Academic Senate looks for
alternatives to program cuts
By Shane Anthony
Staff writer
After intense conversation with
Chancellor James Moeser on Tuesday,
the Academic Senate passed a resolu
tion encouraging alternatives to pro
gram cuts to meet a budget shortfall.
The resolution says the university
cannot afford to cut more core pro
grams, and that the faculty should be
“fully involved” in exploring alterna
tives. Senate members voted after
Moeser spoke about closely examin
ing programs and looking for creative
ways to save money.
“We can’t do it from the top,”
Moeser said. He said the university
should try to increase enrollment, try
to attract nontraditional students and
try to look at cutting programs that are
outdated or “producing bullwhips.”
He referred to the University of
Phoenix as an example of a school that
has successfully attracted nontradi
tional students.
Hugh Genoways, chairman of the
museum studies program and profes
sor of natural resources, took excep
tion to Moeser’s comments. He said
the term “bullwhips” and the reference
to being more like the University of
Phoenix were demeaning to the staff.
In his 13 years at the university,
Genoways said, he has never seen fac
ulty and staff morale so low.
“It’s rock bottom,” he said.
Both Genoways and John
Lindquist, assistant professor of
agronomy, questioned an $886,000
u
I value faculty participation in the process
of determining these hard issues. We re in
this together, and we need to approach
this as colleagues
James Moeser
UNL chancellor
item on a sheet Moeser presented to
explain the projected shortfall of
between $4,758,226 and $7,636,883.
Moeser said part of that money,
earmarked for an engineering pro
gram that was not funded during the
1997-1999 budget, will go to Omaha
to support a partnership between UNL
and the University of Nebraska at
Omaha.
Lindquist asked why the operating
budget was increasing, but faculty
members are being asked to make
cuts.
Moeser said the university has to
make difficult decisions and look for
creative and proactive ways to
improve.
“We need to ask hard questions
about our programs,” he said. “All our
disciplines are undergoing enormous
change.”
He said he wants the faculty to be
involved in answering those questions.
“I value faculty participation in the
process of determining these hard
issues,” he said. “We’re in this togeth
er, and we need to approach this as col
leagues.”
In other news, the Academic
Senate elected officers for next year.
Sheila Scheideler, associate professor
and extension poultry specialist, will
continue serving as president elect.
She took over the post this semester
not long after President Gail Latta,
associate professor of libraries,
became president. Latta replaced
Patricia Kennedy, who resigned to
become associate dean of the college
of business administration.
At the meeting’s end, senate mem
bers presented the James A. Lake
Award to Wallace Peterson, George
Holmes professor emeritus of eco
nomics. The award honors dedication
to academic freedom.
In his acceptance speech, Peterson
talked about Academic Freedom’s his
tory and current threats to it. Those
threats included assaults on tenure, the
push for politically correct speech and
a lack of diversity in economic ideolo
gy taught in classrooms.
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Dickey to fill Legislature seat
DICKEY from page 1
“It is my hope and desire with the
help of God to be a dedicated public
servant,” Dickey said. “I do have
mixed emotions in filling this state
senate seat. I’m saddened and unhap
py about the circumstance.”
Dickey was referring to the
opportunity that opened up for him
because of Schellpeper’s unexpected
death.
“Stan Schellpeper was a friend of
mine,” Dickey said. “He was a friend
of agriculture.”
Dickey, a third-generation
farmer, also has strong agricultural
roots. Dickey has served as chairman
of the U.S. Grains Council. He is a
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member of the Nebraska Corn
Board, Gov. Johanns’ Agriculture
Advisory Cabinet and Rep. Doug
Bereuter’s Agriculture Advisory
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He won the 1998 award from
Farm Futures Magazine for having
one of the top 100 best-managed
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Dickey and his wife, Mary, have
two children who attend the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and
one who is a UNL alumna.
Dickey will serve until a succes
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elections. The District 18 representa
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Aliant employees
uncertain in face
of Alltel buyout
■ A local communica
tions workers9 union
vows to fight Aliant’s $ 1.6
billion sale to Alltel Corp.
of Little Rock, Ark.
By Bernard Vogelsang
Staff writer
While 96 percent of Aliant
Communications stockholders
Tuesday approved the $1.6 billion
sale of the company to Alltel Corp. of
Little Rock, Ark., union officials and
Aliant employees said they were wor
ried about future job cuts.
