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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1985)
Friday, November 1, 1985 Page 4 Daily Nebraskan Edito Faculty need leave policy -7 "Fithrmf fVio honnfit nf cnhhntirflk tn niirsilfi their ) research and enrich their areas of expertise, pro- ' lessors are precluded lrom doing tne best jod tney u can. At UNL. there is only one leave per faculty member an average of once every 35 years, according to the 1984-85 Executive Graduate Council annual report. Graduate Council guidelines stipulate that one leave should be awarded .ach year for every 15 eligible faculty members. Although Henry Holtzclaw, former dean of the Graduate College, sai d the number of leaves for faculty members is more than it used to be, the Faculty Development Leave Program, instituted in 1977, still needs help. Because of the far-reaching implications of limited research and sabattical opportunities, the financially strapped program needs immediate improvement. Ultimately, it is the student who suffers from the university's poor leave program. Faculty who don't have a greater number of opportunities to conduct research in their areas of expertise fall behind. They cannot update or enrich their subject knowl edge as well if they had regular sabbatical and therefore relate the best information to the students in the classroom. The amount of accomplishments faculty accumulate from research also suffers because of an inadequate leave program. Not only do professors have difficulty keeping up with the accomplishments of their peers at other institutions, the abil ity to "produce" and bring recognition to UNL is greatly inhibited by the university's present leave program. Additionally, potential new faculty considering UNL will also be discouraged by the program's poor reputation. Faculty morale, recognition and teaching ability hinge on the leave program. Those wielding the budget ax should realize that the leave program is already inadequate and further cuts should be avoided. Protest budget cuts T 1TNL student leaders will be in the Nebraska Union I main lounge today at 10 a.m. to explain how faculty I and students can pledge their support for the univer- k , J sity. Members of the university community concerned about NU's future in the face of about $5 million in budget reductions are urged to attend the meeting. University administrators and student representatives have repeatedly stressed to state senators that a 3 percent cut will severely damage the university. Now the rest of the university community must express its feelings. A wider variety and larger number of people at the state house commenting on the destructiven'ess of budget cuts will have a more powerful impact on senators than the same familiar faces relaying the same messages over and over. State senators will be considering an amendment next week that could cut the proposed $5 million reduction in half. Widespread student and faculty support for that legislation is crucial if the university is to survive. Attend the meeting today and find out how to voice your support effectively. The Daily Nebraskan 34 Nebraska Union 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448 EDITOR NEWS EDITOR CAMPUS EDITOR ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR WIRE EDITOR COPY DESK CHIEFS SPORTS EDITOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR ART DIRECTOR GENERAL MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGER ASSISTANT PRODUCTION MANAGER ADVERTISING MANAGER ASSISTANT ADVERTISING MANAGER CIRCULATION MANAGER PUBLICATIONS BOARD CHAIRPERSON VickiRuhga, 472-1766 Ad Hudler Suzanne Teten Kathleen Green Jonathan Taylor Michlela Thuman Lauri Hopple Chris Welsch Bob Asmussen Bill Allen Kurt Eberhardt Daniel Shattii Katherine Policky Barb Branda Sandi Stuewe Mary Hupf Brian Hoglund Joe Thomsen The Daily Nebraskan (USPS 144-080) is published by the UNL Publica tions Board Monday through Friday in the fall and spring semesters and Tuesdays and Fridays in the summer sessions, except during vacations. Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1763 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The public also has access to the Publications Board. For information, contact Joe Thomsen. Subscription price is $35 for one year. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448. Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, NE 68510. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1985 DAILY NEBRASKAN laying IT OM A LITTLE THIS!? AREN'T jrr-3-ey.Q fi.s . ...i .... , i UNL input is e Senators only determine amount cut, not areas The current special session of the Nebraska Legislature and sub sequent potential for budget cuts has resulted in an understandable outcry from the university community. It is important, however, to look not only at the budget reduction efforts, but also at the university's response. Our state senators only determine the amount to be cut, not the areas to be affected. With this in mind, it is interesting to review those areas targeted for reduc tion or elimination by NU President Ronald Roskens in his presentation to the Legislature. The UNL Counseling Center, women's intercollegiate athlet ics, Community Resource and Research Center, Sheldon Art Gallery and the Bureau of Business Research all were listed