Yl Daily
Monday, November 22, 1982
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Vol. 82,.Na67
10 percent tuition surcharge confronts students
By Duane Retzlaff
Tuition at the University of Nebraska
for the spring semester will be 10 percent
higher for most students as a result of a
tuition surcharge approved Saturday by
the NU Board of Regents.
The first-ever surcharge at NU is hoped
to offset approximately $1.2 million of
Related story
on Page 7
the $3.5 million the Nebraska Legislature
cut from the university budget in its
special session two weeks ago.
On a 7-1 vote, with Regent Robert
Prokop of Wilber dissenting, the board
voted to institute a 10 percent surcharge
for all students except for. Medical, dentis
try and pharmacy students, who face a
13 percent surcharge.
The .regents amended NU President
Ronald Rosken's original surcharge pro
posal of 12 percent and 15 percent, res
pectively, after being assured by univer
sity administrators that the extra $225,000
could be made up with cuts elsewhere.
Roskens, said he didn't like raising
tuition, but that. the alternatives would
be more damaging to . the university.
One option, he said, would be to
delay the 2.5 percent faculty pay raise
scheduled for Jan. 1. However, none of
the administrators, regents or student
regents at the meeting said they supported
such a move.
Another option would be to cut the
$3.5 million from the budget, Roskens
said, but that would make it necessary to
eliminate some existing teaching positions.
$35.47 per credit hour
With the 10 percent surcharge, students
will pay $35.47 per credit hour, up from
the present $32.25. A student taking 15.
credit hours would pay $532.05, an
increase of about $48.
In addition to the surcharge, an extra
$2.3 million will have to be cut from the
budget.
Since tuition pays for 32 percent of
the instructional budget, Roskens said,
it was decided that it would be only fair
for students to pay for one-third of the
budget shortfall.
UNO Student Regent Florene Langford
said she is concerned that students are
bearing an unproportionate amount of
the budget cut, and suggested money
could instead be taken from capital con
struction projects.
Roskens said the legislature appropriates
money separately for capital construction,
and the Legislature could not answer a
special request until February or March,
which is too late.
Alcohol tax proposed
Nette Nelson, speaking for ASUN's
Government Liaison Committee, said some
students had suggested in a forum Thurs
day that a tax, similar to the one placed
on cigarettes, be placed on alcohol in
order to raise money for the university.
Regent Robert Simmons of Scottsbluff
read a prepared statement, calling for
bolder action to deal with the university's
problems.
The university, Simmons said, shouldn't
be everything to everybody, and should
only devote itself to teaching "the pre
pared and the motivated" students. He
added that the university's research operat
ions are vital .to the state and should be
strongly supported.
Simmons said he was concerned that
the tuition surcharge could actually cause
revenues to fall, because many students
could actually cause revenues to fall,
because many students could be forced
to take less hours or to drop out.
Continued on Page 2
Sileven determined
to continue fighting
state regulation
The Rev. Everett Sileven has yet to win a battle in his
fight over state regulation of Christian schools. But (ithe.u
war is far from over.
In a panel discussion sponsored by the, Nebraska
chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma
Delta Chi, Sileven said he will reopen the Faith Christian
School in Louisville Dec. 1 and go to jail.
Other panelists were Nebraska Attorney General Paul
Douglas; Herb Schimek, government relations director
of the Nebrsaka State Education Association; state 1
Sen. Don Wesely of Lincoln, substituting for state Sen.
Gerald Koch of Ralston, who is chairman of the Legis
lature's Education Committee; and the Rev. Larry Lau
tarel, pastor of the First Church of God in Kearney and
vice chairman of Nebraskans for Religious Freedom.
Sileven is currently free from jail because he agreed
to close the school while he sought legislative support for
his cause. The special session of the Legislature refused to
consider legislation on the issue.
Douglas said the issue of state regulations of private
schools seems to be at an impasse since neither side is
willing to compromise. He said the only solution at this
time is for the church to change its stance, the state to
concede to the church or the church following in Louis
ville to leave the state.
