Parking

I think the main issue with parking on campus is not car parking, but bicycle parking. Seriously, our campus needs more bike racks. They also need to make some improvements to the old racks. Each rack should be big enough that there is plenty of room in between each bike. This is so no one can touch the shimmering tassels on my handle bars. A lot of people need to learn the proper bike rack etiquette. The main lesson that needs to be learned is that if you knock another persons bike down do not leave the bike put it back the way you found it. It is not appropriate to let the bike strangle on its own lock.

The university should also include certain luxuries by the bike racks. Each rack should have its own coffee or drink stand, so you can warm your hands on a nice hot cup of joe. Also, each rack should have an air pump, so people can air up the tires. There should also be a concierge service that wipes off your seat when it snows or rains. These are just some simple improvements the university can make. It would be a lot more simple than messing with the car parking on campus.

Kearney/UNK Issue

The first issue I came across was the concealed weapons ban that was repealed in Kearney just last month. According to the article, the ban had been in place for 50 years and now it is being repealed. It seems kind of scary to know that people could possibly be walking around with a weapon, but it was possible for people to do that before, now it is legal. Although the ban is repealed it is my understanding that no gun can be taken into a public building. This in my mind rules out a lot of places for someone with a gun to go. I figure that the majority of the buildings I go into are public, so I feel safe.

The other article I read about was the city's decision to purchase the Event Center. The final decision is going to be Tuesday night at the city council meeting. It seems that many people have mixed views about the purchase of the building. I do not really see the necessity for the city to own it as long as it is doing well like it is right now. I read this was the first year in the Event Center actually made a profit. This is in large part to the great acts they brought to town. I think the Event Center does enough to help the city on its own. I don't know why the city needs to own it.

The last article I came across was an article about J.B. Miliken. I have referenced this article in my earlier blog posts, but I feel this is an important issue, so I am bringing it up again. I attended Miliken's open forum a while back and was impressed with his optimism. He reassured faculty that it is premature to worry about pay cuts and the budget, but I think it is hard for any one today to not worry about money and their job. Even one faculty member at UNK lost her job, a 20 year veteran in fact. I think most faculty will be safe at UNK, but there will be those that will, unfortunately, have to take the fall.

Blowing Smoke Final

It is ridiculous to think that a person has a right to clean air when people go out in public. When Nebraskans venture out for a bite to eat or something to drink it should be mandatory for them to be exposed to toxins in the air. Breath that second hand smoke in because it can only cause blood platelets to become stickier, damage the lining of blood vessels, decrease coronary flow velocity reserves, and reduce heart rate variability. Which, by the way, can also cause cancer and an increased chance of a heart attack.

Hospitals will benefit greatly from the increased patient flow, which would help the surrounding communities by bringing in more money. Without breathing in toxic air hospitals would have to settle for car accident victims. Nothing pleases a doctor or surgeon more than to open up a chest of a young individual and peer on tar filled lungs.

Breathing in this toxic air could also do wonders to help out the government. When politicians give speeches no one will be able to hear what they are saying because people will be to busy coughing. There is no better enjoyment then trying to hack up a cancerous lung in front of a politician. Since nobody will be able to listen to any of the politicians it will be easier for them to get elected, get bills passed, and get money in their pockets.

One thing that is not helping the fight to breath toxic air are these lawmakers that are trying to passed this bill that outlaws smoking in public areas. People have the right to smell like an ashtray and when they go out to eat they have the right to enjoy a juicy cheeseburger that tastes like charcoal and ash. The government has no right to take away the beauty that is breathing in air filled with cyanide and ammonia. When is the government going to learn that they cannot look out for the best interests of the people? It is ludicrous to even think that they care about the health of individuals.

If this ban comes into effect, where are people going to turn to get there fix of toxic air. People will resort to putting their mouths over car exhaust pipes or climbing tall ladders to breath out of smoke stacks. It certainly is not realistic to think that Nebraskans will continue to go out to restaurants and businesses without knowing that their lungs won’t be choked out. Then Nebraska businesses will lose money and close.

