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friday,april 18, 1980
lincoln, nebraska vol. 104, no. 65
Bmrd tables bImth once more
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By Patti Gallagher
. After what one observer called a series
of "petty politics," the Nebraska Union
Board voted 54 Wednesday night to table
its five year plan for another week. Seven
ASUN members, including President Renee
Wessels, were present at the meeting.
The ASUN Budget and Fees Committee
had asked the board to postpone its vote
on the plan for one week to allow the
committee time to investigate it. Wednes
day night, with both ASUN and Union
Board meetings going on, .ASUN pre
sented a signed resolution prohibiting
board action on the renovation plan.
According to Wessels, failure to abide
by the resolution would have resulted in re
calling board members.
"If you take grounds opposing the senti
ment of the senate," Wessels said, "it's
grounds for recalling members."
She added that the resolution was not a
threat, but was mandated by ASUN policy
that all student groups be subject to ASUN
governing.
Minutes earlier, the resolution had pass
ed the ASUN Senate on a 13-12-3 vote.
Timing questioned
Both groups agreed that ASUN approval
of the plan is a positive step to illustrate
student backing. However, the timing of
the request was questioned.
The plan, which outlines major renova
tions of the Nebraska Union, was com
pleted by the Nebraska Union Planning
Committee and presented to the board
March 26. Work on the plan began last May
after the recommendation of Vice Chancel
lor for Student Affairs Richard Armstrong.
According to Maynard Krantz, board
president, because Dr. Armstrong
requested the plan from the board and be
cause ASUN waited until this week to ask
to approve it, the. resolution to delay
board action was unwarranted.
Krantz said he could not predict
whether the board would have approved
the plan Wednesday if ASUN had not inter
vened. He said that decision would have
been reached after regular discussion.
Ample time
. Jean Gittler, Union Board vice presi
dent, said that ASUN had ample time to
give their input on the plan. Two ASUN re
presentatives helped compile the plan,
three open hearings took place last fall and
the Daily Nebraskan reported on the plan
and its presentation. Because of these facts,
the ASUN request was ill-timed, she said.
"I personally don't feel ASUN can
thoroughly absorb this plan in the time of
a week," Gittler said. "The time to ques
tion it was in the planning process."
According to Jim May, ASUN treasurer,
the request to study the five year plan was
delayed because of the election transition
and because the plan was presented later
than anticipated. '
"It's not that no one's been aware (of
the plan), but it's one thing to read about
it in the paper; it's another thing to see it
in black and white," May said. "The timing
didn't work out." ' .
Informed decision
May said the Budget and Fees Commit
tee did not plan to pick apart specifics of
the plan, but it wants a week to pass a sup
portive resolution. He said the committee
does not foresee any problems.
"The committee would feel more com
fortable making an informed decision on
this rather than just rushing through it,"
May said.
According to Union Director Daryl
Swanson, the plan is far from final and will
be subject to evaluation in each step of the
chain of command.
"As director of the unions, I don't con
sider that all or any portion of the plan is
complete.
"It's not the end; it's the beginning. It's
just seen the light of day," he said.
The board heard from UNL Business
Manager Ray Coffey in open forum.
Coffey, a financial source for the plan's
preparation, said he disputed "Daily Ne
braskan coverage of the proposed bowling
alley elimination and University Bookstore
consolidation. He also said he was not-convinced
that the income statement for book
store consolidation was accurate.
'Bad guy'
Coffey said that Daily Neb'raskan cover
age "carries the implication that the book
store is the bad guy to zap out the bowling
alley."
The plan proposed that the current
University Bookstore be consolidated into
one unit and that the union bowling alley
be eliminated because the bookstore was
concluded to generate more income.
Coffey said that he was "not convinced
that there's a quarter of a million dollars
there."
The plan specifies that the bookstore
could produce a net income of nearly
$250,000 afte consolidation.
