Nobel-winning alumnus awarded Medal

Nobel Prize-winning chemist Dr. Alan Heeger shows the audience the inaugural Bessey Medal after receiving it from Chancellor Harvey Perlman on Oct. 10. Heeger, an NU alumnus, received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for his research in plastic conductors.

No scarlet week of fall break

The Scarlet will not publish the week of Fall Break, Oct. 25. The deadline for the Nov. 1 issue is noon Oct. 25. Also, when you are e-mailing items to the Scarlet , name them descriptively with something other than Scarlet Articles or Scarlet.doc.

TV scholar lecture rescheduled for April 9

Television news scholar and critic Matthew Kerbel has postponed his appearance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to April 9. Kerbel had been scheduled to appear Oct. 16.

Supreme Court Justice O'Connor at law college at noon today

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor will speak at the University of Nebraska College of Law at noon Oct. 18.

Her address will be delivered in the College of Law auditorium in Ross McCollum Hall, East Campus Loop and Fair Street. It is free and open to the public.

O'Connor was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan. Before joining the court, she served on the Arizona Court of Appeals from 1979 to 1981 and the Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix from 1975 to 1979. She was an Arizona state senator from 1969 to 1975, assistant attorney general in Arizona from 1965 to 1969, and a practicing attorney in the public and private sectors from 1952 to 1960.

She earned her LL.B. degree at Stanford University (1952), where she was a member of the board of editors of the Stanford Law Review and Order of the Coif.

Smith discusses possible budget cuts

University of Nebraska President L. Dennis Smith is meeting with various groups to explain the university's position on the upcoming special session of the Nebraska Legislature. A synopsis of his remarks to the UNMC Faculty Senate, delivered Oct. 8 and reported in the UNMC publication "UNMC Today," are printed below:

Smith said that despite the uncertainty surrounding the state's budget, he believes the university continues to make progress.

"We anticipate a fair amount of turmoil, flux and uncertainty for the next two to three months, but I'm still convinced we're on the way up and we'll succeed," Smith told UNMC faculty. "With focus and judicious use of resources, we can become better than we are today."

Already, the university has made great strides in many areas, Smith said, highlighting:

• Increases in student recruitment figures;
• faculty recruitment efforts on the four campuses;
• increases in federal research funds at UNMC and UNL;
• programs of excellence such as the J.D. Edwards Honors Program in Computer Science and Management at UNL and the Peter Kiewit Institute in Omaha.

The University of Nebraska Foundation's recently concluded capital campaign, which raised $737 million in a state of 1.7 million people.

"That's phenomenal," he said. "It's making a major difference in the excellence of the institution."

Smith said he's concerned about the state's current budget, but emphasized it is not unique to Nebraska. Many states have seen a downturn in projected revenues and are being forced to re-evaluate their projections and budgets.

"The news, I'm sorry to say, is not terribly encouraging," he said.

The Nebraska Legislature has scheduled a special session to convene Oct. 25 to examine the state's revenues and adjust the two-year budget that began July 1. There is a projected revenue shortfall of $160 million, Smith said, although some have estimated it to be as high as $200 million. Budget cuts will be made based on the number determined by the state's forecasting board in mid-October.

University officials are not asking to be immune from budget cuts, Smith said, only that they be fairly targeted.

"If there are going to be cuts, we think everything should be on the table," he said.

The university system uses $859 million, or about 15 percent of the state's $5.4 billion, two-year operating budget.

Under several possible scenarios outlined at UNMC, Smith said the university system could see cuts ranging from $24 million to $65 million over the two-year biennium.

"There's no way you could cut us $65 million without doing very serious damage to the university," he said.

UNMC Faculty Senate President Terry Hexum encouraged faculty members to contact members of the Appropriations Committee, including chairman Roger Wehrbein; state lawmakers; and Gov. Mike Johanns and ask that the university be treated fairly in possible budget cuts.

