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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 25, 1995)
MONDAY WEATHER: Today - Mostly sunny. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Tonight -Mostly clear. Low in the mid 40s. September 25, 1995 Saying goodbye Jeff Haller/DN Bernadette McMenamin, right, wipes a tear away during a Sunday memorial service for her daughter, Martina, at the Wick Alumni Center. Seated with her is Sarah Bognich, center, Tina’s former roommate, and Britnee Friend, a girl whom Tina babysat. Service celebrates McMenamin’s life By Jeff Zeleny Senior Reporter The women whoknew Martina McMenamin the best—her mother, great aunt, grandmother and roommate—silently listened as their “Tina” was eulogized Sunday. Nine people, including some who first be came acquainted with McMenamin aflcr she was killed July 25, spoke at a memorial service at the Wick Alumni Center. Tears fell from many faces as about 50 people gathered to remember the woman who would have been a UNL sophomore this year. “I feel bad they didn’t get to know her,” said Sarah Bognich, who found MeMcnamin’s body in their south Lincoln apartment. Exactly two months have passed since McMenamin was found stabbed to death. Po lice have identified no suspects in the slaying. Before and after the service, family and friends viewed eight panels of photographs that documented McMenamin’s 18 years of life. The photography journal started at her Sept. 22, 1976, birth in Sagamihara, Japan, and con tinued throughout her life in Omaha. The last panel represented the final chapter in McMenamin’s life as she moved into her new home at Amberwood Apartments. The images of McMenamin’s life, captured on 3-by-5-inch photographs, brought tears to the eyes of mourners. The panels were linked together with white carnations. As her brown hair grew through the years, so did McMcnamin. The family photograph col lection shows her as a free spirit, parasailing in Monaco and traveling through Europe on a Gross High School trip. “Those pictures really brought Tina to life for me,” said Shawntell Hurtgen, president of the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet her.” Hurtgen read a proclamation signed by Gov. Ben Nelson urging the university community to remember McMenamin. A sweetgum tree south of the Canfield Ad ministration Buildingand a wooden park bench near the College of Business Administration were dedicated to McMenamin. “I want to assure you that her memory will not be lost,” Hurtgen said, looking at McMenamin’s mother, Bernadette. McMenamin was an honor student during her first year at UNL. A framed listing of fellow honor students in the Division of Continuing Studies was presented to Bernadette McMenamin. “Clearly, Tina was oneofour best and bright See MCMENAMIN on 2 Harassment policy revised and improved By Paula Lavigne Senior Reporter UNL’s first sexual harassment and discrimi nation policy would help victims and set guide lines to prevent further victimization. Friday is the deadline for comments on the new policy as it moves toward approval. The deadline may mark the end of an almost five year revising cycle. Judith Kriss, director of the Women’s Cen ter, said the new policy’s final draft was an improvement from previous drafts. “The previous policy seemed to protect the harassers,” she said. “It was set up to protect the system and protect the persons who might be in a position of power.” Mary Beck, chairwoman of the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee, helped draft the policy, which is formally called the Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Pro cedures for Information Resolutions. Beck said it was less of a policy and more of a grievance procedure. ' It is the standard UNL policy of equal educa tional and employment opportunities and non discrimination, she said. UNL never had a formal, defined way to deal with harassment and discrimination, she said, which the new pol icy tackles in a “user-friendly” form. It is very straightforward, Beck said. It gives clear guidelines about what people could do and should do if they had a concern or complaint of discrimination or harassment of any kind.” The new policy lists several places where people can go to for help, she said, including the student or stall ombudsman, Student Judicial Affairs, the UNL Grievance Committee, the Employee Assistance Program and the Office of Affirmative Action and Diversity Programs. The policy also lists how a person can file a formal complaint. Faculty, staff and students can file a formal complaint against a student by contacting the Student Judicial Board. They can file a complaint against staff mem bers or any person in the their administrative reporting 1 ine by contacting the UNL Grievance Committee. Complaints against faculty, administrators and other academic staff can be made by con tacting the Academic Rights and Responsibili ties Committee chairperson. Under the old system, people were instructed to take complaints to their immediate supervi sors, she said, which created a problem if the supervisor was the object of the complaint. The new policy also outlines consensual relationships, specifically among people in su pervisory roles. See POLICY on 2 Watson stresses value of education, instruction By Kelli Bamsey Staff Reporter An education that combined re search and quality professors was crucial to James Dewey Watson’s development. Watson spoke at the Lied Center Friday to celebrate the dedication of the George W. Beadle Center for Genetics and Biomaterials Re search. As a former colleague of Beadle’s, Watson said the man had an intellectual impact on his life. Watson worked under Beadle as a graduate student at California Polytechnic Institute in the summer of 1949. In 1962, Watson, with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins, dem onstrated the double helix shape of DNA and won the Noble Prize in physiology or medicine. Watson stressed the importance not only of new research centers, but also the importance of people using the centers and the education coming from them. “Buildings don’t produce sci ence,” Watson said. “We need to recruit people to use as resources.” Where we are today is based on See JAMES on 3 Caucus requests investigation By Mike Kluck Staff Reporter ' The University of Nebraska-Lin coln Faculty Women’s Caucus stated Friday that Lawrence Phillips’ status as a student should be evaluated. “The Faculty Women’s Caucus is concerned that Mr. Phillips, as a stu dent/athlete, has violated several con ditions of the UNL Code of Conduct, yet no review of his status as a student has been initiated,” the caucus said in a statement. However, James Griesen, vice chancellor for student affairs, said Sunday night that the university had investigated the case and made a deci sion on Phillips’ status, but that deci sion is confidential. Phillips pleaded no contest Tues day to misdemeanor assault and tres passing charges. He had been charged with assaulting Kate McEwen, his ex girlfriend and a sophomore on the women’s basketball team, Sept. 10 at the apartment of NU quarterback Scott Frost. The caucus said it was asking for an investigation out of concern for McEwen’sphysical and emotional se curity. “Ms. McEwen legitimately fears for her own safety. The presence of Lawrence Phillips on campus, in the training facilities and in the UNL ath letic program" poses a real danger to her. It is an unfair burden for her to return to campus and the practice court under these conditions,” the caucus said. Griesen said university officials re viewed article 3.4 of the Student Code of Conduct to determine whether Phillips’ case involved a code viola tion. Article 3.4 refers to off-campus jurisdiction. Because two university students were involved in the alleged assault, Griesen said, and the educational rights of one of the students was in question, a possible code violation may have occurred even though the incident took place outside UNL jurisdiction, Griesen said. If the university decided that Phillips violated the code, Griesen said, sanctions could be taken against him. Those sanctions range from a warning to expulsion. Phillips remains a UNL student, Griesen said.