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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1999)
Some faculty unhappy wtth new Lotus Notes LOTUS from page 1 occurred in the later evening hours. For example, a message will flash across the computer screen stating that the e mail is “tired of waiting” to be sent, and to try again later, he said. The university’s decision to switch to Lotus Notes, Carrell said, would most likely not be money-saving in the long-run. “I don’t think we have the budget or money to support Lotus Notes,” he said. “It’s just too expensive. It’s not like we have extra money to throw away.” t Greg Gray, a software specialist for NU Central Administration, estimated that NU so far has spent about $1 mil lion for Lotus Notes, including training sessions. That was a relatively cheap price, he said, because NU spent about $8 million per year on its 30 current e-mail r systems. -■ PauTSchreier, a senior computer engineering major, said he felt UNL’s . administration may have a false per ception on how much money it will save with Lotus Notes. “If somebody waved a magic wand and everyone was trained on it the way they were supposed to be, yes, it’s more cost effective,” Schreier said. “The interesting thing is, by the time NU gets i centralized on something, the technolo gy’s really moved on.” Liss said she believed some of the faculty and staff at UNL may have a misperception about Lotus Notes. “We’re running the same mail packages,” she said. “We’re consolidat ing it into the infrastructure so that we can provide better service. Our primary concern is making sure our e-mail sys tems for faculty and staff are robust and reliable.’ -j r Patrick Menard, a microcomputer support specialist for Information u-— Our primary concern is making sure our e mail systems for faculty and staff are robust and reliable” Donna Liss director of Information Services Technology and Support in the 501 Building, said he doesn’t have many complaints about Lotus Notes. “The one downside is that if some one’s computer doesn’t have a Notes client installed, the screen would look differently.” _Menard said he and his staff have had few phone calls about problems installing the Lotus Notes software. Daniel Brantley, a senior account ing major who uses Lotus Notes, said certain features on the system put it above others at UNL. For example, he said, finding some one’s name in the Lotus Notes directo ry erases the problem of not knowing another user’s address. Lotus Notes also enables people to use calendars and schedule meetings, he said. J Monica Norby, a proposal writer and special vice-chancellor for research, offered a different viewpoint on Lotus Notes. “The truth is, everybody hates it,” she said. “There seems to be a lot of mail getting lost” Norby said she often receives e mail more than two weeks late. “I think there might be better sys tems out there,” she said. Moore's sentence delayed U&LAY from page 1 just got done arguing with Mr. Moore ' on the federal level over how lon£ he’s been in court,” Brown said. “His argument now is the federal couri should take more time. He’s not pre v pared tq expedite the case.” Peterson said the two cases die • not contradict one another and saic the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisior not to hear Moore’s arguments did not rule out the case. ... “That issue is still alive, attd all the Supreme Court decided is not to hear the case at this time. The issue is still being pushed,” Peterson said. Peterson said one of the 12 argu- ' ments currently before Kopf was whether or not being held for pro- i longed periods of time before execu tion was in fact cruel and inhumane. TLC. Is dial too much to ask? You spend hours juggling your schedule to make everything fit. Then, you hear those dreaded words from the voice of N-Roll, “The section you have requested is closed.” But you have to have it. It’s enough to make you break down in tears. Take a course with UNL’s College Independent Study program and work at your own pace, any place. No joke. Call us at 472-4321 for a free catalog or visit our office at the Nebraska Center for Continuing Education, Room 269, 33rd and Holdrege Si Division ot Continuing Studies • Department of Distance Education _ UNL’s most popular courses in: I Accounting AG ECON | Art History Broadcasting I Classics Ecology Economics English Finance Geography History Human Development I Management Marketing Mathematics Nursing ' Nutrition Philosophy Physics Political Science Psychology , Sociology ^ V'f - ’ Professor faces lawsuit —I NU suing former employee for pay during absence By Kimberly Sweet Senior staff writer The University of Nebraska is suing a former UNL professor, saying she owes money for leaving the uni versity after being paid for an acade mic leave of absence. The NU Board of Regents filed a