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Above, Carol McVaney (right) and her mother
Esther Kauffman sign a steel beam during ceremonies for the Esther L. Kauffman
Academic Residential Center July 9 on the Greenspace north of the Nebraska
Union. Behind Kauffman is Ed McVaney who donated the funding for the center.
Right, Ed McVaney looks on as Chancellor James Moeser speaks during the
ceremony. The center will house the J.D. Edwards Honors Program in Computer
Science and Management.Forum Focuses on Master Plan Issues Long-Range Plan Assumes Growth, GreenspaceBy Kim Hachiya, Public Relations About two dozen faculty members questioned the chancellor about the campus master plan at a forum July 7. Questions about parking, development of the master plan and comments regarding future input were offered up. Chancellor James Moeser said the plan, developed through a series of workshops and sessions last year and first presented to the NU regents in December 1998, is a dynamic and changing document. Indeed, since first promulgated, a major component of the plan already has changed. The original plan called for a green mall to stretch east on Vine Street from Memorial Stadium to the Beadle Center. The mall would have required the removal of the now vacant Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and the existing Alpha Chi Omega sorority at 16th and Vine streets. Negotiations to purchase the sorority failed; and the extended mall plan has been scrapped and will be redrawn. Moeser said the Lincoln campus will be presenting its facilities master plan to the regents in late August. Campus officials expect the board to "accept the plan in concept" rather in specific detail. He noted that individual building projects always are sent to the regents for approval. John Benson, director of Institutional Research and Planning, gave a "nutshell" presentation of the plan. Several assumptions and givens were factored into the plan development, he said. The plan has a 25-35 year lifespan; it assumes 9.4 percent enrollment growth to 25,000 students by 2007; it assumes significant growth in research productivity and associated staffing; it assumes implementation of the Antelope Valley project and assumes continuation of Dead Man's Run as an unabated flood plain on East Campus. Benson said several major goals were sought. They include, but are not limited to: eliminating the flood plain on city campus; maintaining campus building density on city campus; eliminating or reducing traffic on 17th, 16th, 14th and Vine streets; discouraging vehicles from entering the campus core; creating a pedestrian friendly campus; enhancing the aesthetic environment; replacing and consolidating parking and recreational fields; improving access for people with disabilities; and reducing the backlog of deferred maintenance projects. The concepts proposed for the City Campus include but are not limited to:
Goals for East Campus include improving visitor orientation, building new gateway/entrances; building a loop roadway; reducing deferred maintenance, maintaining a lower building density than City Campus; maintaining/enhancing the parklike greenspace; maintaining field research sites; replacement/consolidation of parking and recreation fields. The concepts proposed for East Campus include but are not limited to:
Benson said the plan was developed to support the university's strategic agenda and that improved classroom, research, office and support facilities were key goals. Safety, transportation ease, space management, image/aesthetics and cost effectiveness were factors that guided the plan. In response to questions, Benson said that the goal of a pedestrian friendly campus with fewer vehicles was first identified in the 1967 master plan."This is not a new subject," he said. "It has been endorsed by many over the years." He added that during the workshops last year, this goal was challenged as outdated, debated and eventually retained. Benson and Moeser agreed that the plan will not satisfy all on campus and that some tradeoffs have been made. "To grow our research capabilities, for example, we have had to make tradeoffs in the availability of surface parking," Moeser said. "I don't think we have completely ruled out close-in parking. But there is a sense that those who park close-in should pay a premium for that privilege. Parking has to pay for itself. Remember there is a lot more to this master plan than simply parking." When asked why the mall east of the stadium should be greenspace rather than a parking lot, Moeser said the issue is greater than "ugly vs. beautiful." Safety concerns revolve around reducing traffic to a bare minimum, Moeser said. "That's the critical tradeoff. I believe strongly that the aesthetic environment is part of the urban environment. They haven't paved over (New York's) Central Park even though Manhattan could sorely use the land." Moeser said that underground parking on the mall would be prohibitively expensive to build and might not be possible due to buried utility lines. When asked whether consideration has been given to graduating parking fees against an employee's salary, Moeser said the option has not been ruled out and is under study. However, he said, he thought that raised other issues of fairness. Prices for all goods and services are based on perceived value, he said, not the wages of the buyer. "When you go to the store, a loaf of bread costs the same for everyone; the price isn't based on your income," he said. "We should attack parking in the same way. Let people make their own choices based on their own needs." Moeser said that by offering a range of options and prices, employees can consider whether convenience is worth the additional cost. Vinegar Wash Lets Us Enjoy Safer LettuceBy Molly Klocksin, IANR news writer One agent for fighting potential foodborne illness in tonight's dinner salad probably is on your pantry shelf: ordinary household vinegar. Dianne Peters, microbiology laboratory manager at the University of Nebraska's Food Processing Center, said vegetables routinely carry many microorganisms. Most are harmless, but the potentially deadly E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria may be present and can multiply if vegetables are mishandled, she said. Peters recently inoculated some head and packaged, pre-cut lettuce with E. coli 0157:H7 