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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 14, 2000)
Nebraskans lead the U.S. in returning census forms By Margaret Behm Staff writer As advertisements try to warn people of the consequences of avoid ing their census forms, Nebraska res idents have been leading the way in responses. The television ads show a teacher who has class in a janitor’s closet, or the waitress who can’t find day care and has to bring her son to work with .her. And if people would have filled out their census forms, those types of scenarios wouldn’t have happened, they say. “It’s an ad to make people aware that the lack of an accurate census can leave the community with less than a .fair share of resources,” said Mark Tolbert, spokesman for the U.S. Census Bureau in Washington, D.C. f So far, Nebraska has returned 68 percent of its forms by mail, the high est in the nation, said Mark Patten, .assistant manager of field operations for the Omaha Local Census Office. George Martelon, media special ist for the Denver Regional Census Center, said Nebraska is leading the nation because the citizens care about ’their communities. “I attribute that Nebraskans are very civic-minded to why they are in the lead,” Martelon said. “Aihd this being the major civic responsibility for the millennium, we are pleased in Nebraska’s response.” Nebraska had a response rate of 72 percent in 1990, Patten said!,. “If we can hit what we did in 1990, we’ll be doing well, consider ing the times,” he said. ' The census, which is taken every 10 years, decides how more than $185 billion is distributed, Tolbert said. Even though the forms do not have to be completely filled out, they should be, Patten said. “We encourage people to answer every question,” he said. “Because every question has a purpose.” Census forms will be delivered to residence halls at UNL on Monday. The forms need to be returned to res idence assistants by Thursday at 4 p.m. A census employee will personal ly interview people who fail to return their census forms on time, said Diane Chrastil, special places opera tions supervisor for the Lincoln Local Census Office. “We’ll give it all we got until we’re absolutely sure you don’t want to be counted,” she said. People will be hitting the streets ^ We encourage people to answer every question ” Mark Patten Census worker on April 29 to visit people who haven’t turned in their forms, Patten said. Census-takers are hired locally, Martelon said. “We hire people who are familiar with and familiar to the local commu nity,” he said. Patten said the personal visit costs the Census Bureau $34 more than mailing the forms in. It costs $2 for every response returned by mail. Martelon said when people do not fill out the formsy it hurts their com munities. “If one chooses to refrain, they’re really not hurting anyone but them selves and their community,” he said. “It takes away from the community the benefit of federal funds that are distributed based on the census.” Fraternities change recruitment strategy By Gwen Tietgen Staffwriter y After seeing a decade of declining rush numbers, the Interfraternity Council has decided to change its recruitment process for the first time rsince 1971. 1 The new fraternity recruitment process, working in conjunction with New Student Enrollment, will focus on increasing retention rates and attracting more out-of-state students. NSE days are set aside during the spring or summer for new students to tour campus and enroll in fall classes. Brad Carpenter, co-rush chairman for Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, said two goals for the new recruitment process include getting the university’s sup port for the fraternity system and increasing rush numbers. We will be able to reach a lot more students because they can go straight from NSE in the union to any of the houses they want to go see. Carpenter said. Linda Schwartzkopf, director of Greek Affairs, said the Interfratemity Council studied several recruitment models for a couple years. Thai, IFC examined the reasons that fraternities turned to an informal process 29 years ago. Schwartzkopf said the informal fraternity recruitment process came about at a time when it was vital for the university to take its programs out to the constituents. As the university changed its recruitment processes, fraternities did not Until this year. Nick Hansen, Interfratemity Council public relations chairman, said the new recruitment process adds more structure to the formerly unstructured process. Hansen said instead of spending the whole summer visiting potential members and sponsoring recruitment events, fraternities will open their j houses during NSE and wait for potential members to come to them. “Before (the new fraternity : recruitment process) we only had con tact with those students who handed in rush applications,” said Hansen, also a7 member of Delta Tau Delta. « We will be able to reach a lot more students ...” Brad Carpenter Delta Tau Delta member “Now we will have the potential of seeing every student that comes through NSE.” Before the new recruitment process, potential members had to wait until high school graduation. Now, they can join a fraternity before they graduate from high school. , ( Hansen said during summer visits, recruitment chairmen would play golf or eat dinner with the potential mem bers. At this time, the chairmen would talk to potential members and their parents about the fraternity. Now, instead of having the whole summer to visit potential members, udienuues wui nave one monm. Then, starting in early June, frater nities will concentrate all recruitment efforts on NSE. Potential members can join the fraternity at this time. Joe Dierks, the Interfraternity Council recruitment director, said one aim of die new process is to create a new level of understanding for the par ents. A week before classes start, frater nities will hold a more formal recruit ing program to target out-of-state stu dents and those students who spent the summer studying abroad, giving them a chance to visit and join a fraternity. Jim Cahow, 1998-99 vice presi dent of recruitment and member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, said die new process gives freshmen more control. “It takes a little bit of the responsi bility off of the individual houses and on to the rushees,” Cahow said. Dierks said with the new recruit ment process the number of potential recruits could jump from just over 400 to 1,700. “I think it’s going to be one of the best things our greek system has seen in a long time.” Trooper charged in sexual assault By Michelle Starr Staff writer A 22-year veteran of the state patrol was charged with first-degree sexual assault Thursday and posted bond the same day. Kenneth Miller, 44, of Lincoln was arrested Wednesday in the sexu al assault of a 16-year-old girl numerous times over about a year’s time, court documents said. At Miller’s arraignment, his attorney, Mike Hansen, declined to comment. ii convicted, Miner could serve up to 50 years in jail. The prosecutor’s office requested a $50,000 bond, but the Lancaster County judge reduced it to 10 per cent of a $30,000 bond. The judge also ordered Miller should not have any contact with the victim or anyone under 16 years of age. According to court documents, the victim reported that on numerous occasions between October 1998 and August 1999, Miller allegedly sub jected her to vaginal penetration. Also between July 4, 1999, and Aug. 19, 1999, Miller allegedly fon dled the victim’s breasts, removed her pants and performed oral sex on her. He then masturbated and sug gested the victim watch him, accord ing to court documents. In a statement issued by the State Patrol on Wednesday, the patrol handed the investigation over to Lincoln Police as soon as Miller’s supervisor became aware of the alleged offense. Miller was suspended from the Nebraska State Patrol with pay. Miller is scheduled to appear in Lancaster County Court for a prelim inary hearing May 11. ' ; - V! Experience events ef the first Easter' ^ This Day o£ a-$>5? 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