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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1990)
Correction: In a story about 'Take Back the Night," (DN. April 23) Bemie Glaser s name was spelled incorrectly. The Daily Nebraskan regrets this error. WEATHER INDEX Tuesday, considerable cloudiness and breezy, News..2 30 percent chance of thundershowers, high Editorial.4 around 80, south wind 15-25 miles per hour sports 5 Tuesday night, mostly cloudy, 30 percent chance Arts. Entertainment s of thundershowers, low in the low-60s. Wednes- ' * Entertainment 6 day, partly sunny and breezy, 30 percent chance uassmeas.6 of thundershowers, high in the low- to mid-80s ~ Vol.89No. 140 David Hansen/Daily Nebraskan Relaxing in the shade Jim Begay of 133 S. 18th St. kicks back and relaxes on Monday afternoon. Free speech rights an issue for ‘fighting words’ policies By Jennifer O’Cilka Staff Reporter Administrators of three universities agreed that schools considering a “fighting words’’ policy should closely scrutinize rights of free speech before drafting a proposal. Darlene Ray-Johnson, student discrimina tory policy administrator at the University of Michigan, said the policy there was changed after the original was challenged in U.S. Dis trict Court. The court ruled that the original policy was “unconstitutionally vague and overbroad,’’ Ray-Johnson said. While the old policy was short and simply called for a non-hostile university environ ment, Ray-Johnson said, the current policy precisely discusses “fighting words” and the intent behind them. Phil Gosch, president of the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska, said the Michigan fighting words policy served as an outline for the proposed policy at the Uni versity of Ncbraska-Lincoln. The Michigan policy states that “physical acts or threats or verbal slurs... referring to an individual’s race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sex ual orientation, creed, national origin, ances try, age or handicap, made with the purpose of injuring the person to whom the words or actions are directed and that are not made as a part of a discussion or exchange of an ideal, ideology or philosophy arc prohibited.” Ray-Johnson said the document also con tains a separate paragraph about using dis criminatory language or threats “as a way to gain sex.” Michigan can discipline violators with the following steps: • forcing them to draft a formal apology • a formal reprimand • making them do community service • special courses or workshops on discrimi nation • suspending them from courses • making them pay restitution • expulsion Although no cases at Michigan have in volved expulsion or suspension, Ray-Johnson said, her office has dealt informally with 19 or 20 cases since the new policy went into effect in September 1989. That estimate does not include figures from other officers who take such complaints, including residence assis tants in dormitories. ThenumberofcomplaintstoRay-Johnson’s office was higher under the original policy, she said. “The number of incidents hasn’t gone down, but the number of complaints has,” she said. Ray-Johnson said she thinks the “narrower definition” of “fighting words” may keep students from making complaints. She said most students complain about dis criminatory fliers and graffiti rather than face to-face confrontations. Black students at Michigan have criticized the policy, saying it should not cover so many issues, but be more devoted to racial slurs, she said. But others are happy to have a place to file specific complaints, she said. Sally Cole, judicial affairs officer at Stan ford University, said administrators there are a few weeks away from deciding on a proposed harassment policy. She said the policy, written by a law expert, defines certain expression as being beyond the limits of free speech. If proof is given that an oral or written statement injures an individual, penalties range from a letter from the univer sity president to suspension, Cole said. She said Stanford’s policy was written with three goals in mind: symbolism, education and enforceable policy. Symbolism means univer sity officials want to appear to be fighting discrimination, she said._ * See WORDS on 3 UNL reports first measles case; health center urges immunizations From Staff Reports University Health Center officials began Monday contacting the professors of a University of Nebraska-Lincoln student who was diagnosed Saturday with rubeola, or red measles. Dr. Gerald Fleischli, medical director of the health center, said officials are asking profes sors to warn their students of the case and rec ommending a second immunization for all “face-to face” contacts of the student. One case of measles is considered an epi demic, but Fleischli said health officials are handling the case ‘ ‘a lot more low key than last year” when one case of rubeola measles led to mass immunizations and about 25 measles cases at UNL. The student, a male undergraduate, lives in the Phi Della Theta fraternity house and is a teacher’s assistant in the Keller Plan psychol ogy office. Fleischli said students who visited the psy chology office at 105 Burnett Hall from 12:30 3:30 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. April 