Something Fishy
Japanese photos make their first
Midwestern appearance in Omaha
- ’ttesrweekend. A&E, PAGE 9
DN issues
. . . ’ ^ . 1
Is Martin Luther King Jr.
, Day being celebrated the
right way?
Wednesday, January 19,1999 dailyneb.com Vol 99, Issue 83 opinion, pages
Johanns
halves
regents’
request
■ Board had asked for $8 mil
lion to cover rising employee
health care costs.
By Jill Zeman
Staff writer
The university is feeling the effects of a
tight state budget this year.
The University of Nebraska Board of
Regents requested $8 million from the state
for employee health care costs, but Gov. Mike
Johanns agreed to meet them just halfway.
Johanns recommended in his initiatives
and budget adjustments report to allocate $4
million. Johanns said the money would be
split between fiscal years 1999-00 and 2000
01.
The recommendation would go to the
appropriations committee and would have to
be approved by the Legislature.
NU employee health care costs have sky
rocketed recently, so it was necessary for the
regents to request $8 million, said Regent
Don Blank of McCook.
The money requested by the regents was
to help with employee health care costs in the
future, said Regent Drew Miller of Papillion.
“We’re not out of funds yet, but we want to
build for the future so we’re not in a position
where we don’t have any money,” Miller said.
Regent Nancy O’Brien of Waterloo said
she was disheartened when she heard Johanns
was requesting only half of what the universi
ty needed for rising health care costs.
She said the state was facing the same
problem as the university.
“I’m disappointed thatthe governor was
n’t more understanding of this,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien said she anticipated the universi
ty would still ask the Legislature for the full
$8 million. The Legislature will decide what
to allocate, but Johanns does have the power
to veto the senators’ decision.
Last year the university received the
largest increase in budget allocations in eight
Please see REGENTS on 3
Mike Warren/DN
SEN. BOB KERREY joined a panel of speakers In the auditorium of the Nebraska Union to discuss the dangers of nuclear weapons in the post
Cold War era. Kerrey said an accidental launch of foreign nuclear weapons was possible.
Kerrey warns about nuclear weapons
By CaraPesek
Staff writer
U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, along
with three members of the
Committee on Nuclear Policy,
spoke to university students
Tuesday at the Nebraska Union.
Their mission: to inform stu
dents about the dangers of nuclear
weapons.
A new program called
Jumpstart brought the panelists to
the university, said Patrice
McMahon, assistant professor of
political science.
The discussion was a test case
for the program, which aims to
inform U.S. citizens about nuclear
danger and to motivate them to do
something about it, McMahon
said.
In front of a nearly full audito
rium, panel members told stu
dents nuclear weapons are the
greatest danger facing the United
States.
“The biggest threat continues
to be Russian nuclear forces,” said
Jesse James, executive director of
the U.S. Committee on Nuclear
Policy. James said the sooner the
United States and Russia can
work out problems regarding
nuclear weapons, the better.
Another problem facing the
United States, James said, is that
H The biggest threat continues to be
Russian nuclear forces.”
Jesse James
executive director of the U.S. Committee on Nuclear Policy
few Americans realize nuclear
weapons are a threat at all.
According to the panel mem
bers, the threat is not of a deliber
ate missile launch but rather of an
accidental or terrorist attack.
John Steinbruner, director of
the Center for International
Security Studies, explained how
an accidental launch is possible.
“The (Russian) government
doesn’t have enough financial
base to do much of anything,”
Steinbruner said. Still, it feels
obligated to keep between 2,000
and 2,500 nuclear missiles ready
to fire at all times.
Russia doesn’t have the
Please see KERREY on 3
Legislative bill to pay for needed Sheldon renovations
M The focus on the
condition of the art
collection is important.
There’s a lot of talk
about us being the
jewel of the state.”
DanSiedell
Sheldon curator, interim director
By Veronica Daehn
Staff writer
The Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery is not
just for students at the University of Nebraska
Lincoln.
It’s a treasure that Lincoln and Nebraska
residents benefit from as well, Sen. La Von
Crosby of Lincoln said.
Because of die museum’s influence, Crosby
introduced a bill that would give about $3.6 mil
lion to die gallery for renovations.
“The Sheldon building is important to pre
serve,” Crosby said. “The whole state shares in
its ownership and pride.”
The money would J*e used to improve the
Sheldon’s heating, v$gj||ggiiig and air-condi
tioning systems.
Dan SiedelL, Sheldon curator and interim
director, said the ventilation system was
installed in 1963 when the building opened, and
renovations to the building were long overdue.
“We Ye to the point now where the system
needs to be renovated to make this a 21st centu
ry museum,” Siedell said.
Because of the old system, it is difficult to
control temperature and humidity. Artwork is
sensitive to heat and can be damaged if the con
ditions are not under control.
Crosby realized this and wanted to Help the
gallery keep its collection in good shape.
“I’m very hopeful people will see the point
(of die bill),” she said. “Comparatively, it’s not a
lot of money.”
Siedell said he is hopeful the bill passes,
too. ' •; ',rj|
“The focus on the condition of the art Cbl- '
lection is important,” Siedell said “There’s a lot
of talk about us being the jewel of the state.
“There’s a lot of pride taken in the gallery,
and this project bears on the preservation of it.”
Crosby’s Legislative Aide C.K. Duryea said
the money would be given to the Sheldon to use
fen the fiscal year 2000-01, which runs from
July 1-June 30,2001.
The bill may go to the appropriations com
mittee by the end of January.
Although Siedell said he doesn’t want to
think about the bill not passing, the renovations
will still have to happen.
“We’ll have to find a way to do it,” he said.
“The crisis situation doesn’t just go away.”
About 100,000 people visit the Sheldon
each year. Admission is free, and the gallery is
open to die public.
service we provide to the university
Hbmmunity,” Siedell said. “It’s not just
themPersity’s art museum - it’s the communi
ty’s and the state’s collection.”
