Tuesday
September 26,2000
Volume 100
Issue 27
dailyneb.com
Since 1901
“open-minded” are closed to
Columnist Simon Ftingsmuth’s
beliefs against homosexuality
In Opinion/4
The Nebraska passing attack is
getting all the attention after a
five-touchdown performance
In SportsTuesday/10
UNL theater major
Katie Byrd breaks her
shell and lets love for
acting take flight i
In Arts/8 \
More returnina students boost UNL's enrollment
■The university is starting to
rebound from a drop that occurred
after UNL raised its standards.
BVJILLZEMAN
Despite potential tuition hikes
and a high administrative turnover,
enrollment rates for the University of
Nebraska have risen in the past year.
More students are staying at the
university after their first year, and
the number of transfer students has
risen, according to an enrollment
report for fall 2000.
Harvey Perlman, University of
Nebraska-Lincoln interim chancel
lor, said although he was pleased
with the rise in enrollment, the uni
versity needs to continue to bring in
even more students.
Tougher admissions standards,
adopted in 1997, contributed to a
drop in students the next year.
However, the numbers are beginning
to rebound, Perlman said.
Perlman said this is consistent
with patterns in other universities
that have raised admission stan
dards.
To help bolster enrollment in the
coming years, Perlman said, the uni
versity will work to increase scholar
ships and financial aid, along with
wooing more out-of-state students.
Despite rising enrollment fig
ures, the incoming freshman class
dropped from 3,673 in 1999 to 3,667.
James Griesen, vice chancellor
for student affairs, attributed the
slight drop in freshman numbers to
an increase in students whose
admission was deferred because of
academic deficiencies.
Prospective students who do not
automatically qualify for admission
under the standards can have their
application reviewed.
Last year 398 students were
deferred for admission, compared
with this year’s 525, he said.
Often, students who are admit
ted through the review process do
not perform well academically and
drop out or flunk out of school, he
said.
Because of^iis, the university
has adopted stncter standards for
admission by review, which has led
to a smaller incoming freshman
class, Griesen said.
But the ultimate factor behind
the enrollment rise is the increasing
retention rate - or the number of stu
dents who stay at UNL to complete
their degrees, he said.
More students remain at UNL
because, under stricter admissions
Please see ENROLLMENT on 6
Up With People V
Total NU enrollment: up 04%
(compared with Fall 1999)
NU Medical Center: up 4.1%
University of Nebraska at Omaha: up 1.6%
(University of Nebraska-Lincoln: up
University of Nebraska at Kearney: do
Individual Colleges:
College of Engineering
and Technology (UNL): up 4.
College of Fine and
Performing Arts (UNL):
Enrollment is up a a
Nebraska, w' ‘
■ — * - - O
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ro
h-S* y Source: University of Nebraska o
Josh Wolfe/DN
Michael Womeki grabs his head in frustration as he preaches to students behind the Nebraska Union on Monday. Womeki and his family spent the day spreading religious beliefs based on
Christianity to passing students.
Loud and clear: Preachers incite reaction
BYJILLZEMANL , _
They walk outside the Nebraska Union, some
carrying Bibles, others with posters and a few tot
ing large, wooden crosses.
They come from all over the country - men,
women and children alike, to do what they think is
necessary.
But what’s most noticeable about the religious
speakers who spread the word on campus are their
voices.
Their loud voices, sometimes yelling, always
proclaim what they say is the truth, which can
incite debate, discussion or full-fledged screaming
matches with some students who stop to listen.
Of several religious groups on campus Monday,
one adhered to historical biblical Christianity, said
Bob Borer, one of the group’s three speakers.
Borer said the speakers came to campus
because college students represent the country’s
future.
Although not all students are receptive to
Borer’s preaching, he said he was pleased to get
people thinking about religion.
“We hope this will lead them to forsake sin and
love and obey God,” he said.
The group will be speaking at UNL all week,
said Ken, a preacher who refused to give his last
name.
Ken has been speaking in churches and on
campuses for eight years, he said.
Originally from Newark, Ohio, Ken travels
across the country for most of the academic year,
he said.
Ken said he didn’t think the group’s tactics,
which can include insulting students, were out of
line in spreading its message.
"Unless you’re assertive, you don’t get people’s
attention,” he said.
But not all students are receptive to the speak
ers’ assertiveness.
Anne Underhill, a sophomore psychology
major, said she thought the speakers were hypo
critical.
Some of them got angry and judged the stu
dents, which she said was contrary to their calls for
sinless lives.
"He’s not loving us; he’s yelling at us,” she said
about one of the preachers.
