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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 1980)
'Christmas-like' budget approved Regents vote state support increase By Jim Faddis The NU Board of Regents Friday approved a 1981-82 operating budget that Regent Robert Simmons of Scot is bluff said resembles "a Christmas list a little boy would send to Santa Claus." The S226.8 million budget, which calls for an 18 per cent increase in state support, a 10 percent increase in, general tuition and a 15 percent tuition hike for medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy students was adopted by a 5-3 vote after three regents attempted to change the amount of state support requested. Simmons, Regents Robert Prokop of Wilbur and James Moylan of Omaha voted against approval of the budget. Regents Ed Schwartzkopf of Lincoln, Kcrmit Hansen of Omaha, Kermit Wagner of Schuyler, Robert Koefoot of Grand Island and Robert Raun of Mindcn voted for approval. "Far-fetched" Budget Simmons called the approved budget "unrealistic" and said the chances of the Nebraska Legislature and Gov. Charles Thonc giving the university the money asked for are "far-fetched." "Next year we are again going to be unprepared when we don't get as much money from the state as we ask for," Simmons said. "We should have a budget we can plan with and live with," he added. But Wagner said, after listening "to Simmons' political speech," that the economy in Nebraska is good and that Regents criticize Pub Board action By Jim Faddis The NU Board of Regents Friday passed a resolution tlrat could "threaten the First Amendment rights of the Daily Nebraskan," according to UNL Publications Board member Hubert Brown. The resolution says that the UNL Publications Board did not act 4rnr-fesponsiblc manner in the handling of the disclosure of a letter from James Coe of Arizona to spring 1980 Daily Nebraskan editor in chief Rocky Strunk. Coe's letter was about his donation of 1,300 Kruger rands to the University Foundation in January. Coe's donation, presently worth about $840,000, was objected to by those who said the coins represented racism in South Africa. The letter was received by the present Daily Nebraskan Editor Randy Essex, after he replaced Strunk, who had been fired by the Publications Board for an unrelated act of plagarism. Essex then gave the letter to Publications Board member Hubert Brown, who then gave the letter to State Sen. Ernest Chambers of Omaha, who released it to the media. The Publications Board investigated the letter dis closure at the request of Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Richard Armstrong. The board found that Essex and Brown "used poor judgment in their handling of the letter from Mr. Coe addressed to Mr. Strunk," and sent a letter of regret to Coe that his letter to Strunk was used for public purposes. The resolution passed by the regents says that Essex's and Brown's handling of the letter "far exceeds 'poor judgment,' " and that the Publications Board as publisher of the Daily Nebraskan "has totally failed to take appropriate personnel action against Mr. Essex and Mr. Brown." The resolution goes on to say that "the Board of Regents strongly suggests that the UNL Publications Board take heed of the concerns of the Board of Regents expressed in this resolution, and reconsider the seriousness of the improper actions by Mr. Essex and Mr. Brown in this case. "The Board of Regents further requests that the UNL Publications Board send a written apology to Mr. Coe for the imporpoer actions by Mr. Essex and Mr. Brown with respect to their handling of the letter from Mr. Coe." The resolution also says that the regents, at their Oct. 17 meeting, will review any further actions by the Publica tions Board in this case. The resolution says the regents may at that time, decide to amend the UNL by-laws con cerning their membership of and the duties and respond sibilities of the board. The regents passed the resolution on a 7-1 vote with Regent Robert Simmons Voting against it. Continued on Page 3 Swimming upstream: President Carter's Nebraska cam paign workers battle tradition Page 6 South stadium-Shhhhhh!: Quarterback Jeff Quinn appreciates tjie cheers, but not at crucial times . Page 9 Clearwater running: Blues artist Eddie Clearwater brought his music and his new album to Lincoln this week end Page 10 , the people are willing to give what it takes to support the university. NU is one of the few agencies in the state that generat es income and people don't want to see the benefits deriv ed from it cut, Schwartzkopf said. "We shouldn't apologize for asking for more money," he said. Most universities in the country are experiencing en rollment losses that are causing problems, but NU's en rollment is increasing, Schwartzkopf