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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 1998)
ASUN looks for answers before LB1176 approval ■ Senators voice concern over ambiguities in Sen. Bruning’s proposed “brain gain” bill. By Jessica Fargen Assignment Reporter Keeping UNL grads in the state to work and international students in the state to study were the hot topics for ASUN Wednesday night. The Association of Students of the University of Nebraska voted to table a bill to endorse LB 1176, the “brain gain” bill, until Omaha Sen. Jon Bruning, the bill’s sponsor, could address senators’ concerns at an upcoming ASUN meeting. Senators had questions about what would happen if students have “brain gain” scholarships, but change their major after their fresh man year. “If you change your major, you’re going to lose it,” said-John Wiechmann, chairman of the Government Liaison Committee. Senators also wondered what would happen if “brain gain” schol arship holders graduated, but found no Nebraska jobs in their field. Wiechmann said until questions were answered ASUN would not fully support it. Moving from state government to an international money crisis affecting students, ASUN did pass Senate Resolution #5, which acknowledged the financial diffi culties international students were having. Julian Sundaram, a junior inter national business major, asked for ASUN’s help in dealing with prob lems stemming from Asia’s drasti cally devaluated currencies. Many Asian students have been forced to work extra hours, Sundaram said, and at the same time it is nearly impossible for them to get permits to work off campus. Sometimes even the extra hours are not enough. “Basically, some people have been forced to go home,” Sundaram told senators. Sundaram, a member of the international students subcommit tee, offered suggestions on ways the university could ease the financial burden of international students. In an open forum, ASUN President Curt Ruwe asked senators for feedback on President Clinton’s State of the Union address, which was shown on television in the Nebraska Union on Tuesday. The “Watch Party,” included discussion and feedback which will be sent to the White House, Ruwe said. In other ASUN news: ■ The appointments board appointed students to the Publications Board and the 1998-99 Student Court. ■ Government Bill #26, which passed unanimously, gave a com mendation to Kim Todd for her landscape improvements at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln over the past 20 years. Todd will be leaving UNL on Feb. 6. ■ Senate Bill #20 was passed unanimously recognizing Students for Camp Heartland and Vocational Industrial Clubs of America as organizations at UNL. Counseling- S( Psychological Services, 472-74S0 - ^B‘ :^B*-Eating Disorders Education Group B A team approach for individuals with eating disorders „ J^B' ^^Br’medical aspects Tuesdays, Feb. 3 - Mar. 3j^^B J^H| ‘exercise guidelines 3:30 - 4:45 p.m. ‘“‘healthy nutritional needs UHC, Rm. D ‘emotional and Register in CAPS or_ “fl psychological aspects UHC Business Office fl to students, family & friends! B {■■■■■■■BWhhCBI ^ «»» ♦ . SBBSaHHHHnMHnHHW £3 S SaS&£a»%i'- -; •' Affair between Lewinsky and married man possible WASHINGTON (AP) - A grand jury investigation into allegations of a presidential affair and cover-up accel erated today as prosecutors questioned the former White House chief of staff and weighed an offer from former intern Monica Lewinsky to testify in exchange for immunity from prosecu tion. Attorney William Ginsburg, who represents Lewinsky, is now dealing with questions about an affair that Lewinsky had with a former drama instructor, a married man. That man, Andy Bleiler of Portland, Ore., held a news conference just minutes before Clinton’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, alleging that Lewinsky had referred in telephone conversations to a “high ranking White House official.” Terry Giles, Bleiler’s lawyer, said Lewinsky also claimed she was having oral sex with this official and was “frustrated and agitated” that that was all the official wanted to have. Giles said his client had docu ments and photographs that Lewinsky had sent him. Bleiler had stored the materials in a safety deposit box and planned to give them to prosecutors, he said. Interviewed Wednesday on CNN, Giles called Lewinsky “a young lady obsessed with sex who went to Washington, D.C., with an agenda.” And he said Lewinsky had a “tenden cy sometimes to twist facts in order to enhance her own self-importance.” He said most of the items Lewinsky sent his clients were White House trinkets but that a few were doc uments that might shed light on she how she got “access to certain files in the White House, and why an intern would have access to those files.” Ginsburg also said Whitewater prosecutors investigating the case have been in regular contact as they try to clarify various points in his client’s offer. “There is regular give and take,” Ginsburg said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We are clarifying points (in the offer) as they come up. And they have kept us pretty much in the loop. There’s an open line of com munication.” Asked if he was growing more hopeful, Ginsburg said: “In negotia tions, it is not a matter of optimism, it is a matter of patience. Patience is the hallmark of good negotiation.” Lewinsky, 24, swore in an affidavit earlier this month in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case that she did not have an affair. But prosecutors have custody of secretly recorded con versations in which Lewinsky tells a friend she did have an affair and was asked to lie about it. Ginsburg has declined to say whether Lewinsky’s would change her original testimony in the affidavit. But he said Wednesday what prosecutors are likely to do if a deal is struck is to ask her to submit to “various forensic procedures, including polygraph examinations.” The Secret Service had no com ment on news reports that its lawyers were talking to the independent coun sel’s office to head off questioning of agents who guard the president about the Lewinsky matter. “The Secret Service has a well recognized and longstanding