EDITOR
Paula Lavigne
OPINION
EDITOR
Joshua Gillin
EDITORIAL
BOARD
Brad Davis
* Erin Gibson
Shannon Heffelfinger
Chad Lorenz
Jeff Randall
J
r
" Our
VIEW
Renovation
B
renewal
NU restoration project
aids disabled students
Last year, a disabled person couldn’t have
signed up for a class in Burnett Hall; it didn’t
have an elevator.
But this year, because of UNL’s commit
ment to meet federal requirements, that person
could have easily attended a class in Burnett
Hall; a new elevator was installed when the
building was renovated.
With the possibility of new construction
and renovation of five buildings on the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus,
administrators have pledged to make neces
sary accommodations for the disabled.
A new legislative bill, proposed by Sen.
Dan Lynch of Omaha, would allow the
University of Nebraska to purchase about
$79.5 million in bonds for renovation projects
on all four NU campuses.
Along with renovations to make buildings
more energy efficient and modem, the univer
sity will take steps to ensure an environment
conducive to learning for all of its students.
The Daily Nebraskan supports UNL’s
commitment to people with physical limita
tions.
To remain at the forefront of major univer
sities, UNL is aware that all citizens must have
access to its buildings.
While some universities are obsessed with
adding more and more computer terminals
and chemistry labs, UNL is making sure the
services it currently offers are available to
.iulv t
The university has demonstrated-its-com
mitment to increased access by plans to
replace both Lyman and Bancroft halls.
Because of the way these buildings were con
structed, it would not be feasible to renovate
them to increase accessibility.
Instead of simply deeming accessibility
impossible for the two buildings, new build
ings will be constructed, which will increase
both energy efficiency and accessibility.
The university should be committed to
equal access, not only because of federal gov
ernment mandates as part of the Americans
with Disabilities Act, but also because it is
simply the right thing to do. As a land grant
institution and a major research university,
UNL has a responsibility to allow all citizens
an opportunity to learn.
And although UNL is ahead of the game,
buildings such as Neihardt Residence Hall
and Mabel Lee Hall, which have not been slat
ed for renovation or replacement, also need to
be examined and have necessary changes
made to comply with the ADA regulations.
If UNL continues in its commitment to the
disabled, it may become a viable option for
those disabled students now leaving the state
to attend universities with facilities that meet
their needs.
UNL has pledged to increase diversity and
attract blighter students - and with die contin
ued commitment to the disabled, the universi
ty will fulfill its mission to serve all people.
ewwtnh raiicy
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the Spring 1998 Daily Nebraskan. They
do not necessarfly reflect the views of the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, its
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Haneyjs
VIEW
! <
Can’t we all just get along?
You know, I was really happy
with the decision of Nebraska and
Michigan sharing the national title.
There was nothing more fair in my
mind, considering you can’t vote a
team #1 unless they actually PLAY
each other. In response to “Are you
on Dope” article (Jan. 13), I can
answer your question. YES, if it was
n’t Osborne’s last game, I think we
STILL deserved a SHARE of the
national title! Notice I said “share,”
not the full title, just as Michigan
. deservesja “share.” We both went.
‘ 'undefeated. We’re both No. 1 ?
You also mentioned Michigan
has the tact not to “run up the score.”
Is that what happened?? Are you say
ing you didn’t want to win by a big
ger margin? Or did you just happen
to have a little difficulty with that
game? It’s okay, Michigan. It hap
pens to the BEST of us! We were #1,
then had a close game with Missouri,
so what happened? We get moved to
No. 2. Do you think THAT is fair?
We still WON the game! Also, unless
you have been living under a rock,
I’m sorry, but that seems to be the
way the pollsters vote. Either you
clobber a team, or you lose votes.
Think about it.
If we really want to settle who is
No. 1, let’s play a game. If Nebraska
loses, then fine. You were right, and
I’d say let’s give you the full title. But
until No. 1 plays No. 2, YOU can’t
say you’re No. 1, just as we can’t say
we’re No. 1.
