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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1994)
January 20, 1994 University of Nebraska-Li Correction CFA approved a 3.2 percent budget increase for AS UN on Tuesday. The amount was incorrectly reported Wednesday. The Daily Nebraskan regrets the error. 4 A&E Double Reed Performance Professor William McMullen gives a free concert tonight in Kimball Hall. Page 6 Thursday 50/15 Today, partly sunny and warmer continuing into Friday. Vol. 93 No. 85 Grading scale using 40 points called ‘absurd’ By Angie Brunkow Senior Reporter_ Student leaders are leaning against an Academic Senate proposal to change UNL’s nine-point course grading sys tem to a 40-point scale. Keith Benes, president of the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska, said he thought the change that would allow professors to assign students a numerical grade between zero and four would leave many “splitting hairs.” “The idea that you can grade on 40 different degrees seems almost absurd to me,” he said. Franz Blaha, chairman of the Academic Sen ate’s Grading and Examination Committee, said under the current grading system professors assigned students a letter grade at the end of each semester, such as A or A-plus. The regis trar translates that grade into the numbers used to figure students’ grade-point averages. Last year, he said, the Academic Senate considered adding minuses to that grading scheme, making it a 13-point system, to give professors more leeway in determining stu dents’ grades. Next month, the senate, which has tabled the issue for two months to wait for student govern ment input, will consider the new 40-point proposal. Benes said ASUN probably would discuss the proposal next week. See GRADES on 2 Spanier airs his support for anti-hazing bill By DeDra Janssen Senior Editor UNL Chancellor Graham Spanier said Wednesday he supported a bill that would make hazing a crime in Nebraska. Spanier, during his bimonthly radio show on KFOR, said the bill was a positive step in combating hazing and alcohol abuse at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and other col leges. LB 1129, introduced to the Nebraska Legis lature on Tuesday by Sen. Gerald Matzke of Sidney, would make hazing a Class II misde meanor. Individuals convicted of hazing could be punished with a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. A student organization, such as a fraternity or sorority, involved in hazing could be fined up to $10,000. Matzke, a guest on Spanier’s show, said he introduced the bill because he was concerned about a hazing incident last semester involving Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity pledge Jeffrey Students waiting for the 10th Street overpass to open will have to wait until spring. Cold and wet weather has delayed completion of the overpass. Overpass to be finished by spring By Ann Stack Staff Raportar. Students waiting for the completion of the 10th Street overpass may not have much longer to wait. Roger Figard, city engineer for public works and utilities, said the original plan was to have the overpass completed by last fall. However, cold and wet weather has de layed completion until spring. “The viaduct is almost completed,” Figard said. “Right now, we’re dependent on the weather.” Mike Cacak, director of transportation services at the University of Nebraska-Lin coln, agreed. “This time of year, things have pretty much stopped. Any days that they can work they do.” he said. “The weather has got to warm up.” CacaSk said the construction affecting park ing already was completed. More than 40 spaces have been lost in parking lots west of the Harper-Schramm-Smith residence hall complex and near the 501 Building. However, when construction work is com plete, as many as 40 spots in the lot at 10th and T streets will reopen. The new 10th Street will curve one block west from the pedestrian overpass, run adja cent to Interstate 180 and merge with Ninth Street. The former 10th Street, running parallel to Memorial Stadium, has been renamed Stadium Drive and will be converted to an internal campus street, Figard said. Cacak said the viaduct would prove ben eficial in diverting traffic around campus. “When it’s finished, traffic will be able to move around the university instead of through it,” he said. UNL students and faculty still must face the inconvenience of waiting to cross train tracks by the Harper-Schramm-Smith resi dence complex. Jeanne Anderson, a UNL shuttle bus driv er, said most students could plan their sched ules accordingly to allow time for delays caused by trains. “Generally, students come early enough so they’ll make it to class, even if there is a train going past,” Anderson said. Drivers