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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2000)
■•TV • *| On the Mat ■ wjk ^k I ^ J Former Husker wrestlers levy I M _ I I m/ allegations against Neumann. ^B m ^ J ^B SPORTS, PAGE 16 iXl |\f*0 C 1^0 Child Stars ^ K ■ W ■ ■ I Illinois indie rockers JL ^ JL JL JLV^JL JL The Poster Children JHH^’ return to Lincoln on TR&rsday, April 20,2000 dailyneb.com Vol 99, Issue 144 tour for latest album. A&E, PAGE 9 ‘It’s something you just can’t escape that easily.’ - Amber Burgess, UNL freshman and Columbine High graduate ?/DN ^ last Columbine’s tragedy echoes A year later, heightened awareness surrounds security issues ByDaneStickney Senior editor A year ago, it took Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold 46 minutes to kill 12 stu dents, a teacher and themselves at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. Tuesday, it took faculty and staff at Lincoln High School nine minutes to detect two reporters from the Daily Nebraskan. Sports Editor Samuel McKewon and I entered the building at 12:46 p.m. to see just how tight security at Lincoln’s biggest high school was. We walked around the main halls, by the library and eventually made our way to die cafeteria. After completing the circuit undetect ed, we started over again, but we passed a Josh Wolfe/DN MISSY HOLTON, a senior at Lincoln Northeast High School, tafes with security coordinator Bob Fensler ahoiit nmn of Ytotonce on the «whwyy»y of the Columbine High School shootings. Holton asked Fensler whether she should come to school today. Fensler reassured her, p ho said he has many con gray-haired woman for the second time, and her eyes tracked us down die hall. I could hear her summoning help. When we reached the cafeteria, we took a seat, and in a few seconds, a young special-education teacher dressed in white shorts and a white T-shirt approached us. “What’s up guys?” he said. “My name’s Jason. I was just wondering what you guys are up to.” I told him we were from the Daily Nebraskan, just doing some research on school safety. “I see,” he said. “It’s cool you’re here, but you’re going to have to sign in upstairs. “You can’t be too careful with this Columbine tiling and all.” *** Arlyn Uhrmacher, assistant principal at Lincoln High School, said he’s trying to downplay the Columbine anniversary to students. But the staff has met to review school safety policy. “We’ve told the teachers to pay close attention to the students, to look at what the students write and to make sure they’re out in the halls as much as they can be,” Uhrmacher said. The biggest impact that the Columbine tragedy has had on Lincoln High is heightened awareness, Uhrmacher said “We haven’t changed or added any thing because of Columbine,” he said ‘It’s just made us more attentive and aware of what’s going on.” Lincoln High has a school resource officer on campus every day. It also has evacuation procedures and a room-to room intercom calling tree, Uhrmacher said During the school day, only four doors into die school are open to the 2,100 stu ” They need to feel like they ’re safe. And from what we can tell, students here feel like they ’re safe.” DanEndorf Waveriy High School assistant principal dents. But Uhrmacher said leaving just one door open could be unsafe. “Nothing is going to stop someone from walking in with a gun,” he said. “But they know they’ll be expelled if they do it.” Uhrmacher likened the school to an airport in terms of safety precautions. “There are just certain things you don’t do and don’t talk about,” he said. “If you do, you’ll have serious consequences to deal with.” *** The Columbine tragedy also has affected smaller schools in the Lincoln area. Although it is harder to enter small schools undetected, violent acts are still a threat, said Dan Endorf, assistant principal at Waveriy High School. In Endorf’s office, there is a large monitor that is connected to security cam eras in Waveriy’s parking lot “The cameras are a preventative piece,” he said. “It’s more in response to petty theft and vandalism, but it helps stu dents know that we’re serious about crime.” Endorf said die most effective way to deal with school violence is to offer a pos Please see COLUMBINE on 6 Senators: Lobbyists essential ■ Panelists say lobbying key in the dispersal of legislative information. By Veronica Daehn Staff writer In between bites of Valentino’s pizza, law school students got a small taste of the real world Wednesday during a panel dis cussion about lobbying. Two state senators sat among a couple of registered lobbyists, a television reporter and a university dean in the College of Law’s Welpton Courtroom. Lincoln Sen. David Landis said lobby ists influence him on some bills. “I need to see them,” Landis said. “They end up being the most focused way to get information and the quickest way to get answers.” But the lobbyist and senator do not usu ally get too close, he said. “It is an arm’s-length relationship and one of mutual self-interest with differing goals in mind,” Landis said. Sen. Chris Beutler of Lincoln said he takes what most lobbyists say with a grain Please see LOBBYING on 8 -ASUN Committee leaders selected ByJillZeman Staff writer Members of the Association of the Students of the University of Nebraska looked toward the future Wednesday night. The organization elected committee chairmen and recognized six new student organizations. . -V' Senators from the College of Arts and Sciences took three leadership roles within the ASUN committees. Sen. Angela Clements was selected to lead the Human Rights Committee, Sen. Nathan Fuerst was elected chairman of the Campus Life Committee and Sen. Urrvano Gamez was chosen as the Special Topic Committee chairman. Graduate Sen. Vicki Geiser was elected chairwoman for the Communications Committee. The Academic Committee will choose its chairman next week, as the initial vote, minus two senators, resulted in a tie. - Fuerst said he was excited to take on his role in the Campus Life Committee. He said he feels the committee needs to be more active than it has been in the past. Fuerst said one of his main goals was improving communication between student groups, such as those in the greek system and those who live in residence halls. “Our options are endless,” he said.