V
tuesday , december 4, 1 979
lincoln, nebraska vol. 103 no. 66
Iranian students uneasy about threats
By Mike Sweeney
,
A letter received last week by Lincoln and Omaha tele
vision stations threatening the "safety of Iranians in
Nebraska is the latest in a series of harassments of UNL
Iranians.
Several Iranian students have received late-night phone
calls, had their cars followed and have been shouted at,
according to international student advisor Linda Becker,
In addition, a student reported that a bus failed to stop
for him although he stood at a marked bus stop, Becker
said, The student is Lebanese, but said he thought the bus
driver assumed he was Iranian, she said,
An Iranian student who asked not to be identified said
a carload of friends was tailgated by another car for
about 30 minutes before a trip to the police station ended
the chase.
The student was reluctant to talk about threats against ,
Iranians, saying some people would be more likely to har
ass Iranians if they learned about the similar actions of
others.
The recent harassment and the threatening letter create
a feeling of uneasiness among many Iranian students,
Becker said, However, the students have dealt with the
actions maturely, and are trying to go about their studies
in the usual way, she said,
THE FOUR-PARAGRAPH letter said Iranians in
Lincoln are being watched by the Minutemcn, a nation
wide conservative group. The group said it intends to
retaliate against local Iranians if any Americans held hos
tage in the Tehran embassy are killed.
N "Unless all American citizens held captive in Iran are
safely released by Christmas day of this year, members of
this organization intend to begin selective action against
Iranian nationals in this country," the letter said.
"The intelligence section of this organization is now
compiling a list of Iranian militants who have ignored the
generosity and many privileges extended to them by ad
vocating violence in our streets and disturbances in our
universities," it said. 'These individuals will be strongly
encouraged to leave this country as fast as possible-while
they are still able."
Similar letters have been received across the nation,
according to FBI supervisory special agent Dick Harper.
Harper said the FBI is conducting a limited investiga
tion of the Minutemen. He said the FBI is precluded from
conducting full-scale investigations of organizations like
the Ku Klux Klan and the Minutemen.-
He characterized the Minutemen as an "ultra rightist
organization ."
HARPER SAID he didn't know if the letter was a
legitimate threat, but said the FBI hasn't yet received any
indication of action or violence by the Minutemen.
Iranian students interviewed Monday took a low-key
approach to the threats. , -
A member of the Persian-speaking Muslim Student
Association said Iranian students shouldn't react harshly
to threats and harassment, even though many sympathize
with the students holding American hostages in I rap.
"They should try not to be nervous. That doesn't mean
they shouldn't think about it," he said.
Another Iranian student said Iranians should inform
each other of threats and lend each other support during
trouble. .
Although he said he hasn't been the target of any
threats, the student said he lives with the feeling that
something could happen to him.
"It makes you very defensive. It's not a very good feel
ing," he said.
THE LETTER made him angry because the Minutemen
must realize Iranian students in the United States have
nothing to do with the embassy takeover in Iran, he said.
Interviewed students requested anonymity, fearing
retaliation if the Minutemen's threats are legitimate.
Although Becker said the letter made her angry, she
said Iranians should ignore any threats and let law
enforcement authorities investigate them. .
Moira Ferguson, faculty advisory to the Iranian
Student Association, agreed.
"Iranian students shouldn't do anything different from
what they're already doing," Ferguson said. 'They should,
not be intimated."
She, said the Minutemen are a fascist organization
which should not be able to deny Iranians their legitimate
rights to free speech and their demand for the return of
the shall to Iran, : ' , .
"Iranians should continue to point out the role of
United States imperialism in support of the shah, proving
its allegiance to the shah by continuing to support him
. - now that he has been deposed ," she said ,
NU foresees need for 790 additional staff members
By Kim Hachiya
According to a report issued last week by the NU
, Board of, Regents Planning Subcommittee, NU is project
ing a need for a 96.7 percent increase beyond current
allocations in state funding for the university during the
next five years, including 7$Q additional staff members.
