Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 17, 1992)
OPINION Nebraskan Editorial Board University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chris Ilopfensperger.. .Editor, 472-1766 Dionne Searcey.Opinion Page Editor Kris Karnopp.Managing Editor Alan Phelps.Wire Editor Wendy Navratil. Writing Coach Stacey McKenzie..Senior Reporter Jeremy Fitzpatrick.Columnist A better university Working to make UNL worthy of its role University administrators are beginning to take steps toward making UNL a respectable institution of higher education. Plans to increase entrance standards coupled with a recently announced system plan for a general curriculum will make UNL more worthy of its role as Nebraska’s flagship univer sity. The new curriculum program, presented by Joan Leitzel, vice chancellor for academic affairs, will require students to finish 30 hours of course work, or one-fourth of their undergraduate work, from the curriculum. Students coming to UNL straight out of high school will have to finish three credit hours of mathematics; six credit hours of Communications; six credit hours of culture; six credit hours of humanities; six credit hours of basic and applied science; and three hours of a senior seminar. A different system will be devised for transfer and non-tradi tional students. The program will begin, on a temporary basis, next year. As it is, heavy requirements for students majoring in some sciences often force such students to bury themselves in their specialty. If carefully implemented, the program will ensure that students don’t miss out on the basics. Overall, the plan promises a broader based liberal education to all students. It will make students better aware of the big picture. And the program also fits nicely into Spanier’s big picture for the academic future of UNL. Plans to increase entrance requirements will ensure that stu dents are prepared for life at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The idea of making certain classes mandatory for graduation will guarantee the students are ready for life in the real world, before they leave UNL. KU rape - Unusual twist to crime sparks awareness The majority of the university community was shocked, appalled and astonished that an 18-year-old fraternity member was raped last week. Obviously it was not only the fact that he was sexually assaulted but rather the fact that it was a male who was the victim of a sexual assault that caught the eye of many. After all, thousands of women throughout the United States fall victim to this heinous crime every single day. Alarming? Yes. But last week’s police report most likely caught the attention and played on the emotions of most of the ■ mide population at KU, though report of the tidal wave of women ■ who are victims of the same crime cause less of a ripple. It is disappointing that it takes an unusual twist on a very common and horrifying crime to scare people into awareness, but if that is what it takes, then fine. At least we understand that every single one of us is a-possible victim. Now it is everyone’s respon sibility to be concerned, to work to make our nation a safer place to live. — Daily Kansan -1 I Staff editorials represent the official policy of the Eall 1992 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the uni versiiy, its employees, the students or the NU Board of Regents. Editorial columns represent the opinion of the author. The regents publish the Daily Nebraskan. They establish the UNL Publications Board to supervise the daily production of the paper. According t6 policy set by the regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its students. The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor from all readers and interested others. Letters will be selected for publication on the basis of cHk^ity, originality, timeliness and space available. The Daily Nebraskan retains the right to edit or reject all material submitted. Readers also are welcome to submit material as guest opinions. The editor decides whether material should run as a guest opinion.. Letters and guest opinions sent n> the newspaper become the properly of ifte Daily Nl^fisltahanJcaripoflicTctumcd Anony mous subfnlsSiom wit! not be published. Letters should included the author's name, year in school, major and gh>up affiliation, if any. Requests to withhold names w ill not be granted. Submit material to the Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 6858f| 0448. UWKe n <>\R. wu. so I ....... - Editor’s Note: The following letter was incorrectly edited in Wednesday’s Daily Nebraskan. ‘Ethnocentric’ Will someone please inform Alan Phelps that he is writing for a NEWSpapcr. His article (“Brits wig out over headgear,” DN, Sept. 14) was probably the single most point less article printed in the DN so far this year— more fitting for a Return to the Redneck Way of Life pamphlet than a “newspaper.” It seems ridiculous to me that he should concern himsclfoveracuslom of another country’s court system when our own is such a pathetic joke. Why not take a real stand on a real issue such as the death penally or prison conditions and overcrowding, or don’t any of your opinion writers have a backbone? I’d also like to invite him to come live in Scllcck Hall or Piper Hall and meet some of these Britons before he pretentiously declares that HE would never pass their “rudeness exam.” So far none of them have slandered our culture like he has slandered theirs. Frankly, I doubt any of them care as to whether or not Alan likes their wigs. Can you say “ethnocentric,” Alan? Obviously you can. Wouldn’t the “ideal society” be one where cultural understanding was the norm instead of “frivolous” culture bashing? Do you also use words like nigger and spick, Alan? Or do you confine your brand of racism to Britons? Laura Fasano freshman theatre Correction Please al low me locorrcctan error. (“Rape Survivors Speak,” DN, Sept. 14). While the book will feature five stories “by women who have been raped,” it will not feature “three by men who have raped.” Rather, two of the male stories arc about the assaults on acquaintances or friends while the third is an introspection about the limits of acceptable sexual behavior when panics arc unable to give proper consent because their judgment has been impaired by alcohol. Apart from this mistake, the story was very well written. During the next two months, pre-publication copies of the narratives will bccirculatingon campus. Interested students or faculty can obtain samples by leaving a re quest on my voice mail al 472-1866. Anyone interested either in research ing material for the precautions and preventions sections of the book or in supplying additional narratives, may . leave wordatthe same number. Thank you for helping keep this university community informed on a matter of vital importance to both men and women alike. David Hibler UNL professor English -44 It seems to me that we, as a student body, should be able to rid this campus of these people, who continue to nag at our freshmen, friends, brothers and sisters. -ft - Lincoln Christian I just wanted to thank this paper and ihe university for taking the lime and effort to recognize the wrongful activities of the cull organization called the Lincoln Christian Church (DN Sept. 14). I realize many upper classmen may be tired of hearing about them, but the first-year students need to be pre-wamed. I think talk needs to continue about this organiza tion all over campus, as it is possible not everyone reads the Daily Nebras kan. I would encourage students that have had past experiences with this organization to relate them to others via this newspaper and in convcrsa non. It seems to me that we, as a student body, should be able to rid this cam pus of these people, who continue to nag at our Ireshmcn, friends, brothers and sisters. We must let them know that they arc not welcome here. (I am not suggesting violence, for that is never an answer.) It may be that they have a right to be here, but they are not here seeking an education, like the rest of us. They may attend classes, but their main objective is to recruit members into thfeir “church.” This is their only rcasyw to be on campus. If you kfiow someone who has recently ^become involved in this group, talk with them, show them that you care about their well-being and that there is a way out of this mind game. It may be hard for them to believe that something based on God —who is ultimately good—can be so wrong. You must show them that they can believe in God and be saved out side ofthis group. After all, Jesus dies for all, not just the Lincoln Christian Church. Leah Pauli junior elementary education NIT Hypo The way I sec it, the Nebraska football program is going downhill and downhill fast. It is not for lack of great athletes, it’s just the program and its priorities. When I was a freshman, every student looked forward to home-game Saturdays. There were people in red all over downtown. The town was alive at 8 a.m. There were vendors selling big red balloons, and the game was for the students. Now, I can find a parking space downtown at 11 a.m., the red is fading and more students arc wearing Colo rado and Miami sweat shirts than Nebraska ones. Unless Sir Thomas changes his game plan and priorities and strives to win every game instead of 10 games (against virtual nobodies most of the lime), I would venture forth an opin ion that even fewer students will buy scaspn tickets and more grandparents with no lies to the university will show up to games to sit down and clap occasionally. Of course the athletic department would probably want that. Hey, I’m a Nebraska fan. I’m just one of the majority who gets sick of the hype for the big game only to be embarfassed on national T.V. Let’s run our f irst set up the middle on Saturday. Washington will never expect it. , Tay Fulcher senior math education College degrees (I am writing in response to a col umn by Jennifer Emissc in which she rightly observes that an undergradu ate degree simply doesn’t mean much anymore. I was moved to write about how innumcracy—the mathematical counterpart of illiteracy — is part of the problem. I would like to thank Ms. Emissc — a student who is three credit-hours from a bachelor’s degree in a scien tific discipline — for providing me with an illustration. Lei me recount the operative paragraph Ms. Emissc writes: “... A person with a high-school diploma adds $1,036 to their yearly i ncomc; a col lege deg rcc adds S1,24 3 to yearly income, a Penn State study says. A little subtraction tells you that a col lege graduate yearly makes $207 more than a high-school graduated Before one docs a little subtrac tion, one should ask if a little subtrac tion makes sense. “A college degree adds $1,243 to yearly income,” is a statement that directly contradicts Emissc’s last sentence in the above paragraph. Although I concede that $1,243 is not much to get excited about, 1 take consolation in the fact that the numer ate among us will do much better than •that average. .-,1,...—...... .,'1^1 Pohl Lpngsinc senior math and computer science
