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August 24,1989 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Vol 907Jo. 1
Bill is reaction to crime
By Diane Brayton
Suff Reporter
In an effort to attract college stu
dents to the law enforcement pro
fession, the United States Con
gress is considering a bill that would
allow students to trade the cost of
college for a pledge to join the police
corps.
The purpose behind the Police
Corps Act of 1989 is to “establish a
national police corps program mod
eled after the ROTC program,” said
Jim Skinner, senior foreign affairs
legislative adviser to Rep. Bob Dor
nan, R-Calif.
The program was developed as “a
long-range solution” to an increased
concern about violent crime, Skinner
said.
“There clearly need to be foot
soldiers for the war on drugs,” he
said.
The bill, if passed, would allow a
maximum of 25,000 qualified stu
dents to participate yearly. The stu
dents would receive federally guar
anteed loans. The government would
repay up to $40,000 of the loans once
students complete four years ih the
state or local police department
The bill was developed by Adam
Walinsky, a New York City lawyer
who has been trying get support for
the idea for about eight years, Skinner
said.
Walinsky found sponsors for the
bill in Doman and Rep. Barney
Frank, D-Mass. Both staunch liberals
and conservatives support the bill,
Skinner said.
“There is a whole range of Demo
crats and Republicans climbing on
board,” he said.
Along with paying tuition, the bill
would establish a national training
center for the students.
For the First Five years of the pro
gram, law enforcement ofFicials
would be eligible for the program.
After the Fifth year, only undergradu
ate or graduate students would be
eligible. >
Skinner said the only drawback is
the project’s cost. Figures for the
project range from $800 million to
$1.4 billion, Skinner said.
“If you’re going to be serious
about the war on drugs, you have to
Finance it,” Skinner said.
To defray costs, an old military
base may be used for the national
training center, he said.
“I’ve yet to Find a city that hasn’t
expressed interest,” Skinner said.
Gates Minnick, chairman of the
Lincoln city council, said he thinks
See COPS on 8
Debate over firing continues
By Brandon Loomis
Scator Editor
Although & statement is
sued recently by the re
gems’ special attorney
may have clarified the board’s
desire to keep cfuiet about the firing
of NU President Ronald Roskens,
it hasn’t cleared the air of conflict.
Charles Wright’s statement
claimed that the regents and the
university could be legally liable if
they made “inadvertent” com
ments injuring Roskens' reputa
tion and future employability.
State senators eager for an ex
planation of the board’s action said
legal liability is no reason for pub
lic officials to keep information
from the community.
Sen. Ron Wtthem of Papillion
said the resents are not private
people conducting their own busi
ness; and therefore afe not free to
hide their actions to protect them
selves from lawsuits.
“I'm Faying they ’#e fepreseata
tives at large doing the people’s
business,” Wtthem said. “That
obligation outweighs any personal
concerns they might have about
The regents agreed July 31 to
fire Roskens while honoring the
remaining two years of his con
tract, including salary and benefits
totaling about $250,000.
Withem said he has spoken to
Wright and has no doubt that his
legal advice is sound, but public
accountability is of the greatest
importance in this instance.
“If they can’t be accountable
for their actions they (night not be
in public office,’.’ he said.
Sen. Jerome Warner of Wav
erly said he doesn't believe the
regents could be held liable for
disclosing their reasons for the fir
ing.
As long as the regents’ state
ments are true, they wouldn’t be
liable even if Roskens' reputation
was damaged, Warner said.
“I’ve never heard of anyone
being held liable because they
were accurate ami precise, ’ lie
. ^Tfrlihi
Available for comment. &
Warner said he doubts the re
gents have anything both damag
ing and fruitful to say.
He said he expects to pursue die
issue and look for the answers hot
has no immediate plan of action.
Dan Meyer* a Lincoln insur
mhCv SolvMtlan Qpu lUsilfCT IvglSKw*
tive aide and lobbyist, said he will
sue the regents far violating the
state's open meetings law if no cue <
else sues first
If groups like (he Nebraska
Press Association don't sue it will
' be up to a private citizen or group
of citizens, he said.
The Nebraska ‘Open Meeting
Law states that “every meeting of
a public body shall be open to the
public in order that citizens may
exercise their democratic privi
lege of attending and speaking ..
The July 31 meeting was closed
to the public and the media.
Meyer be understands the
concern about liability but that
public accountability is more im
portant.
“I think there is a deeper thing
being ignored - whether the re
sents violated the open meetings
laws ” he said.
National voluntary certification system to begin in 1993
By Sara Bauder
Staff Reporter
Anew national system of voluntary certi
fication could lead to higher salaries and
increased prestige for elementary and
secondary teachers, according to the National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Jan Shimshock, staff associate for develop
ment and communication of the NBPTS, pre
dicted that school boards will compete for
board-certified teachers and may increase their
salaries.
The new system, scheduled to begin in
1993, will have stricter requirements than stan -
dards set by states, Shimshock said.
To be eligible for certification, a teacher
will need a bachelor’s degree from an accred
ited institution and at least three years of teach
ing experience.
