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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1999)
SPORTS S' Surviving the Birds It took a breakout performance from wingback Bobby Newcombe to preserve Nebraska’s win - and possibly its season - against KU. PAGE 6 k IE The Business of Art Lincoln’s Haydon Gallery helps artists sell their own work so they can spend more time doing what they love - making art. PAGE 9 MON >AY November 1, 1999 CduFeet 1 Partly sunny, high 63. Bluste^tenight, low 27. VOL. 99 COVERING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN SINCE 1901 NO. 49 Court: Former student can sue university ■ The ruling reverses a lower court’s decision that the university did not have a duty to protect the pledge who fell out of a window. By Jake Bleed Senior staff writer The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled Friday that a student who fell from the third floor of a University of Nebraska-Lincoln fraternity house in 1993 can sue the university for negligence. Jeffrey K. Knoll fell from the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity while trying to escape a “pledge sneak” hazing on Nov. 3,1993. “The university bad a duty, a legal duty, to pro tect someone such as Mr. Knoll,” said attorney Joseph McQuillan; who represented Knoll in court -v Friday’s ruling reversed a district court ruling that said the university did not have a duty to pro tect Knoll. As part of the hazing, members of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity kidnapped Knoll from the basement of Andrews Hall, tackled him and handcuffed him to a member of the fraternity before taking him back to the house, the court opinion said. Once inside, Knoll was handcuffed to a radia tor and given 15 shots of brandy and whisky and three to six beers in a two-and-a-half hour period, the opinion said. Knoll became ill and was taken to a third-floor ( a The university had a duty; a legal duty; to protect someone such as Mr. Knoll.” Joseph McQuillan Knoll’s attorney bathroom where he was handcuffed to a toilet pipe, the opinion said. Knoll escaped from the handcuffs and, in trying to shimmy down an out door drain pipe to escape the fraternity house, fell three stories and suffered severe head injuries. The state Supreme Court has held in the past that a landowner is liable for the safety of a guest. Although the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity is not on university-owned property, Knoll was abduct ed on campus. Describing Knoll’s abduction as “horseplay,” university lawyers argued Knoll’s abduction was not a criminal act and Knoll knew what he was get ting into. Please see COURT on 3 Former i 4 ■ Woody Varner, who served as president of the NU system for seven years, died Saturday. ByDaneStickney Staff writer When Woody Varner’s name is mentioned, most of his friends will immediately comment on how warm and friendly he was. Durward B. “Woody” Varner, who was presi dent of the University ofNebraska system for seven years, died Saturday after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. Varner was 82, but his friend Bill Swanson, who was a state senator and worked in the govern mental relations office at UNL, said Varner’s age and illness couldn’t stop him from enjoying life. “Woody had three loves: his wife, Paula, his family and Big Red football,” Swanson said. “He even went to two games and some practices this year. He had an intense interest right up to the end.” Varner became chancellor of die NU system in 1970. His tide was later changed to president. Varner was the first president of the NU sys tem to operate in an office that was not directly affiliated wilh one of die campuses. Before 1970, die UNL chancellor was also chancellor of die NU system, but die Legislature felt that a separate office was needed to erase any bias from NU system decisions. Janies Griesen, vice chancellor of student affairs at UNL, said Varner was ideal for the role. “He ready fit well into the plans because he was very effective in advancing the idea that all three of die campuses had important roles to play iathe state ofNebraska,” Griesen said. The original NU system consisted of UNL, the University ofNebraska at Omaha and die University ofNebraska Medical Center. The University ofNebraska at Kearney was added to &e system in 1991. At the time Varner became chancellor, UNO was concerned about not being on an equal level Please see VARNER on 3 _Sharon Kolbet/DN FIZGIG, a Pomeranian, awaits the resalts of the Capital Humane Society’s fourth annual Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest for Dogs. Fizgig end his owner, Rebecca Hughes, walked away with the evening s top prizes Dogs dress up for annual contest By Christina Fechner Staff writer I am a dog. I am a dog. What are you doing to me? Wings? Wait, I don’t need any wings. I have Mack and yellow stripes and antennas on , me. I lock like a bumble bee. What is going on? OK, let’s get it right. My name is Fizgig, and I’m a Pomeranian. My owner is Rebecca Hughes, and I should not be dressed like this. I was confused for awhile, but then I real ized my owner entered me in the fourth annual Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest for Dogs. * * * About 20 dogs participated in die contest at the Capital Humane Society on Friday. The contest was sponsored by the Humane Society andTreats! A Bakery & Gift Shop for Dogs. Teri Richardson, humane educator at the humane society, said this year a silent auction was an added fund-raiser. She said she was excited about the event. “(The dog show) is a fun outing. Halloween is considered a holiday for kids. This is a chance to take out your animal kids,” Richardson said. One of the canines, Sheba, a Husky mix owned by Carla Miller, was in costume as a Husker fan complete with a red and white jer sey. Miller said she entered Sheba in the show because it was something new. “We’re not afraid to show our colors,” Miller said. Sarah Halverson, 8, dressed two golden retrievers, Tigger and Katie, as Super Dog and Please see DOGS on 2 v “ ■ *. Read the Daily Nebraskan on the World Wide Web at dailyneb.com