Editor gives advice to UNL newcomers
Welcome to the University of Ne
braska-Lincoln! As the American
Express slogan says, membership
has its privileges. About 3,200 new stu
dents will set aside one day to become
familiar with these privileges and how to
take advantage of them. This special issue
and the New Student Enrollment program
is an introduction to information you’ll
need and want.
The administration building is where
most official transactions take place. For
every transaction there is a numbered win
dow or room a student needs to go to.
Where do students pick up their loans?
Consult page four, which lists each office
and the information processed there.
Once navigating campus is less time
consuming and a few classes have been
attended, new students may want to pursue
extracurricular activities. Student-athletes
not comfortable with playing in the Big
Eight can get involved in intramural sports.
Basketball, softball and tennis are three of
the many sports programs offered by the
Campus Recreation office.
The politically minded student can get
involved in student government. The Asso
ciation of Students of the University of Ne
braska listens to student concerns and tries
to resolve them. More information on
ASUN is on page two. Democratic and
Republican groups also are active on cam*
pus.
For the social creature lurking in each of
us. there are so many things to do and so
little time. Organized groups, such as so
rorities and fraternities, exist and provide
study buddies who will readily introduce
you to the best places to hang out on a
Saturday night. Turn to the Arts & Enter
tainment section on page six for a guide to
local bands, movie theaters and radio sta
tions.
There is a lot happening on and near this
campus. So, a few words of unsolicited
advice. The first few days of classes will
seem hectic. Don’t let the buzz of activity
and unanswered questions get to you. By
registering now, you have eliminated head
aches later. Students going through the
NSE program will have more classes avail
able to them than those waiting to register in
August.
When you find the location of all your
classes, half the battle is over. And pay at
tention to the syllabus. The syllabus is that
piece of paper handed out by the professor
detailing the assignments that go with a
course. The syllabus may be the only clue
given as to when you should read what.
Don’t look at the whole semester in five
minutes and panic. It would be a good idea
to start reading what will be covered early in
the semester.
Good luck!
Chris Carroll is a junior news-editorial major and is the
Summer Daily Nebraskan editor.
Things to consider when deciding where to live at UNL I
By Diane Brayton
Staff Reporter
Choosing where to live can be a
difficult decision for new students
at the University of Ncbraska-Lin
coln.
But whether students live in
residence halls, greek houses, in an
apartment or at home, students can
find a place to live suited to their
individual needs.
Doug Zatechka, UNL director
of housing, encourages students to
live on campus during their fresh
man year of college either in one of
the twelve residence halls or in a
greek house.
University of Nebraska-Lin
coln policy says that single fresh
men under 20 must live on campus
or with an adult relative with pa
rental permission.
According to Zatechka, it is
much easier to “grow socially,
culturally and academically on
campus.”
He cited a study that showed 9
to 12 percent of students who live
on campus will drop or flunk out of
college. The same study indicated
that as many as 40 percent of off
campus students will drop or flunk
out of college.
The residence halls have full
service dining, laundry machines,
lounges, a student government and
a trained student assistant on each
floor.
In 1989-90, residence hall
housing will cost $2,430 for a
double room and 20 meals a week.
“If you add up all the costs, I’m
sure its cheaper to live on cam
pus,” Zatechka said.
An estimated 2,200 students
live in either one of the 14 sorority
houses or one of the 26 fraternity
houses. Because of space limita
tions, freshmen sorority members
live in UNL residence halls.
UNL students who meet grade
criteria may apply for fraternity or
sorority membership. After meet
ing and reviewing qualifications or
potential members, greek organi
zations invite selected students to
join.
Jayne Wade Anderson, director
of Greek Affairs, named two ad
vantages to li ving in a greek house.
Anderson said the greek system
can benefit students by providing
them with networking opportuni
ties.
“You have membership for
life,” she said.
Because they are self-gov
erned, greek houses also can im
prove members’ leadership skills,
Anderson said.
Living problems encountered
in the greek system are “exactly
the same as living in a residence
hall or anywhere else,” Anderson
said.
Costs for living in a greek
house, for example, are about the
same as living in a residence hall,
Anderson said.
“The first year may be more
expensive because of membership
and initiation fees, but it averages
out over four years,” she said.
For students who want the free
dom and privacy of independent
living, off-campus housing is an
attractive option. Although there
are benefits, off-campus students
must deal with more variables and
responsibilities.
