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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 1995)
inside M onday Sports San Francisco and San Diego to meet in Super Bowl, page 7 Arts & Entertainment Bluesman B.B. King rocks the lied Center, page 9 January 16, 1995 Regents address quarrels, NLPs efficiency Miller’s proposal rejected by board By Matthew Waite Senior Reporter The NU Board of Regents took more than 40 minutes Saturday to vote 5-3 rejecting a pro posal from a new regent who attempted to streamline university administration. Drew Miller of Papillion proposed that the regents form a committee that would try to reorganize and pare down administrative costs and procedures. The proposal was referred to the business affairs committee, a regents sub-committee. After the meeting, Miller said the proposal was not dead “by any means.” Calling the proposal “process redesign,” Miller said the university had to always look to change the way business was done to improve efficiency. The proposal called for the committee to be composed of administrators and faculty mem bers from the university and occasional outside advisors. Efforts to redesign administrative processes are already happening in the university at individual campuses, Miller said. He said, however, that this committee would be univer sity-wide, and the process would be continual. Miller said the committee would make rec See MILLER on 6 O’Brien will adjust role to fit situations By Matthew Waite Senior Reporter It was a meeting of firsts for the NU Board of Regents Saturday. The January meeting was the first meeting over which new chairwoman Nancy O’Brien of Waterloo presided. It was also the first meeting Chuck Hassebrook of Walthill and Drew Miller of Papillion sat on the board. O’Brien was unopposed in her candidacy for the chairmanship of the board. The post was turned over to her by outgoing Chairman Charles Wilson of Lincoln. After the meeting, O’Brien said she was pleased with the election. “I look at it as an honor and a responsibil ity,” she said. O’Brien said every chairperson brought a different style to the position. She said her style would focus on the good deeds of the univer sity, and not on the bad press of the regents. However, O’Brien said, if regents start in fighting, she may assert authority. “I’ll take the role that is most appropriate at the time,” she said. “If I feel I have a responsi bility to speak, I will do^so.” However, O’Brien said she did not want to anticipate future problems with regent in-fight See REGENTS on 6 Officerfaces civil charges in new case By Brian Sharp senior Heporter A trial date has been set for indicted Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady, while another in dicted officer faces civil charges of assault in a new case. - Casady and officer Luke Wilke were in dicted following a grand jury investigation into the Oct. 1 death of Francisco Renteria. Lincoln police officers had been involved in a scuffle with Renteria the night before his death. Also indicted were officer Stephen Schellpeper and Fire Capt. Danny Wright. Casady will go to trial between March 20 and 27 to face a charge of official misconduct for action during the investigation. Wilke has been charged with one count of third-degree assault in the case. Hearings involving Wilke and the other indicted officials have been re cessed until Jan. 30. But while lawyers have been busy filing pretrial motions on Wilke’s behalf, a Hispanic man has filed a lawsuit against him, alleging assault through unreasonable force and civil rights violations. Hector mez or Lincoln inea tne suit Wednesday, citing alleged misconduct by Wilke in a July 22 incident. In the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Perez gave the following account of Wilke’s actions: Perez was involved in a car accident at 17th and O streets and was looking for a phone to call police. After finding that the phone at Harry’s Wonder Bar was being used, Perez headed for a nearby pawn shop to make the call. Wilke, meanwhile, had arrived on the scene and ordered Perez to stop. Wilke then grabbed Perez from behind, and along with another plain-clothed officer, subdued him. Wilke re portedly began punching him from behind and choking him “with aggressive, unreasonable, brutal force.” Wilke then took Perez to the patrol car; while placing him inside, he reportedly kicked Perez in the back of the knee. Perez reported he then collapsed to the ground in pain. After lifting Perez by his head, Wilke re portedly struck Perez’s head against the car several times as Perez pleaded for the officer not to strike him. Perez said he then “felt blood rush into his throat and his entire body tense up.” Records of Perez’s medical condition when he arrived at the Lancaster County jail are confidential, and corrections officials would not release them Friday without a subpoena. After being released from jail, Perez saidhis physician found him to have suffered whiplash as a result of Wilke’s alleged actions. Wilke could not be reached for comment. Perez was cited for third-offense drunken driving, refusing to submit to a chemical test, driving on a suspended license and resisting arrest. After pleading no contest to the drunken driving charge, other charges were dropped. GerikParmele/DN A Lincoln firefighter signals down to other firefighters while extinguishing a fire at Big Red Keno, 201 Sun Valley Blvd., in Lincoln Saturday afternoon. Grease fire ravages Big Red Keno By Matthew Waite Senior Reporter Keno at all 20 locations in Lincoln and Lancaster County came to a halt Sunday afternoon as the main hub for the game was destroyed by a two-alarm fire. A failed chemical extinguishing system and an alley between two ceilings helped the fire ruin Big Red Keno, 201 Sun Valley Blvd. Firefighters were called to the scene after a grease fire erupted in the kitchen, shortly after noon Sunday. Lincoln Fire Deputy Chief Jerry Greenfield said he did not think the build ing would be salvageable. No injuries were reported, he said. When the first Firefighters arrived, Greenfield said, they did not see a fire. He said it was not long after the officers arrived when the fire erupted. John Hewitt, the owner of Big Red Keno, said the 20 other satellite keno sites would not open until the main site could be re opened. Customers and employees were inside the building when the fire erupted, Hewitt said, but no one was injured as people exited the front doors of the restaurant and lounge. Hewitt declined to disclose how much See FIRE on 6 Search committee named to find new dean From Staff Reports A 15-member search committee has been named to find a dean for the NU College of Engineering and Technology to replace Stan Liberty, who resigned in December. Joan Leitzel, vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said the search will be nationwide, she said. A1 Kilgore, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs at UNL, released the follow ing names of committee members: •James O’Hanlon, dean of the UNL Teach ers College. O’Hanlon will serve as chairman of the committee. •Mohamed Dahab, associate professor of civil and biological systems engineering, UNL. •Richard Gilbert, chairman of the chemi cal engineering department, UNL. •James Hawes, vice president and CEO of U.S. West Communications in Omaha. •James Malek, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, University ofNebraska at Omaha. •Stuart Margolis, professor of computer science and engineering at UNL. •Massoum Moussavi, associate professor civil engineering, UNO. •Gary Parker, president and CEO of Lind say Manufacturing near Norfolk. The com pany makes agricultural engineering products. •Dennis Schulte, professor of biological systems engineering, UNL. • •Jo Strinz-Colbum, graduate student in mechanical engineering, UNL. •John Thorp, chairman industrial systems technology, UNO. •John Woollam, professor of electrical en gineering, UNL. •Tamara Weis, undergraduate student of pre-mechanical engineering, UNO. •Ron Ross, associate director of affirma tive action and diversity, UNL.