page 4
Wednesday, february C, 1980
. ... . .;. , . ' . '4,.:.'i;r '.' i
Mucatioii not just diploma
( c
I
15
In case you haven't noticed, today's editorial
has been framed.
Being a campus newspaper, the symbolic
nature of a "frame" should have a very obvious
meaning-education.
After all, isn't that what every UNL student is
striving to someday obtain-a framed diploma to
hang on the wall?
And this editor has certainly received an educa
tion after three weeks oh the job.
....... He has discovered that Josh McDowell can
generate 44 letters to the editor in one week. Josh
must be very important and one of the top priori
ties for all past and future UNL students.
Parking on campus is another top priority and,
"If those damn cops give me another ticket I'll
write a letter."
Then there is the proposed draft registration
and "I'll run to Canada before they draft me."
That should be the motto of all concerned
American college students and let's hope they
learn to write it in French or Russian.
, Does the fact that two UNL deans spent last
weekend in other states applying for jobs have
any implication on the quality of education at
UNL? Does the fact that instructors under them
, are part of a faculty that ranks seventh in the Big
Eight in salaries have anything to do with the
deans' search for other employment?
ASUN has remained stable. As long as they can
get a quorum every Wednesday night and the ,
administration finally concedes to certain de
mands, there will be another election every
spring.
Then there is the UNLV faculty. Or is there?
, That is something this editor has yet to determine
from the overwhelming silence this office has re
ceived from that sector of the readership.
And with faculty salaries ranking in the bottom
20th percentile nationally, why should legislators
(or concerned students for that matter) address
themselves to such silence?
Why should they? Because faculty salaries, it
would seem, have some affect on the quality of
education that students receive at the University
of Nebraska.
But then again, is education important? What
we all want is a diploma to hang on the wall.
The Daily Nebraskan recently sponsored a
letter writing contest, "How does the University
of Nebraska contribute to the state?"
Perhaps the question would have been better
stated, "How doesn't the University of Nebraska
contribute to the state?" ' . ,
Critics have stressed this point and what better
opportunity than this to say judging is in no way
restricted to totally positive letters. Content?
quality and information will probably be the
winner-no matter how positive or negative of the
university that letter might be.
Most importantly, the Daily Nebraskan has
provided an opportunity for everyone at UNL to
express themselves about an activity they are in
volved in everyday -education.
Today this editor received a frame. He may
soon obtain a UNL diploma.
It is hoped future UNL diplomas surrounded by
frames will symbolize more than merely "a
diploma to hang on the wall."
Harry Allen Strunk
'Bnuiiunnnwi
1.1 - III 1JS JB1 fl
Tmawo Gihnfrfom1t HinfthwGmn munsirSnrll CSOCM WrOTlfffi
1 1 i .
Duraen military
I would like to comment on the article which appeared
in the Jan. 31 issue of the Daily Nebraskan concerning
student activism giving way to persuasion. First though, I
would like to say that these comments include my
opinions as well as those of most other students in the
U.S.
I agree with many of the statements made by profes
sors Campbell, Bonneau and Avery, It is true there is a
clear turnabout in the way students function concerning
issues today as compared to 1 5 years ago .
". Today most students are content with sitting in the
union complaining about important issues rather than
doing anything. The typical belief is that we can do
nothing about them.
This is untrue. Of course student activism is less visible
today. Very few of us are active.
It also is true that the approach used by activists is
much more realistic and sophisticated. I commend ASUN
for the way they research (our?) concerns. Persuasive
tactics can be successful if there is a large number of
people speaking loudly.
However, I don't think we are more successful. I would
have to say that we are not achieving our goals.
Our student government may have all the facts but
students rarely give support or input. Well researched plat
forms are successful only if students actively support
them. There is strength in numbers. .
It is true that today we are more concerned with
careers and jobs. We have been tabbed the "me" genera
tion. Yet we are much like the generation prior to the
1960s. -
America at that time was basically unthreatened by the
outside world. All students were concerned with was
getting a good education and job. Then bam, they had to
demonstrate and protest, to save that ideal. Their "me"
was threatened. ...
' The same thing seems to be happening today. Our
'me" may be threatened. Eventually we may have to do
something to get what we want.
Professor Avery made a' lot of sense. Protest becomes
necessary when going through proper channels does not
work.
Yes, I am promoting demonstrations and student
activism. I am not promoting violence. Get involved, read
the paper, form opinions, and then if we really believe
that it's right, do something about it together.
If there is no success through the proper channels,
protest. But the protest must have the proper purpose-and'
be sufficiently researched and supported before anything
can be accomplished. '
Regent Schwartzkopf made the point, "nothing speaks
louder than facts and demonstrations without facts have
little impact." Demonstrations without support also have
little impact!
I believe that soon we have to start looking at our
direction and decide if it's what we want. If it is not then
it is time to do something about it. We can move in any
direction we want, but only if done properly with the
right motives. I think it is time we made a move.
Dick Conradt
Psychology , Social Science
u a tiirxT-"rrT ic . . .
"niivjiwn-u we aren i careruj, we re going to
wind up doing to the military what we've already done to
public education. We're going to overload it with so much
extraneous social baggage that it will be unable to carry
out its primary mission.
You know what we've done to the schools. Every time
anybody came up with a social objective that seemed to
make sense, we gave it to the schools to implement.
We decided that it was time to put an end to racial seg
regation in America. But instead of working to eliminate
residential segregation, which would have solved a lot of
problems of coincidence, we saddled the schools with the
lob or desegregating society.
We decided that, in a country as rich as America, it was
immoral that anyone should suffer hunger or ill health So
we introduced school lunches and school health programs,
telling our educators that they must also run feeding
stations and health maintenance organizations. -
J,L ed- Ur Kh with responsibility of
ttf raC1Sni ?n.d Sixism and PMcal underdevel
a P?ri drTng ,habits-anything that struck us
iSSJf ""S- then we commission-
xh00h no ,onger cap-
. Continued on pae 5