Opinion
Nelaraskan
Editorial Board
- ——-_UniversityofNebrasKa-JJncoln...__ .__
Chris Hopfensperger. . . . ..Editor, 472-1766
Dionne Searcey...Opinion Page Editor
Kris Karnopp.. ..Managing Editor
Alan Phelps...Wire Editor
Wendy Navralil...Writing Coach
Stacey McKenzie ........, .... .•... Senior Reporter
Jeremy Fitzpatrick . . ..'..Columnist
Artistic debate
Notion of state-funded sculptures un founded
Some students seem to be a bit confused about the recent art
acquisitions by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campuses.
The latest arrival, “Grccnpoinl,” by Richard Scrra, has
sparked interest from a few concerned members of the UNL commu
nity, such as one reader of the Daily Nebraskan.
“I am so glad to see the University of Nebraska- r"
Lincoln put its money to good use,” a writer said in c
a letter to the editor.
That attitude is noticeable in comments, com
plaints and letters reflecting that students must think
the university paid out of its own pocket to decorate the
campus with sculptures from internationally known
artists.
Why, that would be just plain foolish in a financially
straining year when even more budget cuts arc being
contemplated.
Nebraska taxes didn’t pay for the sculptures. -
“Greenpoint” — the $300,(XX) sculpture between
Burnett and Andrews halls — was paid for with
funds generated by the Sheldon Art Gallery.
The sculpture has two curvilinear walls that
are 16 feet high and 20 feet long with two47
inch openings. “G reenpoi nt” weighs80,000
pounds and is made from a self-sealing
weather steel. f \ Ij 1
Michael Heizer’s “Prismatic Flake,” i
east of Love library, was financed en
tirely by private funds and donations last
fall.
Heizer’s sculpture is con
structed of concrete and makes ••
reference to a scraper-like in- #
strument used by the Native r''
Americans of the Midwest. It is ,
36 feet long and about 5 feet «
lull. David Badders/DN
The 1985 Charles Ginniver sculpture,
“Shift,” on the comer of 12th and Q streets was a gift from Gerald
Kohs and his wife, both of Atherton, Calif.
“Shift” is composed of two steel parallelograms that connect in the
center by sharing one side.
No matter what form, art isopen to interpretation. Students should
feel free to intelligently criticize those sculptures that have been
referred to as the rusty metal slabs, the surlboard and that other thing.
But don’t knock the sculptures because the university paid lor
them. It didn’t.
And don't knock them because they look weird or clutter the
landscape. Why bother worrying about clutter? It isn’t as though the
university’s architecture adheres to a theme.
It’s nice to know people from the outside notice UNL and care
enough to donate money lomakclhc campus, in their opinion, a little
better. ,
And it’s their prerogative to donate money for sculptures instead
of scholarships or books. •
Suff editorials represent the official policy of the Fall 1992 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by
the Daily Nebraskan Ldilorial Board. Iidilorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the
university, its employees, the students or the NU Board of Regents. lidilorial 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 to 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.
Inciters will be selected for publication on the basis of clarity, 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 to the newspaper become the
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published.'Letters should included the author’s name, year in school, major and group
affiliation, if any. Requests to withhold names will not be granted Submit material to the Daily
Nebraskan, 54 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.
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Awareness
I would like 10 commend several
individuals and university organiza
tions for their focus and concern on
rape education and awareness. The
first Rape/Sexual Assault Awareness
Week is in progress on our campus
and it is important that these issues arc
addressed and not neglected.
I would like to congratulate An
drew Sigerson, ASUN president, and
Leslie Strong, ASUN senator, for de
veloping and enacting Awareness
Week. Greek organizations should
also be recognized for their Rape
Education on Campus Training pro
gram that addresses rape awareness
issues faced by college students.
The University Health Center
should also receive part of the credit
because of their “To Their Health”
publication. An article on alcohol and
date/acquaintance rape proved to be
very informative. It included helpful
hints for both males and females on
how to prevent offensive sexual situ
ations.
I congratulate these groups and
individuals on a very successful pro
gram. Involving both our campus and
our community in this educating pro
cess will prove to be beneficial to
many in the future. Bravo, and a job
well done!
Shannon Schneider
freshman
accounting
Modern art
I’d like lo'iurn your attention to
those two big slabs of metal someone
dropped between Andrews and
Burnett. I’ve heard much speculation
and criticism from people w alking by
our new sculpture.
People please wake up! r \
It takes more than just a Top 10
football team to make our university
competitive and known on a national
level. If you want to critic i/e art, fine,
but do it with some intellect. The talk
I’ve heard is akin to an eight-year old
telling a heart surgeon not to cut
someone’s chest open. If you don’t
understand it then please say that.
