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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 30, 1987)
r v 1 niirscy, mr.stly Sunny end waim. Hin buut C3. Couthc-st wind 10 'ta 15 mph. Tnursciay niM, mostly cL';'.r and mild. Low in the lowsrOs. Friday, st'nny and warmer. Hicii in the lower to rnid COS. Ncta'S Digest Pz33 2 Editorial Pga4 Sports Page 14 Diversions... Paga 5 Caiendar P250 13 Classified Pags 15 1 xjiycmaMmli Li April 30, 1987 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Vol. 86 No. 150 t J 1 '9fotoii0stn- Faculty salary increase debated; state colleges added From staff reports As debate began Wednesday over Nebraska's state budget, some senators were pushing for an increase in faculty salaries at UNL and Nebras ka's four state colleges. While Lincoln Sen. David Landis's $11.2 mil lion amendment to increase faculty salaries at UNL was debated, state senators attached another amendment to that proposal that would give about $1 million to state colleges for faculty salaries. Senators voted 25-7 to attach the $1 million amendment, sponsored by Sen. Sandra Scofield of Chadron. State colleges are located in Peru, Wayne, Chadron and Kearney. Senators, however, did not vote on Landis's amendment and ceased debate on the budget bill at noon Wednesday. Senators were expected to pick up where they left off today. According to tradition, senators debate the budget bills in the morning, leaving the afternoon for other bills. Landis said Wednesday afternoon that he expected yet another amendment to be attached to his proposal that would provide more state money for increasing faculty salaries at UNO. Landis's amendment would provide $1.3 million for faculty retirement benefits. Landis said he supports increasing faculty salaries at UNO and the four state colleges as well as at UNL. UNL Chancellor Martin Massengale said Wed nesday that the $11.2 million amendment "sig nals that members of the Legislature are willing to make an investment in the university." "I applaud Senator Landis taking the initia tive to address this critical problem," Massen gale said. Massengale said that many talented faculty members were leaving or considering leaving the university for higher salaries. The funds could be used to raise faculty salar ies to meet competitive salaries at other univer sities, he said. UNL is now 15 to 20 percent behind other schools in salaries, he said. Massengale said that if the funds are approved, they could be phased in during one year. ASUN senator resigns to protest lack of endorsement By Merry Hayes Staff Reporter Paul VonderiaseUsiiy Nesraskan Young and old alike delight in the Shrine Circus now showing at the Coliseum on the State Fair Grounds until May 3. Shriner's wives Connie Vay and Linda MacDonald gasp at the feats of the flying trapeze acrobats. An ASUN senator resigned after the senate meeting Wednesday night because the senate adjourned without considering a bill endorsing the Family Farm Act of 1987. Sen. Jeff Kirkpatrick resigned to protest the senate's meeting schedule change to postpone the open forum speaker who spoke on the bill and its early adjournment. Kirkpatrick said the senate was rude to the speaker and showed its lack of committment to issues vital to the university. He said the farm bill is vital to the student body because "if the agriculture sector of the state is in trouble, our university is in trouble." He said the senate should make a statement about the bill to show congressmen that Nebras kans are concerned about the current farm situation. He said he was told by Nebraska Rep. Virginia Smith, Sen. David Karnes, aides to DougBereuter and Hal Daub that they don't want to fight for the bill because they're not convinced Nebraskans are concerned about the current farm policy. "Endorsing this bill would demonstrate that a large group of people are concerned about agri culture and higher education," he said. Barb Meister, chairperson of the UNL student organization, Farm Action Concerns Tomorrows' Society, spoke in the senate's open forum on the farm act bill sponsored" by Congressmen Tom Harkin of Iowa and Richard Gephardt of Missouri. Meister said the bill, which would establish commodity price floors and mandatory produc tion controls, would bring prosperity to the small, medium-sized and family farms that are being hurt by the current farm policy. Meister said the 1985 farm bill, which pro vides government subsidies to farmers, is "drag ging this state down" and hurting higher edu cation. "The state economy is going down the tubes," she said. "The state is not generating enough money to provide a viable education system; that's why there are budget cuts." Meister said because of President Reagan's plans to shift the higher education costs to the state, a sound agriculture policy is needed. "We know Nebraska can't handle it with our economy," she said. Meister said the Family Farm Act would help higher education and Nebraska's economy by eliminating farm subsidies and allowing farmers to earn a profit again. 