Oates speaks to Prairie Schooner crowd

Prize-winning author Joyce Carol Oates was the keynote speaker Oct. 13 at the Prairie Schooner's 75th anniversary celebration and convention at the Cornhusker Hotel. Oates gave a speech and read from her poetry and other works. She has twice been nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature and has been published in the Prairie Schooner.

Homecoming tours the Big Red tradition

"Tour the Big Red Tradition" is the theme for the 2001 homecoming.

Homecoming events take place throughout the week leading up to the Oct. 20 Cornhusker football game vs. Texas Tech with contests and events, including a pep rally with raffles to include two $500 tuition reimbursements.

A schedule of "Tour the Big Red Tradition" events follows. All are open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Oct. 18 - pep rally, NU Coliseum, 7:30 p.m., featuring coaches, band, raffles and more.

Oct. 19 - lawn displays, City Campus, all day; "Come on Home" reception and pep rally, Nebraska Champions Club, 5-7:30 p.m., featuring Scarlet and Cream singers (UNL alumni and students only).

Oct. 20 - tailgate party, Nebraska Union Plaza, 4 p.m. until game time; football game vs. Texas Tech, 6 p.m., Memorial Stadium, homecoming royalty, competition winners announced at halftime.

Cather Circle meeting to study women in sports

Judy Sweet, the NCAA's senior woman administrator, will be the keynote speaker for the fall meeting of the Cather Circle on Oct. 25-26.

Sweet became vice president for championships at the NCAA earlier this year. She has often been the first woman to hold high-ranking posts in collegiate sports. Before joining the NCAA in 1999, she was the athletic director at the University of California, San Diego, for 24 years.

The meeting will include sessions on the impact of Title IX on college athletics, positive work cultures, leadership in the 21st century, and a town hall meeting. Now in its third year, the Cather Circle is the Nebraska Alumni Association's female mentoring program that pairs outstanding alumnae with current students.

The agenda for the fall Cather Circle meeting follows. Times and program are subject to change. All activities will take place at the Wick Alumni Center, 1520 R St., unless otherwise noted. Specific rooms will be posted.

Oct. 25: 8:45-9:45 a.m., welcome and introduction activity; 10-11:45 a.m., keynote address followed by panel discussion; noon-1:15 p.m., lunch at the Champion's Club; 1:15-2:15, tours of Hewitt Center or Kauffman Center; 2:45-3:45, concurrent sessions (discussion leaders in parentheses), "The Impact of Title IX on College Athletics" (Jo Potuto, professor of law and Nebraska's Big 12 and NCAA representative), "Positive Work Cultures" (Jeannine Falter), "Leadership in the 21st Century" (Jan Leeper), and a discussion of Willa Cather's book, The Song of the Lark (Susan Rosowski, Adele Hall Distinguished Professor of English); 4-5, concurrent sessions repeated; 7, dinner; 8, performance by Scarlet and Cream Singers.

Oct. 26: 9-10 a.m., "University Update: A Closer Look at Student Issues," James Griesen, vice chancellor for student affairs; 10:15-11:15 a.m., panel discussion, "There Is No Place Like Nebraska"; 11:15-noon, featured circle member Paula Wells, "A Road Less Traveled"; 12:15-1:30 p.m., lunch in mentor/protege groups with informal time to visit; 1:45-2:45, town hall meeting.

Travel discounts available

The university travel contract allows you to take discounts from 10 percent to 25 percent on domestic air travel. These discounts apply whether you are traveling for university business or vacation. Contact the University Travel Services for all University of Nebraska speakers, consultants and/or applicants. You can access any of these discounts by going on line at http://www.tandt.com/unl or by calling UNL Travel Services at 486-4111.

Parent workshop focuses on Vietnamese families

A workshop, "Building Relationships With Children in a New Culture: Parenting Issues in Vietnamese Families," will be presented from 8:30 a.m. to noon Oct. 22 at the Lancaster Extension Education Center, 444 Cherry Creek Road. The cost is $10.

