friday, October 12, 1979
page 4
daily nebraskan
POD
Female editor sets policy for X-rated advertisements
The fact that the Daily Nebraskan
accepts advertising for X-rated mov
ies came under attack at Wednes
day's ASUN meeting, supposedly
because two women on campus com
plained to Willie Watters, a senior
political science major.
Watters charged that the paper,
apparently because it accepts such
advertisements, is insensitive and
unaware of the feelings of UNL stu
dents. There are about 22,000 students
at UNL. There are about 75 students
on the Daily Nebraskan editorial
staff.
Thanks are in order for Mr.
Watters, who took it upon himself,
as a favor to the women, to bring this
burning issue to the attention of stu
dent government and the paper.
Thanks also are in order for Mr.
Watters for offering to pay admission
to an X-rated movie so our student
senate could attend. We are thankful
Watters did not propose using stu
dent fee money for this purpose. We
wonder if he had any takers.
It is abundantly clear that an
advertisement for an X-rated movie
is different from an X-rated movie.
In fact, advertisements for turkeys
are different from actual turkeys.
The Daily Nebraskan editor in
chief, who is a woman and has never
been to a X-rated movie, has the
final word concerning X-rated movie
advertisements. Her policy is that if
the illustration in the ad reveals con
siderably more than the cleavage of a
woman, the ad will not run.
It should be pointed out that this
newspaper is not delivered by child
ren. The editor assumes that our
readers -toward whom Watters
claims we are insensitive-are mature
enough not to be traumatized by the
sight of cleavage on newsprint.
Apparently, the advertisements
have aroused Mr. Walters' curiosity
since 11c buiu 11c uiu nut miow any
thing about the movies, as of Wed
nesday. We would suggest that this is
effective advertising.
Watters said he brought the matter
before ASUN because it is a matter
of responsibility and because stu
dents own the Daily Nebraskan.
Actually, through their student fees
students finance, and therefore own,
8 percent of the paper. Advertising
pays the other 92 percent.
We would suggest that any respon
sibility for these allegedly offensive
ads rests with the paper's editor, and
has been met.
-Randy Essex
English instructors rebuttal charges DN withmisconduct
paragraph begins "the incident occurred."
Oct. 1: "Excluding men from UNL under
scrutiny"
"Investigation" was not John Robin
son's word. No official investigation of an
instructor's conduct of a class can be or
should be conducted unless an official
charge has been made. Robinson, appro
priately and responsibly, said he would be
"looking into the matter promptly" "the
matter" being the allegation in the DN,
NOT a charge a student had made, since
Wordie Wright had not (and still has not)
made a charge.
Oct. 4: "Daily Nebraskan charges disputed"
The Oct. 4 Lincoln Journal and the Oct.
5 World Herald (UPI) and the Oct. 5
Lincoln Star reported Dean Larsen's sum
mary of Robinson's findings: "It is unfor
tunate that the male student felt 'exclud
ed.' Arrangements have been made for him
to receive instruction and complete the
course in a context which apparently
makes him more comfortable-namely
through individual study with the instruc
tor. I think that no vote was taken (to re-
By Michael Zangari
Ombudsman
A summary rebuttal of charges present
ed in the Daily Nebraskan concerning
English 253 A, Women and Poetry, has
been prepared by English Instructor Maria
M. Lemon. It includes a specific paragraph
by paragraph response by Linnea Johnson
to the initial (Sept. 27) article, and six
signed statements alleging misconduct on
the part of a reporter that interviewed
them.
The following are excerpts from the
text of the rebuttal, and should not be
considered the full rebuttal, or the direct
order of the arguments, the analysis is
that of Maria Lemon, and not of the Daily
Nebraskan. Starred items are Ombudsman
insertions.
Sept. 27; "Class votes out male members"
Quotes attributed to Linnea Johnson
are not statements she made.
Concerning Wordie Wright
(a) he did not want to charge Ms. John
son with any unprofessional or discrimina- move the students). Certainly they were not
tory conduct (the DN says Wright said he told to leave by the instructor. Larsen
"did not have time" to file charges); (b) his also said Robinson had followed up the
decision to take the class by independent story which appeared in the Daily Nebras-
study was his own, resulting from his feel- kan. Larsen did not say "investigation."
ing unwanted by some members of the Oct. 5: "The Daily Nebraskan Begins to
class; (c) no vote had been taken to Imply coverup"
exclude men; (d) Ms. Johnson did not sug- The inclusion of Kovanda's statement
gest such a vote; (e) he did not want to talk that no vote was taken was the DN's
to any reporters and had been avoiding FIRST suggestion that a vote might not
reporters since the DN story appeared have been taken. Earlier, reporters had not
Sept. 27 (see also Oct. 4 Lincoln Journal). bothered to ask other students of the class
Sept. 28; "Investigation" and "Probe" what had or had not happened. They had,
On Sept. 28, the AP story, prompted by however, interviewed Catherine Kid well,
the DN report, appeared in the Omaha who is not a student registered in the class
World Herald (Headlined with "Investiga- but who had visited it on Aug. 29 and who
tion") and in the Lincoln Star (Headlined does not visit it. Ms. Kidwell told those
"Probe"). The AP story correctly quoted reporters that no vote had been taken, but
John Robinson as saying he was "looking they simply argued with her and did not
into the matter" but, before the quote, report her comment,
described him as having said he would It is significant that the DN, NOT Chair-
investigate" the Daily Nebraskan report. man Robinson, should have interviewed
Oct. 1 ; "English Chairman examines expul- many or all of the class members before
sion" even considering running the Sept. 27
On page 1 , the DN printed its version of story. It would not have been appropriate
the AP story. The page 1 placement and of the instructor to have given the report-
the, organization of the article reemphasiz- ers a list of the registered students-that
ed the allegations as having substance. Its would have been an invasion of . their
first paragraph asserts "he is looking into privacy. But a reporter or reporters could
the situation in which two UNL students have come to the class, stated the rumors
were voted out of women's poetry class they were investigating, and asked students
because , they were men." The second to talk to them either during or after-
preferably after the class.
