Money talks
University improvement
depends on quality faculty
Come next spring, the state Legislature will face some
tough choices when it comes to appropriating money to the
University of Nebraska - a task it takes on every two years.
Once again, the list of needs requiring funding during the
next two years would reach far into the state’s pockets.
The four campuses have requested increased funding for
research, extended and distance education, scholarships, stu
dent recruitment and continued funding of building improve
ments.
But the need that would cost the state the most is a 4.6 per
cent increase in faculty and administrative salaries and a 4.75
percent increase for professional and managerial positions.
Regent Charles Wilson vocalized his support for the
increases. He suggested raising the target for salaries - which
has traditionally been at the midpoint ofNU’s peer institutions.
NU President Dennis Smith said he welcomed a conversa
Recruiting
high-caliber
professors is
dependent on
offering
competitive
salaries.
tion on consequences of doing that.
We endorse aiming higher in the
salaries administrators, faculty and
staff receive.
The University of Nebraska
Lincoln’s being able to recruit
nationally-renowned professors is
crucial to helping it reach its vision
of becoming one of the top 75
research universities in the nation.
Recruiting high-caliber profes
sors is dependent on offering com
petitive salaries. Salaries are key to
making happy faculty and staff.
/"V lup-nuiDn Jtauuny win oring Digger researen grams,
higher academic standards and possibly, more students.
‘ Of course, mandating higher salaries could cause other
needs to go unfunded. The consequence could be another real
location. It’s a consequence we will have to deal with to get
top-caliber professors on our campus.
We can’t have our cake and eat it, too.
Regardless, the regents and senators will have to tread care
fully when determining which needs should be funded.
The two entities also need to take into consideration the
other factors that current and potential employees take into
consideration when determining whether the University of
Nebraska is a good, welcoming place to work.
Some of us think domestic partner benefits is one way the
university can increase faculty morale without significantly
increasing the financial burdens on the state.
Adopting benefits would send a sign that the university
cares about providing an equitable work place.
Many steps in the budget process exist before the universi
ty will present its final request to the Legislature next year.
We hope the word reallocation doesn’t come up again.
But if it does, we have to look at our priorities.
Editorial Board
Josh Funk (editor) • J.J. Harder • Cliff Hicks • Samuel
McKewon • Dane Stickney • Kimberly Sweet • Lindsay
Young
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three.
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Letters to the
EDITOR
Respectful discourse
The Feb. 23 DN editorial on fetal
cell research unfortunately contributes
to the unparalleled misrepresentation
of the facts regarding this issue. With a
highly political and emotional issue
such as this, involving complex scien
tific and ethical questions, it is impera
tive that respectful discourse on both
sides of the issue be based on facts. Let
me start by correcting some of the mis
representations in the editorial:
■ UNMC has never used — and
will never use -- fetal brain cells from
partial-birth abortions.
■ No one was “forced” to request
information from UNMC under the
provision of the Freedom of
Information Act.
■ LB 1417, not LB 1427, asks both
medical schools in Nebraska to report
all of their research involving human
subjects. UNMC readily agreed to
work with the Legislature in develop
ing an appropriate reporting mecha
nism and has not expressed opposition
to the intent of this bill.
UNMC never tried to “hide” this
research from the public. The results of
this research have been published in
more than 60 articles in national publi
cations. Yes, in hindsight, UNMC
could have fostered more public dis
cussion. We did not send out
announcements or news releases. We
have learned from this and will be
more vigilant in this area in the future.
Finally, we want to enlist the assis
tance of various media and religious
organizations in promoting a public
discourse on the value and ethics of
emerging sciences such as genomics
and biomedical technology. We would
encourage everyone to visit our Web
site, www.unmc.edu, in order to receive
more factual information on this issue.
Bob Bartee
executive assistant to the
chancellor
Non-honors nobodies
In the article “Another honors
dorm considered,” James Griesen
states that the construction of a new
hall is “necessary to meet students’
housing demands.” Is this basically
saying that we need to suck up to a
bunch of smart kids so the University
can go up a few points in the national
rankings? How about focusing on the
majority of students who aren’t in the
Honors Program?
This university stresses equality
for everyone and attempts to bring the
student population as a whole closer
together. How is singling out honors
students and giving them more bene
fits than the average student fair?
Instead of bringing everyone clos
er together, it widens the gap even fur
ther. Although we aren’t honors stu
dents, we are still students who have
every right to the benefits the universi
ty has to offer. Where will this suite
style residence hall be placed? North
of Cather “in a space occupied by a
small parking lot and basketball
courts.” Once again, this is ignoring
what the majority of students care
about - parking.
We don’t even live on campus any
more. We’re just trying to gain the
equality the university is striving so
hard to achieve for those who are going
to be here in the future.
Tina Gustin
junior
elementary and special educa
tion
Lori J. Flahive
junior
international affairs
Soliciting salvation?
A man who has been visiting the
residence halls on the UNL campus
since 1961 has been booted out. Why,
you may be asking yourself? Simple
reason: He goes around the halls and
gives presentations, presentations that
challenge people to think about reli
gion, life after death and consequences
of behavior. He has been booted out
because he happens to believe that
Jesus Christ is die answer. UNL says it
booted him out because he is a solici
tor.
This man’s name is Dean Hatfield.
Since 1961, he has been preaching his
message. Dean has never asked for
money or attempted to sell anything.
He has asked students willing to listen
to think about their beliefs. This, my
fellow students, is censorship.
There are many who don’t agree
with his message, but that doesn’t mat
ter - this is a public university. Please,
let this man deliver his message, with
the freedom our nation guarantees.
Travis Bourret
sophomore
biology
Mickey Mouse U
I think I’ve found out why NU is
always listed as a third-tier university.
I talked to a friend who had her
senior check done last August. Her
advisor noted that she would be able to
graduate in May. She just found out
that her advisor made an error in what
elective to take, so she gets to come
back next semester for one class. Oops.
Another friend was denied admis
sion into the English teachers college.
She has a 3.9 GPA, a distinguished list
of extracurricular activities and awards
and she practically aced the entrance
test. Dean says: No soup for you.
Maybe UNL won’t be labeled a
Mickey Mouse institution if we actual
ly hire professors and advisors who get
the job done in a professional manner.
JeffHemje
junior
electrical engineering
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