Tran My Duyet will present the workshop. Tran has written a number of books about marriage, family and education, and hosts two radio programs in California, where he resides.

Since the early 1970s, about 7,000 Asians have settled in Lincoln. Among them are about 4,000 Vietnamese.

Children frequently learn English more quickly than parents and grandparents and are frequently put in adult roles as families access services, relate to the schools and engage in community activities. The workshop will raise awareness about the challenges faced by refugee and immigrant families and provide information about acculturative stress on Asian adolescents and parents.

This workshop is aimed at faculty and staff, health and human service personnel, and anyone interested in family issues among immigrants and refugees in Lincoln.

After the workshop, there will be a short organizational meeting for those interested in a task force to work on issues raised during the workshop. Call 441-7180 to register.

Education night open house Oct. 29 at Lied

Interested teachers, artists and community members have the opportunity to interact and to celebrate the arts in a fair-like atmosphere at the Education Night Open House from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29 in the Lied Center for Performing Arts before the Ballet Hispanico performance.

Education professionals will distribute resources and talk about professional development opportunities available in arts education; hear about curriculum resources and other activities relevant to the Lied Center's 2001-02 season; and find out about diverse projects that are sponsored by the Lied Center such as the Friends of the Lied "Dream Project" grants for teachers.

Members of the Ballet Hispanico dance company and community artists will be invited to share their first-hand experiences in the arts with participants. Backstage and house tours of the Lied Center will be offered for those interested in the inner workings of the Lied Center.

Call 472-4700 for more information or to receive a registration form.

E-news process for e-mail to all

E-News is a weekly compilation of notices to be distributed to all faculty and staff and replaces the sporadic "e-mail to all" system. The notices will be entered through a web-based form and will include contact information and the ability to link to a web site with more details. The submitted web forms will be automatically compiled, and the week's list of notices will be reviewed to ensure that all items are sponsored by a UNL department, program or organization. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. on Monday; E-News will be distributed on Tuesday evening.

Items must be sponsored by a UNL department, program or organization. No commercial or personal announcements are allowed. Announcements are to have news rather than opinion content. See the sample E-News at http://www.unl.edu/o pcenter/forms/sample.html.

The E-News web site is located at http://www.unl.edu/o pcenter/forms/E-News.html and links from the Faculty/Staff tab on the UNL homepage. The Web site gives instructions on how to use E-News as well as how to submit text-only information to create a companion web site if desired. Questions about E-News should be directed to the Information Services Help Desk at 472-3970 or helpdesk@unl.edu

Public TV, radio sponsor town hall on terrorism

Nebraskans will have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss with experts from the academic community and concerned citizen groups issues related to the September terrorist attacks during Nebraska Responds: A Town Hall Meeting airing at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. MT) Oct. 24 on the Nebraska ETV Network and simulcast on the Nebraska Public Radio Network.

The program will rebroadcast on NETV2 at 5 p.m. Oct. 28 (4 MT) and 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 29 (9 a.m. MT and 4:30 MT p.m. respectively).

Panelists include Nebraska experts in areas from Afghanistan studies to bioterrorism to business economics who will answer questions on topics such as international affairs, religion, terrorism and American government. Additional panelists with other expertise may be asked to participate as events unfold. Discussion issues expected for the town hall include an examination of the concept of "a new kind of war," racism/inclusion issues, analysis of circumstances leading to current events, safety and security concerns and more.

Individuals interested in participating can e-mail questions before or during the program to <question@unl.edu>, or can leave a voice mail message before the program by calling (800) 348-3709. A phone number will be displayed on screen for callers to submit questions during the program. A limited number of tickets are available for a studio audience, who will be part of the live broadcast from the Nebraska ETV studios at 1800 N. 33rd St. in Lincoln. For more information on tickets, contact Nebraska Educational Telecommunications at 472-3611.