Oct. 9: "12 poetry students not contacted
in investigation"
Put Dean's comment that Ms. Johnson
said it would be illegal to exclude anyone
from a class is buried at the KND of this
story, on page 1 1 .
The fact that ten students interviewed
by the DN said no vote was taken is buried
in the story, AFTER the statements that
Robinson did not "investigate," and
AFTER the paper quotes Kindra Foster,
who dropped the class, as having said Ms.
Johnson suggested a vote.
In addition the Daily Nebraskan has re
ceived a complaint of misrepresentation
from one of the "unnamed sources" in the
Oct. 9 story "12 poetry students not
contacted in investigation."
She says she said (in full context) "I
really don't know if that was why taking a
vote was brought up, but that may have
been the result. Tfiey (the men) might have
been intimidated by it." She also said that
she didn't say for sure that 10 to 15 stu
dents dropped the class, she said "Quite a
few people dropped the course, there
seemed to be many more students there on
the first night of class."
m
The following accurately describes
the events occurring Aug. 29, 1979,
between approximately '7 and 8:45
pjri., during the first meeting of En.
253A, Women and Poetry (the bracket
ted statement is attested to as witnessed
only if an asterisk or star appears after
a signature):
The meeting began with a thorough
discussion of the course requirements,
texts, the sort of poetry to be read, the
fact that students also were to write
poetry, etc. In the course of this lengthy
discussion , which also raised some issues
which are raised by the assigned read
ings, several women students said they
would feel uncomfortable discussing
such issues and reading their own poetry
if men were to be present.
A short discussion of. that issue
followed, the point of which was to
isolate particular areas of concern and
to outline how to deal with them so
that the class members could all work
together, whatever their personal
feelings, and the instructor explained
that the class could not be restricted to
only women students. The men seemed
comfortable during the discussion and,
in fact, expressed support of the
women's concerns and volunteered to
take the class by independent study.
At about 8:45 the class adjourned for
the normal evening classbreak the men
at this time set up appointments with
the instructor to complete the course
by independent study , after which the
men did not return. No vote was or had
been taken to exclude the men from the
class. They were not excluded by either
the students or the instructor. Given the
nature of women's issues, it is not
unusual to see either men or women
become uncomfortable when they are
discussed, but if the men felt uncom
fortable with either the nature of the
women's issues necessarily included in
the course, or the feelings expressed by
the women students or by the poetry
about such issues, they did not indicate
that.
Patricia C. Dean Vicky L. Reed
Martha Coltvet Judith A. Sornberger
Kathleen E. Fey Julia L. Geier
Patricia L. Kovanda Morgan Becker
Patricia L. Gentzler Linnea Johnson
Mary S. Kennedy Melanie Hatfield
Present 82979, but not 101079
to sign or not sign the above , were six
registered students and one guest. One
101079 registered student present was
not present 829.
More letters on page 5
Landlord, tenant understanding prevents difficulties
By now many students who rent apartments have
probably encountered difficulties of one kind or another
with their landlord. Some of these problems stem from
ignorance of what cne's rights and responsibilities are and
may have been preventable. The following are some
general rules and suggestions that may prove helpful:
clean and damage-free condition and upon termination of
the tenancy place the dwelling unit in as clean condition
excepting ordinary wear and tear, as when the tenancy
commenced.
' The landlord has the responsibility to maintain the
premises and keep it in fit and habitable condition.
The tenant Is responsible for keeping the premises in
-The tenant is expected to stay for agreed time period
and will incurs legal liability in the event he or she fails to
do so. Likewise, the landlords must provide the dwelling
unit fnr h mramA linu nJ L .
vuu. iui givvu uiik oiiu oi Mic agreed price
G!ZL?S21 "Sf? !cnan.! I1 repairs be accomplished
Wi. U fc WM U shojl fce m wntng and a copy be retaincd r
TTl tenant nnliro tn tarminnt U ..I
....... v.iw w iviiuutaic me icniai agreement
must be in writing and must be received by the landlord at
least 30 days prior to the periodic rental date specified in
the notice. This means that if rent is due on the first of
the month, then the notice must be received no later than
the first day of a month. The 30 day notice Is required
even if your lease is set to expire and is required even if
there is no formal lease. The 30 day notice does not
excuse the tenant if time is still remaining on the lease .
-Security or damage deposits cannot exceed one
month's rent but the landlord may require an additional
one fourth of one month's rent for a pet deposit. Upon
termination of the tenancy, the landlord may apply the
deposit to rent owed and damages and cleanins expenses.
The landlord must return the balance, if any, and a writ
ten itemization of how it has been applied with 14 days
after demand by the tenant and designation of the
tenant's forwarding address. Disputes over security
Continued on Page 5