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September 10,1990 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Vol. 90 No. 10
Massengale: Lid
would ravage NU
services, programs
By Ryan Steeves
Staff Reporter
A proposed 2 percent lid on in
creases in government spend
ing would ravage the Univer
sity of Nebraska, sharply curtailing
services and programs, the top NU
administrator said.
Martin Massengale, NU interim
president and UNL chancellor, told
the NU Board of Regents Friday that
the effects of the lid would be
“immediately and cumulatively se
vere.”
The regents reacted quickly to
Massengale’s comments, resolving to
oppose the lid as “a misguided take
over of the role of a constitutional
body.”
The lid places an “arbitrary and
inflexible limitation on university
operations” and was “poorly con
ceived and severely damaging,’ ’ said
the resolution, proposed by Regent
Kermit Hansen of Elkhom.
The lid, contained in a constitu
tional initiative Nebraskans will vote
on Nov. 6, appears to be retroactive,
meaning NL,fs current working budget
would be affected, Massengaie said.
The retroactive aspects of the pro
posal “could lead to dissolution of
academic, research and service pro
grams and personnel at a disastrous
level,” the regents’ resolution stated.
Massengale, who repeatedly has
attacked the proposed constitutional
amendment, said the plan could force
NU to make a $24 million mid-year
cut in state aid, about 9 percent of this
fiscal year’s allocation to NU.
Because NU’s fiscal year begins
in July, half of its budget would be
spent by the time the initiative would
be implemented in January.
As a result, NU would have to cut
about 18 percent from its remaining
budget, Massengale said.
With inflation at 5 percent, a 2
percent limit on spending increases
would make yearly cuts in excess of 3
percent “quite possible,” he said.
Massengale admitted he could not
predict exactcosts to the university or
where cuts could be made. The initia
tive is too vague, leaving university
officials unsure about what revenue
sources would be restrained by the
initiative’s limits.
Despite the uncertainty, Massen
gale said the plan could have the
following effects on the university:
• If all revenue sources fall under
the constitutional amendment, budget
cuts on the four campuses could reach
$65 million the first year.
• UNL could not maintain build
ings or equipment adequately.
• The University of Nebraska at
Omaha probably would cut its tuition
assistance program. Massengale said
this would hurt minority students most.
• The University of Nebraska
Medical Center might have to reduce
its patient care services by 20 per
cent, meaning physicians would have
to see fewer patients.
In an interview, NU administrator
Lee Rupp said the lid would scare
away faculty.
Rupp, vice president for univer
sity relations, also said the lid would
undermine the university’s recent
efforts to raise faculty salaries.
“How are you going to compete in
a national marketplace (for faculty)
when you have this kind of proposal
hunkering down on you?” Rupp asked.
Maalox moment... sh*un s*rt,n,°*1"' N*br"k‘"
Clark Ebke (left) tied for first place by eating 14 jalepeno peppers in three minutes
Saturday night at the Chilifest ’90 Jalapeno Pepper Eating Contest. Cheering Ebke and
other contestants on is Bobbi Polk (back right), also of Lincoln, and Susan McIntosh Kriz
(back left).
Gosch: Regents need stand on divestment
By Victoria Ayotte
Senior Editor
The NU Board of Regents ‘ ‘needs
to take a stand” to urge the NU
Foundation to divest of its
investments in South Africa, UNL’s
student regent said.
**... And I think they know that.”
Phil Gosch said. But Gosch said he
didn’t mind that the regents Friday
tabled his resolution that they urge
the NU Foundation to divest of its
South Africa investments.
Gosch said he had indications the
resolution would be passed at the
board’s October meeting, but he did
not say what they were. The delayed
consideration of the resolution just
gives the regents the time they need
to formulate their position on the is
sue, he said.
“I didn’t feel that putting the board
on the spot today would have gotten
the result we wanted,” Gosch said.
“I think this is a situation that can be
resolved - with the resolution being
divestment.”
The board had Gosch, who also is
president of the Association of Stu
dents of the University of Nebraska,
read the resolution before tabling it.
The resolution stales that the re
gents, in light of the public policy
which sets standards for state agen
cies to invest in South Africa, request
that the NU Foundation ‘‘strengthen
See DIVEST on 3
---.
Addition to UNL Bookstore planned
By Rom Riccotti
Staff Raportar
If you’re feeling a bit crammed
in Utc University Bookstore,
you’re not alone.
Space is in scarce supply.
Tnat’s why an addition is pro
posed for the west side of the
Nebraska Union to increase book
store, recreation and meeting room
space.