When asked if he will try to seek support for his cause
in the January session of the Legislature, Sileven said he
would probably be sleeping in the Cass County Jail. But
Sileven said he and his supporters would indeed try to
get support.
Sileven said that he could spend the rest of his life in
jail because as long as he tries to open his school, he Will
remain in contempt of court.
Wesely said the mood of the people and the mood of
the Legislature is to keep the existing rules and he sees
no possibility of a change.
if":
. ;'
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Photo by Oulcie Shoener
Sen. Don Wesely of Lincoln, from left, Attorney General Paul Douglas, moderator David Ahrendts, the Rev.
Everett Sileven and the Rev. Larry Lautaret participate in a panel discussion sponsored by the Society of Profes
sional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi.
In response to a question about the participation of the
press in the recent controversy, Sileven said the only thing
he knows is that whenever he travels around the country,
he receives, a positive reaction, but in Nebraska it is nega
tive. When he was reminded that the press' role is
supposed to be neutral, Sileven said, "It's impossible to
be neutral."
Lautaret gave his opinion about the press, saying that
he had been grossly misquoted and made to look like a
"nut." He said that it may be a society of journalists,
but "the term 'professional' is up for grabbles."
Douglas said that he perceived a change in the mood
of the people during the controversy. He said that origin
ally, people thought the followers at Faith Christian were
right, but after watching the "antics that went on there,"
the mood changed against them.
Wesely agreed with Douglas, saying that the Legis
lature was turned off by the tactics used by the church
and other outside supporters.
Sileven said that people in Washington, D.C, are very
disturbed by the amount of force used to close a school.
He also said that a possible solution could come from
Washington.
In response to a question about the state's responsi
bility in assisting Cass County and the district court,
Douglas said it is indeed the state's responsibility to help.
He said he didn't want to be critical, but it is possible
that Cass County District Judge Raymond Case acted
prematurely when he relascd Sileven. He said that if Case
or Cass County Sheriff Fred Tcsch had asked the state for
help, they would have received it.
iff -
Nigerian to lead international student group
By Janet H.Chu
Soala Ariweriokuma ot Nigeria was
chosen the new president of the UNL
International Students' Organization dur
ing elections Friday in the Nebraska Union.
Other students elected to the organizat
ion's executive board were Nila Davda,
vice president; Saeed Bahramzad, social
secretary; and Khader Khayyat, ASUN
representative.
A representative from each of 39
foreign countries with students attend
ing UNL voted in the election.
Ariweriokuma said he believed he had
a good chance of winning.
"1 felt some of the things 1 want to
accomplish were consistent with many
members of the organization. 1 encourage
"photo eourttiv of s. Artriokuma N foreign students to actively participate
ill meetings, lie diu.
Soala Ariweriokuma In his speech Ariweriokuma, a graduate
student in educational administration, em
phasized the need for better communicat
ion between the ISO and ASUN.
"I will advocate active voice of ISO
in the ASUN. I will express and insist
and ensure that we are represented,"
' he said.
Ariweriokuma said he would like to
create special job channels within the
university system for students who, due
to major emergencies, fail to receive
money at expected times. He also said
he will try to freeze foreign student tuit
ion increases for at least one year.
Among his other goals are persuading
university officials to give the Host
Family Association special recognition,
bridging the gap between American and
international students by encouraging
American students to participate in ISO
meetings and activities, and advocating
broader news coverage and publicity
efforts.
Davda, the new vice president, is a
sophomore chemical engineering major
from Tanzania. She said the organization
has concentrated too much on social
activities. She suggested that new foreign
students be greeted and received at the
airport.
"Perhaps one of the most frustrating
experiences for a new student is to arrive
at the airport and be greeted by a poster -a
poster telling you how to get to the
university, etc. And posters cannot com
pare with personal presence at the air
port," she said.
Davda also emphasized "one of the
goals of the ISO constitution, wliich is
to act as a liaison between international
students and ASUN. After talking with
ASUN President Dan Wedekind, Davda
said she is encouraged by the interest
in international students.