petition more than a week ago against Moira Ferguson, a former English professor who left UNL last August for a position at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. The petition alleges that Ferguson, who was hired as a profes sor in 1975, failed to reimburse the university for pay received during a Faculty Development Fellowship last spring after she resigned this summer to take on a new position. Board of Regents bylaws state that faculty must return for at least one academic year after a leave of absence or reimburse the university for pay. Ferguson’s lawyer, Vince Powers, said his client doesn’t owe any money because of the work she did during the sabbatical. “The regents allege that she owes money,” Powers said. “But she didn’t receive the benefit of the bargain.” Instead, Ferguson did work and made contributions to the university during her semester off, Powers said. Lawrence Sheehan, an Omaha attorney representing the Board of Regents in the case, said he couldn’t comment about Ferguson’s contribu tions to the university during her leave of absence because Ferguson hadn’t responded to the petition yet. “We’re waiting for them to file an answer, and we’ll see what their defense is,” Sheehan said. John Wiltse, the university’s senior associate counsel, said the regents are suing Ferguson because of the bylaw. “We’re suing because she owes us money,” Wiltse said. “Under the rules, (faculty) are to return to the university for a length of time after they leave.” The Board of Regents is suing Ferguson in the Lancaster County District Court for $31,345. That is the amount paid to Ferguson during her academic leave of absence minus money withheld, the petition states. Wiltse said a case of a professor being sued for pay received during a leave of absence hadn’t arisen during his tenure. Powers said Ferguson hoped the issue could be resolved without a trial, and the lawsuit would be dropped. “Professor Ferguson was a valued member of the university community who cares greatly about the University of Nebraska,” Powers said. “She cares much more about the University of Nebraska than the uni versity cares about her.” Ferguson was the founding chair woman of the Women’s Studies department in 1976. During her tenure at UNL, she received the outstanding research and creativity award, the highest award given to UNL faculty members. She also received awards for outstanding teaching from the university. She served as special assistant to the chancellor. Powers said the lawsuit was unfortunate, considering the work Ferguson has done for UNL. “She’s done a lot of good for the university and for students.” Ramsevs file lawsuit against Star ATLANTA (AP) - John and Patsy Ramsey filed a $25 million lawsuit against the Star on Tuesday, alleging ■ the supermarket tabloid libeled their son with stories calling him the prime suspect in the killing of his sister, JonBenet. The federal lawsuit said the sto ries, published May 25 and June 1 but later retracted, were false and defam atory and subjected 12-year-old Burke to “j>uf>lic hatred, contempt and ridicule.” One story ran with a front-page photo of the two children under the headline “JonBenet was killed by brother Burke.” The Star said it would vigorously fight the suit and said it would give the tabloid a chance to “conduct a complete investigation of the murder, pursuing avenues of inquiry that were not available to state investigators.” “We hope that the Ramsey family joins us now in the search for the killer of their daughter,” said a state ment from the tabloid. JonBenet, 6, was found beaten and strangled Dec. 26, 1996, in the basement of the family’s home in Boulder, Colo. No one has been indicted, but the investigation is still active. Authorities have said the parents, who have since moved to the Atlanta area, are under suspicion. The Star’s May 25 article alleged that Burke, who was 9 when his sister died, was the prime suspect in her slaying and that the family was nego tiating a plea bargain for die boy. The June 1 article said prosecu tors were “closing in” on Burke and that he had a “sad, twisted life” because he was never able to compete with his beauty-queen sister. In retracting the stories June 22, the Star said Burke had been cleared and was not a suspect. The Ramseys are represented by Lin Wood, who has also handled law suits for Richard Jewell, the security guard initially called a suspect in the Atlanta Olympic bombing. \ ---— € , Studio $69 Sr One-Bedroom $89 « Two-Bedroom/Two Bath $159 n All New Suite Hotel £ Daily Deluxe Continential Breakfast FuHy Equipped Kitchen ^ 24 Fitness Center Sports Court Outdoor Courtyard with Heated Pool Free Local & Toll Free Calls VCR’s in all Suites £ 60 Cable Channels including HBO Bus Parking Available jo 13 minutes from Alamo Dome mm Convenient to local restaurants and shopping. Jm %