Law & Order
Tire tracks on the lawn and dam
aged property were all police found
at Lincoln East High School where
vandals used a vehicle to do $ 1,000
damage.
The damage included three light
poles, five chain-link fence posts, a
biking trail sign and wooden garage
door, according to police reports.
Police believe the vandalism was
done between Saturday afternoon
and Monday morning.
Students choose Kelter
as ‘outstanding educator’
By Kasey Kerber
Staff Reporter
The verdict is in: Paul Kelter is the
UNL students’ choice of “outstanding
1 educator.”
The award was
bestowed on Kelter,
a visiting associate
professor of chem
istry, at Wednesday
night’s inaugura
tion of the Associa
tion of Students at
the University of
_Nebraska.
Kelter said he was surprised but
pleased that he received the award.
“There is nothing like your students
saying that what you do is valuable,
he said.
I 1
Students voted for their choice of
“outstanding educator” as part of the
ASUN elections. A separate ballot
asked each student to write in the name
of the instructor they felt was “out
standing.”
“This year we wanted to point out
an educator who really made a differ
ence,” said outgoing President
Shawntell Hurtgen, “and at the same
time have students know that their
evaluations matter.”
Kelter said that summing up what
made an “outstanding” educator was
difficult.
“Defining good teaching is not
something you can do easily,” he said.
“Let me just say that it’s something
that comes from the heart ”
Teacher background-check bill
advances with little opposition
By Ted Taylor
Senior Reporter
The Nebraska Department of Edu
cation soon will be able to gain ac
cess to criminal histories from the FBI
on out-of-state ap
plicants for teach
ing certificates, if a
bill advanced by
the Nebraska Leg
islature passes.
Senators sent
Hastings Sen.
Ardyce Bohlke’s
bill to final reading
Wednesday with
little opposition.
“Currently we can only do back
ground checks on Nebraskans,”
Bohlke said. “It only makes sense to
get the information of potential teach
ers who we know very little about.”
Current law says criminal back
ground information cannot be dis
closed by the FBI unless state statutes
are enacted to provide for the disclo
sure in connection with licensing or
employment.
Sen. John Hilgert of Omaha said
more than 500 applicants could be af
fected each year by the bill.
“And think of the number of kids
they would teach,” he said.
I
“The intent is to enhance the safety and
confidence of the public and this important
profession. ”
SEN. JOHN HILGERT
Omaha
“The intent is to enhance the safety
and confidence of the public and this
important profession,” said Hilgert,
who co-signed the bill.
Twenty-one other states have simi
lar legislation, Bohlke said, but some
applicants — “those out there who
shouldn’t be teachers”—have looked
for states without the law.
Currently, Nebraska state teaching
certificates can be revoked or appli
cations denied if a person is convicted
of a felony or a misdemeanor dealing
with sexual misconduct, abuse or ne
glect.
Sen. David Bernard-Stevens, a
former high school teacher in
Papillion and North Platte, said the bill
was an “insult to teachers.”
“The goal is laudable,” he said.
“You don’t want child abusers in the
classroom.”
But the North Platte senator said
the law shouldn’t be restricted to the
teaching profession.
“Why not do it for all people who
work around children,” he said. “Day
care, nurses, administrators?’
Bemard-Stevens said while sena
tors may have shown great support for
the bill, he questioned how sincere
they were with their vote.
“I don’t see why teachers are
picked on as the source of all these
evils,” he said.
Before the bill advanced, senators
adopted an amendment that would al
low the NDE Commissioner discretion
on applicants.
“The applicant would have the op
portunity to ask to see the records and
then could ask for a hearing to explain
the situation,” Bohlkc said.
The bill is expected to go through
the final reading with little opposition.
on about l.*>0 tax topics, 2-1 hours a day.
1 ker Marching Band
Auditions for New Members
April 13, 4, June 1 and June 8
First round playing auditions of a prepared solo (your choice of music),
sight reading and major The marching audition will take place in August.
All academically eligible UNL welcome to audition. Call 472-2505 for
more information or to set up audition appointment. _
*— • . frggjSs: 1 -- ----- ,
THE NEBRASKA UNION, EAST UNION,
AND CULTURE CENTER ARE NOW
ACCEPTING OFFICE SPACE APPLICATIONS
FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 1996-1997
Applications are available in Suite 220 City Union and the Office for Student
Involvement in the East Union.
IMPORTANT DATES TO CONSIDER:
March 29 Application deadline for priority consideration (5 p.m.)
April 2 Meeting, Nebraska Union Board, City Union, 6:15pm
(Organizations invited to present concerns to the Board)
April 9 Union Board Operations Committee presents its recommendations
. to the Board, City Union 5:30 p.m.'(Organizations invited to
attend)
April 23 Final vote by Union Board concerning space allocations, City
Union, 5:30 p.m.
• ■ • . . i j j V i. .. '
Applications must be returned to Suite 220, City Union, by 5 p.m. Friday.
March 29,1996. Address any concerns to Frank Kuhn, Assistant Director of
Nebraska Unions, Room 220 Nebraska Union (472-2181). Applications for
East Union may be turned in at the Office for Student Involvement, East
Union, by the same deadline, 5 p.m. Friday, March 29, 1996.
Lcckm tc uie id s
Jammin’tc the 9C s
Performing Live At:
Wallahii'i
'DetOh, lihifo* 7*U6
/ZU £ 0'
MARCH 29
9:30 p.m. - 1 am
Enjoy $1 PINTS of
Miller Lite ft Bud Light
| from 6 pm - 9 pm and beat
the $2 cover |
‘m* j
CAP ft GOWN
MEASUREMENT
FOR
HONORS CONVOCATION
AT
%
UNIVERSITY
BOOKSTORE
THURSDAY ft FRIDAY
MARCH 28 ft 29
B:30nn-4:30piii
LOWER LEVEL NEBRASKA UNION