Don’t write it off as stupid when it is
only your lack of knowledge in the
field of art.
George Ncubcrt has done an excel
lent job building our collection of
20th century American art into one of
the best anywhere. Thisonly strength
ens and diversifies the educational
opportunities available at your uni
versity. And as far as the amount spent
on the piece, you need not lose sleep,
the less than hal f-m i II ion dollarts came
mostly from private donations to
Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery.
If you know and care about mod
em art you’re silting on the gold pile
oi snekion s collection. ii you don t
care, then please lake advantage of
other opportunities offered by the
university that you are interested in.
There is no way for a person to
assume that every student here will
appreciate or even understand all the
elements of the university. So when
you walk by Richard Scrra’s
Grccnpoint, laugh if you’d like. I’ll
just smile, anticipating the possible
coming of Claus Oldcnberg.
Malcolm Miles
senior
English
Liberal lawyers
In contrast to Sam Kepfield’s head
line (“Liberals infiltrate bar associa
tion,” DN, Nov. 9), I submit this one:
“Sam jumps ABA ship with rest of
fleeing conservatives.”
Kepfield writes in his article that
he canceled his American Bar Asso
ciation membership because of some
recent ABA resolutions and because
of hypocrisy and arrogance in the
profession.
Resignation is not a logical reac
tion. You need to submit your mem
bership form and pay your dues so you
can vote and argue your opinions with
your fellow lawyers for what you
perceive is morally right.
With regard to Kcpficld’s opin
ions of law students, I offer anyone to
visit the law college and talk with
students, faculty and library staff
members about Kepficld’s columns.
You’ll find the conversations stimu
lating,enlightening and diverse. Any
thing but myopic. Kcpficld’s gener
alizations about law students arc his
own fabrications.
Brian Slriman
associate professor UNL Law
Library
Affirmative action
Well, Jon Brumng, you have suc
ceeded in gelling a reply (“Conserva
tives, come out of closet,” DN, Nov.
13). Conservatives arc not off licking
their wounds from the election; they
just have jobs and responsibilities that
prevent them from answering your
inane arguments.
Considering my limited time, I
will hold my reply to your diatribe to
the subject of affirmative action.
You state in your column that, “If
a woman or a black person takes the
place of a white male in a law school
entering class, we’re all better off.”
Given this, why didn’t you give up
your place in the 1991 entering class?
Don’t you realize that by selfishly
holding/onto that slot that you are
depriving the law school of the much
needed perspective that an additional
woman or person of color could have
provided!
Shame on you, that's not very pro
gressive. Maybe you are a closetcon
servativc.
All kidding aside, the subject of
racial preferences is a serious issue.
Even if one accepts the notion that it
is permissible to remedy past racial
discrimination by endorsing a racial
preference, affirmative action is still
flawed.
The major premise of affirmative
action is that because of racial, ethnic
and economic discrimination minor
ity members of our society do not
have the same opportunities as do
other members of society. This in turn
justifies using lower criteria in gradu
ate and professional school admis
sions in their consideration.
If grades and exam scores such as
those on the LS AT and GRE are to be
used as a proxy for privilege in our
society, then the wrong group of white
students are being excluded from our
graduate and professional schools.
White students with mid-range
LSAT’s have just as much prima facie
evidence that they have been disad
vantaged as do similar situated mi
nority students. If we are to create a
truly diverse learning atmosphere in
law school, thc^e students must be
included. It is the high scoring, privi
leged, pampered, white aristocrats
who must be denied admission.
Ron Schmidt
law, psychology
Racism
The recent questioning and photo
graphing of five black UNL men in
the Candice Harms investigation is
blatantly racist.
Mitchell Strong, one of the stu
dents questioned, said he w&soffcndcd
by police actions and the fact that
James Gricscn backed up the police,
but docsn ’ t blame Gricscn because he
was just “looking out for the interests
of everyone.”
Do you really think that if Gricscn
was your friend and cared about you
like you believe, he would allow UNL
records on race to be available to
police so they could question you and
unjustifiably treat you as a suspect by
photographing you?
I’m glad Sen. Ernie Chambers is
standing up to these people. Whether
he is being unprofessional or over
stepping his bounds is insignificant
when compared to the activities of the
police and Gricsen. If Chambers has
to be extreme to stop this, so be it.
If everybody rolled with the flow
by not opening their eyes to blatant
injustice and prejudice, minorities, to
this day, would still be prohibited
from voting, sitting on the front of the
buses, etc. It’s a good thing that some
people have their eyes open.
Paul Koestcr
senior
agronomy