thursday, december 6, 1979
lincoln, nebraska vol. 103 no.68
(o(o
Reply
By Mike Sweeney.
The State Dept.' of Health has' set a
Monday deadline for NU officials to res
pond to charges of improper handling and
disposal of radioactive wastes generated on
the NU campuses.
In 'a letter to NU Executive Vice Presi
dent William C. Erskine written Nov. 30,
Director of Radiological Health Ellis
Simmons said he will ask the university to
test and store all its radioactive materials if
it doesn't meet the deadline. "
'That means they can't use them any
more," Simmons wrote.
University officials are drafting a res
ponse and expect to meet the deadline,
according to Thomas Spilker, NU assistant
director of personnel.
Simmons, who is working on a reply
with Erskine and university radiation
safety officer Julius Haes, said he wants to
on waste disposal charges is due
consult with the health department about
technical details before finishing the re
port. , UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS were first
informed about waste disposal problems in
a June 1 letter from Henry Smith, director
of the State Health Dept. Smith said health
department inspection revealed that radio
active wastes were buried in a drainage
ditch at the NU Field Laboratory at Mead
without the authorization of thVjUniver
sity Central Radiation Safety Committee
or radiation safety officer.
The inspection said radioactive wastes
were transported by inadequately trained
and equipped personnel, in open pickup
trucks, in violation of VS. Dept. of Trans
portation guidelines. It also said security
areas containing radioactive materials need
ed tightening.
Smith said the unversity's transporta
tion and disposal of radioactive wastes
were "clear-cut" violations of department
guidelines licensing it to handle radio
active materials.
Erskine replied in a letter date July 16,
but Smith wrote back on Sept. 19, saying
some of the university's proposals for
corrective action were inadequate.
He gave the university 20 days to res
pond. SPILKER SAID "We should have been a
little more responsive" to the request.
However, a time-consuming project at
the. NU Medical Center had to. be
completed before the university could
reply, he said.
- Officials also needed time to sample
radiation levels near the Mead drainage
ditch, he said.
The unversity has complied with many
of the health department requests,, but
"there are some (issues) I think we need to
work out," Spilker said.
He said he accepts the health depart
ment's guidance in health and safety
matters,, but needs to work out a few
technical details with them.
One item in Smith's first letter the
university contested was the need for
closed vehicles to transport radioactive
wastes to Mead.
Erskine replied in July that the univer
sity would consider covering radioactive
wastes with tarpaulins because closed vans
were unavailable. Smith said the proposal
was inadequate and said - transportation
guidelines require closed vans.
Spilker said he has reviewed the trans
portation regulations.
'They are silent on the need of open
vehicles," if the amount of radiation being
transported is small, he said.
"I guess today I'm satisfied the univer
sity has complied with those regulations,"
he said.
if " o
Alone and abandoned
Photo by Jon Natuig
The interstate may be wheeling by this abandoned
elevator, but life inside is at a standstill. The eleva
tor, which dates back to the 1800s, has crumbled
with the grains oftime. For more pictures see page
8. -
Bowling alley defended at hearing
By Kevin Field
The bowling alley versus the bookstore was the major
concern of students and faculty members testifying at a
hearing Wednesday by the Union Board in an effort to re
ceive feedback from students about the Nebraska Union's
five-year plan. -
This was the third such hearing in the last two weeks.
The hearings are being held because the unions are major
student fee users so the Union Board wanted student in
put i according to John Kreuscher, president of the board
and chairman of the planning committee.
Testimony in defense of the bowling alley was given
throughout the hearing by students, faculty members and
university employees. Little concern was shown for other
elements of the board's five-year plan and nobody testi
fied in favor of eliminating the bowling alley and consoli
dating the bookstore. ... ..
Kreuscher described some of the ideas the board is
considering. The most dramatic change is removing the
bowling alley and replacing it with the bookstore. The
game room would be moved into the present supply store,
the freshman bookstore would be converted into a
commuter student and television lounge, while the Daily
Nebraskan would be moved into the main bookstore.
