monday, february 23, 1981
lincoln, nebraska vol. 106, no. 31
LnJ
Regents vote to end student president salaries
By I). Eric Kirclier
The UNL student president chosen
during the March 1981 elections will be the
last paid ASUN president unless the Nil
Board of Regents reverses its decision to
eliminate the salary.
The regents Saturday passed by 6-2 a
policy resolution introduced by NU Regent
Kcrmit Hansen of Omaha that prohibits
salaries for student presidents. They can be
repayed for rcgcntal-related expenses. Stu
dent presidents elected before Sept. 1 can
receive salaries until the end of their terms.
Regents John Payne of Kearney and
Robert Koefoot of (irand Island opposed
the resolution.
Hansen said he thinks Nebraska's con
stitution forbids salaries for student presi
dents who are also non-voting regents.
"The compensation comes from that
one combined job," Hansen said.
The constitution requires campus
regents be the elected student presidents. It
prohibits salaries for regents.
Hansen said he disagrees with NU Coun
sel Richard Wood's opinion that the salar
ies are legal. Wood has said the offices of
student president and regent arc separate
and the student fees pay for only the presi
dent's duties.
"I still stand on the opinion I gave the
board last summer," Wood said.
Although the resolution prohibits com
pensation for any purpose from any funds
under the control of the NU Board of
Regents, Wood said he interprets it as
allowing work-study pay, scholarships and
other financial aid.
Regent Edward Schwartkopf said he
preferred involvement from more students.
"I really liked the format we had before
the student regents," Schwartkopf said.
"I think we ought to pass that responsi
bility around to other students."
Before Nebraskans approved in 1974
the constitutional amendment providing
for student regents, six or eight students
discussed important issues before the meet
ings, Schwartkopf said.
Payne reminded the board that separat
ing the president and regent offices would
require a constitutional amendment.
Although student regents had raised the
possibility of a student challenge of a
salary prohibition, Schmidt predicted stu
dents wouldn't fight the resolution. It is
legal because the regents only changed
their policy, he said.
UNL student president and regent
Renee Wessels receives a salary of $160 a
month for eight months, plus part of an
ASUN fund during the summer. UNO
regent Florenc Langford receives $62.50
monthly and NU Medical Center regent
Michael Schmidt receives $80.
Regents approve increase in residence hall rate
By D. Eric Kircher
The cost of living in a residence hall will increase again
next fall.
The NU Board of Regents passed a proposal Saturday
that will add $140 to 1981-82 room and board rates. Last
year the rates were raised $130.
The 9 percent increase in room and board rates passed
by 8-0 with seven other amendments. The increase from
$1,555 to $1,695 is needed because of inflation, said
Ronald Wright, UNL vice chancellor for business and
finance. Along with the rate increase, the university will
cut some services, but it will still provide good service to
students, Wright said.
Students who feel their social life suffers because their
residence hall floor has restrictive visiting hours could find
IS
i- rt &
- mwiii nimmimiilMrcW" '
Photo by Mitch Hrdlicka
"Practiced" pool player, Steve Mizerak, demonstrated his skills Saturday in the Nebraska Union ballroom.
See story on Page 3.
the hours easier to change.
Saturday the NU Board of Regents approved by 6-2 a
change in the policy for increasing visiting hours. Under
the new rules, at least 90 percent of the students living on
a floor must approve the change before hours can be in
creased. More than four dissenting parents would stop the
change. Students would vote by secret ballot.
The previous policy, approved in 1974, required 100
percent approval from students and their parents before
visiting hours on a floor were changed.
Visiting hours still won't change until students who
prefer the previous visiting hours have a chance to move.
Parents voting against the change could require their son
or daughter to move before the visiting hours increase.
For more stories on Saturday's
NU Board of Regents meeting,
see page 6.
The proposal failed by 3-5 on the first vote. But later
Regent Edward Schwartzkopf of Lincoln asked the
regents to reconsider the change. After further discussion,
six regents favored the policy change.
Regents James Moylan of Omaha and Robert Koefoot
of Grand Island opposed the change. Regents Robert
Prokop of Wilber, Robert Simmons of Scottsbluff and
Kermit Wagner of Schuyler reversed their votes.
Richard Armstrong, vice chancellor for student affairs,
said the old policy was inflexible.
Schwartzkopf originally questioned the need for the
new policy, but he later praised the fairness of the stu
dents who developed it.
"It recognizes the majority and the minority," he said.
"I think that's a fine safeguard to be concerned about that
10 percent."
Opposing regents feared students favoring the previous
hours would lose their rights.
Commission threatened before vet school arrives
By Reid Warren
The Old West Regional Commission, a major supporter
of the proposed UNL Veterinary School, may get shot
down before it sees the school become a reality.
The Reagan administration has proposed scaling down
the commission, and some, including Office of Manage
ment and Budget Director David Stockman, favor killing
the commission.
Larl Dickinson, veterinary science department head,
said the commission's funding and support of the Veter
inary School has been essential and valuable.
"It really couldn't have been done without the com
mission," Dickinson said.
But the commission's involvement with the proposed
school seems to have run its course.
"I don't expect any continuing support," Dickinson
said. "I really don't think it will have that great an impact
in the future.
"But I'm grateful there was no previous phase-out of
the commission."
Commission support
The commission's support of the Veterinary School
involved architectural drawings, a regional government
system for the school and other studies.
"Where it goes from here, and what effect it will have,
I just don't know," said Dr. Kenneth Blackburn, a staf
member in Billings, Mont.
The Old West Regional Commission, like seven similar
commissions in the United States, is designed to encour
age economic development of regional issues in five states.
"The commission has supported the Veterinary School
concept," Blackburn said. "But each state has reserved
its independence about participating."
The states in the Old West Regional Commission are
North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Ne
braska. Blackburn said Montana and Wyoming send students
to a veterinary school at Colorado State, but that three
states were sufficient to provide for a program.
The commission is evidently studying the veterin
ary school proposal. Whether it makes any more studies is
up to President Reagan.
Reagan address
"When he mentioned us last night (Wednesday) on
television (during his economic address to Congress) it
was a real concern to us," Blackburn said.
Dickinson said he appreciates what the commission has
done for the veterinary school, but he added that no more
studies need to be done.
"I think the thing has been studied enough," Dickinson
said.
"It's been studied and studied. I'd put this stack of
studies up against any study done at the university.
"It's time for people to make up their minds."
In a related matter, the constitutionality of the legisla
tive bill that would finance the school has been question
ed. An opinion by the state attorney general's office stated
the bill was unconstitutional because it violated the limit
of one subject per bill.
LB245 appropriates $3 million for work on the school,
but also attempts to prescribe new duties or alter existing
duties of the NU Board of Regents.
"I think that it's a good point," Dickinson said.
"If the bill is not constitutional it should be correct
ed," he said. "It's good that it came to light."
u n
fnosi&iay
Changes Promised: The X-Party has announced its candi
dacy for Residence Hall Association positions and its
platform promises a revamping of relationships with
administrators Page 2
Mizzou Massacre: The Missouri Tigers ran away from the
Huskers in the final two minutes Saturday and earned
a 5545 victory Page 8
Child's Play: Comic dancer Mathew Child will present two
performances at the Nebraska Unions Page 10