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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 1993)
Single parent professor adjusts to ‘near-impossible task By Jeff Singer Editor Being a single parent is never easy. But being a single parent while teaching and advising is a near-im possible task, said John Gruhl, a po ■nvmrrn litical science ■jUSUUUU professor at the PROFILE university or Nebraska-Lin coln. Gruhl, who has been teaching at UNL since 1976, nas had tne jod or raising ms I u-year old son, Joshua, for the majority of his tenure at UNL. And after he and his former wife divorced eight years ago, Gruhl has done the parenting solo. “It’s almost overwhelming for one parent — having a full-time job, hav ing a child, taking care of the house . . Gruhl said. “I’ve felt over whelmed, but I’ve never regretted it for a second.” Gruhl said while his schedule can be hectic, as he is also a pre-law advisor, it could be worse. “I consider myself lucky, because my job time is so flexible,” he said. “I just shake my head in amazement at those single parents who have rigid schedules.” While UNL likes its professors to focus some of their time on research, Gruhl said his time with Joshua has prevented him from doing a lot of research work. And, he said, while some of his research rime has been lost, it gives him more opportunities to spend his time on more valuable things — mainly being with his son. ' Continued from Page 1 specifically at a few journals, so the study really underrepresented what we’ve done,” Conoley said. Among the top contributors con sidered in the current study, only two, Terry Gutkin and Wayne Picrsal, were also part of the department in the 1984 study. Although concerned about the lim its of the study in comparing institu tions, Picrsal said he was pleased with the university’s ranking. “The correct way to interpret the “The university wants us to dc research, but (spending time with Joshua) is certainly a plus for my sor and it's a plus for me, because I think I’m doing the most important thing that I think 1 should be doing,” Gruhl said. “I think being a father is the mosl important thing I do.” In recent years, the ability of fa thers as single parents has been ques tioned, as highlighted by a recent cover story in Time Magazine. But, Gruhl said, fathers can do just as adequate of a job raising children on their own as mothers can. “I just can’t see what mothers car do that fathers can't do,” he said. “There’s almost nothing mothers car do that fathers can’t do — with the exception being breast-feeding. r “It’s beneficial to have two par ents around because of the two per sonalities; (being a single parent) is not ideal, but in tne modem world, it’s hard to talk about an ‘ideal’ family situation.” As an undergraduate at DePauw University majoring in political sci ence, Gruhl had a type of ‘ideal’ classmate he attended college with. While at the small liberal arts col lege in Greencastle, Ind., he came across and eventually graduated with DePauw’s most famous alumnus, former vice president Dan Quayle. Gruhl said he would have never expected Quayle to excel as far as he has in politics. “He didn’t stand out too much; I was with him in student senate — you'd never had guessed he was des tined to become vice president,” he said. After the pair took a political sci ence class together, Graft's image of data is journals publishing in the field of school psychology, but clearly we’re a very strong program,” Piersal said. Piersal specializes in mental retar * dation and behavioral modification, an area which clearly affects educa tion but wouldn’t be published in most major school psychology jour nals. Among the Big Eight Conference, only UNL was in the top 10. Other Big Eight schools in the top 50 were the University of Kansas, University of Missouri at Columbia and Iowa State University. McElroy stands mute By Jeff Zeleny Senior Editor Arthur McElroy stood mute in Lancaster County District court Wednesday on four charges stem ming fiom an incident last Octo ber on the University of Nebraska Lincoln campus. A charge of not guilty was en tered by Judpe Earl Witthoff. McElroy, 44, is charged with at tempted second-degree murder, making teroristic threats and two counts of using a weapon to com mit a felony. McElroy, a UNL graduate stu dent, was arrested last Oct. 12 for allegedly holding a semiautomatic weapon on about 20 students. He reportedly attempted to fire the gun, but the gun jammed. McElroy has been confined to the Lincoln Regional Center since December, and was diagnosed with suffering from a paranoid delu sional disorder. In April, McElroy was declared - competent to stand trial by Judge Donald Endacott. Witthoff set a Nov. 29 jury trial date. » Deputy Lancaster County At torney Richard Rothrock said he was not suprised by McElroy’s plea. The Lancaster County Public Defender’s office, who represents McElroy, earlier challenged the constitutionality of the terroristic threat charges filed. The court later » found the charges to be constitu tional and to stand as filed. UNL political scianoa professor John Gruhl at his home in east Lincoln. Damon Lee/DN Quayle did not improve. “My overwhelming impression of him was that he didn't pay attention much,** Gruhl said. “He was just al ways leaning over cracking jokes with his buddies.** Gruhl said die one way Quayle did gain notoriety on campus was in what became known as the “Quayle Run.” “He was quite a golfer, but he had trouble getting out of bed in the morn ing,*’ he said. “So die person on the team who had the worst score in the last week’s match had to go getQuayle out of bed at his frat house m time for dial week’s match.” After DePauw, Gruhl went on to earn his master’s decree in political science from the University of Cali fornia at Santa Barbara. He said although he was a pre-law becoming a lawyer. “I was an undergrad in die ’60s during all the turmoil, and at the time, it seemed like what lawyers did was really boring—and 1 still think that/ Gmhl said. Gruhl said from bypassing lav school and becoming a political sci ence professor to ending up as a single parent, he is happy with what ha transpired in his lire so far. mgUfe * a se*M ot cho.omtfiyo just have to play the hand you're deal with in life, he said. August graduates must meet requirements Students who arc to receive de grees from UNL in August, who have Federal student loans, must fulfill exit requirements with the Office of Scholarships and Finan cial Aid. If a student fails to attend, a hold will be placed on their academic tran scripts, diplomas and any future reg istration at UNL. Any student who has received any of die following assistance must at tend: Federal Stafford Loan, unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Perkins Loan or Federal Supplemental Loan for Students. Sessions will be held at the City Campus Union today and Friday at 12:30 and 4 p.m. Room locations will be posted. Trek - Schwinn - KHS Touring, racing, mountain, city 27th iVin - 475-MH Jl'.' _1 —W ■ _=1 Lincoln's Fitness and Cycling Center bikes and exercise equipment • A truely great selection of ^ clothing and shoes for men, women & children widest selections of parts and accessories in the midwest •expert repairs ON ALL BRANDS