1.1 but not ba By Kevin Cowan Staff Reporter UNL's Residence Hall Association officers will be more visible and acces sible to residence-hall dwellers, whose rates won't be increased, said Russell W. Johnson, its new president. RHA offices have new ideas and a new, stronger constitution, said John son, who took office April 16. "I'm going to look to improve what's already there," he said. "We're not going to add anything that's going to be a cost factor." Johnson, a junior computer science major, said food service would be the first area for study. An RHA task force has been created to study the effi ciency of the service "from top to bot tom," he said. "I want to make the residents more satisfied, to please as many students as possible,"he said. RIL executive board and Senate members will make themselves more accessible to residents, he said. RHA suffers from a "visibility crisis," Johnson said. "Some of the students within the 1 U i ill raise its pit" rates, president says residence halls don't even know what RHA is," he said. Johnson said he hopes a triweekly newsletter and increased communica tion between the hall governments and the executive branch will create a tighter, more aware RHA. I want to make the residents more staisfled, to please as many students as possible.' Johnson .Johnson and several other new RHA officers helped rewrite the organiza tion's constitution this year. The new constitution grants RHA the power to delegate authority to lower resident hail governments and to allocate and adjust room-and board rates. The UNL administration gave RHA the power to be the student-body gov ernment of the residence halls for the first time since its formation in 1970, Johnson said. The success of the strong constitution remains to be seen, he said. "It's like a new car and we've got to test-drive it," he said. "Though I see nothing but success for the new consti tution." Bill Bade, new RHA vice president, said he "love(s)" the new charter, Bade, ajunior in philosophy, will head the RHA senate next fall. Bade said he and Johnson form a highly productive team. "Russ keeps an eye on the big goals, but if something small pops up, he tries to notice that too," he said. Bade, who ran with the ACTION party in the elections, said his party wants to develop incentives for student food-service employees. They also have organized a committee to research the need for longer visitation hours. . Bade also said RHA has a visibility problem. "Whenever something is hap pening on campus, I want to make sure that RHA is represented," he said. "We need to put our 2 cents in." See RHA on 3 Low bills, more books; energy bucks kicked back $275,000 given to NU libraries The mild winter's low utility bills will translate into a welcome windfall for the NU's library systems. NU president Ronald Roskens said Wednesday that $275,000 in one time energy savings will be ur.-cd fur ir.3 Crory systems, cn all three cr-rapi:..::. "With all the mar.y pressures cn budgrts within the university in recent years, it has ben exceedingly difficult for any cf the campuses to provide adequate funding for our libraries," Roskens said. "We have long needed additional resources to support acquisitions, maintain col lections and to acquire the technol ogy that befits a contemporary, com prehensive university." Under the plan, UNL will reinvest $2CQ,C00 in utility-bill saving, UNMC will allocate $50,000 and UN0 will use $25,000 for library support. Sen. Jerome Warner cf Waverly, chairman cf the Legislature's Appro priations Committee, praised the action. "It is well recognized at this point that funding for libraries has not kept up with legitimate r.seds both for materials and for new pro ccr,::lr.g technology," Warner said. "The uc3 cf these or.3 time far.is is particularly appropriate to be;::i to t;i;!r?:;3 thcr.3 need?" "The funds come at a critical time," said UNL Chancellor Martin Massengale, "A quality library is essential to a comprehensive, re search university. These or-time funds will be of assistance in retaining sendees and maintaining needed subscriptions. Eat even with the one-time funding, there is a con tinuing need for additional library support." Massengale said the libraries are "the heart of the university and any thing we can do to improve thr.ni improves the university." See LIAHY cn 3 1