The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, April 09, 1993, Image 1
i----1 Technology park would benefit state, university By Karen Okamoto Staff Reporter A technology park being devel oped in northwest Lincoln will benefit the state and the Uni versity of Ncbraska-Lincoln, a UNL official said Thursday. The technology park, which will bring together entities and businesses interested in advanced technology, is being developed by UNL and the city of Lincoln in the Highlands area. Construction on the technology park will start in about three to eight years, Lincoln Mayor Mike Johanns Purse, wallet thefts rising, official says Students should take precautions By Juliet Oseka Staff Reporter Because the number of purse and wallcl ihcfls has been on ihc increase ihis semester, stu dents should take extra care w ilh these items, a UNL pohccofficcr said Thurs day. Sgt. Mylo Bushing said there had been 49 purses and wallets reported stolen since January. When a purse or wallcl is stolen, the thief not only gets money and credit cards, Bushing said, but also gels a drivers license with personal information about the victim and keys to both cars and homes. “This is information that we don’t want released to anyone,” he said. Purse and wallet thefts arc not just a problem at UNL, Bushing said. In February, the number of ihcfls re ported in both the Capitol and State Office buildings also had increased, he said. If anyone sees a person who looks suspicious or is in an area of a building that is restricted, the police should be contacted, Bushing said. To help alleviate the problem. Bushing sa id students should take their purses and wallets with them instead of leaving them unattended. “Lock these items up, or take them with you,” Bushing said. “If you want to save your place in the library, for example, leave a note book but not your purse,” he said. Purses and wallets should not be left in unlocked desk drawers either. Bushing said. It only takes a few seconds to take a purse or wallcl, he said. Research opportunities, high-tech jobs to result, officials say said. Bill Splinter, vice chancellor for research at UNL, said the park would broaden the slate’s economic base by bringing new industry into Nebraska. “Our ultimate goal is to help the economy of the state,” he said! The university also will benefit because researchers at UNL will be able to scale up their lab work to a manufacturing level, he said. By opening businesses in the park, Splinter said, professors may work ■ with several barrels of material in stead of just test-tube amounts. The university, which obtains pat ents on professors’ developments, will receive royalties from any sales that the ofessors make, he said. e park also will create jobs for UNL graduates who may be inter ested in staying in Nebraska, Splinter said. Many of the jobs will be high-tech jobs, he said. UNL expertise, not money, is go ing into the development of the tech nology park, Splinter said. The proposed park is the result of a recommendation by a committee appointed in 1988 by former Mayor Bill Harris and then-UNL Chancellor Martin Massengalc. That committee recommended fo cusing efforts on technology-related business development as a strategy for long-term economic development and job creation in Lincoln. The committee also named the Highlands as a potential site ior tne park, and, in December 1989, the city annexed the area. The committee then coordinated the development of a detailed master plan for the Highlands’ 600 acres with the technology park a key part of the plan. One hundred acres have been re served for the technology park, and 50 more acres may be added. A seven-member coalition of Ne braska businesses and the University of Nebraska Foundation now own the SeeTECH on 2 __ • Jeff Haller/DN A student bikes across campus between classes Thursday. Helmet usage called crucial for bicyclists By Michelle Leary Senior Reporter__ OncC the warm temperatures of the new season spring up, many UNL students opt to leave their cars at home and ride their bicycles to class. “They’re everywhere,” said Deborah Conley, a junior sociology major. Conley said there already were several thou sand frantic pedestrians on campus each day, and that cyclists caused even more chaos. “(Cyclists) arc confusing at limes, espe cially when the weather starts getting nice,” she said. “You don’t know which way they’re going to go, and that’s when the accidents start happening.” Joan Artman, manager of the Urgent Care area at the University Health Center, said that with the increase in temperature, the number of bicycle injuries increased. The sand and gravel used on the roads and walkways in the winter time make the side walks and streets slick for riders, Artman said. Other causes of bicycle injuries include a combination of car-and-bicyclc and car-and pedcstrian accidents, she said. “As soon as it gets nice, everyone is outside on their bikes enjoying the weather,” Artman said. “But they aren’t wearing helmets. “Helmets arc a must because it only takes one accident to ruin your li fc,” she said. “When you wear a helmet you have protection at all times.” Junior mechanical engineering major Allen McPhaull said hedid not want to wear a helmet. “I don’t need one,” McPhaull said. “I trust my riding abilities. “And besides, I don’t want to mess up the waves in my hair,” he said. McPhaull also said that the cost of purchas ing a helmet was too much for his student pockctbook. Gary Baldwin, a sales associate at Cycle Works on 27th and Vine streets, said the gen eral price range for hclmels was S40 to SI00. “Generally,” he said, “the more expensive ones are lighter, more ventilating ones, and they look cooler.” Baldwin said a few years ago, when he first See BIKES on 3 | Parking committee approves new lot, increased lighting By Mindy Letter Staff Reporter The UNL Parking Advisory Committee intends to shed a little light on the East Campus Loop as well as provide for another commuter student lot on East Campus, a UNL official said. - The parking committee , passed a resolution at its < meeting Thursday to finance a commuter lot on East Cam pus that would add 195 new ■ stalls. Located south ol the Law Library, the lot will cost an esti mated $175,000and wi 11 be paid for through the extra parking fees, said Tom Johnson, chairman of the committee. East Campus Loop primary target for illumination “By providing for more commuter student lots, we will cut down on the number of people who are parking in places they have no permit for,” Johnson said. “That way we will help everybody.” The committee also passed a resolution that would increase lighting in the eastern portion of the East Campus Loop. Mike Cacak, interim parking administrator, said the committee’s decision to light the east- ~ em portion of the loop was based on the in creased use of East Campus. Safely concerns have increased because more students are walking through the area, which hasalways been a lighting concern, Cacak said. “The east side of East Campus Loop is what we have heard about the most that needs to be taken care of,” he said. “Some of the darkest areas (at the univer sity) are on East Campus.” Lighting the East Campus Loop will cost an estimated S58.000, Cacak said, and it would be paid using the $4 safely fee already added to UNL parking fees. The project is tentatively scheduled for completion in the fall. . The parking lot for state employees, located cast of the livestock judging pavilion, currently has no lighting. The committee resolved to place lighting on a nearby street to light the area. In other business, the Parking Advisory Committee elected a new chairman for the 1994-95 academic year. Dean Waddcl, chairman of branch services and professor of libraries, was unanimously approved as the new chairman. The committee also established parking maintenance and repair as another one of its priorities. Comm ittce members plan to use operational fees to pay for repair of potholes and cracks in the concrete, which are the result of winter damage to the lots, Johnson said. “That might slop the complaints,” he said. “People donrt like potholes that are big enough to lake their Lincoln Continental and make it disappear into the ground.”