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Wednesday, September 8, 1982
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Vol. 82 No. 12
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Massengale cites mps9 downs
after 15 months as chancellor
By BUI Allen
Martin Massengale started his job as chancellor of UNL
15 months ago, after six years as vice chancellor of
UNL's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Massengale said he has now broadened his perspective
to encompass both Lincoln campuses.
"I've become more familiar with the duties of the
chancellor and with the university as a whole," he said
in an interview Friday.
Massengale mentioned several accomplishments during
his administration so far.
"We've improved computer capabilities in the
Engineering College," he said. Renovations of temple
Theatre and Chase Hall have been completed and
construction has begun on the Wick Alumni Center
since he became chancellor, Massengale said.
"We need to have more channels of communication
with our alumni," he said. "I think it (Alumni Center)
indicates that the student is an important part of the
university,"
Massengale said the biggest problems facing the
university are lack of adequate finances, the need to
improve faculty salaries and the need to improve the
learning environment, inside and outside the university.
UNL foundations
Massengale said to understand his responsibilities and
those of other administrators one has to know the
foundations of UNL.
"We are the only land grant comprehensive university
in Nebraska " he said.
UNL was started under the Morrill Act of 186S, he
said.
"This act," Massengale said, "stated that we must
teach agriculture, mechanical arts and military science,
but not to the exclusion of the other sciences.
"In Nebraska we incorporated the land grant and
state institutions into one university," he said. "This
gives us a triple mission - teaching, research and service
to the state."
"Our objective is to make this a quality institution,"
he said. "We have to emphasize areas that have nationwide
significance."
Massengale refused to name any specific areas his
administration is concentrating on for fear of seeming
to isolate other areas.
Administrative style '
- Massengale 's style of administration depends a great
deal on those around him, he said.
"I try to get input from those around me and base
decisions from that," he said.
Massengale said he meets once a week with the vice
chancellors.
"I try to do the best job I can representing the
university to the regents, the Legislature and the people
of the state," he said. "I spend great deal of time
traveling nhrtfughburthe state promoting the5 university
and its programs. I try to make decisions that are in the
best interests of the total university.
"I think we have a good administration," he continued.
"Teamwork is important. I don't think that means 'don't
rock the boat,' as has been implied.
"You'll find that UNL has one of the leanest
administrations of any university of its size in the
country," he said. "This means we have a tremendous
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Martin Massengale
workload. We don't have time for many of the day-to-
ay aetmneTWe'd'have if we had more support staff."
One day-to-day activity is meeting students.
"My primary contact with students is through Vice
Chancellor (for Student Affairs) Richard Armstrong,"
Massengale said. "His primary duty is to keep me ad
vised on student interests and problems."
"It's not like I wouldn't like to get to know them
all," he said, "but there are so many things to do that
I can't possibly meet every student."
Off
idols stress value, necessi
ty ofprere
By Bill Allen
for academic affairs.
Prerequisites are classes students are
It is difficult for people registering required to take before they can go on to
students to check whether those students other courses in a department,
have required prerequisites for classes, said According to Ted Pfeifer, director of
R. Neale Cop pic, acting vice chancellor registration and records, it is possible for
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Staff Photo by Davt Btntz
Sprint car driver Annie Parr, 2, of Lincoln sets new track record at the Nebraska
State Fair on Labor Day. Although her mother kept a watchful eye on the action,
Annie needed no assistance in victory.
students to register for a class for which
they do not have the prerequisites.
"Registration doesn't police this," Pfei
fer said. "There are some units that require
an adviser signature, but the university
relies a great deal on letting the student
handle this."
Pfeifer mentioned the Engineering
College as one that definitely requires
an adviser's signature. He said if a student
registers in the college without the signa
ture, steps will be taken to disenroll him.
This is not the case in most other
colleges, he said.
Background material
"Basically, if there's a good advising
program it can be checked on that level,"
Copple said.
Copple said prerequisites have a "good
solid place" in a department's curriculum.
As an educational device, he said, they
require a student to take beginning and
background material before they get into
more advanced areas.
"Normally" Copple said, "you are
trying to get the student to systematically
move up to the next point. Obviously,
that doesn't work correctly in all courses."
This brings up another reason for pre
requisites. They help department heads
plan the number of course sections,
Copple said.
The number of people who are going to
take a course can usually be determined
quisites
by looking at the number of students who
completed the prerequisite, he said.
Another reason for prerequisistes is to
weed out non-majors for a popular course,
Copple said.
"Prerequisites can be used as both a
planning and an educational device for the
department," he said.
Copple said a student found taking a
class without the prerequisites, is asked to
go back and take the prerequisites.
Flow chart
Stan Liberty, Dean of the College of
Engineering and Technology, said prere
quisites are very important in his college.
"Almost every course is a step to the
subsequent course," he said. "Through the
freshman, sophomore and junior year, it's
very important. Almost every curriculum
will almost follow a flow chart. In the
senior year, there is more room for elect
ives." The Engineering College has one of the
best checking systems in the university,
said Al Witte, assistant dean of the college.
Witte said the college requires an ad
viser's signature on all worksheets and
registration forms.
lie said there have been instances where
students have not been allowed to take
engineering courses for a semester because
of a failure to get an adviser signature.
"Students who try to bypass prerequi
sites And thmselves in trouble," he said.