Bert Alfrey, certification officer for the
Teachers College at the University of Ne
braska-Lincoln, said the college does not plan
to make any curriculum changes because of the
new system.
“Those are voluntary things above and
beyond anything the state requires,” he said.
“It is more for people out there in teaching. It
can add status to their certification.”
Alfrey said the Teachers College is re
viewed every three years by the National
Council for Accreditation of Teacher Educa
tion and every five years by the Nebraska
Department of Education.
He said some school districts might pay
more for teachers who have the board certifica
tion.
Shimshock said members of the NBPTS
think board-certified teachers will be asked to
take on more responsibilities within their
school districts.
“They will become ‘lead teachers,’ or
mentors for younger teachers,’’ he said. “They
will have a say in developing curriculum and
programs. With the increased responsibilities,
they will probably receive increased salaries.”
Shimshock said the board hopes the certifi
cation system will attract better students to the
teaching profession.
He said the SAT scores of teaching students
in college arc lower than scores of the overall
student population.
As teaching is professionalized and put on a
level with law, medicine and architecture,
better candidates will be attracted to the teach
ing field, Shimshock said.
“We’re not saying that the current crop of
teachers is bad or that teacher-education pro
grams arc inadequate,” he said. “We are in
creasing professionalism in the field.”
Hopefully, teacher-preparation programs
will start gearing their curriculum toward
board certification, he said.
Shimshock said the board now is trying to
find ways to assess teacher ability.
‘‘The licensing exams used by the states
now are papcr-and-pencil tests along with
some classroom observation,” he said.
Shimshock said the board is developing
criteria to measure excellence in teaching
rather than making sure the teacher meets
minimum requirements in leaching ability and
knowledge.
Interviews, lesson portfolios and videotapes
of classes arc ways the board may evaluate
teachers.
4 ‘We have to be sure the teachers know their
subjects and are able to convey that knowledge
to students,” he said.
Figures surprise officials
Enrollment rises despite tuition hike
By Jana Pedersen
Senior Reporter
Tuition increases haven’t had
as great an impact on enroll
ment at the University of
Nebraska as NU officials once
thought
Despite a nearly 8 percent tuition
increase, enrollment at NU increased
last year, marking the end of a slight
but steady enrollment decrease since
the early 1980s. ,
While NU’s enrollment was de
clining, enrollment at slate colleges
was increasing. In 1986 some univer
sity officials were concerned that
enrollment changes were the start of a
trend where more students would
choose to attend state colleges.
At that time, officials said lower
tuition costs may have been one of the
reasons students decided to attend
state colleges instead of NU or pri
vate institutions.
Despite concerns, NU has experi
enced a 1.2 percent enrollment gain
since 1984, according to a report
published by the Nebraska Coordi
nating Commission for Postsecon
Education.
at increase was caused by last
year’s 3.2 percent enrollment in
crease, bringing the enrollment of
NU’s three campuses to 41,249.
During the same time period, slate
'Colleges experienced an 11.79 per
cent gain.
Lisa Schmidt, NU director of pre
admissions activities, said slate col
leges had a greater enrollment in
crease than NU because students
were interested in the location and
programs offered by state colleges,
not lower tuition.
“It’s important for the university
to be responsible about cost,” she
said. * ‘Price will always be an impor
tant factor. But if (students) want to
attend an institution, they’ll find
some way to pay for it.”
NU is not competing directly with
state colleges for enrollment, she
said, because NU and state colleges
attract different types of students.
NU’s biggest competition is with
other large institutions not located in
Nebraska, she said.
‘ ‘There’s a large group of students
that we compete for that are looking
at a big institution, so they’re either
looking at the university or looking at
going out of state,” she said.
Schmidt said NU competes with
state colleges when potential stu
dents want to live close to home.
‘ 'In parts of the state we do (com
pete for students with stale col
leges),” she said. “But for the most
part, the tuition difference is so little
that it’s not the most important fac
tor.”
Dale Williamson, director of
admissions at Chadron Stale College,
said that although cost was typically
one of the top five survey answers
given by CSC students as to why they
attend the college, location and pro
grams offered were the top two rea
sons.
Wayne Samuclson, associate vice
president for student affairs and di
rector of admissions at Kearney State
College, agreed that location and
programs offered were the most im
portant reasons for students who
choose to attend state colleges.
‘ ‘Our location is a big attraction,”
Samuclson said. “With Omaha just
down 1-80 ... Omaha students make
up 16 percent of our enrollment.”
Another important factor is size,
he said.
If Kearney State offers programs
comparable to a larger institution, he
said, a student leaving home for the
first lime may be more likely to select
the college because it’s smaller and
less intimidating.
But students typically choose an
institution with a combination of
benefits they are looking for,
Samuelson said.
“It’s a matter of finding a fit,” he
said. “There’s a fit for some students
at some schools and not at others.”
Williamson said expanded re
cruitment of non-traditional students
also increased enrollment at state
See COLLEGE on 17
UNL sophomore band member John Krelfels displays a stern
marching posture Wednesday afternoon during band camp.
Although the band members appear as If they have forgotten
their instruments, they are working on marching choreogra
phy for the UNL pre-game show Sept. 9.
