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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 10, 1994)
n^rrm F. I v c t i « n ^(NEWS ASUN Elections Complete student government election coverage. Page 3 Thursday 45/20 Today, partly sunny. Vol. 93 No. 121 The ‘eyes’ have it: It’s VISION ASUN election turnout lowest in three years By Heather Lampe Staff Reporter oter turnout for the ASUN elections this year was the second lowest in 10 years, said Mark Byars, chairman of the Electoral Commission Wednesday night. Out of22,629 students eligible to vote, only 2,611 students, or 11.5 percent, voted. The VISION presidential and first vice pres idential candidates won with 1,498 votes, 57.37 percent of the total votes and 6.6 percent of the total student population. The RESUME presidential and first vice presidential candidates received 228 votes or 8.73 percent of the total votes and 1 percent of all students. The LETTUCE presidential and first vice presidential candidates received 291 votes or 11 percent of the total votes and 1.3 percent of total students. The electoral commission onlycounlcd votes for LETTUCE in which the names of the can didates were correctly fillcd-in. Others were not counted, Byars said. Judy Rishcl, second vice presidential candi date for VISION, won 1,591 votes, 60.9 percent of the total vote. Joey Whitney, second vice presidential can didate for RESUME, received 330 votes, or 12.64 percent of the total vote. The remaining amount of votes for presiden tial candidates were write-in votes and un marked ballots, but because of an electoral commission ruling, Byars said the numbers could not be released. “We can tell you the number of votes for LETTUCE because J.B. Howell and Andrew Loudon and the Electoral Commission wanted them to proclaim eligibility for office before they debated,” Byars said. Byars said the Electoral Commission would not release vote counts on ineligible write-ins such as David Lctterman, because they were following the precedent ofprevious campaigns. Other unofficial election results include: • A $23 per student facility fee for Nebraska Unions and University Health Center — 1.959 yes; 496 no. • A $75.13 per student fee for operation of the Health Center— 1,546 yes; 912 no. • A $34.08 per student fee for support of the Nebraska Unions— 1,671 yes; 770 no. • A $33.98 per student fee for support of Campus Recreation Programs — 1,973 yes; 485 no. • A 88 cents per student allocation of student fees to support the Daily Nebraskan — 1,591 yes; 841 no. • A $1.01 per student allocation of student fees to support the University Program Council campus speakers programs — 1,487 yes; 937 no. Jon Waller/DN VISION presidential candidate Andrew Loudon, right, and Anne Stockfleth celebrate after receiving the news that they had won Wednesday’s ASUN election. Loudon’s ticket nearly performs election sweep By Brian Sharp Staff Reporter ndrcw Loudon said becoming ASUN president with nearly 60 percent of the student vote did not come as a surprise to him. But with the win, Loudon said, came an increased responsibility. “I feel very confident that 1 can do a good job (as president),” he said. “But at the same time I feel a lot of responsibility. “This isn’t something I’m going to get and then forget all the promises that have been made over the past two or three months.” Of the 2,611 students who voted in Wednes day’s ASUN elections, 1,498—or 57.4 percent — voted for the VISION ticket of Loudon and Britt Ehlers, first vice president-elect. Loudon said the percentage sent a clear message students believed in the principles outlined in VISION’s platform. Loudon said keeping student fee increases to a minimum, reforming the reviewing system of tenure for professors and reinstating the Aca demic Success Center were all on his agenda for the coming year. VISION second vice president-elect Judy Rishcl received 1,591 votes, or 60.9 percent and 7 percent of the total student population. VI SION nabbed 77 of the 78 positions on their ticket. Their only loss was in the College of Architecture. Having an almost all-VISION student sen ate will allow policy-making tobeeasier, Loudon said. The party has worked well together, he said, which should transfer to a productive and effective working student government. That effectiveness had been questioned by other parties throughout the campaign. “The fcelingsofcynicism toward the student government ... that’s something I’d like to change,” Loudon said. “I’m not blind,” he said. “Thirty-two percent of the student body (voting write-in)... suggests to me that there is considerable doubt in student government. “I think we combat that by providing leader ship through our actions.” In the past week, accusations of behavior See VISION on 6 Helvie: Barney confessed for deal By Angie Brunkow and Matthew Waite Senior Reporters_ Scott Barney wouldn’t have revealed information about Candice Harms’ murder without a plea agreement, defense attorneys said Wednesday at Roger Bjorklund’s sentencing hearing. “He wasn’t going to give up the location of the body unless he got a deal,” Chief Deputy Public Defend er Scott Hclvic said as he cross examined prosecution witness Lin coln Police Sgt. Greg Sorensen. Sorensen said Barney agreed to reveal who killed Harms and where her body and the murder weapons were located. In exchange, county attorneys agreed not to file murder charges against him, Sorensen said. “He wanted a deal,” Sorensen said. At the time Barney provided authorities with information, po lice had no leads in the ease, Sorensen said. Before Barney’s confession, the location of the body and weapons and the identity of Harms’ assail ants were unknown, Sorensen said. “I don’t know anybody, period, who knew ... anything about the death of Candice Harms,” he said. “Nobody had any idea.” Hclvic said that put Barney in a good position. “Mr. Barney kind of had you over the barrel... and he was using his position he had you in to get something for himself,” Hclvic said. The same day Barney’s attorney came to authorities with informa tion about the murder, Hclvic said. Bjorklund requested a meeting. Sorensen said he didn’t have time to meet with Bjorklund that day. Bjorklund, who was in jail for robbery charges, had been cooper ating with authorities about the rob beries, Sorensen said. Helvie said Bjorklund might have revealed information about other crimes that day. “He might very well have talked to you about the Harms case,” he said. Under questioning from Deputy County Attorney John Colborn, Sorensen said Bjorklund told him that if Barney had not come for ward, he would never have been arrested. Helvie objected to the line of questioning but was overruled by Lancaster County District Judge Donald Endacott. Helvie asked Sorensen if he See BJORKLUND on 6 Engineering college debate gets personal with article By Jeffrey Robb Senior Editor he debate on adding an engi neering college to UNO got personal with the publication of an article written by Omaha busi nessman David Sokol. In the spring 1994 issue of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Alumni Newsletter, Sokol compared a memo released under the direction of Stan Liberty, dean of the University of Ncbraska-Lincoln College of Engi neering and Technology, to one that would be released in a communist society. Sokol, who was unavailable for comment Wednesday, wrote that the memo stifled faculty expression on the engineering debate. According to the article, the memo stated: “Obviously, giving an impres sion in those situations that a code of silence has been imposed upon per sonal faculty expressions would have negative connotations. If you foresee that such instances might occur, 1 suggest that you discuss beforehand with Dean Liberty directly what prop er limits of discussion about the plan ning process should be.” Liberty wouldn’t comment on Sokol’s statement. “I don’t think it’s constructive to respond to personal attacks on me. It doesn’t serve the institution well, nor the citizenry,” he said. Liberty said he wasn’t concerned about defamation of character, and he wasn’t considering a libel lawsuit. As one involved in controversy, he said, he should expect to be hit with polit ical rhetoric. See SOKOL on 6