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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1993)
/ ' * f -T . ' S’. ^ •:**’ £ ■ '» ■ • qK «. v*<-* . .. «u:' *■ ■ ■ v' „•***•»« ’ ‘ "•- *'•■■ ■-• * . - .."V ^. ... ,. ' _ —--^^^^y*"******^'*"**^^ —m -- ~ Budget cuts at UNL would hurt Lincoln Layoffs could lead to lost sales tax revenues, shake city’s economy, officials say By Susie Arth Senior Reporter' Lincoln Mayor Mike Johanns said con cerns about UNL’s proposed budget cuts were not restricted to Varner Hall and the boundaries of the UNL campus. City officials would suffer too, he said. “Any impact on the university does have an impact on the city of Lincoln,” he said. The Nebraska State Leg islature has proposed a 5 pcrcenicut in the University of Nebraska’s budget. If passed, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln probably would be forced to suffer about half of the $J 3.98 million chop. The proposal was given preliminary ap proval Monday by the Legislature’s Appropria tions Committee. UNL Chancellor Graham Spanicr said he was concerned with the Appropriations Committee’s proposal because it would force many UNL employees to be laid off. Johanns agreed with Spanier’s fear. “Chancellor Spanier and I agree that we are not isolated entities,” he said. “The university is a dynamic part of Lincoln’s life.” Johanns said he feared the city might lose the professors who would be laid offfrom the cuts tor good. “These people arc highly educated individu als who are caught in a position where they might have to look elsewhere for jobs,” he said. Steve Hubka, budget officer for the city of Lincoln, said he would expect a decline in Lincoln's sales-tax revenue if the proposed cuts were passed. About one-third of Lincoln’s operational budget comes from sales tax. Uncertainly about future employment af fects people’s purchasing decisions, he said. “People lend to put off the purchase of cars or refrigerators when they are uncertain about their future employment,” Hubka said. In the past, employment concerns have lev eled off die sales-tax revenue, he said. Hubka said city officials also feared the elimination of departments at UNL because many students would be forced to transfer. Because students funnel money into the city’s economy, the elimination of a depart ment could have a major impact on Lincoln’s sales-tax revenue. But Johanns said he would be willing to help UNL avoid the cuts. “We would be willing to help the university in any way possible,” he said. “We’re very concerned; the university is an important part of our city’s economy.” Damon Lee/D N Roommates Brian Larson, left, Kerry Kelly, Angie Christensen, Ken Addink and Cathi Larson discuss the benefits of living off campus. The five of them recently started sharing a house near 22nd and Vine streets. On the move Parking, privacy, food, space lure students off campus By Jeff Zeteny Senior Reporter__' From a room on the 13th floor of Abel Hall to an old white house on the edge of campus, many students are making the move from residence halls to off-campus housing alternatives. Why would they leave the housekeep ing, food service and free cable TV behind? University of Ne braska-Lincoln students said they _ moved out of the residence nails tor a H variety of reasons. | Angie Christensen, a kj sophomore advertising major, saiu living in a residence hall one year was enough, and off-campus living offered more freedom. “You don’t feel like you’re being baby sat,’’ she said. Christensen lives in a house at 2118 Vine St. with four other students. Parking, privacy and food are three reasons the five moved off campus. “You’re paying for something you’re not eating (in the residence halls),” Kerry Kelly, a sophomore human development major, said. “All I ate was salad and ice cream. A “Houses have more privacy. You don’t have to walk down the nail for the bathroom,” she said. The auintet moved in to their house last week, but the benefits are already apparent. Roommate Cathi Larson, a junior majoring in human development and the family, said five people splitting the rent saved money. Larson’s roommate and brother Brian Larson said the rent wasn’t unbearable with five roommates, but it still wasn’t cheap. * “People that own houses monopolize,” Brian Larson said. “$675 is too much for this house, (but) it’s close to campus. As a whole, people are gelling ripped off.” Brian Larson, a freshman animal science major, was in the Army before coming to UNL. He compared residence halls to army barracks. The roommates live in an a five bedroom house that Kelly said was designed for college students. - “These (houses) are older,” Kelly said. “They call it liveable, but not the best. I couldn’t see a family coming in here.” ' Six other UNL students in a house at 2304 U St. moved off campus for similar reasons. One of them, Scott Uhing, a senior • computer science major, lived in Abel for two years, and moved ofT campus to have more space. * . “It gets constricting,” he said. Clair Wieselcr, a senior business management major, lived with Uhing in Abel Hall, but said he moved off campus for a change. “Two years was enough,” he said. “You can only handle so much.” Food service is another reason students move off campus, Uhing said. All five of his roommates buy their own food and keep it separate, tic said. Wiescler’s brother Kelly Wieseler, a sophomore actuarial science major, said residence halls did have one benefit. “You don’t have to care about bills,” he said. “It’s all paid for at (Mice.” The roommates agreed their house wasn’t in the best condition. “It’s a cheap house,” Uhing said. “We weren’t expecting much; we just wanted to live close to campus." Although the living arrangements seem ideal for those two groups and many other college students, it is actually illegal, according to a Lincoln city ordinance. Lincoln zoning code title 27, chapter 3, section 220 says only a family can occupy a house with more than two unrelated See HOUSES on 6 " ' " - •. A Letter won t cause internal tension, regents say 1 Scott Maurer/DN By Kristine Long Staff RaoorW__ Increased residence hall rates and construction projects lop the bill for Saturday’s NU Board of Re gents meeting, days after stories of more regent infighting. On Wednesday, Regent Robert Allen of Hastings released an eight page letter in which he criticized Re gents Chairman John Payne. According to a Feb. 11 Omaha World-Herald ar ticle describing the letter, Allen said some regents kept secrets about im portant matters from other regents. He mentioned a private November meeting between Regents Payne, Don Blank of McCook and Charles Wilson of Lincoln and Residence hall rate increase to be discussed during meeting NU President Martin Masscngalc at Wilson’s home. Allen did not return phone calls all day Thursday. When asked what he thought Allen was hoping to accomplish with the letter, Payne said, “Who knows? “I think you have to consider the source." Payne refused to comment any further on the letter. Regent Rosemary Skrupa of Omaha said the letter would not cause tension among the regents. “Nobody pays any attention to anyone anyway,” Skrupa said. The regents know what their goals are for the university system, and they will unite to accomplish those goals, she said. Blank said he thought the letter, which said Blank had aT‘penchant for secrecy,” would soon be forgotten, and the meeting would go on as usual Saturday. Blank said among the major topics of discussion at the meeting would be the residence hall room and board rates for the 1993-94 school year. He docs not expect a lot of opposi tion to the S80 increase at UNL. “I think there will be discussion on room rates, but there is normally va lidity for the recommendations that come from the administration,” Blank said. The board also will discuss a reso lution to provide chancellors with housing allowances instead of actual housing.1 This resolution won’t affect any one except UNO Chancellor Del Weber, who lives in a house owned by the University of Nebraska Founda tion, Blank said. Also on the agenda is a resolution to let the city of Lincoln destroy a section of the 5Q1 Building as part of the 10th Street viaduct project. The board will be asked to approve a design for the biological sciences greenhouse, which would be con nected to the Beadle Center, now under construction. The regents will also hear reports on classroom utilization, NU enroll ment and student life, and they will hear an update on tho Minority Af fairs Report.