said. More students, more money Wagner said because of the higher enrollment, the uni versity needs more money. "Most institutions would like to have the problems we have," Schwartzkopf said. Simmons proposed that the university ask for a 7 per cent increase in state funds, which he said would be con sistent with what is required for political sub-divisions. Simmons' proposal was defeated 6-2 with Simmons and Prokop voting for it. Moylan also attempting to lower the amount of state support requested. He proposed that NU ask for a 15 per cent increase in state funds instead of the 18 percent in crease. Moylan said the board was called "big spenders" when it adopted the 18 percent guideline and "there is a feeling in the state that we don't need this much." He said the 18 percent increase request was "not reasonable" and that the university would suffer for it be cause the state would not give them that much. "Reasonable requests get reasonable results," Moylan said. Disagreeing with Moylan was Koefoot, who said the NU budget was fair and that it should be supported. "The board has a responsibility to educate the young people of the state and this budget will allow us to fulfill that rcsponsiblity," Koefoot said. Moylan's motion that NU ask for a 15 percent increase in state support died from lack of a second. 30 percent proposed . Prokop then asked that if the university was willing to ask for an 18 percent increase it "might as well go all the way" and he proposed that the university ask for a 30 per cent increase in state funds. Schwartzkopf seconded the motion "just to see him (Prokop) vote for it." The motion was defeated 7-1 with Prokop voting for it. The approved budget requests $138.6 million in state aid, excluding money for utilities and the NU Medical Center. This year the university received $1175 million. A 10.5 million increase in employee salaries that UNL Student Regent Renee Wessels said is not enough to make NU salaries competitive is also in the budget, Wessles said the budget request does not address the salary problem and that the 10-5 increase is "barely meet ing the base." Prokop questioned the salaries paid NUadministrators. He said that there are 395 NU employees.who get paid more than Gov. Charles Thone does. Thone gets a yearly salary of $40,000. Continued on Page 2 u monday, September 15, 1980 lincoln, hebraska vol. 105, no. 13 J """ML 4 A x i Photo coufttiy of MCA Rtcordi British pop-rock singer Elton John will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Bob Devaney Sports Complex according to Greg Venburg, University Program Council president. The concert will be presented by Contemporary New West Productions, radio station KFMQ and the University Program Council, in association with John Reid Enterprises, Venburg said. Tickets will cost $8 and $10 and will go on sale at 8 a.m. Wednesday in the Nebraska Union and the Nebraska East Union. Crime, energy speakers slated By Colleen Tittel A white collar crime expert and a solar energy advocate advocate are among the University Council's contracted speakers for 1980-81, according to UPC's Talks and Topics Director Kathy Sjulin. Frank Abagnale, "The Great Imposter," authority on white-collar crime, will speak Oct. 19, Sjulin said. Abagnale was a con artist for more than five years and cashed more than $2.5 million in bad checks in 26 foreign countries and 50 states, she said . Abagnale also posed as an airline pilot for Pan Am, as a doctor who supervised interns, as a college professor and as at stockbroker. He impersonated a lawyer and once was assistant to the Louisiana State attorney. He has served a total of five years in French, Swedish and U.S. federal prisons and has appeared on The Tonight Show seven times. His book, Catch Me If You Can, is currently on sale. So far, Sjulin said, Abagnale is the only contracted sneaker for first semester. hor second semester, UPC has contracted and schedul ed Barry Commoner, director of the Center for the Biology of Natural Systems and 1980 presidential candi date tor the Citizens' Party, Sjulin said. Commoner will speak March 12 in the Nebraska Union. His speech will be co-sponsored by Talks and Topics, the College of Architecture and Faculty Convocations. Commoner has written four books; Sciences and Survival, 1966; The Closing Circle, 1971; The Poverty of Power, 1976; and The Politics of Energy, 1979. He is considered an expert in botany, physiology and environ ment and energy policies (including agriculture and public health). Commoner's topic will be "National Politics and Energy Policies." "We recognize that Barry Commoner will require balancing and we're already looking at people to balance him," Sjulin said. Talks and Topics may convene panel discussion for that purpose, she said. Continued on Page 5