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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 2001)
Thursday ZM/>Nebraskan %y a, m Lightweight Jason Pom packs a poweful punch for Nebraska wrestling In Sports/10 Can 'Almost Famous’ recoup its dollars itself into a modem day 'Bonnie and Clyde?1 In Arts/8 January, 11 2001 Volume 100 Issue 81 dailyneb.com Since 1901 v David dasen/ON Rkk Edwards, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, talks about who will take over vacant positions Tuesday morning. Monday was Edwards'first day back after taking time off to battle cancer. Biggest battle of all Edwards realizes life's importance from hospital bed BY JILL ZEMAN Six months ago, Richard Edwards, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, lay in a hospital bed at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Edwards was waiting to undergo a stem cell transplant - a debilitating pro cedure that he hoped would fend off multiple myeloma, or cancer of the blood cells. During the procedure, doctors extracted stem cells from Edwards’ blood and stored them. Edwards then underwent highly toxic chemotherapy. The toxins killed the cancer, but also damaged Edwards’ immune system. The stem cells were then put back into his body to restart his immune system. The procedure was so trying, Edwards took a semester-long hiatus to recover. The time in a hospital bed away from Canfield Administration Building, where his office is located, caused Edwards to reflect on what the important things of life really are. “One of the dangers (of working as an administrator) is you get so caught up in daily events you don't get a chance to look at the bigger picture," he said. The doctors aren’t sure whether the cancer is completely gone. But today, Edwards said he is feeling good, and happy to be back to the place and the people who provided him support during his time away. “I’m feeling very good,” he said. Edwards said the reflection period was beneficial, but said it’s good to be back. And he doesn’t face an empty plate. The semester brings many challenges and tasks. He faces the daunting prioritization process, which university officials have already begun. The recent Omaha World-Herald series entitled "UNL: Confronting Mediocrity," along with the 20/20 Vision Report, which outlines the university’s goals, all raise questions that Edwards will have to help attend to, he said. “We need to bring questions that face the university to the forefront, so these questions get considered and debated,” he said. But, Edwards said he looks forward to delving into the issues that he is pas sionate about in addition to the challenges that have arisen during his absence. Building the Honors Program, increasing and maintaining a diverse facul ty and focusing on undergraduate education are important issues, he said. The main role of chief academic officer, for Edwards, is to continually ques tion and re-evaluate the university. “Our job is to make sure undergraduates get a first-class education,” he said. “I want to be involved in that.” And the way for Edwards to get involved, he said, is to help faculty mem bers do the best jobs they can. Edwards can help faculty members realize their potential by providing research funds and improving classroom or lab technology, he said. “Administrators are just support staff,” he said. “The faculty really does the work.” Before donning the scarlet and cream of the University of Nebraska* Lincoln, Edwards attended and taught at several institutions. Please see EDWARDS on 5 University confronts criticisms BYJ1LLZEMAN Even though not everyone in the university is happy with its title, “UNL: Confronting Mediocrity," most agree the Omaha World-Herald series is benefi cial and necessary. The series, the result of a six-month investigation, explores why the University of Nebraska-Iincoln isn't a top-ranked national research university. The series was spurred by the release of the 20/20 Vision Statement, a report that examines ways to improve UNL in the next 20 years, said Cate Folsom, World-Herald projects editor. Reporters began working part-time on die series early last summer and dove into it full-time in August, she said. Although the series is critical of the university, it’s needed to generate public discussion on how to improve UNL, said Richard Edwards, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. Edwards said it was crucial the university had the institutional self-confidence to look at itself and identify its strengths and weak “It’s no embarrass ment to say we’re a good institution and we want to get better.” Richard Edwards Senior vice chan cellor for academic affairs nesses. _ But Edwards takes issue with the series’title. “I think ‘mediocre’ is the wrong word,” Edwards said, referring to the title. "It’s no embarrassment to say we’re a good institution and we want to get better.” The series also questioned whether UNL concentrated its resources too much on agricul tural programs, thus neglecting other important areas. Edwards said some pro grams may need to be trimmed for the university to support higher-quality programs. But when looking for pro grams to cut, it’s not necessarily the small ones that should be targeted, he said. For example, UNL shares its veterinary medicine program with Kansas State University in