Daryl Swanson, director of the
Nebraska unions, said the expan
sion was planned as Phase II of
union renovation when the book
store was designed five years ago.
Phase II of the plan has been **on
the back burner for a white,” he
said.
Phase II was postponed because
of a budget crunch several years
ago, Swanson said, when the NU
Board of Regents put a morato
rium on new construction for the
university. This was lifted a couple
of years ago, he said.
Phase I of the plan involved
taking the bowling alley, pool table,
game room and lounge area out of
the basement and replacing them
with rhe bookstore.
”We gave up a significant
amount of space tn order to build
the bookstore,” Swanson said “But
we intended to add more space
with Phase II of the plan.”
The size of die expansion is
unknown, Swanson said. He said
he envisions an extension of about
40 feet from the west wall which
would shorten the walkway be
tween the union and the Admini
stration Building.
The extension would be three
stories, giving additional space to
three floors in the union. The addi
tion to the basement would be used
to expand the bookstore.
The first floor would be used to
create a better lounge that could
include a pool table said game room.
The second floor would be used for
more meeting rooms.
In addition to adding space, the
expansion of the union could cre
ate a new entry at the northwest
corner. The new entry would make
the union and the bookstore more
accessible to pedestrians coming
from the walkway near Love Li
brary. The entry also would be
used by the handicapped because
the present ramp entrance is awk
ward, Swanson said.
Ray Coffey, UNL business
manager, said he would like to see
the entrance to the bookstore im
proved -with this expansion. The
bookstore does not need an increase
in space as much as it needs a more!
effective and less restricted entrance,
he said.
Rickard Lewis, operations
manager for the University Book -
store, said he would like to see a
new west entrance in the form of a
glassed-in atrium.
Coffey said the bookstore could
use additional space, especially
during rush periods such as the
beginning of the semester The
bookstore recently rented a tent for
checking bookbags because it larked
space. Coffey said any space added
to the bookstore could be used for
storage and additional office space.
Swanson said he did not know
when Phase II would begin, but it
was included on the Nebraska
Unions' Strategic Plan, so it should
be completed within the decade.
It is too early to determine what
the cost of implementing Phase II
would be, Swanson said. And
making the addition both functional
and aesthetically pleasing is still a
problem, he said.
The bookstore will pay the uni
versity for its portion of the expan
sion and the university will pay the
rest of the cost with reserve funds,
Swanson said.
James Griesen, vice chancellor
for student affairs. University
Bookstore officials and the Union
Board will discuss Phase II plans,
Swanson said. The plans then will
go to the Central Planning Com
mission and before the Board of
Regents for approval.
Regents approve request
for budget to increase
NU spending, salaries
By Pat Dinslage
Staff Reporter
The NU Board of Regents ap
proved an operating budget
request Friday which would
increase expenditures 8.6 percent in
1991-92 and 8.7 percent in 1992-93.
The budget of $893.1 million for
1991-92 and $971 million for 1992
93 for the four-campus NU system
must be submitted to Gov. Kay Orrby
Saturday and will be examined by the
Nebraska Legislature in making stale
aid decisions.
In recommending the budget to
the board, Lee Jones, NU executive
vice president and provost, said a 5
percent tuition increase was antici
pated each year in figuring the budget.
The budget requires a 12.3 percent
increase in state funds allocated to the
university, Jones said. Funds from
federal agencies given to the univer
sity are anticipated to increase each
year by about 6.5 percent, from the
current $78.1 million to $88.6 mil
lion by 1992-93.
Under the budget, faculty salaries
would increase 10 percent and staff
salaries 11 percent, he said. The larg
est portion of the payroll and benefits
increase would be in health insur
ance, which is budgeted to increase
by 18 percent in each of the two years.
The salary increase request con
tinues the policy begun three years
ago to bring NU salaries in line with
similar institutions.
Regent John Payne of Kearney said
the university was "still trying to
catch up to what happened to us be
tween 1981 and 1985,” when faculty
salaries fell behind during Nebraska's
agricultural decline of the 1980s.
Jones said utilities purchased by
the university were anticipated to cost
11.3 percent more next year and 15
percent more in 19*12-93.
The board is requesting financing
for continuing budget items only.
Budget requests for program improve
ments are deferred fui three months,
Jones said, "in light of Kearney State
College coming into the NU system. ’ *
Capital construction priorities to
taling $86.2 million for 13 priority
projects also were approved by the
board.
The priorities list recently had been
nairowed from 20 to 14 projects. Robert
Pazderka, NU assistant vice presi
dent for administration and facilities
See BOARD on 3