Other plans include converting the North Crib into a fast
food restaurant and rennovating the women's lounge.
None of the plans have been finalized, Kreuscher said.
UNL student Jim Sanduski, a member of the Wednes
day night bowling league, testified that he is against re
moving the bowling alley. He said that the union is
supposed to be a gathering place for students and that re-
moving the bowling alley would defeat that purpose: He
added that the lanes in the East Union would not be able
to accommodate all of the City Campus bowlers.
Sanduski also noted that the bowling alley is used
throughout the year, whereas the bookstore is used most
ly during the first few weeks of school.
Jim Swine hart, an assistant professor of conservation,
also opposes the loss of the bowling alley, saying that he
"would hate to see the bowling alley leave in order to
make room for knickknacks and stuff." -
Daryl Swanson, director of the Nebraska Unions, ex
plained the rationale behind the idea. '
He noted that the bowling alley is 21 years old and
would require a significant capital investment sometime in
the next few years.
"I'm not sure if under the current situation we can
justify a significant capital improvement," Swanson said,
adding that the space is not cost effective. Kreuscher said
that by consolidating the bookstores it would be possible
to serve more students.
Ray Koziol, East Union recreation manager, question
ed the costs involved in the project He noted that the
$30-35 per square cost of renovation amounts to about
$500,000, while capital improvements' in the 'bowling
alley would amount to about $15,000 per lane or some
where around $150,000.
Koziol also explained that the lanes are "prefectly
bowlable" and have about ten years of use left. The pin
setters are the cause of most of the problems, he said.
Continued on Paje 7
Young urges unity
getincrease
for
bud
By Kathy Stokebrand
UNL Chancellor Roy Young urged student support for
the 15 percent proposed university budget increase at the
. ASUN meeting Wednesday night.
Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance Ron Wright
: said student support was needed in the budget request to
: : come before-the Legislature. : A; Vy . - , . .
"It is important that we all sing out of the same hym
nal," he said, urging a unified effort of students and ad-'
1 ministration to support the increase.
Several UNL administrators, including Ned. Hedges,
vice chancellor for academic affairs, Richard Armstrong,
vice chancellor for student affairs, Richard Fleming, assis
tant to the chancellor and director of University Infor-
mation.nd T. E. Hartung, Dean of the College of Agri
culture, were at the meeting.
x ASUN Senator Jim Davidson asked how priorities
would be determined and where cuts would be made if
the 15 percent increase- is not approved.
Hedges said the administration was in a difficult posi
tion to answer .that question and added that it was some
times an externally political question. If plans "were not
made in case the increase is refused, administration would
not be responsible, he said. If the university proceeds and
specifically cuts programs then they risk having the legis
lators seeing that accommodations have been made for
less than the money asked for, and the increase might
then be taken away, Hedges said.
If reductions need to be made, Hedges said, an oppor
tunity for orderly proceedings must be provided. It is
necessary though, he said, to see the effects of each cut
and weigh one against the other.
Hedges said he has asked for, among others, the effects
of program cuts in journalism, international studies and
anthropology. The decision of what will be reduced lies
with the vice chancellors and the chancellor, he said, but
added that the NU Board of Regents has the final author-
ity. -
"If we have a budget disaster next year I make no
promises that cuts won't come to the library," Hedges
said. He suggested asking for more funds to avoid the
library finance problems that were faced this year.
Senator Renee Wessels said students find it difficult to
support a budget in which they have little input on how
priorities are set.
Young urged student input into the budget at the
college and departmental levels. Wright said there are
plans to establish a committee of students, faculty and
staff for input in the budget preparation. He said it was
important to get involvement at the front of the planning
stage rather than reactions from behind it.
Continued on Page ?
Music talk: . Two female musicians discuss their exper
ience with male musicians during Women Speak . Page 6
Growlight: Hothouse transplants well to the Studio
Theatre, reviewer says Pae 10
Keepin in shape: Football player Lawrence Cole captains
more than the Huskers defensive squad ....... Plge 12