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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 1979)
i i i tmH n 'I O Jbv3UGJiJi' Wednesday, September 20, 1979 lincoln, nebraska vol, 103 no. 22 "I r (0L sduu Activist Gregory weaves tales about social justice Dy Debbie Hemminger Dick Gregory, international social activist and comed ian, said he "hopes like hell . . . that you never ask me back to this place, under these kind of conditions." Gregory told a crowd oT 800 spectators in the Nebras ka Union that he cannot understand that as a football player, he could get anything he wants, but since he's concerned with the social Issues, his speech could not be financed with student funds. Gregory's speech was co-sponsored by the Coalition of Black Women and the Union Program Council's Talks and Topics Committee. Money for the speech came from a $1 ,650-grant to the coalition from the Nebraska Commit tee on-Humanities and voluntary donations to Talks and Topics. No student fees were spent for the program. Amid shouts of "Right on," from the audience, Gre. gory said that if students at UNL do not realize what the system is doing to them, and fight back, they will regret it. Students ought to be able to look back on their institu tion and say that it was humanistic, he said. Maintaining his self-proclaimed reputation as "one of the funniest comedians in America," Gregory began his string of ancedotes by saying ha is followed everywhere by the FBI and CIA. But, ha added, he got back at them when he flew with Frontier to Lincoln. If only Nebraska had a blizzard, he lamented. "AMERICA IS MORALLY and spiritually bankrupt," Gregory said at an afternoon press conference , adding that the hope of America lies in the young people now irt high school and college. He said that age group is just beginning to realize that alcohol and drugs are only a form of government manipulation. Gregory said he has been fasting since May 6, only drinking fruit juices, until production of nuclear energy stops. Gregory commented repeatedly in his speech that this year has been strange for him. He said he's been arrested "every time I walk down the street." Photo by Mark Billingsley Dick Gregory Gregory was recently arrested while protesting the clos ing of a hospitatin the poor, section of Su Louis, Mo. People have beeh rothting for three weeks, he laid ;re dieting that with enough pressure, the hospital will reopen. Gregory told the audience that on his first fast, during the Vietnam war, he lost 173 pounds. People who eat continuously say without food "folks" will die, he said, explaining that another time, he told a judge sentencing him that he would not eat or drink while jailed. The judge, said a man cannot live four minutes without air, four days without water and four weeks without Tood, He then sentenced Gregory to 20 days imprisonment. IN ANOTHER tale, Gregory said a sheriff up for re election begged Gregory not to die, and continually worried about his health, After the sixth day, the Judge decided to let him go. Gregory Bald he replied that the doctors who decided on the durability of mankind had failed to take into account prayers. Gregory said if there is a force inside of people, it will open with prayers, quenching any thirst. ' And if Christ came today, he would be put to the electric chair and everybody would wear electric chairs around their necks, instead of crosses, Gregory predicted. Christ 'b persecution was capital punishment, he explained. Noting an improvement in black-white relations in America. Gregory said that as long as decent people keep working, race relations will continue to improve. Faculty hears union idea Collective bargaining through labor unions will be discussed at a faculty forum Wednesday at 2:30 pjn.in the Nebraska Union. Robert S. Haller, UNL professor of English and pre sident of the American Association of University Profes sors, said the meeting will be "purely informational," giving faculty a chance to discuss and ask questions about labor negotiations through bargaining units. William Nathan, a Temple University professor of mathematics and former AAUP president, will speak concerning Temple's experiences with collective bargain ing. Haller said Temple, which is in Philadelphia, is like UNL in that it offers a full graduate program. Haller add ed that Temple, tike UNL, is governed by a board of regents and is subject to the authority of a state legisla ture. Haller said Nathan will discuss how bargaining would affect students, as well as faculty. The forum coincides with a vote Wednesday and Thurs day by UNO faculty as to whether it will organize a bargaining unit. Haller said results of the UNO election probably will result in a decision by UNL faculty concerning collective bargaining. Federal research grants reflect faculty effort - Young By Kent Warneke UNL faculty members have seen the number of com petitive federal research grants more than double in the last three years, but according to Chancellor Roy Young that number is only half of what he would like to see. "The increased effort of our faculty in the past years has had the major impact on the increasing of grants, but with our current faculty, we should have double the figures we have now," Young said. A report from the National Science Foundation show ed that UNL is ranked 102nd among colleges and univer sities in the amount of federal funds received during 1977, receiving $14.6 million. Nevertheless, Young indicated that while the ranking indicates the need for improvement, more important is the increase that UNL has received and what the money is going for. - "There is a direct effect on quality of education on both undergraduate and graduate students with every federal grant we receive " he said . r - i t ' . j Autumn, misty mornings fall upon Lincoln . ' .Fhoto by Mitch Hf!fcki The long, dear and hot tummer days tnd nits lit mow part of the past as short, cool tr.d sometimes V misty autumn days nd nights re here to stay until die seasons turn. According to Young, competitive research grants com pose the majority of grants received, which are based on the ability of a UNL instructor or graduate student to develop a proposal which would require federal assistance. The technical soundness of the proposed work, the evaluation of the individual's capacity tor the work and the actual woricinvolved are included in the proposal, he added. "When members of our faculty receive a federal grant, it means that they are in the forefront of their profession. And with the money they receive to increase their know ledge, the Students under the individual will receive the benefits of this." Chancellor Young added that the kind of recognition and support received from a federal grant is critical for a graduate student in continuing his education. According to the National Science Foundation report, most of the increase in federal grants at UNL have been in chemistry, physics, agriculture and the biological sciences. "Our engineering department has also increased-not to the extent of some other areas-but we have received a few grants that are very significant, Young said. He added that if one area improves in the future it should be the energy field . The facilities and atmosphere for scholarship at UNL are present and a great deal of improvement has been seen, but there is room for more improvement, he said. "In terms of receiving grants -applied for, we have had a good success ratio, which is a compliment to our facul ty. And we are going to keep encouraging more faculty members to apply for grants continuously throughout the year. II,. mm .. 1 lincoln, England to Lincoln, Neb.: The Royal Air Force Is giving artifacts to the university pe 14 European lock: Luther Allison, blues artist, speaks on his four European tours. ,y . pr 3 1 1 i 1 i : 1 4 4