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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2001)
Candidate outlines priorities [ BY JILL ZEMAN A self-described "old farm boy” who grew up in a village in India said Wednesday he’d love to be UNL's vice chancellor for research. Prem Paul, associate vice provost for research at Iowa State University in Ames, is one of three candidates for the top research position at the University of Nebraska-Iincoln. UNL seeks a replacement for Marsha Torr, who left in August to accept a position at Virginia Commonwealth University. Paul grew up in India and obtained a degree in veterinary medicine from the Panjab Agricultural University in India in 1969. He then came to the United States and got his Ph.D. in veterinary microbiology at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Paul is a professor of veterinary microbiology and preventive medicine at Iowa State and has worked there since 1985. While visiting UNL, Paul met with faculty members and outlined five priorities he would implement as vice chancellor ■ Commitment to academic excellence ■ Increased research funding - from all sources ■ Multidisciplinary research ■ Improving grant-writing skills for faculty members ■ Innovations and technologies for economic development The vice chancellor for research plays an inte gral role in UNL’s development under the 20/20 Vision report. The report outlines goals -specifically in grad uate education and research - for UNL to attain by the year 2020. Paul said he was impressed with the university for formulating the vision statement “It’s a lofty goal. It’s a good goal, but the ques tion here is if it’s attainable,” he said. “The answer is yes.” Ed Schmidt, associate dean of the college of arts and sciences, said he was most impressed with Paul’s dedication to academic excellence. “It was the first thing on his list,” he said. The arts and sciences college conducts a lot of research, so it’s important the new vice chancellor is able to pay for the research, Schmidt said. “We want someone in the office who will find funding and do the things (Paul) talked about” he said. Two more candidates will visit UNL for the vice chancellor position. They are Brooks Keel, from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in * Wichita, and Sheldon Marc Schuster, from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Keel will visit Feb. 11-13, and Schuster will visit Feb. 14-16. Train plan derailed for now BY GWEN TTETGEN Sounds of a 120 mph train gliding between Lincoln and Omaha won’t be heard for awhile. Hie plan to study the feasibil ity of installing a high-speed pas senger train between Nebraska’s two major cities sits and waits because of a shortage of funds. “We haven’t really been able to accomplish a lot without funding,” said Allan Abbott, director of Public Works for the City of Lincoln and vice chair man of the Nebraska Transit and Rail Advisory Council. The plan was a part of die pri ority bill from Shelley Kiel of Omaha, a former Nebraska state senator, introduced during the 1999 legislative session. The bill passed swiftly through the Legislature, the council formed, but the hunt for funds has proven difficult after one and half years. Last year, the council applied for a federal grant through the Federal Highway Administra tion, but was too late to cash in. Also last year, the council was slated to receive money from the state, but the request was line item vetoed by Gov. Mike Johanns. To date, the council has col lected between $60,000 and $65,000 from the cities of Lincoln, Omaha and South Sioux City and Pro-Rail, a group advo cating the installation of a train between Lincoln and Omaha. But the council still needs a lot more money. This year, the council has again started applying for a $350,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration, Abbott said. With the grant, the council could hire a consultant to start doing what the bill intended to do in the beginning - study the needs, costs and feasibility of running a train between Lincoln and Omaha. “The council is optimistic that we're going to get more money," he said. "But it’s frustrat ing not being able to move for ward.” In 1999, Kiel envisioned the Legislature train running from the Old Market in Omaha to the Haymarket in Lincoln, and even tually statewide. Kiel said she’s still hopeful, and she thought installing a train between the two cities was better for the environment, people’s health and was cheaper. Installing another lane of traffic to each side of 1-80 would cost around $1 billion in each direction, but the cost of a train would only be around $212 mil lion, Kiel said. “We need to figure out whether this is feasible before the land is completely developed between Omaha and Lincoln,’’ she said. This session, Sen. Curt Bromm of Wahoo proposed a bill, LB245, to extend the dead line for the NTRAC report to the Legislature from 2002 to 2004 because of the delays. The bill does not contain any appropriation for funds to con duct the study. 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J Jenni 890-5366 Doug 890-0215 Ryan 560-3988 Jerod 580-5920 Alisha 560-0062 Gary 580-0070 l Tanner 890-6095 Heather 890-0990 Rob 580-0062 Cassie 310-1920 Alan 580-4705 Traci 580-2044 Recycle your Daily Nebraskan ■ Tell us what you think about issues that affect you online ® dajivneb.com mmM mmrnMM -. Aibi £>-vCSsf’iiSivS&• Just email your message by 2pm, Tuesday, Feb. 13, to: Valenti ne @ dai lyneb.com You must include your first and last name, email address and graduation date. Your Valentine message will appear in the Wednesday Daily Nebraskan and online at DailyNeb.com. Offer is limited to one 25-word message per person. Must be current UNL student graduating in May 2001. The Daily Nebraskan reserves the right to edit or reject any message it deems objectionable. The drawing for the Bahamas trip will be on or near June 15, 2001. __ Research is an 8-Letter word. V Reach for a new level of knowledge. V Enrich your education by joining faculty in their research. V Study subjects that interest you. V Experience the benefits of a great research institution. >/ Add $ to your bank account! (UP TO $2000) yj Rev up your resume! V Create and express yourself artistically. V Here’s how to get involved Find out about the UCARE undergraduate program at UNL. Visit the UCARE web site at http://www.unl.edu/ucare or contact Laura Damuth, UCARE Project Coordinator, at ldamuthl@unl.edu or call 472-5024. Application Deadline for 2001-02, Feb. 16,2001 A Spectrum of Opportunities: KALEIDOSCOPE Tuesday, February E3th Nebraska Union 12-5 pm For More krfurmaUon www.unL€du car€«rs springfatr nr raM After. STUDQ*TS OF COLOR RECRUITER RECEPTION T«wadNt,f*eww|t3»
