau serving temporarily
still would violate constitutional rules that
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Photo by Marie BUIingttey
Andy Granetelli: Your track is ready. We tuned the engine, rotated the tires, checked the anti-freeze, counted all 3000
SIP stickers and found your Chevy to be in good condition except for the oil which was so thick we couldn't get the dip
stick out to check it. We think it's good for at least one more cruise around the block.
Survey shows marijuana favored for glaucoma patients
By Randy Essex
Results of a survey released by Neligh
Sen. John DeCamp Monday may add fuel
to an amendment he, will introduce that
would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana
for glaucoma and chemotherapy patients in
in Nebraska.
Hie survey, conducted by Omaha poll
ster Joe B. Williams, shows an overwhelm
ing majority of the 1,040 Neb risk tns
surveyed, regardless of age, sex, education,
political affiliation or occupation, favor
the move. . - ' ; .', - -
Don Fiedler, state coordinator for the
National Organization for-the Reform of
Marijuana Laws, said that although 83 per,
cent of those surveyed favor the plan, he
still is concerned that the Legislature wiH
not allow therapeutic uie. .-.:.. .
'';""The."iesulU of the survey are rach a-'
strong statement , and recent medical docu '.
mentation is so clear, that the only result
of i delay would be a legislative denial to ;
people ' who need, marijuana to . stabilize
their cet:it or restore; to 'them the
dignity cf net navir.j extended periods cf
nausea (as a result of cheraothercpy treat
mcnti), Fiedler til J. '
; Lledical ttstbj has shown that marl-
juna use rtduces prtsrjrs on ths Inner eye
of auccma sufTertrs and relieves nausea
that results from chemotherapy treatments
of cancer.
DeCamp will introduce an amendment
to LB382 allowing Nebraska to become the
fifth state permitting therapeutic use of
marijuana; LB382 was introduced by
Omaha Sen. Patrick Venditte to allow pre
scribed use of Laetrile by cancer patients.
Venditte has been an advocate of stiller
penalties for marijuana and has stated his
opposition to the inclusion of marijuana in
his bill;r 'z- .
DeCamp said hh intention in introduc
ing IhebSl u based on its belief in fredrn
of choice for patients in unusual situations;
He said the amendment should net be con-,
fused with the legalization of marijuana,
- DeCamp said he has two purposes in
attempting to amend LB382. First, he said,
there are Nebraskans desiring the use of
both Laetrile and marijuana in treatment
of their diseases, .
: ; Second, vhe said, -if - the : Laetrile bi3
passed oripaaUy. written, it would not'
have placed the proper stringent control
necesry for both Laetrile and marijuana.? .
Tne survey, released by DsCamp's office
add of those men and women under 30, 87
percent responded aflirmativtry. In the 30
to 44 ase group, 82 percent were in favor,
and 87 percent of those between 45 and 59
Joined uis nujsrity.V . -Ti t i , .
Only slightly fewer people over 60
favored the idea, with 77 percent in favor.
In the section of the survey breaking
down the respondents by education, 80
percent of those have not completed high
school and 87 percent of those through
college were in favor.
Ornaha citizens were 90 percent in
. favor; Lincolnites, 84 percent, and 80 per
N cent of those in the rest of the state favor
ed the plan.
Fiedler said the high percentage of
approval in Omaha was significant because
7; that i$: where the plan has received the
most publicity.
:;The" lowest percentage of approval
shown in the survey breakdown was 69
percent,' among farmers and ranchers.
J. Although the survey results indicate
support for the plan, sentiment in the
Legislature - fa unpredictable, a DeCamp
aidesdd. ' "1
. Dan Meyer said all four possible
opinions exist. Some senators oppose
LB3S2 in any of its proposed forms, while
others support the inclusion of both
1 Laetrile and marijuanae Meyer saU.Some,
Itka Venditte; want Laetrile in and maxi-:
Vjuana kept cut. O&as want it the other,
way, Meyer said. C
Hemirigford Sen. Sam CuHan said he
would - vote for DcCampi - amendment
"mostly for the purposes of killing it."
Cullan, chairman of the Public Health
and Welfare Committee, which heard the
Laetrile bill, said he would like to clutter
the bill with several amendments in order
to kill it.
He said Laetrile is a matter for federal
control, and is one of the few subjects that
is not within the states jurisdictions.
But marijuana probably is within that
power, Cullan said.
If the DeCamp amendment is success
fully attached to the bill, Cullan said he
would urge that it be given a public hearing
to get expert testimony.
Sari about that: Woman recounts her
experiences as an exchanse stu
dent in India. . . ; .pages 13 and 14
If youNre got ; thS time: Expert'
panelist wi3 tell you which is the
king of beers . w . . .pso 1 6
Talk h cherpt Everyone's cot en
; opinion about the outcome of this .
year's bsscbdlnees... k . xzzz 13
