Opinion Friday, April 30, IMS
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Chris Hopfensperger.Editor, 472-1766
Jeremy Fitzpatrick.Opinion Page Editor
Alan Phelps...Managing Editor
Brian Shellito..Cartoonist
Susie Arth.Senior Reporter
Kim Spurlock.Diversions Editor
Sam Kepfield...Columnist
Sad situation
Cutting success center is grave mistake
In a budget crisis it is understandable, if regrettable, that
some programs must be cut and some eliminated entirely.
But it is unfortunate and unwise that one of the victims of
the $2.9 million cut that was mandated by the Legislature last
September will be the Academic Success Center.
Kenneth Kicwra, director of the center, said the elimination of
the center would leave a void on campus for students trying to
improve academically.
“Where docs the average student go? I don’t know,” Kicwra
said. “If you’re gifted, there’s the gifted program; if you’re a
minority, there’s the minority program; if you’re everybody else, I
don’t think so.”
Kicwra said colleges across the nation were stepping up their
efforts to assist students academically. While they arc moving
forward, UNL is taking a step back.
me Academic Success Center provides students who arc
treated as a number at a large university with some stability and
support. At a university that has struggled to establish itself
academically, such a resource is even more important.
The Legislature made a mistake when it turned to the Univer
sity of Nebraska as a convenient target for budget reductions. The
damage that will be done by its decision is becoming evident
now.
When a stats university must eliminate its academic counseling
center to meet budget cuts, the state’s priorities arc wrong.
“Anytime you reduce the university’s budget by
a couple million dollars, we can’t claim we’re
emerging as a better institution. ”
— Graham Spanier, UNL chancellor, summing up the effects of
the latest round of announced budget cuts.
uln meeting with the student organizations, I
found that students generally preferred to be
together and not split up. This way, I think they’ll
be pleased with the results. ”
— Bill Byrne, UNL athletic director, discussing the new student
seating plan that puts all students together in the southeast corner
of the end zone.
'7 don’t feel I should get bogged down in the
negative feelings at UNL, but (concentrate on) the
positive things at UNL — the people — and they
were here tonight. ”
— Joyce Joyce, a former University of Nebraska-Lincoln
English professor, who left the university amidst controversy over
grade changes.
“If you want to score points, you put Calvin
Jones in there with that big offensive line and just
run it at people. I think there’s more efficient ways
to put the ball in the end zone than we did today. ”
— Tom Osborne, Nebraska football coach, after Cornhusker
quarterbacks combined for 58 passing attempts and 263 yards.
“Overall, we’ve got a long, long way to go. ”
— Charlie McBride, defensive coordinator, following the Red
White game after the top defenses gave up 29 points.
Staff editorials represent the official policy of the Spring 1993 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set
by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the
university, its employees, the students or the NU Board of Regenu. Editorial columns represent
the opinion of the author. The regenu publish the Daily Nebraskan. They establish the UNL
Publications Board to supervise die daily production of the paper. According to policy set by
the regenu, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of
iu students.
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor from all readers and interested others.
Letters wiHbe selected for publication on the basis of clarity, originality, timeliness and space
also are welcome to submit material as guest opinions. T^eedhor decides whether material
should run as a guest opinion. Letters and guest opinions sent to the newspaper become the
property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be returned. Anonymous submissions will not be
published. Letters should included the author’s name, year in school, major and group
affiliation, if any. Requesu to withhold names will not be granted. Submit material to the Daily
Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union. 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 6S3SS-0448.
‘Mouthpieces’ _
The conservative mouthpieces ap
parently feel like they are under at
tack here on campus. I doubt they are,
but perhaps people don’t understand
them. That’s probably because of their
use of doublctalk and their confusing
logic. Take for example this quote by
Dave Mason (DN, April 28, 1993):
“generalizations, stercolypcs and
character attacks arc the liberals best
weapons.” Immediately preceding this
remark he says to the effect that “Your
(Jeremy Fitzpatrick's) petty little ti
rade was pathetic.” I guess this doesn ’ t
count as a character attack.
Then there is Sam Kcpficld who
states that he is “a thoughtful conser
vative and the only voice of tradition,
reason, logic... to explain it (conser
vatism).” He goes on to talk about Bi 11
Avery as an incompetent fool and a
worthless advisor, the long-haired,
beaded and tyc-dycd Young Demo
crats, the incompetent Daily Nebras
kan (does that include him?), the im
pudent snobs who run the College of
Journalism and finally, the liberal
touchy-feely fascism of the media.
Did I get that right, liberal fascism?
Now 1 m not certain, but these seem
to me to be generalizations, stereo
types and character attacks. I don’t
sec much of the constructive debate
that Mason considers the province of
the conservatives.
