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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1983)
L a L - V V J i y University of Nebraska-Lincoln April 20, 1933 Vol.82, No. 145 Aim? fk 0 By Jim Rasmussen Ilirofumi Ando, an authority on world population problems, called world population "one of the most important issues of our time" during a speech Tuesday in the East Union. Ando heads the Asia and Pacific branch of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities. He said that although the world population growth rate has decreased, from 2 percent per year in 1960 to a present rate of about 1 .7 percent, the actual number of people is still on the rise. He said world population is expected to increase to about 6.6 biUion people by the end of the century, an increase of 1 .6 billion from present levels. Ninety percent of this increase, Ando said, will occur in underdeveloped countries. NA awaits final approval of sMe-fy ended woirk-tudy bill By Terry Hyland The results of a letter-writing ccmpaign aimed at supporting final legislative approval of a work-study bill probably won't be evident until the bill comes to the floor for final reading, Debra Chapelle, executive director of the Nebraska State Student Association, said Monday. The bill, LB126, is sponsored by state ' Sens. Bernice Labedz of Omaha and Sam Cullan of Hemingford. The work-study program would allow college students to earn income and work experience through a program set up and financed by the state. Nebraska has no state work-study programs for college students. Chapelle said last week in a press release that, "the Nebraska Work-Study Program is badly needed to ensure that Nebraska students in higher education have the resources to continue their college education." The NSSA has worked closely with Labedz and Cullan for passage of the bill since it was introduced, Chapelle said, and the letter-writing campaign was a continuation of support for the bill. A task force study conducted by Cullan showed that Nebraska ranks 38th nationally in per capita appropriations for student aid, providing 71 cents per student compared with a national average of $4 per student, Chapelle said. She said the bill would provide students "an excellent opportunity to gain supplemental funds and work experience during their education." The rules of the program probably would be determined by the state Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education if the bill becomes law. Chapelle said she believes the recent budget cut proposal for NU will likely shift attention away from LB126 until the budget matter is resolved. But she emphasized that the importance of the budget cuts should not overshadow the importance of the work-study bill. "Quality (education) has to go with accessibility," she said. "The budget cut is important, but it doesn't make LB126 any less important." The concept of adequate funding for the education system cannot be separate from funding programs that allow students to enter and continue in that education system, she said. She added that she doesn't believe LB126 should be "sacrificed" to get money put back into the university budget. M yjDll 1 ujSCD J n n if In response to the population problem, the UN EPA was created in 1967 and became functional in 1969. The fund has grown dramatically since then and now operates on an annual budget of $130 million, he said. Fifty percent of that money is used to support family planning programs in underdeveloped countries, he said. Money from the fund provides birth control supplies and equipment, as well as educational materials. The remaining money is spent on such projects as census taking and research, monitoring of population trends, and assistance to organizations supporting family planning. The UNFPA does not dictate family planning procedures to nations, Ando said. Instead, recommendations are made for programs. The individual countries, acting on these recommendations, implement the birth control programs as they see fit. Countries are required by the UNFPA, he said, to make their programs voluntary, and not mandatory. He said that one innovative aspect of the UNFPA program is that "we have started working with non-government in addition to government organizations." Following Ando's speech, a panel discussion and question and answer session were held. Panel member Lynn White, associate professor of sociology at UNL, said that population control is a crucial "first step" in combating poverty in underdeveloped nations. However, she said, the main reason for so much poverty is the "inequality" between the standards of living in developed and underdeveloped countries. Wlu'te said she thought the United Slates could do more to help the problems faced by poorer nations. Werner Foros, president of the Population Institute in Washington, agreed. He S3id that the United Slates spends 90 cents per capita on the population problem each year. When all donations are totaled, Americans spend about $5 per person on the problem. "The fact is, most Americans could easily afford to spend $25, and we'd have a better world for it," Foros said. Foros also spoke about a new program in the Republic of Cluna which he said could be a sign of things to come in other countries. Fornos said the Cliinese government is offering a 50 percent salary increase to families who pledge to have no more than one child. Participants can also have a say in where they work, Fornos said, but if they break their pledge, they lose everything. They must pay buck the salary increases, and the family is often split up. 1 r r v v Art by Lou Ann Zacek Acce offered to dfabled Editor's note: This is the first article in a three-part series about handicapped students at UNL. By Kris Mullen UNL complies with all accessibility regulations for its handicapped students, and does more than is required, UNL's affirmative action officer said. Brad Munn, who also is UNL's disabled students coordinator, said that, in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, all university programs and services are made available to handicapped students. The wording of Section 504 is almost identical to the wording of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which banned discrimination on the basis of race and sex in educational institutions. Section 504 states: "No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of his handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefit of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." Munn said the Affirmative Action office's role is to see that the university's programs and classes are available to every student. This, he said, does not necessarily mean that every classroom in every building is accessible to a handicapped student. It is common for Munn's office to transfer a class that is in a room inaccessible to a student to a building that is accessible, he said. Each semester, Munn said, he gets a confidential list of all handicapped students enrolled at UNL. The list includes paraplegics, asthmatics and students with hearing and visual problems and learning disabilities. Usually about 50 handicapped students are on campus, he said. The largest group are those who are dyslexic (those with a form of reading disability). The officials write to the students and tell them to contact the office if they have any problems, he said. If a student makes arrangements, legally every class can be made accessible. The campus maps that were published in 1978 list buildings that are fully accessible to people with disabilities and those that have first floor accessibility only. The map is generally correct, but is a "superficial guide," Munn said. Eli Cardona, affirmative action equal opportunity specialist, pointed out that Woods art building is denoted as fully accessible. "It's the worst," Cardona said. Cardona said it is difficult for a student in a wheelchair to maneuver his way through the sculpture room, beyond which there is a door that must be pulled open. "And the ramp on the east end is inclined too steep," he added. He emphasized, however, that the office makes all programs accessible by transferring the class to a building that is truly accessible. "There has to be reasonableness," Munn said. "Should the university spend $7 million to make every class accessible? We could do so much more (with the money) to improve the programs we have." Munn also said the university provides note takers and interpreters for the five deaf students on campus. The interpreters are paid $7.50 an hour. "We don't feel it's a requirement," he said. "But we won't deny them (the students) that opportunity." Munn said his office also administers tests if the student cannot write, or if he cannot write fast enough to take a test during his class period. "The greatest thing is what the faculty does," he said. Professors always are willing to move a class or take extra time to help a handicapped student, Munn said. Munn said his office receives the support of the administration. Thursday's article will present the opinions of some students who disagree with Munn's comments and will focus on the lifestyles of some handicapped students at UNL.