Even though some may view the speakers’
presence as controversial, unwanted or annoying,
their words are guaranteed by the right to freedom
of speech, said Daryl Swanson, Nebraska Unions
director.
University officials may regulate who speaks
within the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s build
ings.
No restrictions are placed on those who speak
outside, he said.
When religious speakers come to preach on
campus, Swanson said, he usually receives one
complaint, question or inquiry per day.
The university has never removed a preacher
from campus, but University Police have been
called on occasion to watch the crowd if argu
ments become intense and could elevate to a
physical confrontation, Swanson said.
Despite some angry students who circled some
of the speakers, Swanson said, he did not call the
police Monday.
“If you don’t like what they say, exercise your
right to walk away,” he said.
Candidate:
College is
keytoUNL
■Jim Lewis, chairman of the university's mathe
matics and statistics department, is vying for the
dean spot in the College of Arts and Sciences.
BY VERONICA DAEHN
Jim Lewis has been at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln for nearly 30 years - 30 years
longer than any of the other candidates for the
dean of arts and sciences.
On Monday, Lewis, a professor and chair-,
man of mathematics and statistics at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, wrapped up an
interview that spanned two weeks.
He was the final candidate to interview for
the dean position.
Like the three candidates before him, Lewis
spoke to faculty members about the impor
tance of arts and sciences colleges.
He said an arts and sciences college was cru
cial in preparing students for the world.
It is the best place to hone critical-thinking
skills, creativity and excitement for learning,
Lewis said.
“Arts and sciences contributes to the better
ment of society,” he said.
Lewis said he had put up with deans in the
past he did not agree with.
He said he was pleased to be given the
opportunity to fill their shoes.
Past deans have failed to work well with all
departments, Lewis said.
The arts and sciences dean especially needs
to focus on sustaining a vision of where the col
lege is headed, Lewis said.
Faculty members should not have to switch
plans when each new administrator arrives, he
said.
Lewis said his goal was to focus on attaining
a high level of excellence and quality education
in the arts and sciences and at UNL.
“Let’s go on in terms of trying to build a
strong future,” he said.
The arts and sciences dean and faculty
members need to focus on external funding,
Lewis said.
Enhancing the college’s resources is always a
concern, he said, and the university should look
to strike partnerships with businesses to bring
in more outside money.
Lewis said his commitment to the university
was strong and should help him with the dean
position.
He has worked at UNL since 1971, and two
of his children and his wife graduated from the
university.
Please see INTERVIEW on 6
Drought distresses local, state wildlife;fish hit hardest
BY GEORGE GREEN
As crops across Nebraska whither
from drought, most local wildlife is alive
and well Nebraska Game and Park officials
said.
“We have not seen much of an
impact," said Jeff Hoffman, district man
ager for the southeast Nebraska wildlife
division.
Many animals can get moisture from
plants, insects and dew if open water
sources are unavailable, he said.
A drought must be extremely severe to
affect local wildlife, he said.
Although most animals are surviving,
some animals are feeling the drought’s dry
grip, said Scott Taylor, upland game pro
gram manager.
Pheasant counts in southwest
Nebraska, the area hit hardest by the
drought, are lower than usual, he said.
“It is reasonable to assume the
drought had an effect on the pheasants,
but there is not a way to tell exactly,” he
said.
To increase grazing land for livestock,
state officials opened new areas to ani
mals, which reduced habitats for pheas
ants and other animals, Taylor said.
But the emergency grazing areas were
not opened until after the pheasant’s nest
ing season, which reduced the opening’s
impact on the birds, he said.
White-tailed deer are also suffering
from the drought, said Karl Menzel, big
game program manager.
More cases of the Blue Tongue virus,
an infection that afflicts deer, have been
reported this year, he said.
Hot and dry temperatures increase
the stress levels in deer, which makes
them more susceptible to the virus. Biting
gnats spread the virus, he said.
Afflicted deer develop high tempera
tures and begin hemorrhaging before they
die, Menzel said.
Some deer, though, survive the virus,
"It is reasonable to assume the drought had an effect on
the pheasants, but there is not a way to tell exactly. ”
Jeff Hoffman
southeast Nebraska wildlife division district manager
but high temperatures decrease their like
lihood of survival, he said.
Nebraska fish have been hit hardest by
the drought, said Dave Tunink, assistant
administrator for game and parks.
Because of the drought, large num
bers of fish have died in southwest
Nebraska lakes.
Swanson Reservoir, one of the lakes
affected most by the drought, is 78 percent
empty, Tunink said.
Most lakes are used primarily for irri
gation, so when a drought sets in, farmers
draw more water from them, he said.
Please see DROUGHT on 6