16 or from 1:30 3:30 p.m. Thursday also should have a second immunization shot if their first was before age 1. Even students who were immunized after age 1 may not be immune to the disease. Flcischli said the immunization process is not 100 percent effective - the student diagnosed Saturday had been properly immunized. Any students uncertain of their immuniza tion record should contact the health center at 472-7400. In general, Fleischli said, students should be aware of the case and go to the health center if they develop a red rash. The rash begins on the face in the form of liny blisters that crust over, Flcischli said, and moves down the arms and torso. State and health center officials arc working together to find out where the student may have contacted the disease. Judge says crisis in United States caused by drugs, sacrifice of ethics By Emily Rosenbaum Senior Reporter Chief Justice William Hastings of the Nebraska Supreme Court said the United States faces a “moral de cay.” “Today America is facing a crisis,” he said Monday in the Nebraska Union, at a speech in conjunction with Criminal Justice Day. Hast ings, in his 26th year as a judge, said die moral and ethical crisis is partly ‘ ‘attrib utable to drugs.” Hastings said he doesn’t know how much headway law enforcement officials and mem bers of the legal system can make against drugs. Thai’s because one reason for the ‘ ‘drug syndrome is the T syndrome,’” he said. Recent trends in the United States arc for people to ask “‘what’s in it for me?’” he said, and a concern ior material possessions and status symbols. The Iran-Contra and Franklin Credit Union scandals are two examples of declining ethics, Hastings said. Sunday’s Earth Day celebration was the “perfect example of what we ought to be doing,” he said, to set a good example for children. Placing criminals in jails won’t stop drug sales, he said. Moral values, he said, must be instilled in children. Although he said he doesn’t believe inmates should be treated like guests at a “Hilton Hotel,” it is dangerous not to allow prisoners benefits such as going outside. Hastings said it would be less expensive to use “intensive supervision” of some criminals than to imprison them all. The average cost of imprisoning one inmate per year at the state penitentiary is $18,000, Hastings said, while intensive supervision would cost only $450. Severing ties difficult for retiring regents secretary By Jerry Guenther Stuff Reporter Ever since he was a child attend ing Nebraska football games, William Swanson said, he has been attracted to the University of Nebraska. Through the years, Swanson’s at traction to the University of Nebraska has grown, culminating in his deci sion to accept the position of N U vice president for governmental relations and corporate secretary in 1974. Now, as the 67-ycar-old prepares for his May retirement as secretary to the NU Board of Regents, it is his affiliation with those who have worked with him lhal Swanson said he will miss most. “It’s been a great pari of my life,” Swanson said. “Just severing that association will be difficult.” Swanson, a Lincoln stale senator from 1967 to 1972, said he came to the university at the urging of former NU President D.B. “Woody" Varner. Swanson said his senatorial expe rience was an asset when he arrived at NU because his position initially required him to lobby for the univer sity. Although lobbying has its “ups and downs,” Swanson said, he en joyed working with senators. “When limes and the economy arc good, it’s much easier to work with the Legislature to get a suitable budget for the university.” Swanson said one of the most dif ficult times he experienced was in the early and middle 1980s when the economy was in a slump and former Gov. Bob Kerrey and the Legislature ordered mid-year budget cuts. He resigned as vice president for governmental relations in 1986 after a study recommended separating the governmental relations and corporate secretary positions. Swanson said he enjoyed working both jobs, but that the lime commit ment they required was challenging. Lee Rupp, vice president for uni vcrsity relations, now handles most governmental relations. As corporate secretary, Swanson said, he keeps records for the regents, sets agendas for meetings and serves as a liaison for the regents. Although Swanson said he remem bers many of the meetings, one he often is asked about is one that he wasn’t even at. That was the July 31,1989, meet ing when the regents voted to remove former NU President Ronald Roskens. Swanson said that meeting was attended only by the regents and their general counsel, and was closed to everyone else, including himself. While he has been associated with the university, Swanson said, he has been pleased to see how each of its three branches have developed to fill separate missions. Another pleasing aspect of his job has been working with students, fac ulty members and administrators, he said. “The people, by and large, have just been outstanding,” Swanson said. “I’m going to miss that.” Regent Rosemary Skrupa of Omaha said she wishes Swanson wasn ’t retir ing. “He just has an extraordinary sense of humor,” Skrupa said. “He’s the See SWANSON on 3