Mike Bell, vice president of the
Communications Workers of
America Local 7470, said at an Aliant
stockholders meeting in the
Cornhusker Hotel, 333 S. 13th St.,
that the buyout could lead to the
future loss of 350 jobs.
Aliant has 1,250 employees in
Lincoln. According to documents
filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Alltel wants
to maintain 900 Lincoln employees
for two years after the sale.
At the stockholders meeting,
Aliant President and Chief Executive
Officer Frank Hilsabeck said the sale
could lead to personnel changes. But
cellular phones and Internet service
will also offer opportunities for
employment growth, he said.
“Alltel doesn’t buy Aliant to dis
mantle it,” he said.
Bell said job cuts could lead to
poorer service for Aliant customers.
But Hilsabeck said that like
Aliant, Alltel also wants to deliver
high quality service.
At the meeting, Bell asked
Hilsabeck whether it is fair for four
Aliant executives to receive $10.7
million if the company’s sale goes
through, while Aliant employees are
insecure about their jobs.
Hilsabeck, who will get $6 mil
lion if the sale succeeds, said the
bonus is meant to retain Aliant’s
senior management team.
Hilsabeck also said the reward is
not excessive because it is less than
one percent of the takeover price.
“This arrangement is useful and
modest by everybody’s mention,” he
said.
Many of the 500 stockholders
who attended the meeting, laughed
when Hilsabeck said the arrangement
was modest.
After the meeting, Bell said
Hilsabeck might think the bonus is
modest.
“But I think it is ridiculous,” he
said.
After having received the stock
holders’ approval, Hilsabeck said the
takeover could be closed by the end
of June, pending the receipt of regu
latory approval.
The Federal Communications
Commission will decide in May or
June whether it approves Alltel’s
acquisition of Aliant.
The FCC could block Alltel’s
takeover of Aliant if it denies Alltel’s
request to waive a price-cap rule for
interstate access charges long-dis
tance companies pay to local phone
companies.
If the commission denies the
request, Alltel would pay Aliant $12
million and abandon the takeover.
At a protest of about 75 Aliant
employees after the meeting outside
of the Comhusker Hotel, Bell said he
hoped the FCC denies Alltel’s bid for
Aliant.
Bell said now that the stockhold
ers have given their approval, the
union will focus on the price-cap
waiver to prevent the sale of Aliant.
“The battle is not over.”
New vice president of
business, finance named
By Josh Nichols
Staff writer
The financial future of the
University of Nebraska is in new
hands.
David E. Lechner has been
appointed the University of
Nebraska Vice President for
Business and Finance.
Lechner, who had served as
NU’s Assistant Vice President and
Director of Finance at Central
Administration since Oct. 1, 1998,
will replace the late James C. Van
Horn.
He will take over the position
Aug. 1, 1999.
“I have been impressed with the
expertise David Lechner has
demonstrated since he joined the
university last year,” University of
Nebraska President Dennis Smith
said.
“He was largely responsible for
the development of the university’s
first revenue and expenditure state
ment, which is designed to show
where every dollar we receive is
spent.”
Lechner’s new position
involves all matters relating to
business and financial manage
ment of the university.
“My goals include developing
a close working relationships with
the president, the board of regents,
chancellors and other campus offi
cers, state of Nebraska officials
and other constituencies of central
administration,” Lechner said.
Lechner said his 20 years as
Audit Director at Deloitte &
Touche LLP, where he has experi
ence in accounting, auditing and
consulting, would help him in his
new role.
While at Deloitte & Touche
LLP, Lechner’s clientele included
the University of Nebraska, the
University of Missouri, Hastings
College and Midland Lutheran
College.
He received his bachelor’s
degree in business administration
from the University of Nebraska
Lincoln in 1975.
He is a certified public accoun
tant and is a member of numerous
organizations including: the
American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants, the Nebraska
Society of Certified Public
Accountants, the Government
Finance Officers Association and
the Association of Government
Accountants.
As vice president, Lechner will
supervise a staff of 18.
Lechner will replace John W.
Goebel, who has been acting as the
vice president since August 1998.
Goebel will return as a profes
sor in t^e School of Accountancy in
the College of Business
Administration.
“David Lechner has made sig
nificant contributions to the busi
ness and financial operations of the
institution, and has been instru
mental in our efforts to identify
administrative cost savings univer
sitywide,” Smith said.