John Sctlimi
graduate student
modem languages
The Ideal
“Topeka, I have found ii!” as one
Kelly Bundy would say. After exam
ining the new conservative newspa
per, “The Ideal,” 1 have come to a
conclusion on how Students for
America came up with such an inter
esting title. I believe it’s an acronym
for “Idiotic Displeased Extremists
Against Liberalism,”
The Ideal is so professionally writ
ten that at first I mistook it for one of
those “Thrifty Nickel” want-ad rags
that you see at the supermarket. It
focuses on mainly citing many quotes
from famous conservatives and pokes
fun and rage at evil liberals such as
UNL Chancellor Graham Spanicr, Dr.
James R. Moore, homosexuals, the
entire DN editorial board (except for
Sam Kcpficld, of course) and a few
hundred others.
In due lime, The Ideal could be
come a widely recognizable publica
tion and maybe will even become a
household word for UNL students.
Thousands of us across Nebraska can
compare it with such other presti
gious publications as the Star, the
Globe and the National Enquirer.
So I urge the student body to gel a
glance at this ode to gradc-Z-minus
journalism and enlighten yourself.
With any luck we'll expel Spanicr,
• • ? i
dump political correctness forever,
nip all sexual harassment claims in
the bud, join the military in excluding
gays and lesbians and turn our backs
on liberalism before the second issue
is published next fall. Here’s to ex
treme conservatism, may it turn us all
into the imperialistic, blockhcadcd,
“What’s-in-it-for-mc” type of society
that some say we should be like.
But excuse me if I don’t hold my
breath.
, Scott Carpenter
sophomore
English
‘Get a haircut’
Finally I am appalled enough to
respond to one of Sam Kcpficld’s
articles (DN, April 28, 1993). There
seems 10 me to be a number of strange
contradictions here Sam. Let me point
them out.
If the DN really was suppressing
the First Amendment, they certainly
would cut vou loose first. That the
staff and the general student body
tolerate your column is proof enough
that they do indeed give reign to free
speech.
If the Democrats arc to be stereo
typed as long haired, then you had
better get your head shaved lest some
one mistake you fora Democrat (check
your photo). Did we not also see you
earlier this semester with a scruffy —
dare I say it — beatnik type beard?
Certainly this is not a conservative
look.
If you would lake a look at social
history and fashion, you would real
ize that tyc-dyc shirts have evolved
into the wild multi-colored shirts and
green neon shorts worn by today’s
students.
There is no big (teal about one
conservative newspaper, it will not
change the cosmos.
If you would just sit back and lake
a real look at history, you would real
ize that in America there are ebbs and
Hows of liberalism and conservatism
over the years. This is the real beauty
of our form of government. It has been
going on for 217 years and will con
tinue to do so. To predict a conserva
tive wave for a millennium is not
being a realistic student of history.
As a side note: if you arc going to
quote Spiro T. “lax evasion” Agnew,
then at least give him credit for his
phrase.
So now the challenge is for you to
take, Sam. Get a haircut, get some
while button-down shirts, some dress
slacks and some penny loafers and be
who you say you arc.
And really, shouldn’t we all be
concerned with having more com pas
sion?Compassion seems to have gone
by the wayside in all of your articles
and arguments. This is our country,
let us work together and compromise
on issues rather than constantly com
plaining and doing nothing about them
at all.
Donald A. Clark
graduate student
history
‘Hitler youth’
I think it’s admirable that the Hitler
Youth on campus have taken up a
hobby. Their little newspaper is just
as cute as a bug’s car.
In general, I think it’s best to let
neurotics have their little fantasies
(such as leading a "movement” or
being the wave of the future) as long
as they’re not harming others.
Certainly, there’s no law against
being a simple-minded reactionary.
Why not let the boys play newspaper?
It’s probably only a phase they’re
going through; and besides, a guy has
to something to pass those dateless
evenings.
Reynolds Towns
junior
anthropology
MTV
This perpetual political thought
battle between the MTV generation,
supposedly politically correct. Cl inton
bandwagon-jumping, Duffy’s hang
out, neurotic liberals and the lie-wear
ing, cellular phone-carrying self-in
dulged, Limbaugh-worshipping, bor
ing conservatives is so overdone arul
clichdd that their letters and columns
in the DN have become as worth css
as their attempts to make the world a
perfectly Republican or Democratic
unit. .,
I certainly wish they aH
simply cease their political babbling,
so we, the readers of the DN, could
hear about more important topics,
such as Rainbow Rowell’s dream
about her dog’s puppyhood and his
oath to never drink or do drug^
Kevin Grubb
sophomore
" Russian