and thoroughly washed both kinds with common household liquids to determine which best fought the bacterial troublemaker. Preliminary results showed full-strength white vinegar substantially reduced E. coli. Ordinary 3 percent hydrogen peroxide was the next most effective, followed by a solution of two tablespoons of bleach mixed with one gallon of water, and water alone. Mindy Brashears, NU Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources food safety specialist, said washing in water alone reduces bacteria up to 90 percent, and washing in vinegar eliminates even more bacteria. "Washing lettuce in vinegar will give the bacteria another hurdle to jump before it can cause a foodborne illness," she said. Most lettuce isn't contaminated with potentially deadly E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria. However, "there's always that chance it could become contaminated during production, processing or preparation," Brashears said. Peters recommends washing lettuce with full-strength vinegar. "I think it could be any flavor of vinegar, as long as you know the strength," she said. "It should be 5 percent to 5.5 percent acetic acid." It's easy to identify E. coli on lettuce using lab equipment. Consumers can't see these microscopic bacteria, but if they wash lettuce and other produce carefully and at the proper time, there's no reason to stop tossing salads at home, she said. Peters and Brashears recommend this washing procedure for safer lettuce at home:
They recommend taking these steps to help avoid a bout of foodborne illness:
The Food Processing Center is part of NU's IANR. Parking Committee Charged with Plan DevelopmentThe program statement for a proposed parking garage at 17th and R streets is on indefinite hold pending action by the Parking Advisory Committee this fall. Since the garage plan was announced in the spring, some groups have voiced opposition to the cost and to other issues associated with the garage. A meeting was convened May 4 among Melvin W. Jones, vice chancellor for business and finance; James Main, assistant vice chancellor for business and finance; Tad McDowell, parking manager; and leaders of the Adademic Senate, University of Nebraska Office Personnel Association, University Association for Administrative Development and student government. A second informational meeting was convened June 1 with members of the Academic Senate. At those two meetings, those in attendance created a list of about 22 alternatives and ideas for parking. At a meeting June 29 among Jones, Main, McDowell and the leadership of Academic Senate, UNOPA, UAAD and student government, it was determined that the garage proposal would be tabled until at least late fall. And an additional list of alternatives and suggestions was forwarded to be attached to the original list. The Parking Advisory Committee will be asked to look at all the ideas and suggestions, convene public forums, deliberate the options and then formulate a comprehensive parking plan for the campus. The committee is asked to have this plan ready by Oct. 10. The Parking Advisory Committee will meet on Aug. 23 with those who attended the June 29 meeting and the committee will "receive its charge" from Jones to formulate its plan. Modified Master Plan Spares Alpha Chi Omega from DemolitionBy Tom Simons, Public Relations After more than seven months of negotiations between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Alpha Chi Omega sorority, the university has decided to modify its proposed long-range master plan to avoid relocating the sorority. The proposed master plan presented to the board of regents in December 1998 included creating a mall east of Memorial Stadium along Vine Street to 19th Street. In that plan, the mall included the property occupied by Alpha Chi Omega's chapter house, 716 N. 16th St. However, the plan will be modified to extend the mall only to 16th Street, allowing the sorority's house to remain in place. "Our students and our alumni are important to us and we want to do what's in the best interest for everybody involved," said Melvin W. Jones, vice chancellor for business and finance. "We had good-faith negotiations with the Alpha Chi Omega chapter and its alumnae, and were unable to reach a consensus through negotiation on proposals to move the chapter to another location. "As a result, we will honor the pledge Chancellor (James) Moeser made last fall: to amend the master plan to allow Alpha Chi Omega to remain in its present location if an agreement suitable to both parties could not be reached." According to John Benson, director of institutional research and planning for the university, the modified plan is still a viable solution for NU. "This is a workable option within the master plan," Benson said. "Although shorter than originally envisioned, the mall which now extends from Memorial Stadium to 14th Street will eventually be expanded one or two blocks to the east as funding becomes available. This will provide a significant sense of entry and organization to our traditional academic core area for those arriving from the east. We also hope in the future to beautify Vine Street east of the mall by planting trees on both sides of the street and providing better lighting." The proposed master plan provides a vision of how the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus may change in the next 25 years. The first segment of the plan covers the next six years and will be the focus of a presentation to the NU board of regents in August. New Child Care Option Available for Sick YoungstersThe doctor says your child has strep throat. Or chicken pox. Or another ear infection. On one hand, your child is too sick to go to school or daycare and needs some special attention. On the other hand, now is not a good time for you to stay home and miss work. What do you do? Starting this July, you can take advantage of the university's new Mildly Ill Child Services Program provided by the Department of Human Resources and University Child Care through the Child Development Center at BryanLGH Medical Center. This program provides care for mildly ill children ranging in age from three months to 12 years in their home or at BryanLGH Medical Center East for any time increment between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. "We know how important quality child care is to