The current state general fund allocations is approxi
mately $14.9 million for the entire university, The 96.7
AAaAAaf4 vAaAArA ' 4 ff tf 11as in 1 a n A s v n C A a a at 4-
annual" increase in general tuition rates and a 15 percent
increase in medical, dental and pharmacy tuition rates.
The study also indicates a projected 91.6 percent
increase in state general funding if annual general tuition
rates increase by 10 percent annually and 87 percent
increase if tuition rates raise 1 5 percent annually.
In projecting for UNL only (excluding the Institute of
. Agriculture and Natural Rj;suces)the planning .study
indicates a state funding percentage increase of 109.6 per-"
cent at a 5 percent general tuition increase; a" 102.6 per
cent if tuition is raised at a 10 percent annual rate, and
96.9 percent increase if tuition is raised at a 15 percent
annual rate. ,
The study, termed a "set of workpapers" by sub
committee chairman Regent Kermit Hansen, was released
by the University Planning Coordinating Committee in
order to establish a formal qualitative and quantitative
planning process within the several college units and
operating divisions on the campuses, and to coordinate
this process on a university -wide basis,"
Although the, study indicates a projected university
wide .enrollment decline of .6.7 ' percent, enrollment
increases are expected at the medical center, the Institute
of Agriculture and Natural Resources, graduate studies at
UNO and in the undergraduate College of Engineering and
Technology at UNL.
It is the increases in enrollment, plus an expected
growth in research, public service programs, off-campus
university -level instruction and technical assistance for
public agencies and private businesses which the study
uses to justify the projected increases in state aid.
Continued on Page 6
Peaceful demonstrators call for shah's extradition
A f V- ' J Y u
EXimiTE
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Photo by Mark Billingslcy
About 35 demonstrators including UNL students marched in front of the Capitol
Monday, demanding that the shah be extradited back to Iran. The demonstration
"was sponsored by the Progressive Studrnt Union.
By Val Swinton
- Demanding that the exiled Shah of Iran
be extradited to that country and that the
United States not become militarily
involved, some 35 demonstrators inarched
in front of the state Capitol Monday.
Martha Stoddard, a member of the Pro
gressive Student Union, a UNL organi
zation that sponsored the demonstration,
said that the group did not want armed in
tervention in Iran, and was afraid the situa
'tiptff could turn into another Vietnam.
"We believe the situation in Iran should
be solved peaceably and the only way to
do this is to send the shah back," she said.
"We wouldn't support Hitler if he tried
to seek asylum in this country," Stoddard
said. "And we 'don't see this as being any
different."
Stoddard said the Progressive Student
Union did not condone the taking of hos
tages, but, "We don't want America being
seen as taking in someone like this."
. The hour-long protest took place during
rush hour in downtown Lincoln yesterday,
and several drivers honked their horns as
they drove by, most apparently in support
of the demonstration. However, not every
one who drove by supported the demon
strators. A passenger in one car declared "kill
Iran" as the car passed. Another yelled an
obscenity directed at the ayatollah.
Another driver rolled down the window
of his brown and white Lincoln Continent
al and with middle finger raised, thrust his
fist upward several times at the demonstra
tors. Not all the demonstrators were UNL
students or instructors. Elizabeth Piatt, an
English , teacher for non-national students
at Lincoln High School, said a 17-year-old
Iranian student had received a telephoned
death threat Sunday.
' "I'm outraged at that," she said. "He
said he could handle it, but I think it's a
very harsh thing to happen to someone
that old."
Eleven-year-old David Frost, a sixth
grade student at St. Mary's School, across
the street from the Capitol, discussed the
Iranian situation at length before joining
the demonstrators. He said he was walking
home from school when he saw the demon
strators and decided to join them.
Frost said h learned about the Iranian
situation from his sister, an eighth grader,
and from discussion in his social studies
class.
Although the demonstration was peace
ful, it almost caused a traffic accident
when "a man driving a white Oldsmobile
was eyeb ailing the demonstrators screeched
to a halt just before hitting a Volkswagen
in front of him.
The shah was moved to an .Air Force
Hospital at Lackland Air Force Base in
San Antonio, Texas, Monday, and President
Carter refused to rule out the possibility
the shah may eventually be given asylum in
the United States.