policy that precludes discussing elements relating to an ongoing investigation,” said spokesman Arnette Heintze. “Given the current status of the inde pendent counsel’s investigation, we will not be commenting on these issues.” Clinton’s former chief of staff, Leon Panetta, spent the day at the U.S. Courthouse, where a grand jury has begun hearing testimony on the Lewinsky matter. While at the court house, he was served with a subpoena to testify in the Jones sexual harass ment case. Lewinsky started her internship by working in Panetta’s office. Panetta has said in the past week that he never knew Lewinsky but that he recognized her photo when he saw it in the news paper. He also has said he was not aware of any improper relationship between the president and an intern. On Tuesday, prosecutors brought the president’s personal secretary before the federal grand jury while vigorously disputing Mrs. Clinton’s accusation they were allied with right wingers to get her husband. Wednesday, the first lady repeat edly expressed assurances that the full truth will come out eventually, and she said she was confident the matter will “fade into oblivion.” Prosecutors now have an outline of what Lewinsky is willing to testify if she is granted immunity from prose cution. Ginsburg said he hadn’t heard back from the prosecutors. Waste-site estimates questioned. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Opponents of a low-level radioactive waste site in Nebraska raised ques tions Wednesday about the accuracy of figures from the commission over seeing the development. The Nebraska governor’s appointee to the commission, Greg Hayden, told the Central States Low Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission the site will cost much more than the estimates from US Ecology, the company contracted to plan and build the site. In addition to Arkansas and Nebraska, other members of the com pact are Kansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. John DeOld, Nebraska project manager for US Ecology, told the commission that building a site in Boyd County, in the far northern part of the state, would be more economi cal then shipping wastes out of the region. DeOld said that paying up front to reserve space for waste disposal at Barnwell, S.C., where waste is now shipped, would expend millions of dollars. US Ecology’s projections were based on a formula of costs divided by volume of waste. It would cost between $500 and $550 per cubic foot to dispose of waste if the Nebraska site disposes of i 55,000 cubic feet each year, accord ing to DeOld. The formula did not account for other factors that could increase costs of operating the site, including densi ty, weight or levels of radiation, he said. Hayden conducted a study last summer that estimated it could cost as much as $ 18,500 per cubic foot. “We’re wasting money,” said Hayden, an economics professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who was appointed to the commis sion by Nebraska Gov. Ben Nelson. Nelson also opposes having the dump in his state. Hayden is calling for a moratori um on developing the facility. He tes tified Tuesday before a meeting of the joint Public Health, Welfare and Labor committees of the Arkansas Senate and House at the request of Arkansas Sen. Jim Scott, (D Warren.), who has proposed studying whether Arkansas should pull out of the compact. Some Nebraska legislators are also examining whether their state should leave the compact. Kansas commissioner Jim O’Connell said it would be a gamble to depend on a single site and not con tinue with the review process. The commission has spent nearly 10 years and $80 million to develop the new site. “It doesn’t seem wise to stand on one foot,” O’Connell said. Gary Sedlacek, a trustee for the village of Butte, which is near the proposed site, presented a resolution from the village board supporting construction of the facility. “US Ecology had met the burden that the facility can operate safely,” Sedlacek said. Butte trustees also welcome the jobs and economic opportunity the site would create, he said. Loren Sieh, chairman of a moni toring committee in Boyd County, said he believed Hayden’s numbers over those presented by US Ecology. Sieh also said he wondered whether other compact members would con tinue to support Nebraska if any prob lems arose after the site was built. “I can already see in 30 years you other states ready to ride off into the sunset,” he said. “I can see it in your legislatures. I can see it in your com missioners’ eyes.” Before the close of the meeting, the commissioners voted to approve a pre-construction work plan and first quarter funding for US Ecology to continue work on the Nebraska site. Public hearings are scheduled to begin in Boyd County on Monday. ---—- ■-■■■■ i Questions? Comments? Ask for the appropriate section editor at (402) 472-2588 or e-mail dn@unlinfo.unl.edu. Fax number: (402) 472-1761 World Wide Web: www.uni.edu/DailyNeb The Daily Nebraskan (USPS144-080) is published by the UNL Publications Board, Nebraska Union 34, 1400 R St, Lincoln, NE 68588-0448, Monday Brough Friday dummg the academic year; weekly during the summer sessions.The public has access to the Publications Board. Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by calfing (402)472-2588. Subscriptions are $55 for one year. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St., Lincoln NE 68588-0448. Periodical postage paid at Lincoln, NE. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1998 THE DAILY NEBRASKAN Editor: Paula Lavigne Managing Editor: Chad Lorenz Associate News Editor: Erin Schulte Associate News Editor: Ted Taylor Assignment Editor: Erin Gibson Opinion Editor: Joshua GilUn Sports Editor: David Wilson A&E Editor: Jeff Randall Copy Desk Chief: Bryce Glenn Photo Director: RyanSoderlin Design Co-Chiefs: Jamie Ziegler Tony Toth Art Director: Matt Haney Online Editor: Gregg Steams Asst Online Editor: Amy Pemberton General Manager: Dan Shattil Publications Board Melissa Myles, Chairwoman: (402)476-2446 Professional Adviser: Don Walton, (402)473-7301 Advertising Manager: NickPartsch, (402)472-2589 Assistant Ad Manager: Daniel Lam Classified Ad Manager: Mami Speck