Shelley Stall, director of Stu
dent Legal Services at UNL, said
the university has not conducted a
study on the cost difference be
tween on- and off-campus hous
ing. But it can be cheaper to live
off-campus, she said, if the student
is willing to live with two or three
roommates.
Before hunting for an apart
ment, students should prioritize
their needs in terms of cost, loca
tion and space, Stall said. The
process is easier for those who
know exactly what they need from
housing, she said.
Stall suggests that students take
advantage of the complaint file in
her office before signing a con
tract The file has student com
plaints made against landlords.
To avoid future problems, stu
dents should carefully read their
housing contracts before signing
them. Stall said.
John Bruce/Dally Nebraskan
Before paying the deposit fee
on an apartment, students should
check appliances and plumbing to
make sure they work, Stall said.
If students are concerned about
monthly gas bills, they should
contact Minnegasco to find out the
amount of past bills, she said.
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AS UN determines student policies and budget allocation^
By Jana Pedersen
Stiff Reporter _
A SUN -- it’s not just a shining body of
light in the sky.
It’s also the Association of Students
of the University of Nebraska, a long name for
student government at the University of Ne
braska-Lincoln.
AS UN is the group of elected students,
called senators, that determines student policy
and helps decide allocation of student fees. At
least one student senator from each college was
voted into office during March elections.
UNL students also elect ASUN’s three
executive officers. They are President Bryan
Hill, First Vice President Devi Bohling and
Second Vice President Jon Bruning.
Hill said being ASUN president covers
three specific areas.
Hill said he was like a “chief executive” in
charge of policy, including responsibility for
the $135,000 budget used to run various areas
of student government
He said carrying out the wishes of the
ASUN senate is another important duty. Hill
said his job would be difficult without motiva
tion from the senate.
Finally, Hill said his biggest role is to be the
chief spokesperson of the student body.
“When people outside the university want
to know student opinion... I'm the first person
they ask at UNL.’’ he said.
Being student spokesperson carries the
tough responsibility of having to know student
opinion on every issue, Hill said.
But it also allows him to act as a liaison
between students and the administration,
Board of Regents and Legislature, he said.
One of the best ways to get student opinion
recognized, Hill said, is by using his unofficial
vote as a student member of the Board of
Regents.
Having that vote makes him work harder,
Hill said, because students can check his voting
record to see if he is representing their views to
the board.
The other two executive officers have sepa
rate duties, Hill said.
He said Bohling’s job centers on internal
affairs while Burning is in charge of external
affairs.
Bohling said her biggest duties are presid
ing over weekly senate meetings and oversee
ing committees.
But she also said she has special areas she
wants to concentrate on.
“I want to make ASUN more visible to
students on campus,” she said.
Bohling said she is trying to start an open
forum for students to discuss topics on campus.
She said she hopes the forum will be an easy
way for students to express their opinions and
get involved,
Bruning said his job focuses on public rela
tions activities such as promoting ASUN, the
student body and the university as a whole.
Bruning says students can help promou
UNL by gelling involved in university affairs.
He said one of his primary goals is to solicit
more student participation, especially from
minority students.
“A lot of times, students are afraid to get
involved because they don’t see any of their
friends or their peers in student government,”
Bruning said. “It’s my job to let them know
they’re welcome and wanted.”
If students want to get involved, Bruning
said, there are several opportunities waiting in
various committee openings.
"The best thing to do is just to come into the
AS UN office and ask,” he said.
Bohling agreed. She said students also
should look for committee openings in the
classified advertisements of the Daily Nebras
kan. AH committee openings for students-at
large are advertised in the newspaper, she said.
Students also can become active by joining
the Government Liaison Committee, Bohling
said.
Bruning said GLC works to get student
issues recognized by the Legislature through
student lobbying. For many members of stu
dent government, he said, GLC was their first
step. , |
Hill said he is currently working on several
projects to encourage student participation. He
said he hopes the projects will be in operation
next year.
One of the projects is setting up a hotline for
students to call with complaints about anything
that is related lo the university, he said.
Also, Hill said he would like to see televi
sion coverage of AS UN meetings on Edu
Cable, the university cable channel. „
“Student involvement is really necessary,
Bruning said. “The more student input and
student involvement we get, the better institu
tion we’re going lo have.”
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ASUN First Vies President Devi Bohling (left), President Bryan Hill (center)
and Second Vice President Jon Bruning.