working parents here on campus and how difficult it is to find that care especially when a child has a fever or a contagious illness. That's why we jumped at the opportunity to work with the BryanLGH Medical Center to provide this service for our faculty and staff members," said Bruce Currin, assistant vice chancellor for human resources. Parents can choose either home-based care in which BryanLGH Child Development Specialists and Home Health Nurse Technicians provide care for up to three ill children in the family home or center-based care located at the BryanLGH East site located just north of Sumner Street on 51st Street Center-based care costs $6 per hour per child. In-home care costs $14 per hour for one child, $16 per hour for two children, or $18 per hour for three. Although program care givers cannot diagnose illnesses or replace the need for a physician's expertise regarding medical care, they can provide supervision, dispense prescription medications, and provide breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks. "Every parent wants to be there for their child when he or she isn't feeling well, but sometimes circumstances at the workplace make that difficult," says Tish Roland, director of the University Child Care. "The Mildly Ill Child Services Program provides parents with a reliable backup plan." Prior to using this service, parents will be required to complete a registration form that includes general information on the child's health and immunization status. Copies of this registration form are available from Human Resources and can soon be downloaded from the Human Resources website at http://www.unl.edu/unlhr/hrhomepage.html. Numerous steps are taken to minimize the risk of exposing participating children to new contagions while recuperating. For example, children who attend the in-center program will be assigned to one of two-rooms based on their illnesses. Each room has a separate ventilation system to prevent air flow from one room into the other. In all cases, a physician's diagnosis is required when symptoms indicate a potential of a contagious illness. Since space is limited for both programs, reservations are required and accepted in the order they are received. For more information or reservations for the center-based program, call 481-8623 Monday through Friday 24 hours a day. For information or reservations for the in-home program call 481-2900 Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The Mildly Ill Child Services program is the latest initiative undertaken by the Department of Human Resources to help staff and faculty balance professional work responsibilities with the needs in their personal lives. For more information, call Suzanne Drew, director of Employee Relations in the Department of Human Resources, at 472-3106 or Tish Roland, director of University Child Care, at 472-2101. Hooding Ceremony Is Aug. 13 Ceremony Established to Honor Doctoral Degree RecipientsBy Annette Wetzel, Public Relations The university has created a new ceremony to honor doctoral degree recipients. The first "Hooding Ceremony" will begin at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 13 in Kimball Hall. It precedes and does not replace the Commencement ceremony on Aug. 14. About 100 candidates are expected to participate. The ceremony is free and open to the public. The wearing of hoods is a traditional part of academic regalia. Doctoral recipients will receive a hood or cape which is worn over the black academic gown in recognition of their acheivement. Hoods are made in different colors; each color symbolizes a recipient's area of study. At the ceremony, each doctoral student will be accompanied by his or her adviser to the Kimball stage. Together, they will cross the stage where the student will be hooded and congratulated by his or her mentor, Chancellor James Moeser and Merlin Lawson, dean of Graduate Studies. The Hooding Ceremony is being established to bring more recognition to doctoral students who have reached the peak of their academic studies. The ceremony will hold all of the prestige and flavor of a true academic event with a processional and recessional, Moeser said. He will deliver the address at the inaugural ceremony. Doctoral students will still receive their diplomas and participate in the general commencement ceremony Aug. 14 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Faculty and other university officials began studying the idea of such a ceremony in the spring of 1998. The plan to honor candidates in a hooding ceremony the day before commencement was approved by the UNL Commencement Committee last December. "Doctoral programs are the hallmark of a research university," Moeser said. "Indeed the number of Ph.D.s and other doctoral degrees awarded each year and the number of doctoral granting programs is a significant measure of a university's strength. While we do give some special recognition to doctoral recipients at commencement there has been some question as to whether we might do more to congratulate those who have earned the academy's highest award." Moeser Signs Ethics in Athletics StatementChancellor James Moeser was one of 50 leaders to sign a statement on character development and ethics in sports, the result of a summit conference in May in Scottsdale, Ariz. The "Pursuing Victory with Honor" summit was sponsored by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, the Character Counts Coalition and the U.S. Olympic Committee coaching division. Delegates to the summit included representatives of institutions and organizations involved with Olympic, intercollegiate, high school and youth sports. Moeser said he attended the conference and signed the "Arizona Accord" to encourage greater emphasis on the ethical and character-building aspects of athletic competition. "The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is deeply committed to the message of this accord," he said. "We will continue to examine and improve our programs to make sure athletics is not just a winning tradition at this university, but a way to build character." Stating the premise that "sports can and should enhance the character and uplift the ethics of a nation," the Arizona Accord declares:
The text of the Arizona Accord is posted on line at http://www.charactercounts.org. |
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