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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 30, 1998)
SPORTS Dug out Big 12 baseball coaches discuss new facilites around the conference and the possibility of a later season start. PAGE 6 HE Light my fire The rising popularity of cigar smoking, heightened by celebrity endorsements, has led to increased business at Lincoln cigar stores. PAGE 8 FRIDAY January 30, 1998 IhFTYFffTY t Mostly sunny, high 50. Partly ctjfudy tonight, low 30. VOL. 97 COVERING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN SINCE 1901 NO. 91 Officials look to halt fraud By Brad Davis Senior Reporter After watching $120,000 slip through the cracks, university officials are looking for a sealant. Two university employees have been accused of misusing funds in less than a year and Melvin Jones, vice chancellor for business and finance, said University of Nebraska Lincoln officials were examining auditing poli cies and procedures to ensure security in the university’s finances. Diane Stevens, a chemistry admin istrative assistant, was arrested Jan. 20 for allegedly misusing more than $60,000 to create a false employee to whom she diverted funds. In November, Sandra Thompson, an employee in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln West Central Extension Center in North Platte, also embezzled $60,000, mostly in private funds intended to support research. Education will play a key role in lessening the financial risk with people in Stevens’ position, Jones said. Administrative assistants, such as Stevens, are in charge of completing personnel action forms, which are required to create new positions and pay employees, Jones said. “The person who fills out that form is responsible for the completion of the form in a correct way,” Jones said. “When we hire people, we make sure that they’re trustworthy and honest (through reference checks)... and that they’re completing the personnel action form so that it’s accurate and reflects what the supervisor wants.” When forms are complete, Jones said, supervisors then examine them for accuracy. Because supervisors may not know all their employees, or all of the depart ment codes, Jones said, an improper use of money could slip past them. To solve the possible problem, Jones said, supervisors would be required to double check the forms to make sure the department codes match and the employee being paid exists. Another guard against embezzle ment is an internal auditing process, which will be re-examined, Jones said. Director of Operations, Analysis Linda Enck, who oversees UNLs inter nal audits, said departments were audit ed based on their risk factor - the more money a department handles, the more risk it poses. Enck said most academic depart ments, including chemistry, are not audited often because they do not han dle much cash. “The chemistry department had never been audited before,” Enck said, “except for maybe some spot-check type procedures.” She said the internal auditing may be expanded, which would not only check for embezzlements, but also pro vide departments with an analysis of its finances. But Jones cautioned against view ing audits as a cure-all. “When an employee or an individ ual decides that they want to deceive or steal,” Jones said, “some of the best plans and best procedures out there have never been able to (stop diem).” Senate praises Coach Osborne OMAHA (AP) - Retiring Nebraska Football Coach Tom Osborne can add the U.S. Senate floor to forums where he has been honored for his 25-year career and three national titles in the last four years. U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R Neb., credited Osborne on Thursday with great accomplish ments on the field and dedication to his players. “Tom Osborne loved coach ing,” Hagel said in the U.S. Senate. “It was his life, but he was more than a coach. If you would ask any of his players, they would tell you that he was a father figure and a good friend.” U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., entered praises of Osborne into the Senate record. “Through his dedication to die university, his staff and his players, Coach Osborne has brought pride and joy to our state, our university and to all Nebraskans,” Kerrey said. “His unique qualities as a coach and person are his unwaver ing faith and his dedication to the young men who play for him.” Osborne announced his plans to retire three weeks before the Orange Bowl, where Nebraska defeated Tennessee to claim a share of the national title with Michigan. Hagel said Osborne had defi nitely left his mark in Nebraska. ‘Tom Osborne will be remem bered as one of the greatest college football coaches ever to stroll up and down the sidelines. His contri butions to the University of Nebraska and college football will never be forgotten.” Lant HickenbgttonlDN ROB EDGINGTONG, a Junior art major, takes full advantage of the unseasonably mild weather Thursday near the Nebraska Union by playing hacky sack in shorts. Temperatures this weekend are expected to reach the high 40s with a 20 percent chance of rain Saturday. I —— — -I Phi Psi asks 16 to leave By Jessica Fargen Assignment Reporter Last Saturday night 16 members of UNL’s Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity learned they had just become alumni. In a combined reorganization effort by the National Phi Kappa Psi and the local alumni, the fraternity asked 16 members to leave in order for the greek house to keep living up to the principles it was founded on. Terry Harper, national executive director of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, said the University of Nebraska Lincoln chapter underwent a “mem bership review” at the request of local alumni. The alumni told Phi Kappa Psi’s national headquarters they thought the chapter had been in a “general state of decline,” and needed to be fixed. UNL Phi Kappa Psi President, Chris Sundquist, said alumni wanted the chapter to be more involved in the university and community projects. “Our national headquarters want ed us to be the strongest we could be, and there were things in the way of that,” Sundquist said. Before Thanksgiving break last year, Phi Kappa Psi members were told of the membership review, Harper said. Then, just before Christmas break last semester, Harper said, all the undergraduate members of the fraternity were placed on alumni sta tus. Last weekend in Lincoln, Harper and three national staff members joined around 12 local alumni to con duct interviews with each UNL Phi Kappa Psi member. it Reorganizing was better than letting it go on and closing it down in the future.” Terry Harper national executive director of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity The interviews were designed to determine who would or would not be asked back into the fraternity as active members, Harper said. After the interviews on Saturday night, Harper said, 13 members were not asked to come back, one was requested to remain an alumnus and two did not interview. Kirk Hovendick, president of Phi Kappa Psi Alumni Association, said the interviews were “subjective.” Several factors such as bad grades, failure to pay bills, social behavior and general attitude determined the members’ futures with the fraternity. “None of those things by them selves determined a decision,” Hovendick said. Concerned Phi Kappa Psi alumni from all over Nebraska came back to help with the interviews, Hovendick said. Around Dec. 15, Hovendick said, all members and their parents received letters at their permanent and college addresses, outlining specifically what would happen when they arrived at UNL this January. Members were given advanced warning, unlike Kappa Sigma Fraternity members, who were noti fied two days before Christmas break last semester that their house was closing. Phi Kappa Psi’s membership reduction is the third in a string of problems facing UNL fraternities. Within the past month, one greek house at UNL, Kappa Sigma, has closed; another, Theta Chi, has been scheduled to close on Jan. 31; and Phi Kappa Psi will lose 16 members. But Phi Kappa Psi is not planning on closing anytime soon, Harper said. The reorganization was neces sary to ensure Phi Kappa Psi’s longevity, he added. “It was an pre-emptive strike,” Harper said. “Reorganizing was bet ter than letting it go on and closing it down in the future.” And UNL members and alumni will be concentrating on their frater nity’s future at UNL this weekend, Harper said. The national director of chapter services will be coming this weekend to work with chapter members on goal setting, Harper said. Sundquist said even though some members were no longer active, they were still brothers. “They are all still Phi Psi’s,” Sundquist said. “We are all still working toward a common goal.” Read the Ddily Nebraskan on the World Wide Web at http: / / www.unl.edu /DailyNeb
