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Nebraskan —
^ w m m Husker athletes did well at
Monday, February 14,2000 dailyneb.com Vol 99, Issue 101 weekend’s Frank Sevigne
Invitational. SPORTS, PAGE 20
Reinhard: Letter helps clear name
■ His former research
assistant clarified statements
regarding the handling of
American-Indian remains.
By Kimberly Sweet
Staff writer
A UNL professor accused of mis
treating American-Indian remains
hopes the dismissal of a lawsuit will
move him closer to vindication.
After more than two years of
investigations and allegations con
cerning the treatment of remains,
anthropology Professor Karl
Reinhard said he wants to continue
trying to clear his name and help the
anthropology department move past
the controversy it has faced during
the past two years relating to the repa
triation of American-Indian remains.
“I’m hoping we can start reconcil
ing,” Reinhard said. “The department
has been put through turmoil.”
The latest development to move
toward that goal was die dismissal of
a lawsuit Reinhard filed against his
former research assistant, Stan Parks.
Filed in October 1998 in the
Lancaster County District Court, the
lawsuit said Parks made false state
ments to the media about Reinhard.
In October 1999, a judge dis
missed the lawsuit after Parks wrote a
letter he said was intended to clarify
statements attributed to him in the
Lincoln Journal Star, the Omaha
World-Herald and on various sites on
the Internet about Reinhard.
Parks said the letter was not a
retraction of statements, but a way to
set the record straight on statements
about Reinhard that were miscon
strued in the media.
“My story has always been the
same,” Parks said. “Unfortunately,
stories came out in newspapers that
turned things around.”
In a letter obtained by the Daily
Nebraskan, dated Oct. 8,1999, Parks
made five points of clarification of
statements that have been attributed
to him in different news stories.
They include the following:
■ Parks never claimed to know
for sure that Reinhard brought the
remains of homicide victim Candy
Harms to Bessey Hall for forensic
work.
Parks said in the letter he had “no
personal knowledge one way or
another.”
■ Parks said he had no way of
U My story has always been the same.
Unfortunately, stories came out in
newspapers that turned things around.”
Stan Parks
former research assistant
knowing whether bones found in
1997 in Bessey Hall Room 109 were
part of the same collection he inven
toried and turned over to Reinhard
during the 1989-90 academic year. “I
personally never saw the box or what
was contained in it,” Parks wrote in
his letter. “Rumors to the contrary are
false, and if news stories have sug
gested I had such personal knowl
edge, they are incorrect.”
■ A memorandum Parks wrote
dated April 4, 1998, to former
Anthropology Department Chairman
Robert Hitchcock was meant to be
seen only by Hitchcock and
Reinhard.
Hitchcock said he asked Parks to
write the memo to document formal
ly concerns Parks had expressed to
Please see BONES on 8
Classroom experience
differs for minorities
Editor’s note: In honor of Black History Month,
this is the second story in a weekly series looking at
the heart of diversity - what it means now and what
it meant in the 1960s, during the height of the civil
rights movements,
ByCaraPesek ^
■ j**
Staff writer
At one time or another, many university students have
felt uncomfortable in their classes because of their race.
They are self-conscious because sometimes no one
sits by them. They are worried they will be expected to be
experts on topics they know little about. And they fear
their class absences are more noticeable than those of
many of their classmates.
Minority students at the predominantly white
University of Nebraska-Lincoln face these classroom
obstacles on a daily basis.
As UNL has been a predominantly white institution
since its inception, these are not new feelings for the uni
Please see STUDENTS on 8
Photo Illustration by Josh Wolfe/DN
MINORITY AND WHITE students both said they sensed self-segregation in their classes at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a pre
dominantly white Institution. Minority students said they often felt singled out, especially when racial and ethnic topics arose In
class. Students, though, said they didn’t feel racial tensions or discrimination in the classroom. ul think it Is perceived as self-seg
regation,” said Venetria Patton, professor of African-American literature, “but from what I know of some of these students outside
the classroom, I think it’s their friends.”
* *
. ’ w*
Duff party candidates: Treat university’s alumni, students the same
■ End to prohibition of alco
hol on UNL’s campus, equal
treatment are party’s goals.
ByjUlZeman
Staff writer
w' ASUN student government election
group Duff announced its candidacy Friday
' in tibe Nebraska Union.
The party is amongfour groups running
in the March 1 Association of Students of the
University of Nebraska election.
Presidential candidate Jason Kidd said he
wants to change how students and alumni
seem to be treated differently.
“Why are our donating alumni allowed
drinking privileges on gameday while our
students are fined and ticketed?” Kidd said.
Duff’is platform includes increasing alco
hol education and making UNL a wet cam
pus.
“It’s not about whether you think drinking
is good or bad; it’s about equal rights and
privileges,” Kidd said.
Kidd said his party is willing to stand up
for issues important to students, no matter
how controversial.
“We’re here because we don’t think this
university is a glowing beacon of virtue,”
Kidd said.
Second vice presidential candidate
Betsey Saunders said she wants to see hon
ors-quality classes for all students.
“Every student needs to have the same
opportunities as honors students/’ she said.
Kidd said Duff’s other priorities include
better seating for students at athletic events
and protecting student rights in regard to the
actions of campus security officers and resi
dent assistants.
Duff’s first vice presidential candidate,
Kevin Sypal, said he represents the average
student.
“I don’t have a 4.0 GPA, and I don’t have
aspirations of being a politician when I grad
uate,” he said.
Sypal said Duff represents real students
standing up for their beliefs.
Kidd agreed.
“We stand for a majority of university star
dents who have never been heard,” Kidd said.
Headier Glenboski/DN
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