Technology
Continued from Page 1
cussions.
“We need your views on how infor
mation technology can build a stron
ger Nebraska,” he said.
He said the input from the small
group discussions would show how
information could be put to work,
would clarify the obstacles and would
identify partnerships to avoid dupli
cation and stretch resources. The in
formation would be relayed to the
newly established Nebraska Commis
sion on Information Technology, he
said.
“By working together and by mak
ing wise investments, people in Ne
braska can find the fast lane in the
information superhighway and drive
towards success,” he said.
Guest speaker Dennis Smith, pres
ident of the University of Nebraska,
said the NC1T was an important step
in addressing the issues of technolo
gy
“Today we’re talking about infor
mation technology and telecommuni
cations in our state,” he said. “These
are clearly technological changes of a
magnitude that will define an era, and
we all have a stake.”
Smith said taking advantage of
technology was hindered by
misdirection.
“Education, business and industry,
health care and government agencies
have all been working to develop elec
tronic systems for delivery of informa
tion,” he said,“but unfortunately, there
has been little or no strategy.”
The NCIT would address urban
and rural access, compatibility, cost,
training and balancing the needs of
competition in developing a strategy.
“If we do these things thoughtfully,
if we involve all of us together, the
technology we develop and fine-tune
will turn out not only OK for our
selves, but for our children and grand
children,” he said.
Smith said he wanted to do two
things to advance technology within
the universities.
“One is to provide enough hard
ware that all students-would have
access to computers,” he said. Smith
said those computers should be hooked
to video equipment, so students could
do some of their own tutorial and
advanced course work.
He said these advancements com
bined with training would help the
university system immensely in the
future.
Nelson said students should be con
cerned with the information super
highway as well.
“The sooner you get on the on
ramp, the better the chance of making
things happen,” he said. “The faster
you get up to date on what’s happen
ing and get the base level of every
one’s knowledge up there, then you’ll
be positioned to follow along as devel
opments occur.’’__
Book to help blacks pick colleges
By Kara Korshoj
Staff Reporter_
A few members of the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln community have
written the first-ever guide for black
students.
“The Black Student’s Guide To
College Success” reviews more than
900 colleges throughout the country.
Ruby Higgins, assistant director
for student support services in UNL’s
Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs, is a
co-author of the guide, which was
published by Greenwood Press.
Higgins said the book was aimed
toward blacks to help them choose a
college or university that would best
suit their interests.
Clidie B. Cook, R. McLaran Saw
yer and Keith W. Prichard are also co
authors of the book.
Sawyer, Prichard and Cook are all
instructors in the UNL Teachers Col
lege.
The book has sections dealing with
issues such as whether to choose a
black college or an integrated college,
how to finance a college education,
selecting a major and how to get along
with nonblacks on campus.
Higgins said the time was right for
a publication dealing with the topic.
“1 just felt there was a need for
this,” she said.
The guide also has essays from
successful blacks such as Greg Gumbel
of CBS News, Lyn Vaughn of CNN
Headline News and Bill Cockcrman, a
coach at the University ofCalifomia
Berkeley.
“The essays shared how they were
able to get through the college process
successfully,” Higgins said.
Higgins said she and the other au
thors took the history of black gradu
ates and the prestige of each college
into consideration when deciding
which colleges to overview.
The guide looks at predominately
white as well as black schools and
provides information black students
can use when talking to college re
cruiters, Higgins said.
In the overview of each college, the
guide supplies the student with the
name and number of the black recruit
er to contact and listings of black
organizations on campus.
Linda Kay Morgan, an employee at
the UNL Multi-Cultural Affairs Of
fice, said she wished she had had the
-M
/ just felt there was a
need for this.
— Higgins
author, "The Black
Student's Guide To College
Success”
-ft -
book when she was deciding on which
college to attend.
Morgan said the book was essen
tial for black students.
“Many of them do not know what
to expect from a predominately white
university,” Morgan said.
Many black students find them
selves in a situation in which they
chose a college based on what they can
afford, Morgan said.
“This book gives you the support to
cope when you feel isolated and alone
in a white university,” Morgan said.
“The Black Student’s Guide To
College Success” is not yet available
in bookstores, but it can be found in
Love Library, Higgins said.
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Bjorklund
Continued from Page 1
In the defense’s opening state
ments, Chief Deputy Public Defender
Scott Helvie said prosecutors couldn’t
prove the aggravating circumstances
required to impose the death penalty.
A one-month time period wasn’t
long enough to prove Bjorklund had a
substantial assaultive or terrorizing
history, he said.
In addition, Helvie said, Bjorklund
did not kill Harms to cover up the rape.
The actual killing, he said, was done
by Barney, who pleaded guilty to the
murder Thursday.
Finally, he said, the rape-murder
combination didn’t automatically
make Bjorklund’s crimes heinous
enough to warrant the death penalty.
“It is obviously a heinous crime; all
homicides are heinous,’’ he said.
But other cases of murder and sex
ual assault in Nebraska have resulted
in life imprisonment, not the death
penalty, he said.
The Legislature requires criminal
penalties to be applied uniformly
throughout the state, he said. Bjorklund
deserves the same treatment as Barney,
who has bargained with prosecutors
to avoid the death penalty.
Testifying first for the prosecution
was Ivars ICalnins, an employee at
Rudy’s Drive-In, 1608 N. 56th St.,
which was robbed in September 1992.
Bjorldund has made statements that
he was involved in the armed robbery.
Kalnins sustained minor injuries
. in the robbery, but none were long
term.
Randall Repp, a former employee
at Rex TV, 6900 O St., testified that he
also was robbed in September 1992.
The burglar threatened Repp and took
the store’s deposit bag.
“They said they knew who I was
and knew where I lived. If I told
anyone, they would kill me,” Repp
said.
Barney and Bjorklund also were
accused of robbing the Travelodge,
2901 N.W. 12th St., in August 1992.
Dean Dreyer was working the night of
the burglary.
Dreyer said one burglar entered the
motel lobby after 2:15 a.m. After tak
ing the money, the robber threatened
Dreyer.
“He told me if I moved, I was a dead
man,” Dreyer said. “1 thought of my
wife and kids and just prayed nothing
would happen.”
Scott Ogburn, an employee at
Sinclair, 48th and Randolph streets,
testified about a robbery of which he
was a victim in September 1992.
Ogburn recounted the burglary of
the gas station. He later identified
Barney as the burglar.
Various newspaper articles were
offered into evidence despite objec
tions by Helvie. The articles recount
the robberies which Bjorklund and
Barney are accused of committing.