Also proposed in the plan is union own
ership of the bookstore, with which Coffey
said he did not agree.
"Very frankly, the idea of the book
store being taken over by the union is not
one that I concur in," he said.
In the director's report to the board,
Swanson said he is preparing a nationwide
search for a new executive food service
manager to replace Larry Brandt, who
announced his resignation last week.
Swanson said he hopes to fill the posi
tion by Aug. 1 with the aid of a seven
member search committee.
I 1
Photo by Tom Gessner
At UNL Buck Beltzer field, the focus of most people's attention is on the
Husker baseball team. But, for the discriminating eye, there are other interest
ing sights available. x
T
Professors: Feasibility of blockade increasing
By Suzanne Sayed
Mining thejirea near the Persian Gulf, to prevent
any ships to leave or enter Iran, might be the best solution
to the hostage crisis, according to two UNL political
science professors.
Assistant Prof. Sue Hulett said a blockade of Iranian
ports or mines that would prevent any passage of goods
by sea is "an excellent idea, despite the fact that it is five
months late."
Explosive mines could be electronically activated by
the United States to destroy passing ships.
Hulett said although placing mines might be considered
by some as an act of war, it could not be interpreted as an
initiation of war because it would leave the decision to the
various ships that might desire entrance to or exit from
Iran.
, "It is more of a legitimate reprisal a punishment and a
response to an illegal act on the part of Iran-not an act of
war," site said.
Hulett and Assistant Prof. David Rapkin were question
ed before President Jimmy Carter decided Thursday to
cease all trade with Iran and closed that nation to most
American visitors.
Hulett said she was not sure what effect a blockade
would have on release of the hostages, but said she be-
lieved it could give the Iranians the incentive to negotiate.
'Politically and symbolically speaking, however, I do
feel it would be an effective undertaking," she added.
Hulett said she felt symbolically, it would 'show a
firmness and a feeling of total dedication on the part
of the American people in response to an illegal pro
cedure." Hulett added, however, that she felt Iran held legiti
mate complaints about the deposed shall, and possibly
about the United States. She emphasized that it is the
procedures and the methods used by the Iranian govern
ment and the militants at the U.S. embassy that are un
just. 4,It is long past time for us to take a definite initiative,"
Hulett said. "We need to be active rather than reactive to
the situation, or we can't expect any help on the parts of
our allies."
Rapkin also suggested many of the same courses of
action.
Although he said he does not advocate these proce
dures, he said he predicts Carter Iwill be increasingly
pressured to take stronger actions as election time
approaches.
Thus he said, "The possibility of such an event (block
ading or mines) will increase with time."
Rapkin said Carter could place mines near the area of
the Persian Gulf and give Iran 2448 hours to release the
hostages before activating the mines. .
However, Rapkin said Carter should have made some
kind of a compromise or apology to Iran a long time ago.
He said he felt Carter was hesitant to impose blockades
because of a possible Soviet takeover of Iran through
Afghanistan.
"A blockade could throw the Iranian society into utter
chaos," he .said , emphasizing that communism might then
result.
In regard to Japan and Western Europe, Rapkin said he
feels Carter is saying to U.S. allies, "Take your medicine
now and support the economic sanctions or take it later
in the form of military action."
However, Rapkin added, "you can bet these countries
have been out securing other sources of oil supply."
Like Hulett, Rapkin said Carter should have acknow
ledged the situation sooner, and should have made some
form of apology or compromise.
Robert Miewald, also a political science professor,
took a slightly more conservative stance on the situation,
saying he felt the United States should hold out on
ec nomic sanctions as long as possible .
"A blockade is probably the least costly military step,"
Miewald said, "although the Iranians would not look too
kindly on it."
Miewald said if the Soviets. would try to break the
blockade, it might provoke an even more serious
situation. He added that no one could really say what im
pact the blockade or any other military action might have
on the Iranians.
"It is an extremely volatile situation " he said .