You should be happy you have a
national title, shared or not. WE are.
I think most of Nebraska even thinks
it was the only fair thing to do! You
deserve it, but so do we!
Talk about being a “sore loser” or
“whining” as you say Scott Frost was
doing. Please rethink your state
ments and, for heaven’s sake, try to
be happy for what you have, Besides,
there’s always next season. So good
luck to you!
Stacey Helget
Lincoln
More Michigan musings
In (the Jan. 12) excerpt from the
Michigan Daily (Winter of discon
tent), there was an omission of
'--—----—....--—--i_
important facts and some statements
that were incorrect:
1. Calling Division 1 football
coaches “boneheads” when it comes
to credibility is appalling. It is as
appalling as considering a bunch of
journalism majors (AP pollsters)
experts.
2. It was stated that, “No No. 1
team has ever won a bowl game and
slipped in the rankings.” TTiat is not
true. The same thing happened to
Colorado in 1990 when they won the
Orange Bowl against Notre Dame.
3. Missouri is not a mediopre
football team. They finished ranked
in both polls. Michigan had a four
point nailbiter with Iowa, who coin
cidentally, was not ranked in the final
polls.
4. Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota
and Northwestern are-just as weak if
not weaker than the Big 12 (foormats.
5. Akron and Central Florida are
not Division II schools, they are
Division I.
6. No matter what players were
ineligible or injured, Penn St. never
could have beat Florida.
7. While fans in Lincoln have
been celebrating, some are angry, as
well.
8. NU finished No. 1 in both
national computer polls (the only
unbiased polls), while UM finished
third and fourth.
It is sad that we rely on polls to
determine national champions, but
since we do, pollsters should have
voted for the one team that would be
favored against every other team in
the nation. Oddsmakers would make
NU a heavy favorite versus UM.
They are obviously unbiased since
their jobs depend on being right
(unlike the AP voters and Bob
Griese).
Chad Kamler
freshman
electrical engineering
The King and I
As an American and a student,
the letter from Mr. John Harris (Well
allow me to retort, Dec. 12,1997) in
our school's newspaper appalled and
amazed me. While he covered and
misinterpreted several concepts, I
will focus on why I disagree about a
student holiday for Martin Luther
King Jr.
As an essential point, Mr. Harris
tells us that King left behind anindis
putable legacy despite his scholastic
faults. I will not argue that point.
However, according to the letter,
King “gave his life fighting for the
rights promised to him in the docu
ments that govern this land.” Two
paragraphs down, we learn “none of
the ‘founding fathers’ did that. Not
Washington, Jefferson, Adams,
Madison, Franklin, Lincoln, none of
them.” Excuse me? Do you mean that
Lincoln, the man who set the slaves
free with the Emancipation
Proclamation, died naturally? What
about John Wilkes Booth and Ford’s
Theater? If King died a martyr, then
Lincoln certainly did also!
Then we have the founding
fathers, Had Britain won, King
George m would have demanded the
Revolution leaders’ heads on a silver
platter! These men risked their lives
in order for all Americans to be free.
Do you decry their actions simply
because they were all free, white and
21 (or more)? Please take
Communication Studies 211 and
learn something about cultural rela
tivism and taking people’s accom
plishments in their own context.
I think a student holiday for King
is fine as long as we honor others
who have given us a great deal also.
Perhaps instead of a King holiday, we
ought to have an American Civics
day where we honor and remember
all those who have gone before us.
True, we have the July 4th holiday,
but we seem to want something dur
ing the school year. Besides, this
would be a great opportunity for stu
dents to learn about government in
action today. We can all learn how to
become involved in the political
process. Dedicate the morning to
honoring the past, then deal with cur
rent needs in the afternoon. I can
handle that idea. Either that or drop
the whole extra holiday idea. We
really do not need it.
John Flaherty
senior
meteorology