It seems that people who love to breath in toxic air are being killed off town-by-town, city-by-city. Will it ever end? The only hope that Nebraskans have left is the hope that our children might fight this horrible ban and relive the second hand smoke experience.

Blowing Smoke

It is ridiculous to think that a person has a right to clean air when they go out in public. When people venture out for a bite to eat or something to drink it should be mandatory for them to be exposed to toxins in the air. Breath that second hand smoke in because it can only cause blood platelets to become stickier, damage the lining of blood vessels, decrease coronary flow velocity reserves, and reduce heart rate variability. Which, by the way, can also cause cancer and an increased chance of a heart attack.

Many businesses have complained about the smoking ban that will be in effect on June 1, especially those businesses in smaller towns. The consensus is that it is the government’s fault. They have no right to impose this regulation. It is not like the government was put into place to look out for the best interests of the people. The government needs to understand that businesses need money and they don’t care how long they have healthy customers, just as long as they get the cash flow.

Is that really what it comes down to? Agreed, that money is important to live a lifestyle that is comfortable, but it does not have to come down to the price of someone’s life. The government is looking out for the best interest of its people and in this case, they want their people to live longer.

The rights of the people are important. People have the right to damage their health by smoking, but they do not have the right to damage another person’s health with their unhealthy habit. The rights of smokers and businesses are still intact. Smokers can smoke. It is not illegal to do so. They just have to go outside or find another alternative to smoking indoors. It could drive people to quit, which would be a healthy alternative.

Businesses rights are still intact as well. They are still able to serve their customers and when the ban comes into effect their establishments will become cleaner and more kid friendly. Children that come with their parents to bars or restaurants can now enjoy arcade games in a fresh air environment. This means that these kids are future customers that will benefit your business in the long run.

It might seem like this ban is a pain right now, but in the long run it will benefit all of Nebraska. State wide we will be healthier and businesses might feel and initial hit in their pockets, but people need to eat more than they need to smoke.

J.B. Milliken

Even with economic woes, J.B. Milliken is optimistic about the future for UNK and the other universities in Nebraska.
J.B. Milliken is the current president of the University of Nebraska system and spoke with UNK faculty members Thursday, Feb. 12 in Copeland Hall. There were around 50 faculty members that gathered in Copeland to hear Milliken speak. Milliken addressed many different issues, but the bulk of the open forum dealt with the upcoming budget for the four universities. The four universities include UNK, UNO, UNL and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
“There is no denying that this will be a tough budget year,” Milliken said. The president is very aware of what the U.S. Economy is going through, but he views Nebraska’s situation as being a glass that is half full.
According to Milliken, due to Nebraska’s large financial reserve, well managed fiscal and great leadership Nebraska and its universities are in a better position than some other institutes in the country. There was also a record amount of private funding last year that totaled $160 million, which should help in the future.
Milliken understands that there will probably not be a new record set this year in private funding, but he feels that the universities have great momentum coming into this year.
“Nebraska is a unique state that takes ownership in its universities,” Milliken said. Milliken stated that due to this feeling of ownership Nebraska would not allow their students and colleges to suffer.
Milliken said that even though there is a lot of momentum coming into this year UNK and the other universities should search for new revenue sources, whether it is from an increase in private fundraising since there probably won’t be a decrease in public funding and to keep increasing enrollment.
“More is better,” Milliken said.
Milliken also expressed his excitement for how much UNK has grown. UNK is at its highest enrollment since 1999 and has also increased the enrollment of minority students by 50 percent from 2004 to 2009. There has also been an increase in international student enrollment.
The forum concluded with Milliken offering words of encouragement to the UNK faculty. Milliken stated that he is impressed with what the faculty has accomplished and said that they are all doing valuable work.
He also made it clear that the board of regents and him would be thoughtful about the policies and decisions that would arise this next year.