as vulnerable. Each of these facilities serves a substantial segment of the student population in an effort to reach toward the elusive goal of holis tic education and human development. Eliminating such services challenges the very basis for higher education, which purportedly is committed to the development of the "whole person" humanism, tolerance and a world view of interdependency and community. Guest opinion Political ploy? So how did President Roskens arrive at these specific suggestions? There are several possible answers. Perhaps he felt that these arbitrarily selected programs would incite an immediate and vocal response from students and constituents. Politically this seems plausible, although not particularly astute. When the inevitable reductions occur, the university will then be forced to either stand behind these previously outlined reductions and cripple itself in the process, or to disregard the pre vious response, allowing the Legisla ture to question the legitimacy of uni versity complaints regarding funding. Another possibility is that time con straints forced Roskens to respond somewhat instinctively revealing his perception of what is expendable at this institution. Apparently, student support services, research and cultural activities are expendable. Or maybe higher administration recognized the potential for the ensh rined central administration to be ques tioned and responded with any alternatives that came to mind. Each of these alternatives is some what disconcerting. Theoretically at least, administrators, staff faculty and yes, even lowly students should have been working together to deter mine how the university could absorb a further reduction in funding. Appar ently a decision was made to circum vent the latter three constituencies and incorporate only an elite few of the administrators in deciding what areas would be affected. The result, not sur prisingly, speaks directly to many fun damental student services and escapes even the mention of central adminis tration. As a result of this action by higher administration, students are apparently expected to respond with calculated outrage at Gov. Kerrey and the Legisla ture. But I believe students' responsi bility is not only to advocate the con tinued funding of this university, but also to ensure accountability in the utilization of those funds. In addition, we have an obligation to view the over all issue of the state's monetary bind. I am not only a student at UNL, but also a citizen of Nebraska and I resent inflated efforts which are a simple appeal to self interest and exhort me to respond with unquestioning fervor to save NU. . As Bruce Springsteen said: "Blind faith is a dangerous thing." Holistic view best Uneducated, single-issue rhetoric will have little impact on our state legislators. However, an effort to take a more holistic view of the legislature's money dilemma and realistically pres ent the needs of the university could have a substantial impact on its deci sions. I do not mean to imply that the uni versity system can sustain intermina ble budget cuts. At this point we have little choice but to lobby for minimal reductions. But perhaps an awareness of university responsibility, as well as the role of the Legislature, will aid us in an effort to increase student input into the entire allocation process. Finally, I would encourage students to realize that the budgetary process is by no means over at the conclusion of this Legislative session. Some of the most substantial input can be achieved in the decisions that are made detail ing the nature of the reductions. Mary Marcy senior speech communications president, UNL Mortar Board Effectiveness in doubt U.N. given 'stiot in the aim' Like pilgrims to a shrine, around 80 heads of state converged in New York to commemorate the recent 40th anniversary of the United Nations. Guest Opinion The arrival of such an extraordinary array of leaders has given the United Nations a much-needed shot in the arm, particularly at a time when its effectiveness is in doubt, according to a recent public opinion survey, a whopping 40 percent of the people polled in the United States, Fiance, Britain and West Germany think the world might be better without the Uni ted Nations. The anti-western senti ments that peaked in the middle 70s and the equating of Zionism to racism caused one to wonder if the United Nations had been reduced to a pawn of Soviet Union and its surrogates. A frus trated former U.S. delegate had sug gested that the entire U.N. operation might just want to sail off into the sunset. One of the biggest complaints against the organization has been the failure to prevent wars. The reason for this fail ure lies in the fact that the U.N. Gen eral Assembly resolution is non-binding. As a result, countries flout U.S. deci sions when they go against them. And m the security council where resolutions are theoretically binding, the perman ent members can protect their inter ests by veto. The United Nations has been compared to an umbrella that folds up every time it rains. Publicized failures have completely overshadowed its modest success. The United Nations has added more than 100 new member nations through deco lonization. Patient, behind the scenes effort has helped to improve human rights. Please see UNITED NATIONS on 5
