The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, March 25, 1980, Image 1
r (3J(o tuesday, march 25, 1 980 lincoln, nebraska vol. 104, no. 52 - a Calendar guidelines freeze faculty, student input By Shelley Smith Specific calendar guidelines adopted by the NU Board of Regents in 1978 are scheduled to take effect next fall, halting calendar input from students and faculty indefin itely. Prior to 1976, the calendar, which includes specific dates for spring vacation, final exams, commencement, and semester lengths, was established by a calendar committee on each of Nil's three campuses. Because of the time spent in constructing the calendar, and problems it inevitably created, the regents established a common calendar committee staffed by students and faculty members from each of Nil's three campuses.' Its directives were to formulate calendar guidelines that would be uniform for the three campuses. The guidelines were then adopted by the regents June 17, 1978. However, they were not adopted without dispute, and the guidelines taking effect next fall have received equal criticism from faculty and'students. Faculty senate opposed The UNL faculty senate was opposed to the idea of a common calendar, said Jim Lake, 1977-78 faculty senate president and current law professor. The faculty thought it should have the right to deter mine UNL's educational process, arguing that calendar timetables are within academic standards, Lake said. There was no logical reason for the calendars to be joined, he added. "But, with the amount of valuableime spent arguing over the calendar, we knew something had to be done," Lake said. "The guidelines were a compromise to get us out of arguing with the regents arbout a common calendar. They didn't believe what I said, I didn't agree with what they waa ted." Roscoe Shields, associate professor of elementary education and faculty senate calendar committee chair man, agreed the issue of a common calendar "did not set well with the faculty " Shields' said under" the "guidelines, Ifie" only calendar changes made would have to result from a direct change in the guidelines. "I could program a computer and have the calendar set for the next one million years," Lake said, referring to the lack of input. ASUN President Bud Cuca said he opposed the guide lines because students and faculty should have active in put into calendar decisions. Guidelines inflexible Shields said he believes students needs wilt change throughout the years, and that the guidelines might not be the best to suit those needs. 'The calendar ought to be set to benefit students and the educational program. Both students and faculty should have a say in it," he said. Under the guidelines, UNO's spring break next year will be different thanlhe Omaha Public School's spring vacation for the first time ever, creating problems for families with children in both systems, Lake said. Also, the NU Medical Center must change its current calendar drastically next year to be in compliance with the regent guidelines. Spring vacation, next year, will fall during the 11th week of school, and five weeks will remain when students 'return to their respective campuses. This year, UNL's spring break is the 12th week of school, and only four weeks will remain when students return April 7. The faculty seriate opposed the NU systems proposed calendar for this year because of the shortened time span after spring break is over. Although the calendar did not need senate approval to be adopted, many faculty members hoped the regents would listen to the senate's position. "But, as usual as we were a voice crying in the wilder ness," Lake said. The UNL faculty senate has continued to keep its eight-member calendar committee, Lake said, and added" that it will probably take on a guideline "police type role." "It will be there to handle any problems that might arise with the calendar or scheduling," he said. ' t 1 ' ' 'il i X A 7 r it Reflections on a blue Monday Photo by Mark Billingsley Lourdes Nezda passively waits for her ride home inside the Nebraska Union as the weather outside took a blustery turn. Omaha teacher openings few if lid' stays sealed By Mary Jo Pitzl The lid clamped on the Omaha Public Schools' budget in August may have created a vacuum in the teacher job market, but teacher placement and OPS officials caution it's too early to predict any job shortages in Omarva, "If the lid stays on, it will have an effect on the number of teachers OPS can hire," said Ron Anderson, assistant superintendent of QPS. The lid, which froze further budget expansion; is being debated by the Legis lature, It is possibile the Legislature will remove the lid before the session e nds April 11 . Anderson said everything depends on the Legislature's action and the budget recommendations made by the Omaha Board of Education. Budget studies will start-in April, Anderson said, so it is too early to say if there will be a cut in teacher posts. Also, until OPS teachers return their job contracts April 15 and until OPS officials have staffing meetings with school principals later this spring, job., market predictability is fuzzy, Anderson said. A , . ' The mood among teacher placement officials is wait and see, according to a check with officials at UNL and Creighton University, The main source for OPS teachers is Nebraska colleges, primarily UNL, UNO, Creighton and Kearney State College, Anderson said . 600 graduates Lee DeJonge,, director of teacher placement for the UNL Teachers College, said there will be about 600 spring graduates with teaching certification. UNL graduates have traditionally shown a lot of interest in the Omaha and Lincoln areas for jobs, DeJonge said, but added he cannot predict how the bud get lid will affect job possibilities with the OPS. Larry Johnson, chairman of the education department at Creighton University, said there is a feeling among graduating seniors that OPS jobs may not be available. "But it's all so premature," Johnson said. "It's only the looking time for our people." Johnson emphasized that students are' encouraged to not limit themselves when looking for jobs, but if they are limited by geographic or other conditions, they may be disappointed when job hunting. A "fairly heavy" number of Creighton graduates look to metropolitan areas for teaching jobs, Johnson said, adding Omaha is one of those cities. 90 percent placement Johnson said that about 40 Creighton students will graduate this spring with teaching certificates. Last year, 90 percent of the Creighton t teaching graduates were placed in jobs, he said . . Both Anderson and DeJonge said that the number of people entering the teaching field is lower than in the past. In 1971.72,1,208 certified teachers graduated from UNL, DeJonge said. Of the students that registered with the placement office last year, 93 S percent took jobs, 75.9 percent of them in teaching posts, he said. DeJonge admitted that there has been an "overkill in the number of teaching graduates and consequently some teaching areas lack qualified teachers. "Nationwide, the colleges are producing fewer certified teachers each year," DeJonge said. "As a result, special education, vocational agriculture, math, science and even English are showing up as shortage areas." Several factors He attributed this shortage to several factors, among them more attractive salaries in the private job sector, lower teachers' salaries and a mistaken encouragement to not pursue teaching careers. Students should not have been dissuaded from entering the teaching profession, DeJonge said, but rather should have been cautioned to avoid certain teaching areas having an overabundance of teachers. Anderson said OPS estimates teacher turnover at about 10 percent this year. "Over the years, the number of new teachers we've brought in has declined," he said, explaining this is be cause of declining school enrollments and more lucrative job offers in the private sector. The budget lid, if enforced, will curtail the number of people OPS will be able to hire, affect class size and could lead to possible salary cuts and even dismissals if the money situation gets too tight , he said . No one is safe: State Democratic chairman says either party can win ... . Page 2. Park it here: IIpw to plan a camping and recreation excursion in city and state parks Page 9. It's a bird, a plane, No it's. . .: UNL diver Scott Hinrichs aims for more than just the pool, he hopes to be a stunt man in films page 10. 1, '1 . i 1