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daily nebraskan
Wednesday, november 18, 1981
Prokop needs civics lesson
ASUN's diversity not reason for axing fees
Although the NU Board of Re
gents failed in its efforts to rescind
the student fee refund policy, it's
a good bet that the issue will rise
again from the murky minds of
NIPs management.
Chairman Robert Prokop of
Wilber led the effort to rescind the
May 1980 policy that was design
ed to give students a stronger
voice over where their fees were
spent.
The policy allows students to
apply for a partial or full refund
of Fund A programs. Fund A fees
include the Daily Nebraskan, the
University Program Council, the
Nebraska State Student Associa
tion and the ASUN Senate.
Prokop told UNO student Re
gent Florene Langford that be
cause student regents have threat
ened to file lawsuits against the
university for denying salaries to
student body presidents he
doesn't favor funding those orga
nizations. The proposal lost by a 34 vote,
but Prokop's reasoning is an indi
cation that the matter may not
wither away.
Prokop said fights amongst the
senators concerning policy and cri
ticism of the senate as published
in the Daily Nebraskan show that
the students are not mature
enough to warrant the fees.
Perhaps an elementary lesson in
civics is necessary for Prokop.
In any policy making body like
the senate, there are bound to be
differences of opinion on the is
sues they address. That is a natural
outgrowth of their collective rep
resentation. The senate does not need a
unanimous vote on every issue for
its legitimacy. The regents, in their
authoritarian fashion, would pre
fer the senate to resemble the So
viet Politburo instead of a demo
cratic body.
So, according to Prokop's logic,
if the senate has internal differ
ences and the Daily Nebraskan is
critical of them, then their fund
ing should be stopped.
Prokop even used a Daily Ne
braskan editorial as part of his rea
soning. But actually, we'd rather
get rid of the regents than the sen
ate. At least the members of the
senate and their respective com
mittees are truly concerned about
the rights of students at UNL.
Senators may not know who
they really represent but they are
the only voice students have on
campus. The regents answer only
to themselves.
Prokop makes a curious argu
ment. Does he want total unifor
mity and agreement on campus
issues? The senate should not
speak with only one voice. That
would deny many students the on
ly chance of effective representa
tion they have.
It's really sad that Prokop uses
critical Daily Nebraskan editorials
as part of his argument. We may
criticize them on select issues,
but we still defend their necessity
on campus.
Perhaps, the regents will soon
realize that playing politics with
the student fees will only result in
more, instead of fewer, problems.
Someday the regents will realize
they are unable to mold UNL in
their own image. Let's hope it's
soon.
Knowledge gained outweighs space program cost
For fans of space exploration, Saturday's premature
landing of the space shuttle meant cutting short that in
creasingly rare fix of watching mankind challenge its
curious spirit.
For opponents of excess government spending, it likely
will be used for some finger pointing and cries of "foul"
concerning NASA's cost effectiveness.
(DS
V7
mccabc
But NASA's ever dwindling budget is miniscule relative
to defense spending and White House redecorating. Space
critics - those who claim to enjoy the McNeilLehrer
Report more than Star Trek are perhaps overlooking
one major point: when you quit reaching for the stars, it's
bound to take the wind out of your sails.
If the money diverted from the space program actually
was used for the benefit of the many have-nots populating
the earth, it would be easier to concede to the critics'
position. But that hasn't been the trend as there seems to
be a discrepancy as to what constitutes the "good of man
kind."
Some think hiding hundreds of nuclear warheads in a
desert at a far greater cost than any NASA project makes
more sense. This attitude should be met with a resounding
"Kiss my asteroids" from taxpayers. The problem is
scientists are feeble lobbyists when competing with others
who want a piece of the budget pie. A slogan like "Don't
Criticize The Space Program With Your Mouth Full Of
Tang" doesn't really help.
Scientists traditionally have had the problem of
explaining the wonders of knowledge humanity has
eternally striven to acquire to people who want to know
what it means in dollars and cents. After all, why would
anyone let Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel when a
couple of guys with a few coats of interior latex could do
it faster and cheaper?
NASA can point to the number of trained people it
employs, the consumer benefits that have come from
space technology and the many practical applications an
item like the space shuttle has going for it including
satellite repair, weather and atmospheric observations and
locating mineral deposits.
But it is rather sad to watch our space program having
to beg for handouts. You can beam back incredible pho
tos of Saturn from a billion miles away, but if the econo
my is faltering back here on earth some will be inclined to
say "So what?" The desperate quest for funds has even
sent scientists to the military in search of backing.
That, of course, defeats the purpose. The most valuable
asset of the spacrprogram is perhaps the least pragmatic.
Some would take no interest in it unless Skylab fell on
their new Trans-Am. But for millions of others, the sheer
endeavor of space exploration makes it a unifying force.
For some it may be patriotic, for others it is simply a
demonstration of the human spirit.
After all, there isn't anything particularly incredible
about a rocket launch anymore. Yet much of the country
stops in its tracks for the few seconds it takes to watch
one. In a world where few people comprehend the inner
workings of a toaster, it seems only fitting that a govern
ment could help finance something to fascinate its world
weary citizens.
The earth looks beautiful from outer space. In an orbit
ing position, it is impossible to detect that it is inhabited
by petty, bickering lower chief tans. That is a vantage
point we should all have a chance to view someday.
So let those who want to sweat over their Wall Street
Journals do so. But don't cut off those of us who willingly
support the peaceful quest for knowledge - something
history never provides with a price tag.
(M nebraskan
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Mfers to the editor
Writer's critique biased
Chuck Ueurancc's review of the Chris Williamson con
cert was obviously biased. In his own words, the concert
was "well received," there was 4iunity among the crowd
members' and the audience "clapped and sang-throughout
most of the concert." These statements suggest to me
that the audience enjoyed Chris' style and agreed with her
philosophy.
However, he chose to evaluate their positive response
with negative value judgments. He said the concert reflect
ed "flaky liberalism" and "absurd 50s idealism." If he
interprets the ideals of peace and freedom as shallow, then
it is Chuck who is out of touch with reality and totally
absurd.
Doris Pleskac
Junior, University Studies