Nebraska Responds: A Town Hall Meeting will be closed-captioned for hearing-impaired viewers.

Nebraska Responds: A Town Hall Meeting is a partnership between NET, the Nebraska Alumni Association and the Nebraska Press Association. The Nebraska Alumni Association has organized a three-part follow-up discussion series, free and open to the public, to take place at the Nebraska Champions Club in Lincoln. The discussions, which will run from 7-9 p.m., are scheduled for Nov. 1, Nov. 7 and Nov. 14. The discussion series will feature University of Nebraska faculty members and other special guests for each evening's topic. For more information, call the association at 472-2841.

NPRN programming is Webcast live on NPRN's Web site http://nprn.org or through a link on NET Online http://net.unl.edu.

TIAA-CREF consultant on campus

Free individual counseling sessions with a TIAA-CREF consultant will be Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 in the Nebraska Union; and Oct. 31 and Nov. 2 in the East Union. The rooms will be posted.

If you have questions concerning investment strategies and retirement planning regarding your University of Nebraska Retirement Plan, schedule a counseling session with a consultant.

You may sign up on line at https://ifs2.tia a-cref.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/ARS, or call Carolyn Bates in the Denver office at (800) 842-2009.

Alumni to host Halloween party for kids

The Nebraska Champions Club will host the first Children's Spooktacular Halloween party for children on Oct. 30. Sponsored by the Nebraska Alumni Association, the event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at the club just west of Memorial Stadium. Children and grandchildren of university faculty and staff and club members are invited to attend the party in costume. The party will feature holiday-themed games, activities, refreshments, goody bags and a haunted house suitable for young children. Count Kersi and the Wicked Witch of the Wick also will appear. Admission is $2 and reservations are required. Please call 472-2841 by 5 p.m. Oct. 26 to reserve a space for your ghouls and goblins.

Free car buying/leasing seminar Oct. 24

The University of Nebraska Federal Credit Union will hold a free Car Buying/Leasing Seminar at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at the East Union. The credit union has developed special car buying services that are designed to help you save time and money. Learn about these new services that are exclusive for members only through the credit union. This seminar is free but seating is limited. Call the credit union at 472-2087 to reserve your seat.

Worn-out shoes can be pain in the back

Old, worn-out shoes can lead to serious overuse injuries such as low back pain, muscle imbalances, knee pain, shin splints and stress fractures. While the outsole on the bottom of the shoe may look fine, the cushioned insole may be worn out. Running shoes should be replaced every 300-400 miles to prevent injury. It is important to select the right type of running shoe (motion-control, stability or cushioned) for your flat, normal or high-arched foot.

If you should develop pain or discomfort from your exercise activities, physical therapists are available on campus to evaluate your injury and develop a treatment program to help correct your problem. A referral from a physician is required for physical therapy treatment. For more information or to to make an appointment, call the University Health Center Physical Therapy Department at 472-7490.

Celebrate international credit union day Oct. 18

The University of Nebraska Federal Credit Union invites you to "Catch the Credit Union Spirit" by celebrating International Credit Union Day on Oct. 18. Now is the time to reflect about what your Credit Union means to you. Most importantly, your membership means you have a vote, a vote that counts.

Refreshments will be provided at each location.

Chancellor details past practices linked with cadaver disposition

Chancellor Harvey Perlman on Oct. 16 released the contents of a letter he wrote to Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey and Rob Bozell, associate director of the Nebraska State Historical Society, to provide more information about former university practices regarding the handling of cadavers used for teaching purposes in anatomy classes and human teeth from dental extractions.

"I am writing to provide further background information about the use of the Veterinary Science incinerator that was in operation on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus from 1919 to 1977," Perlman wrote.

"New information has very recently come to our attention that indicates that donated cadavers that were used in University of Nebraska anatomy classes during the 1960s and early 1970s were disposed of in the incinerator. As well, extracted teeth from procedures conducted at the University Dental College were disposed of in this same manner.

