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Tee and Tennessee
.The Volunteers of Tennessee will play Nebraska
in the Fiesta Bowl, making for one of the more
interesting match-ups in the bowls. PAGE 12
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Taking a Turn
Dance in the next century will continue to blur the
lines between dance and theater while giving older
and more athletic dancers opportunities. PAGE 9
____COVERING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN SINCE 1901 NO. 72
Building to perfection
HAKM6 THE MOST of Bead Week, Matt Wilhelm putt the finishing touches on his studio project. As a fourth-year UOL architecture £°N
dent, Wilhelm has carefully measured out usury Inch of this 3-0 miniature building.
Award created for gay community
By Margaret Behm
Staff writer
People or organizations that have helped the
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgrader com
munity can be nominated for the first annual
GLBT award to be given by the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln.
“This award is to recognize people who try
to create a more respectable, safe and inclusive
environment for GLBT people,” said Pat
Tetreault, sexuality education coordinator for
the University Health Center and a member of
the UNL Committee for GLBT Concerns.
Barbara DiBemard, co-chairwoman for die
UNL Committee for GLBT Concerns, said this
award was important because it showed appre
ciation for people who make campus more
accepting for GLBT students and faculty.
“This award shows that UNL values the
GLBT community as a whole and appreciates
die contributions of people to make this cam
pus more equitable,” DiBemard said.
The deadline for nominations is Jan. 31.
Chancellor James Moeser will present the
award March 27 in die Nebraska Union.
Kristin Grosskopf, a member of UNL’s
Committee for GLBT Concerns, said this
award was important because it showed that
UNL recognized GLBT people and the people
who help hem.
“There’s a GLBT population on this cam
pus,” said Grosskopf, who is a graduate assis
tant in education physiology. “They are exclud
ed by organizations, professors and course
material.”
People in the GLBT community face prob
lems in society and on campus, Tetreault said,
because of their sexual orientation.
a
This award shows that
UNL values the GLBT
community as a whole.”
Barbara DiBernard
Committee for GLBT Concerns co-chairwoman
“There are prejudices, discrimination and
equality issues that exist for GLBT people,”
Tetreault said, “not only in society but here at
UNL.”
Heterosexual people get privileges that
GLBT people do not have, Tetreault said.
Please see GLBT on 6
NASA looks at impact of missing lander
■ Officials hopeful that lost
Mars Polar Lander won’t dampen
future space endeavors.
By Michelle Starr
Staff writer
Even though the last realistic chance to con
tact the Mars Polar Lander came and went
Tuesday, its disappearance is all but confirmed,
according to NASA officials.
The $165 million Mars Polar Lander was
last heard from Friday as it made its way toward
the planet.
“We don’t see much hope,” said Nancy
Lovato, Jet Propulsion Laboratory spokes
woman at NASA. “Any communication at this
point is unlikely.” .
As NASA continues to try to contact the
craft, NASA and a UNL professor are making
speculations about the impact of the craft’s dis
appearance.
Ed Schmidt, a UNL professor of physics
and astronomy, said the disappearance of the
craft was not unlikely considering the distance
and other risks in space.
“Working in space is a very harsh environ
ment,” Schmidt said.
Within days, a NASA Failure Investigation
Board of about 12 members will be gathered to
discuss the mission, said Doug Isbell, NASA
Public Affairs officer in Washington, D.C.
The board will examine the loss, and a
review board will be gathered to look for ways
to prevent future failures, Lovato said.
The Polar Lander project was researched
for about four years, a common time frame for
a project of this magnitude, she said.
Please see NASA on 6
Senate
supports
research
i
■ Fetal tissue experiments
have the backing of the
Academic Senate.
By Jill Zeman
Staff writer
Another university organization tackled
the controversial issue of use of fetal tissue
in medical research and voiced their opinion
Tuesday.
The Academic Senate passed a resolu
tion at Tuesday’apaeetutg to support the fetal
research conducted by the University of
Nebraska Medical Center. : •
The purpose of the resolution is to
declare academic freedom and support for
the faculty, said John Bender, Academic
Senate member and an associate professor
of news-editorial journalism.
“We need to stand up for academic free
dom. Who will stand up for us if we’re not
willing to stand up for our colleagues at
UNMC? We need to stand together, or we
will be picked apart,” Bender said.
The resolution stated the use of fetal tis
sue in medical research is separate from the
issue of abortion.
“It’s hard for me to see how this research
necessarily promotes abortion,” Bender
said.
The resolution also endorsed the posi
tion of NU President Dennis Smith
In a Nov. 30 letter to Gov. Mike Johanns,
Smith stated he supported the research and it
would not be terminated.
“University research has no effect on the
number of abortions performed in Nebraska
or nationally. It will not cause one abortion,
but it may save a multitude of lives,” Smith
said in the letter.
Not all members of Academic Senate
agreed with the resolution.
Merlyn Nielsen, a UNL professor of ani
mal science, said she thought the Academic
Senate should be very careful about making
any decisions regarding such a controversial
issue.
“I don’t oppose the research, but I
oppose a resolution that would put us in a
position that could cause us harm,” he said.
Academic Senate President Gail Latta
said she was in favor of the resolution.
Latta said she believed the Academic
Senate needed to address the issue and take
a stance against external threats to the uni
versity.
"We need to protect and address the
moral issues involved,” she said.
Latta also said students must be guaran
teed an unbiased education.
“We need to support and reaffirm our
commitment to academic freedom because
that is at the heart of what we do here,” she
said. . :
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