agreed the opening of the viaduct would make maneuvering around campus easier. “The overpass will make it so there’s hardly any traffic at all when I pull out onto 14th Street,” Anderson said. Steve Seward, another UNL shuttle bus - « When it’s finished, traffic will be able to move around the university instead of through it. —Cacak, UNL director of transportation services -99 ~ driver, agreed. “It’ll be great when it’s open,” he said. “We won’t have to wait for the trains. They slow the route down considerably.” Jess Houser, a junior pre-medicine major, said he had experienced problems getting to class on time because of the wait at the train crossings. “I’ve been late to class a lot because of the trains,” Houser said. “Sometimes they ’ 11 stop, and you’re just stuck there. “It’s really bad for lectures, because you have to walk in late. My girlfriend missed a test because of the trains.” See SPANIER on 2 Students violate rules on alcohol From Staff Reports _ Members of a City Campus fra ternity were cited for alcohol consumption on campus last week, a UNL official said Wednesday. James Griesen, vice chancellor for stu dent affairs, said he couldn’t name the fraternity for confidentiality reasons, but said house members violated the student code of conduct last Thursday night. “I picked it up off the grapevine there • was a party that night,” Griesen said. He then went to investigate it personally. Griesen said he would be doing more surprise house visits this semester. “After the incidents last semester, it became apparent to me we have to do a better job of inspection," he said. Last November a Phi Gamma Delta fraternity pledge fell out of a house win dow because of hazing, university offi cials ruled. Hazing was not involved in the inci dent last week, Griesen said. The case was referred to the Greek Judicial Board. Gov. Nelson presents youth crime package Proposal would put nonviolent offenders in new boot camps By Matthew Waite Sen/or Roportmr Gov. Ben Nelson presented his youth crime package — LB988 — to the legislative Judiciary Committee Wednesday at the State Capitol. The present system has no mechanism to deal with some crimes being committed by youth today, he said. Nelson said there was evidence of Nebras ka’s lack of vehicles to provide juvenile justice. They are: • Youth development centers were never meant to deal with violent offenders. • Community-based services are not avail able to the majority of Nebraska communities. • Asecure confinement facility doesn’texist for youthful violent offenders. • Access is difficult to treatment for drug abuse, mental health and family counseling. Nelson said LB988 took a three-pronged approach to curb youth violence: detention, prevention and intervention. Nelson’s proposal includes the construction of a confinement facility for young violent offenders and military-style boot camps for nonviolent offenders. The boot camps, Nelson said, would provide education, job training and treatment for mental health problems and drug abuse. If LB988 is passed, the sale or transfer of a Firearm to a minor would be a felony unless the minor has parental permission. Using the firearm for a legitimate sport such as hunting, or under direct adult supervision in an educational program would be allowed by law. The bill also says if a weapon was brought into a school, authorities may lawfully seize and destroy the weapon. “In short, our schools need to be drug-free and gun-free,” Nelson said. Nelson’s crime plan also includes several education and treatment programs. The newly formed Gang Resistance Education and Train ing program—GREAT—in several Nebraska communities would focus on 13- to 15-year olds, Nelson said. “(GREAT) will teach that gang life is a one way ticket to self-destruction,” the governor said. “Gang life is no life at all.” "We must begin with rebuilding the self esteem of our youth,” he said. “The issues facing youth today are drastically different than those facing youth 10 years ago.” Nelson said the Legislature needed to move on his initiatives in a bipartisan manner. “The game has changed,” he said. “There fore, we must announce that the rules have also changed.” • No one testified against Nelson’s initiatives. LB903 and LB 1052, also crime-related ini tiatives, propose an additional judge be added to Lancaster and Sarpy County district courts and another judge to the Douglas County Court. Lancaster County District Court Judfe Donald Endacott, who presided over Roger Bjorklund’s first-degree murder trial last year, said his court level desperately needed another judge. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” Endacott said. “We are trying to run an eight-cylinder car on six cylinders. “We can only do so much.”