"At the present time, the Nebraska Anatomical Board, comprised of representatives from UNMC and Creighton medical schools, is responsible for the proper disposition of cadavers used for medical teaching purposes. This group makes certain that donation forms are in order for each cadaver. The board is also charged with making certain that the remains of each individual are returned to the family or are buried at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery (in Omaha). A memorial service is held each year for these individuals.

"Unfortunately, this procedure was not in place for the University Dental College prior to 1975.

"In light of your investigations pursuant to the recent discovery of human remains near the former incinerator site, I thought it important to provide you with the most complete information possible about the history of the site, and to let you know immediately about this information.

"It is my hope that this new information will not lead to calls for destructive testing of the remains recovered at the former site of the incinerator on Oct. 2, 2001, but rather add to the knowledge about the area's history. I wish to emphasize that this new information about the past use of the incinerator in no way negates the fact that Native American remains from the University archaeological collection were incinerated in an incident at this site sometime between 1965 and 1967. The University is aware that destructive analysis of the remains, for any purpose, of the human remains recovered from the site on Oct. 2, 2001, would be highly offensive to the traditions and beliefs of many Native Americans. The University is prepared to assume that the human remains recovered near the former incinerator site are Native American."

Perfect pumpkin depends on proper picking

By Ashley Anderson, IANR news and publishing

Picking pumpkins and gourds at the right time and taking the necessary steps to preserve them make these vegetables an easy and attractive fall decoration.

"The secret to picking the perfect pumpkin is right at your fingertips," said Susan Schoneweis, a University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources horticulturist: Press a thumbnail into the rind. If the skin doesn't dent, the pumpkin is ready for picking. Gourds should pass the same test.

When it gets cooler overnight, pumpkins and gourds should be picked right away - even if they don't look or feel ready.

"A light frost won't ruin pumpkins, but several hard frosts will turn them to mush," Schoneweis said.

A mature pumpkin is uniform in color. An almost-orange pumpkin will continue to turn in color if kept above 50 degrees. Mature but green pumpkins also will continue to turn orange if stored in a warm location, but the pumpkins will not grow bigger, Schoneweis said. These pumpkins also may rot sooner than pumpkins picked more mature.

After picking pumpkins and gourds, Schoneweis recommends washing or wiping them with warm, soapy water and disinfecting with a solution of 1 1/2 teaspoons of 5.25 percent bleach and one gallon of water, then rinsing and drying. The bleach kills bacteria and fungi and reduces rotting, Schoneweis said.

This generally is feasible for smaller quantities of pumpkins and smaller fruit, Schoneweis said. Pumpkin farmers don't bother with the process before selling them. Larger pumpkins and gourds can be wiped clean to help remove bacteria and fungi that can cause rotting, she said.

Store pumpkins in a room or garage above 50 degrees or use them for ornamentation. This method also works for pie pumpkins and miniature pumpkins.

Small decorative gourds need to cure for two or three weeks by spreading them on a sheet of newspaper in a warm room with good air circulation and turning once a day. After the gourds cure, polish them with paste wax if desired, Schoneweis said.

Large, hard-shell gourds take several months to dry and may become covered with mold. The mold doesn't injure the shell and will leave interesting patterns on the shell when it's wiped off, Schoneweis said. Wiping shells with the bleach water solution will prevent mold from forming.

Depending on the variety, pumpkins, miniature pumpkins and gourds will keep up to six months if preserved properly. Hard-shell gourds may last several years.

Carved pumpkins will rot and shrivel after about a week, so don't carve jack-o-lanterns more than two or three days before Halloween, Schoneweis said.

For more information on pumpkins and squash, consult Nebraska Cooperative Extension circular EC 92-1248-C, Growing Squash and Pumpkin For Food and Ornamentation, for sale at local extension offices.