Wednesday, march 19, 1980
lincoln, nebraska vol. 1 04, no. 48
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By Michelle Carr
Hie secret organization behind the skull and cross
ed keys symbols has surfaced again at UNL.
The Daily Nebraskan has obtained a letter that lists
paid and partially paid alleged members of the secret or
ganization. The source who contributed the letter asked
not to be identified.
The skull and crossed keys painted on various locations
on campus are the alleged work of Theta Nu Epsilon, the
secret "fraternity of fraternities." The group is designed
to have a membership of Greeks in prominent campus
positions.
A source said the letter was found in a fraternity room.
The letter, written on Interfraternity council stationery,
announced a March 2 meeting and members were told
to bring typewriters for the "news edition and rush
letters."
As always destroy
The letter also said members would have "final black
ball on rushees" and the "passing of the box." The letter
said $30 dues were to be paid by March 1, $60 dues
were to be paid by March 15 and $95 dues were to be
paid by March 20.
At the top of the letter were the words "As always
destroy." The letter was signed "The Out to Lunch
Bunch, Shorty."
Some persons listed as members on the letter were con
tacted by the Daily Nebraskan. One person listed as a
member admitted his membership in TNE provided that
his name was not used.
The name "Cuca" was listed as a paid member. When
ASUN President Bud Cuca was asked if he is or had been
a member, he said, "My best comment is no comment."
Cuca denied being a TNE member and said he never
has been a member of the secret organization. Cuca said
the letter probably was planted. He said IFC stationery
is easy to obtain.
Handwriting 'similar'
The name "Chapin" also was listed on the letter. Lee
Chapin, president of the Interfraternity council said he
is not and never has been a member of TNE. Chapin,
whose nickname is Shorty, said the handwriting on the
letter was similar to his, but he did not write the letter.
He said the letter could have been written by "someone
upset about my alcohol policy."
"People think if you're in IFC that you are in TNE,"
he said. "I had people accuse me (of being a TNE mem
ber) ever since I walked in the door (of IFC)."
Of 17 last names listed on the letter, only the last
names "Cuca" and "Chapin" coincided with the names of
campus-wide leaders.
Other alleged members were called, but all denied cur
rent membership in TNE. One alleged member said he was
not involved in the secret organization, "at least not this
semester." Another person listed said: "I can't say I never
have been a member."
One person listed as a member said he was not in TNE,
but "if I was (a TNE member), I probably would deny it
anyway."
Another alleged member said he was warned that he
would be receiving a call from the Daily Nebraskan. The
same person and another alleged member said they would
sue the Daily Nebraskan if their narries were used in con
nection with TNE.
Richard Armstrong, UNL vice chancellor for student
affairs, said he has not seen any written rule against
secret organizations like TNE, but he said TNE is not a
recognized campus organization.
According to most UNL fraternity bylaws, members
are allowed to belong to only one fraternal organization.
Membership in TNE would be grounds for expulsion from
the frafernity.
. Two Daily Nebraskan staff members Monday evening
received threatening phone calls concerning the publica
tion of names on the letter.
The Daily Nebraskan decided to print only Cuca and
Chapin's names because of their leadership positions.
According tc a 1975 Daily Nebraskan article, TNE was
reportedly founded in the late 1890s by Roscoe Pound,
former Harvard Law School dean and NU alumnus.
The article, which was attributed to unnamed 1950's
TNE alumni, said that the organization began as a drink
ing organization. At one point, the source in the article
said, the fraternity wielded power on campus.
Openings available at infant child care center
By Kathy Stokebrand
The University Child Care Project has
openings for children between 6 months
and 3 years old, according to Valdeen
Nelsen, director of the project.
Nelsen, who has been affiliated with the
center for .three years, said the project has
two centers,. The infant center for those
6 months to 3 years old is at Faith Luth-
j
' 5
eran Church, 6345 Madison. It now has 19
children enrolled, but is licensed for 24,
Nelsen said. The center for 3 to 5 year
olds, at 333 N. 14th St. in the Common
place Church, is enrolled to capacity with
27 children.
The project is tied with the university
through the office of student affairs, said
Nelsen, in that work-study students are
employed by the center. The project has
six full-time professional staff members
and 40 work-study employees.
the bulk of the project's budget is
covered by parents' fees. Full-time care for
one month costs $140 per child. Part-time
care, for example, for 5 mornings or
afternoons a week, costs $80 per child per
month. Nelsen said some students with
Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes will di
vide a monthly fee with students who have
classes on Tuesday and Thursday. The cost
is $7.50 per child a day, Nelsen said. Both
centers are open from 7 ajn. to 5 pjm.
Monday through Friday.
Breakfast, lunch and two snacks are in
cluded in the cost. Nelsen said the pro
ject participates in a U.S. Department of
Agriculture child care natural food program
that enables it to be reimbursed for food
each month for low income families.
Low income students receive first pri
ority on the enrollment waiting list, Nel
sen said. She estimated that 67 percent of
the children enrolled now are from low
income families. Other students receive
second priority. Faculty and staff mem
bers of the university are given third prior
ity, she said.
Child-care payments for children from
low-incorr families may be partially or
totally funded through the State Depart
ment of ublic Welfare, Nelsen said.
Continued on Page 6
Complaint alleges Wessels
broke ASUN election rules
Photographer's
goal
Photo by Tom Gtssner
To arrest, for the space of a breath, the
hands busy about the work of the earth,
and compel men entranced by the sight
of distant goals to glance for a moment
to make them pause for a look, for a
sigh, for a smile -Joseph Conrad
A formal complaint alleging violations
of ASUN election rules has been filed
against Renee Wessels and the US party by
two UNL students.
Bill Flack and Anne Jensen are to have
their complaint heard at a meeting of the
Electoral Commission today at 4 pjn.
According to Flack, the complaint requests
at least a severe reprimand.
Flack said Wessels campaigned in illegal
places in the Harper-Schramm-Smith resi
dence complex, and did not stop when
asked.
"I would call it a flagrant violation of
the electoral rules that ASUN has set up,"
Hack said.
Wessels said she believes the allegations
are not listed under electoral rules, but she
understood that each residence complex
sets its own rules. She said the rules were
checked before the campaign and that
she believes the rules were not violated.
"And we didn't mean to offend any
one," Wessels said. "When we were asked
to quit handing out cards, we stopped on
both occasions."
NU budget hill advanced
The Legislature Tuesday advanced seven
budget bills to the second round of floor
debate. Included in the bills were the state
appropriations for NU operating and
capital construction budgets.
The unamended bills would give NU a
12.57 percent increase for fiscal year 1980
81 as compared to the 1979-80 budget.
The bills went largely unopposed and
Sen. Shirley Marsh of Lincoln attributed
that to the solidarity shown by the Appro-
priations Committee members.
"Even though we know there are some
differences, we also Know that the over
all budget recommendations are good,"
Marsh said.
The committee's budget recommenda
tion would give NU $131 million, com
pared to an appropriation for this year of
$116.5 million. Gov. Charles Uione re
commended an increase of 8.57 percent or
$1253 million.