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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 1995)
Nebraskans for Peace to discuss Medicare cuts By Sarah Danberg Staff Reporter The Lincoln Chapter of Nebras kans for Peace will sponsor a panel discussion tonight on proposed cut backs in Medicare and Medicaid. “We want to inform people,” said Betty Olson, event coordinator. “People need to know if they are go ing to be affected.” Olson said the panel also would inform people of their options and help them decide what actions to take against the cuts. The panel will consist of Helen Boosalis, former Lincoln mayor and a member of the board of directors for the American Association of Retired Persons; Dr. Stacie Bleicher, vice president of the Nebraska Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Mar’ene Brondel, Lincoln director of the League of Human Dignity’s Cen ter for Independent Living; and John Milligan, supervising attorney of Le gal Services of Southeast Nebraska. “Vie services that will be cut will affect our quality of life. In the long run, it will affect all of us. ” BETTY OLSON Panel coordinator Cuts in programs for the elderly, people with disabilities and children also will be discussed. “The discussion relates to the fu ture of health care,” Olson said. “We feel this is ajustice issue. The services that will be cut will affect our quality of life. “In the long run, it will affect all of us.” The discussion will be at First Ply mouth Congregational Church, 2000 DSt.,at 7:30. It is open to the public. Turkish twist Tanna Kinnaman/DN Dancers perform a Turkish folk dance Sunday for the Turkish Night at the Nebraska East Union. The University of Nebraska Turkish Student Association sponsored the event, tagged “Journey to Turkey.” University of Nebraska prepares to embrace the future Plan approved that aims to overhaul residence hall elevators, rooms, facilities By Rebecca Pitmans Staff Reporter In the near future, a student, weighed down with laundry and textbooks, will step up to the I-1 elevator in Abel Hall. The ' ' student will push the “up” button, and moments later, the elevator will appear. That’s the plan, anyway. The NU Board of Regents approved a plan at its meet ing Friday to overhaul the University of Nebraska-Lin coln residence hall elevators. The board approved $3.5 million to renovate 16 el evators in UNL’s high-rise residence halls, to replace the dishwashing systems in three hall complexes and to wire all 2,753 residence hall rooms to the campus computer and technology network. The board also approved up to $761,000 for repairs and improvements in the Nebraska Unions and other changes in the halls. The budget covers the replacement of fire alarm systems in residence halls and new furni ture in Harper-Schramm-Smith and Abel Sandoz complexes’ triple rooms. Union improvements include $60,000 for new or upgraded computer equipment, $ 16,000 for renovating the Crib into the Coffee House and $35,000 to complete the Bakery expansion/ renovation project. The board also approved four additions to degree programs: a master of arts degree in English and a master of arts degree in history at l-1 the University ofNebraska at Kearney; a master ofscience in environmental engineeringat UNL; a bachelor of arts in medieval and renaissance studies at UNL. Some regents questioned what type of em ployers would hire students with those degrees. Regent Chuck Hassebrook of Walthill de fended the programs, recalling an essay written by Willa Cather that warned the University of Nebraska was becoming nothing more than a trade school. Programs may not be targeted for specific employers, but the University of Nebraska is not a trade school, Hassebrook said. Regent Rosemary Skrupa of Omaha agreed and said she was pleased to see the trend toward turning back to a true university. In other business, the board: • Approved the purchase of two tracts of land in the Malone neighborhood east of City Campus as the “University Growth area” at a cost of $8,500. • Approved the establishment of the Mid America Transportation Center at UNL. • Approved the hiring of Dana Larson Roubal and Associates for pre-design services for the new Engineering/Information Sciences and Technology Building Project at the University ofNebraska at Omaha. UNK Chancellor Gladys Styles Johnston left Oregon before the final selection of Oregon State University’s new president in order to attend Friday’s meeting. Johnston had been one of three finalists, but she was not chosen for the job. She said she considered the position because the school pur sued her “very forcibly.” Johnston said Oregon State University was a little bit larger than UNK and had very good faculty. Microsoft exec presents virtual university concept as possibility for Nebraska By Kathryn A. Ratliff Senior Editor The NU Board of Regents spent Friday af ternoon exploring the National Gallery of Lon don, the music of Mozart and Frank Lloyd Wright’s demolished Larkin Building — all with the simple click of a button. Jeff Raikes, senior vice president for Microsoft North America, presented this cyberclass tour as he shared with the regents his vision of a virtual university, an educational environment without walls. By incorporating technology in education, he said, learning becomes more accessible, in teractive and effective. “On an absolute basis, I don’t think we’ve come up with an educational approach that’s really maximizing human potential,” Raikes said. He said the ultimate possibility included a university where educational access was avail able anytime, anywhere, providing more learn ing capacity with higher quality at a lower cost. Raikes, an Ashland native, is assisting Wash ington State University in Pullman to develop such a university. WSU plans to have 50 percent of freshmen exposed to virtual education by 1996 and 100 percent of all students by 1999. By the year 2000, all 1,300 faculty members will teach with Virtual WSU. In his presentation,“Vision ofVirtual WSU,” Raikes noted a variety of technological possi bilities in education including: • Online access to lectures and course work • Classroom discussions via electronic bul letin boards • Private interaction via e-mail or video tele conferencing between faculty and students. Other key components include virtual text books, lectures, classrooms and a virtual stu dent union. A virtual university, Raikes said, is a place where instructors can customize content to suit student needs. Faculty can gather material world wide, Raikes said. Its role could change into that of a learning consultant, an electronic discus sion leader or part of a multimedia team, he said. Through the software medium, he said, great teaching could extend beyond classroom barri ers to reach more people, and students could interact with students worldwide. There is evidence that virtual education works, Raikes said. In a controlled study, mul timedia students performed better than students in traditional classrooms, he said, and improved in their classes. So-called “students at risk” also performed better, he said. “It’s not that they’re at risk in the sense that somehow they’re limited in their learning abil ity, it’s the flaw in our system that causes them to be at risk.” NU President L. Dennis Smith expressed interest in collaborating with WSU. “This is an example of the kinds of directions we want to go as quickly as possible,” Smith said. Raikes told the regents they had a unique opportunity. “You have the opportunity to decide what role the University of Nebraska will play in these changes,” Raikes said. “I think investing in our young people in their education is cer tainly the best investment that any of us wi 11 ever make.” Presents the World's Premier Western Swing & Full Tilt Boogie Band I--Clip n Save--—_______--C,ip 'n Save-1 i *WCs* jama | SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY I 5unday Hours: 6 p.m.-close Jello Shots ^ 2 only S.75 Draws 5.50 Pitchers 53.00 Jello Shots 2 6 only 5.7 5 Draws 5.50 Pitchers 53.00 O 6 Pitcher Specials During Monday Night Football Pitcher Specials During Monday Night Football Import^ ® Bottles 52 t* 8 Penny pitcher Night 54.50for 1st Pitcher Valentino's Pizza SI/slice £ 22 Penny pitcher Night 54.50for 1st Pitcher Valentino's Pizza 51/slice_ Dometic 2 Beer SI.25 16 Domestic Beer SI.25 Domestic Beer SI.25 SAC. 1 O Specials 1:30-7:30PM Valentino's Pizza SI/slice_ Join us for^ ^ our Tailgate Party from 1 1 am-1 pm!! 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