Manhattan. Through this, UNL students can study veterinary medicine without the university actually having a college of veterinary medicine, he said. "I think we’ll see more cases for innovative arrangements in the future,” he said. Alan Moeller, assistant vice chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said he’s trying to look at the series in a positive light. “I'm not sure I'd come to the same conclusions, but I think the series provides an opportunity to dis cuss the role of IANR in the state,” he said. Moeller said in a lot of ways, the series highlight ed issues the university officials had already dis cussed. But the real benefit of the series is educating the public about the university as a whole, he said. Joel Schafer, Association of Students of the University of Nebraska president, said he thought the series was accurate. But Schafer said the timing of the series' publica tion isn’t the best. Please see EDWARDS on 5 Online ASUN voting to be put to petition BY LINDSEY BAKER After meeting constitutional hurdles over a proposed online voting system, ASUN President Joel Schafer will rely on a petition drive to possibly bring student government voting at the click of a mouse. “It’s definitely something we want to have for the ASUN election,” Schafer said. Online voting, which would allow stu dents to place confidential votes on the university Web site, was first brought to the floor of student government in October. Schafer said he intended to address online voting during the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska's constitutional conventions - sessions being held to revamp student govern ment’s rules and regulations. But Schafer now says he’s determined the online voting proposal will be brought to the forefront more quickly by holding a student petition drive. “We underestimated how long it would take to see the constitutional con ventions through,” Schafer said. “We’re ASUN going back to the petition drive.” According to ASUN’s constitution, a special election can be held if 5 percent of the student body signs a petition. Schafer said he hoped the petition would favor the online voting site, already created by UNL Information Services. If it were approved, it could be implemented by next semester. “It should be good,” he said. “It’s something that I want to get done.” In other ASUN news: ■ Law College senator Tag Herbek and Teachers College senator Candace Cain were appointed to office at Wednesday’s first meeting of the semester. ■ Open senatorial seats still to be filled include those in the dental college, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, general studies, nursing and graduate studies. Johanns proposes research funds ■The governor's initiative will help boost economic development and will promote disease research. BYGWENT1ETOEN Officials say a proposal by Gov. Mike Johanns on Wednesday could provide more fuel for the state's eco nomic engine and serve as a boon for research. Johanns announced $16 million in funding for biomedical research - courtesy of Nebraska’s share of the national tobacco settlement. Nebraska’s settlement with tobac co companies is $1.2 billion over a 25 year period. The governor’s proposal would place the proceeds in an endowment, with $50 million being distributed every year for biomedical research efforts, public health grants recom mended by the existing Nebraska Health Care Council and other priority health care needs as determined by Nebraska lawmakers. One-third of the tobacco proceeds will be divided among Creighton University in Omaha, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, UNL and Legislature Boys Town National Hospital in Omaha. "(The funding) will enhance the quality and quantity of research being conducted at all four institutions involved,” said Joe Rowson, NU spokesman. Some remaining proceeds will be distributed to the Nebraska Health Care Council. The council, a citizen panel already beginning to distribute some settlement proceeds for public health purposes through a grant, would receive $7 million a year to continue the grant program, according to a gov ernor's statement. Another $27 million would be overseen by the Legislature for appro priating to critical and emergency health care needs, such as mental health. Johanns’ three-part distribution plan is key to boosting economic development and biomedical research in the state, said Phil Weitl, assistant spokesman for the governor. "This is good and exciting research “(The funding) will enhance the quality and quantity of research being conducted at all four institutions involved Joe Rowson NU spokesman to have happening in the state of Nebraska,” Weitl said. With the money included in the proposed initiative, institutions and the state of Nebraska can rake in more entrepreneurs, research dollars, stu dents, quality staff and researchers, Weitl said. The four research institutions plan on expanding efforts in areas they have earmarked already: cancer, birth defects, hearing and vision disorders, infectious diseases, genetics,Jieart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, osteo porosis, transplant biology, respirato ry diseases and neurological diseases. “A lot of really good research is going on,” Weitl said. “Getting to work hand-in-hand with this research is really exciting for the state.”