T -a Daily t
Nebraskan
December 6, 1988 University of Nebraska-Lincoln
WEATHER: Tuesday, partly cloudy
and cooler, high 50-55 with NW winds
at 10-20 mph. Tuesday night, partly
cloudy and cold, low in the mid 20s.
Wednesday, mostly sunny and colder,
high in the mid 30s.
..&v
INDEX
News Digest.2
Editorial.4
Arts & Entertainment 5
Sports.6
Classifieds.6
Vol. 88 No 69
Yost hopes to raise number
of minority graduate students
By Eve Nations
Staff Reporter
Speaking to the Chancellor’s
Commission on the Status
of Minorities, John Yost,
vice chancellor for research and dean
of graduate studies, said he was
committed to minority recruitment
and to the retention of graduate stu
dents.
Yost said he hopes to increase the
number of minority graduate students
by 50 percent during a three-year
period, given available resources.
Presently, 72 minority graduate
students attend the University of
Ncbraska-Lincoln, he said.
“There arc possibilities of more
fellowship money than at any other
time,” Yost said. “We need to use
the resources as much as possible to
attract the graduate students.”
Yost said the graduate studies
program has an excess of $ 100,000 to
use for the recruitment of minority
graduates.
‘‘Our highest priority is to use the
funds for the recruitment and reten
tion of minority students,” he said.
Yost also said he was optimistic
about other money available. Yost
cited a possible increase of the Patri
cia Robert Harris Fund as an ex
ample.
The fund, which gives money to
specific departments for graduate
fellowships, totalled $200,000 this
year. Yost said he hopes to double
that for next year.
See MINORITIES on 3
Interns with state senators
learn how government works
By Shawn Schuidies
Staff Reporter
An internship with a slate
senator is a good way for
students to learn what goes
on behind the scenes in slate govern
ment, said a University of Nebraska
Lincoln official.
Internship coordinator Mildred
Katz said that most students think
internships with state senators arc
only for political science majors, but
the internships arc open to all stu
dents.
Bui ihc internship was more lime
consuming than she expected. Na
bower said. Instead of working 12-15
hours per week, Nabower said, she
worked almost 25 hours a week.
Moore said he prefers to hire stu
dents from his district and who have
had some previous political experi
ence.
A student can benefit the most
from an internship by simply observ
ing and learning how government
works, he said.
Although interns mostly do rou
tine work, Moore said, he allows in
terns to research bills covering issues
that interest them.
for example, Katz said, a scnalor
from a rural area may want to hire a
student who is studying agriculture.
The interns may not gel to do
“glamourous work or have much
influence,” Katz said. Studcnis do,
however, get to see how important
issues affect the stale, how bills are
passed and learn how to communi
cate with voters when they attend
constituent meetings, she said.
State senators look for studcnis
who arc juniors or seniors and have
had some previous political experi
ence, Katz said.
State Sen. Scott Moore said it
helps if a student has been a legisla
tive page or worked on a campaign
before they apply to be an intern, she
said.
Chris Nabower, a community and
regional planning graduate student,
said her internship with Moore in the
spring semester of 1988 helped to
improve her writing and communica
tion skills. Nabower said she did re
search for voters, answered phones,
filed information and monitored
committees for the scnalor.
Kal/ said student interns also can
benefit the university. The internship
lets state senators sec that UNL stu
dents are interested in political issues
and arc seriously interested in learn
ing, she said.
When state senators do hear about
students, Katz said, it’s usually in a
bad light. Students usually make the
news in negative ways, she said. In
terns help senators understand stu
dents better and sec them in a more
positive way.
Katz said the internships generally
run from Jan. 1 to the end of the
legislative session. Usually 18 intern
ships arc available each year, she
said.
Interns also can getcrcdil for three
hours through the political science or
speech communications depart
ments, she said. But interns arc not
paid, she said.
Students should apply before Dec.
14 in order to interview with a state
senator before Christmas vacation,
Katz said.
Keep on dig gin t .
Wayne Heidtbrlnk digs for a high-voltage power line in the practicefield north of Ed Weir
Track Monday afternoon. A new lino is being laid to power overhead lights that will permit
night baseball games at Buck Betteer Field. _. _.
NU regents resist student regent vote idea
By Jana Pedersen
Staff Reporter
Apian proposed by student regents to
allow them a non-official vote on the
NU Board of Regents is finding some
opposition from other board members.
The main purpose of the proposal is to give
student regents an opportunity to have a record
of their opinions, according to University of
' Nebraska at Omaha Student Regent Joe Kerri
gan.
Kerrigan said it is important to have a record
of student regents’ positionson issues to on sure
that they arc representing the views of their
constituents.
UNL Student Regent Jeff Petersen agreed.
“Presently there’s no means for holding the
student regents accountable or for making sure
I they arc doing their jobs,” he said. “(Having a
non-official vote) would make them have to
lake stands.”
Several other regents, however, questioned
the constitutionality of such a vote.
Regent Donald Blank of McCook agreed
that student regents should have a means to
show their responsibility to their constituents, jj
But Blank said the proposal’s constitutionality
must be answered first, he said.
“As long as the votes are non-official,” he ■
said, “1 don’t see any problems with it.” m
Regent Nancy Hoch of Nebraska City said jj
she was in favor of more involvement by the ®
student regents. But Hoch said she was not
willing to take a stand on the non-olficial vote **
issue until she had more information about its
constitutionality.
Regent Donald Frickc of Lincoln said the I
Nebraska stale constitution docs not allow for yj
voting by student regents.
Constitutional requirements for regents, B
such as mandatory Nebraska residency and B
United Stales citizenship, may not apply to T
student regents, Frickc said. L
The student regents also don’t represent a
specific district like other board members, he '%
said. If regents allowed students to vote, cer
tain districts could become over-represented, Rj
depending on where student regents arc from,
Frickc said.
See VOTE on 3
J_J- , ***,m*iM 1
Butch Ireland/Daily Nabraakan
Jeff Petersen in his office.
