n r
frlday, eprl! 13 , 1 979
llncoln, nebraska vol. 102 nd. 110
l&egent s cover up
char
to get legislative attention
By Rocky Strunk
A charge of a "cover Up' by the UNL
administration and the NU Board of Re
gents made by Regent Robert Prokop of
Wilbur will receive attention from the
Nebraska Legislature, according to Sen.
George Burrows of Adams.
"I'm preparing art amendment to bring
the issue before the legislature and point
out conflicts at the university' said Bur
rows who was one of seven state senators
receiving a seven page letter from Prokop
last week.
"Hopefully the discussion on the floor
will bring out some logical solutions and
the regents will handle their own prob
lems " Burrows said.
1 v" .
In Proton's letter, he charges that the
university tried to "cover up" information
about the Eppley Institute In Omaha,
veterinary testing fees at the agricultural
institute based in Lincoln, faculty con
sultantships and the University Founda
tion, Regent cover up
Prokop added that this is just part of
what some of the regents have tried to
cover up slnee 1971 and that this is "one
of the ibiggest cover-ups ori information
and detail that one could find in the state
of Nebraska."
He also accuses his fellow regents of "in
action and indecision except in a xrisii;
Prokop is scheduled to meet with seven
state senators after Tuesday's session in a
closed meeting to discuss allegations in his
letter. , sij...v,
Tm particularly interested in private
use of the veterinary diagnostic testing ten
ter since I'm from an acultural district,"
said Sen. Harold Sieck of Pleasant Dale.
"The private use of research bothers me
and certainly needs some looking into."
free testing services
According to Prokops statistics, seven
corporations and individuals used
$191,123 worth of free laboratory testing
services in a 24 to 30 month period. He
contends that the large users utilized the
testing facility for their marketing needs;
not for disease control.
"t think free veterinary diagnostic re
search is reasonable," Burrows said. "But
when it exceeds $50,000, it is getting a
little beyond the scope of Free research.
Besides veterinary diagnostic fee abuse,
Prokop also alleges some faculty members
and administrators are too heavily involved
in outside consulting work, tn his letter, he
cites two specific examples-Dr. Philippe
Shubik director of theEppley Institute at
the Medical Center and Dr. L. Wayne Dob
ton, professor of banking at the UNL Col
lege of Business Administration. .
- With a list of !7 professional consult-,
ing and advisory board positions held by
Shubik and seven positions for Dobson,
Prokop charges that the excessive outside
duties created conflicts of interest and that
none of the activities were approved by the
regents.
Approve work
NU policy states that regents must ap
prove consulting work when the faculty
member spends more than two working
days a month on outside duties or when
university equipment is Used.
According to one document presented
by Prokop, Shubik spent 43 days away
from the Medical Center on outside activi
ties during a three-month period in 1977.
"One of the most damaging implica
tions of Prokop's letter is that high level
management of cancer research may be
taking retainers from private firms," Bur
rows said.
tn his letter, Prokop challenges chan
cellors and NU administrators to "list
publicly their honorariums, consultant'
ships and financial gains from the Uni
versity of Nebraska Foundation along with
their additional salary benefits."
Omaha Law firm
Prokop also charges that the regents
tried to cover up the amount of money
paid to an Omaha law firm of Kutak, Rock
and Huie, for legal services to Eppley.
Those fees, according to Prokop, totaled
more than $46,000 in the past nine years.
Prokop said the fees were not included
on a list of all legal fees that he had
requested. When he asked that the fees be
discussed publicly by the regents last fall,
his request was denied. ,
"We haven't got the guts to terminate
anyone making bad judgment decision or
even ask for accountability." Prokop
wrote. "Does the regent stand behind the
bad judgment in Eppley or in the
consultantship racket or whatever?"
Burrows said that he hopes the regents
Will take an entirely new look at the in
ternal management of the university and
that perhaps a floor debate on the subject
will help bring some of the problems out
in the open.
Regent Prokop was unavailable for
comment on Tuesday's proposed meeting.
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Photo by Mark Billingstey
It was with more than a little bit of difficulty that UNL Dental student
Lynn Cramer got his miniature kite off the ground last weekend at Holmes
Lake in that the tail needed to stabilize the kite was more than the kite
could bear to lift.
H&nna resignation 6i&ot forced -Hedges
0
o m
BUI Evinces: Legislation concerning
f sexual sociopaths moves to Uni-
tamera) floor CV .t . . .page 6
Fly iway: Reviewer pans Studio
; Theatre's latest play Fiyit of the
7 ' Albatross. .vpags 8
Things treshipbijup: Nebraska Corn
t huskcr football teams looks good
during spring drills. pas 10 ,
Surprise and understanding were some
of the reactions received t& an informal in
terview of UNL engineering professors on
the resignation of George P. Hanna, Dean
xrf the College of Engineering.
Many of the profesors said his resigna
tion, to be effective June 30, was under
standable tn light of some of the criticisms
made of Hanna.
Hanna, however, said his decision to re
sign had nothing to do with recent
problems in the College of Engineering.
Ned Hedges, UNL vice chancellor for
academic affairs said Hanna was not forced
into resigning by the administration but
frustrations" could have hid tome part of
the decision. I t .
Itar leadership
Erustrations In the College of Engineer
lag have been brought about by tn increase
of the student body while the fimding of
the tc!!2t has remained the same. Hedges
Earlier this year u mamed sources told
the Daily Nebmkan chat Dean Hanna had
shown poor leadership.
Hedges .said that he looked into the
charges but found no "particular sub
stance" to the charges.
Of II faculty members interviewed, six
said they felt that the allegations made
against Hanna were unfounded, two said
they felt there was some basis for the
charges and three said they had no opinion.
George Nagy, chairman of the com
puter science said he had the impression
that Hanna did a good jobl
; "It was my impression that he trying to
do a very hard job against long odds,
Nagy Said. ; .
Removed
However, Professor Dwight Davy Said
that he felt the faculty1 general attitude
has been that the dean has been far re
moved, from the daily, problems of the
faculty. ; 1 - -v . . - .
As a faculty member Davy said he had
little contact with Hanna, but added that
may be his own fault since it is just as easy
for him to see the dean as the other way
around.
The three professors interviewed who
would give no comment said they felt it
was better to leave the past alone and not
stir up hard feelings.
Hanna said he is not leaving because of
hard feelings but because he has a desire to
get back Into research. The move to the
California State University system, Hanna
said, is a natural progression in his career.
Hanna came to UNL in 1969 after
leaving Ohio State University where he
headed its Water Resources Center.
According to Hedges a committee wi3
be set up to search for a replacement for
Hanna. Hedges said he doubted whether
the committee would be establi&ed before
the next regents meeting April 21. 1