Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1993)
I I—I I-1-h-1 32/28 Today, cloudy and a chance of rain or wet snow Thursday, chance of light snow in the morning. | v mz* ■ 1|L|I|( ’’' . ■ ■ Railway delay Travis Heying/DN Todd Scott, a freshman history major, is stopped by a train at 16th Street on his way home from classes Tuesday. Funding cut for COLAGE called illegal By Steve Smith Senior Editor A SUN’s Committee for Fees Alloca tion didn’t study its history when it abolished funds fof a gay and lesbian group at the University of Nebrasica-Lincoln, a group member said. Gwen Fischer, a spokeswoman for the Com mittee Offering Lesbian and Gay Events, said that when CFA voted to eliminate COLAGE’s funding through student fees for the 1993-94 school year last Thursday, it could have looked back to 1989, when a similar event nearly sparked legal action against UNL. “I don’t see this as a statement of homophobia, but one of forgetfulness,” Fischer said. “They’re forgetting that this is against the law. Bigotry is against the law.” In October 1989, CFA made a similar move to cut COLAGE’s funding. NU General Coun sel Richard Wood then told Association of Students of the University of Nebraska senators that they could have been sued if ASUN denied funds to any organization that was recognized by the NU Board of Regents’ bylaws. “They forget so easily,” Fischer said. “But we don’t forget.” Fischer said that COLAGE filed an appeal to CFA through the University Program Council, and that members would be attending the ASUN open forum tonight. “We want to show ASUN the faces of who they’re doing this to,” Fischer said. Andrew Sigcrson, ASUN president, said CFA cut COLAGE’s funds because they were noi using diem. “They simply didn’t use the funds that they were allocated,” Sigcrson said. “They were See COLAGE on 3 New UPC structure combines 18 committees »y unucK ureen Senior Reporter Reorganization of the University Pro gram Council’s structure is aimed at bringing various committees together to form “one happy family,” one director said. But other officials arc worried the restruc turing will only cause a family feud. Marilyn Bugenhagen, director of the Office for Student Involvement, said the plan to reor ganize would be good for UPC’s committees in the long run, because it would eliminate prob lems caused by budget discrepancies. Some UPC committees had been allotted [ more money then others, Bugenhagen said, and groups with less funding have more problems attracting performers and programs to UNL. For example, she said, if a group wants to bring a speaker to UNL with a $3,000 budget, but the speaker charges $4,500, obvious prob lems arise. “That’s what we want to avoid,” Bugenhagen said. “We had 18 UPC committees, and they tended to act like 18 different organizations. We’d like to try to get them all together and look at university programming in a larger view, for the entire campus, rather than just their own interests.” Under the reorganization, which was ap proved Jan. 26 by a vole of all UPC members, executives — including the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and public rela tions director—would be selected in October, and they would serve until December of the next year. Event staff and volunteers would be selected at various times. With the reorganization, UPC’s separate committees have been eliminated. Gary Doyle, president of UPC, said the semester, Doyle said, which would simplify the recruitment of event staff and volunteers and publicizing the events. Funding for the programs still would come from the overall UPC budget, Doyle said, but the advance scheduling would simplify the budget request process. Doyle said he had heard some concern about how diverse the council would be after the reorganization. But Doyle said the new plan would be for the — 9V- ■», The current problem is the lack of enough money to go around. Some committees have had more money than others, and hopefully, the reorganization can even that out. — Smith director of multicultural affairs --- ii — grouping of the former 18 committees into one body would improve the council’s effective ness. Program selections would be made by event directors and executives during meetings where all possible performers would be presented and evaluated by the committee. The process would allow each semester’s schedule to be planned during the previous w w better. “With proper management, this actually might be able to increase diversity,” he said. “Under the old structure, we had a quota system — one African-American student, one His panic student, and soon. Now, there’s no limit as to how many minorities can serve.” Also, Doyle said, UPC members will un dergo more extensive training. Jimmi Smith, director of the Office of Multi cultural Affairs, said he had not yet reviewed the reorganization plan. “In fact, I just learned that such an issue was to be moved forward,” Smith said Tuesday. “I imagine this will be a hot issue.” Smith said he hoped the plan would be presented in a “clear and understandable fash ion” to all of UPC’s members before the reor ganization would proceed. He agreed that equal funding for each com mittee was important. “The ability to bring the image of one’s culture into the community directly relates to available student fees,” he said. “The current problem is the lack of enough money to go around. Some committees have had more money than others, and hopefully, the reorganization can even that out.” But, Smith said, there could be a lot of debate before that goal is achieved. “I’m not sure what’s being fixed and why,” Smith said, “but everybody will have an opin ion on what should be fixed and why. “It’s not going to be an open-and-shut is sue.” i croups to herald Atncan Americans7 roles m history By Matthew Grant Staff Reporter February is Black History Month, a lime to celebrate the contributions of African Americans during the development of America. But Angela Green, chairwoman of African American special events for the University Programs Council, said black history day is every day of the year. The Afrikan People’s Union plans to hold a series of events to mark Black History Month in February — but the observance will not end there. In March, UPC will start celebrat ing again, with an additional events program. The theme: Just when you thought black history was over, it’s black again. One month, Green said, is not enough to effectively raise awareness of black contributions to society. Until recently, the contributions of blacks in history were ignored, Green said. People need to realize that black history is more than slavery and eman cipation, she said. Black History Month is a time to make people aware of black people’s developments. Green said. Linda Morgan, treasurer of the Afrikan People’s Union, said if his tory books included the contributions of blacks properly, then Black His tory Month would be unnecessary. Until that occurs, the month is a chance to redress the balance, she said. “It’s like a chance to have self pride about who you arc,” Morgan said. “I’m happy because it’s a chance for me to pay tribute.” Morgan said 11 months of the year people, paid tribute to Europcan Amcrican history. ‘‘This is a chance to say, this is me," she said. Both the APU and UPC plan a mixture of entertainment, eating and discussion to celebrate Black History Month. The APU’s events in February will -44 It’s like a chance to have self-pride about who you are. I’m happy because It’s a chance for me to pay tribute. —Morgan treasurer Afrikan Peoples Union -—- ** — include movie screenings in the Ne braska Union, guest speakers, a gos pel extravaganza by the APU gospel choir and a performance of “Not An other Dream Deferred,” a series of short plays. Members of the APU also will w w travel to Kansas to attend the Big Eight Conference on Black Student Government Feb. 17-19. In March, the UPC will sponsor another month of events, including a soul-food dinner, a movie night and panel discussions.