Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1992)
- RAINBOW COALITION Group offers students support By Robert Christensen 1 would like lo thank the Rainbow Coalition for inviting the Adult Student Network to participate in theguest columns for the Daily Ne braskan. These columns give the en tire student body a chance to learn some of the thoughts of a less well known part of the student body. The Adult Student Network is a group of non-tradilional students who meet weekly (or as often as our sched ules allow). Our goal is twofold: to help us assimilate into the University of Ncbraska-Lincoln community and to expand our educational experience by sharing our successes and difficul ties. We discuss concerns that we have about life at UNL. But our primary focus is to adapt our lives to fit the educational experience at UNL. From time to time we identify problems that we feel should be brought to the attention of the administration or campus leaders. One area we dis cussed at a recent meeting was the lack of a comprehensive schedule of UNL events in the Daily Nebraskan. Part of a newspaper’s responsibil ity is to keep its readers informed of area events. Because student fees help support the Daily Nebraskan, we can expect that the DN will realize this obligation. There have been some signs that the adm inislration is more responsive to students. Chancellor Graham Spanicr has made it clear that deci sions affecting the student body must be open to student input. The recent parking proposals and the meeting that was called to find a solution is one example of this new forthright style. This openness is a welcome change from past administrations. But we must realize this change carries with it some responsibilities. We must be willing to participate even if the events don’t seem all that important. In the past, we have invited vari ous speakers to attend our meetings. This is primarily to help us get infor mation that is not readily available to students who enter the university outside the traditional path. These speakers have included representa tives from the scholarships and finan cial aid office, the health center, the ombudsman, the rec center, Career Planning and Placement, Student Legal Services and many others. We also have offered support to fellow students facing class difficul ties, family problems or other prob lems related to our lives as students. Many times the solutions to our prob lems can be found by discussing them with our peers. A traditional student who lives in the dorms or grcck houses has a ready supply of peers just down the hall. For the non-lradilional student, our peers probably don’t live down the hall or even across the street. The Adult Student Network is one way for non traditional students to meet their peers and discuss their difficulties and suc cess in a non-threatening environ ment. Our goal is to help adult students assimilate into UNL and have a suc cessful educational experience. Christensen is a junior education major. Affirmative action frustrates the qualified * v I am glad Jim Burrows (“Affirma tive Action unwarranted target,” DN, April 23) acknowledges that “Affirma tive action can be misused to hire unqualified people.” Jim also believes that there is a “false perception that jobs arc going to unqualified people due to affirmative action.” Make up your mind, Jim. I believe there is no false percep tion that affirmative action creates reverse discrimination because I am a white male who has been discrimi nated against in the past. In 1989,1 applied for a forest serv ice job in Wyoming. The hiring super visor told me that he was interested in hiring me, but that first needed to fill his affirmative action quota. If there was enough money left in his budget, he would hire me. Needless to say. he did fill his affirmative action quota (somewhat against his will), and he did not have enough money left to hire me. To add insult to injury, not one of the quota fillers had any college cxpericnccand probably had little interest in the job. This actually happened to me, Jim, and it was not the last time that it happened to me. Furthermore, I saw it happen time and again to other people when 1 worked for the soil conservation serv ice during college. Almost every white male I know in the fisheries and wildlife fields could tell you, Jim, about how they have lost out on jobs because of af firmative action policies. 1 find il hard lo believe that a person can spend years earning a degree in a field they arc interested in, and then get beat out for jobs in that field by persons with no experience or inter est. What can I do about it? Absolutely nothing. If I try to fight it, I will be labeled a bigot. Merely expressing my views and experiences in this let ter will probably gel me labeled as some sort of white supremacist. The only thing 1 can do, Jim, is sit in the dugout and wail for my chance to swing at the ball with a broken bat. Erik Wagner graduate wildlife management Date rape exists; divorce not women s tault In response lo Chris Halligan’s column (“Feminism robs masculin ity,” DN, April 15), we would like to raise a few questions. First, arc you suggesting that there is no such thing as “date” and “friend” rape? The suggestion seems lo be that there has never been a ease of nonconscnsual sex during a dale — or when two people are alone in a room. You state, “The destiny of a man’s life lies in the hands of a women he had sex with.” Perhaps you mean to say that the destiny of a rapist lies in the willing ness of the victim to report the rape. We further question your conclu sion that the women’s movement is the direct cause of the increased di vorce rate. Perhaps you don’t realize that correlation doesn’t entail causa tion. (Maybe a logic course would be in order.) The suggestion you make is that women arc to blame. This over looks the fact that many men choose to leave marriages as well. Finally, you say, “At one time, men could depend on women for complete support and recognition ol • * a • t • Ihcir malcncss. Why should one s sclf-conccpl be formed by alien lion from only one gender? Wouldn’t that be unhealthy? Isn’t it the ease that people form their “malcncss” and “fcmalcncss” as a result of contact with role models of the same gender? T.A. Scholl C.M. Bohner B.J. Huschlc J.A. Lazier R.H. Cooper graduate students philosophy visitors greeted witn Hospitality despite snow Patrick Hobbs, a prospective fresh man from Rochester, N.Y., and his parents were at UNL for a campus visit on Tuesday, April 21, our now historic “snow day,” during which UNL canceled classes and closed most offices. Patrick and his parents drove to Lincoln from Rochester, a 21 -hour drive one-way. Another prospective student, Ian Worchcstcr, is in the military and stationed in Germany, and was home on leave with family in Bellevue, and also scheduled a visit to UNL on April 21. To the people in tclccommunica lions, who were stalling the phones so our campus visitors could call and make sure we would be here when they arrived (telecommunications, by the way, answered more than 9,500 telephone calls that day); to Brian Wilcox, a UNL senior, who gave up his free morning to come into High School and College Relations, meet with our visitors and give them a lour of the campus; to Campus Recrea tion, for providing a lour of the rcc center; and to the staff in university housing, who met with Ian and al lowed him to submit his housing contract while he was on campus. The Worcesters drove back to Bellevue alter their visit and the Hobbs family climbed back into their car for the 21-hour return trip to New York. Both families appreciated very much the service, hospitality and informa tion they received and complimented each university person with whom they came in contact. Thank you to everyone who helped create such a positive impression of our campus. Lisa L. Schmidt director High School and College Relations Bashing others beliefs threatens treedom In response to Mr. Blomstcdt’s letter (“Half-Asskin, films shame UNL,” DN, April 22), I find his comments to be very narrow-minded. His letter gives me feelings of anger and confusion. Mr. Blomstcdt needs to realize that this country is founded on many rights to all of its citizens. Among those rights arc the freedom of speech and freedom of religion. These are two very distinct freedoms that Mr. Blomstcdt is attacking in his letter. While Mr. Blomstcdt may find the Half-Asskin obscene, it is obvi ous that that is not the ease. The Half Asskin was not a “secret” publica tion. The slate and the university both knew of its contents. Obviously if the issue was obscene, the Slate of Ne braska would have prosecuted on obscenity violations. This is simply a ease of “if you don’t like the issue, don’t read it!” Mr. Blomstcdt also stated in his letter that we “should be concerned about the dishonor brought upon our university and state ..This is out right narrow-mindedness! His claims of dishonor arc such acts as the, in his view, obscene and anti-Christian films and the gay/lcsbian/biscxual film festival. Mr. Blomstcdl finishes his letter by throwing in a bit of gospel. Why? This man is pushing for cen sorship of our religions and religious beliefs that do not equal his, and he is putting down the gay/lcsbian/biscx ual lifestyle because it is not equal to his. William E. Winsor II senior computer science and engineering I ATTENTION! | MAY GRADUATES The DEADLINE for the return of your yellow Commencement Attendance form is April 27,1992 Return it to Records Office, 107 Administration Bldg. ^^^^^^^_^^_Semce^ountei^______^___^ Choose from Taco, J Soft Taco, Tostada, i Bean Burrito, and Chips 'n Salsa. i lease present coupon when ordering. Limit one coupon per arty. Not good with any other offer. Offer good at Lincoln aco Bell locations. Expires^)ril 30,1992 BUY ONE ! GET ONE FREE!! Buy a Burrito Supreme and Get The 2nd One FREE! ■ Please present coupon when ordering. Limit one coupon per ■ I party. Not good with any other oiler Otter good at Lincoln I Taco Bell locations Expires April 30, 1992 ■ TACO BELL MSNJSth^RUNFORTHITORDIR^^^SOOJjOjJ SIGMA CHI FI GHT Friday, April 24,1992 7:00 pm 4-H Building State Fairgrounds Tickets on sale now. Available at the NE Union ^^^^indaHhedoorjJoijykOC^^^^