2008 Woodie Awards
Deadline for petitions passes, one successful
Taylor Muller
Issue date: 8/12/08 Section: News
Throughout the summer, signature gatherers could be seen obtaining petition signatures throughout the state, with two specific initiatives that could significantly impact the University of Nebraska system.
One, Fair Vote Nebraska, failed to gather the required number of signatures, while another, the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative, is awaiting signature validation by the Nebraska secretary of state.
Fair Vote Nebraska was attempting to put to a vote whether or not State Fair Park would be turned over the University of Nebraska Lincoln and the state fair would be moved to Grand Island. In April, Gov. Dave Heineman signed Legislative Bill 1116, turning over State Fair Park, totaling 151 acres, to the University of Nebraska effective 2010.
State Fair Park, located next to the UNL campus, would be developed into an Innovation Campus, similar to UNO's Pacific Street Campus.
"The Nebraska Innovation Campus has already generated national interest and several developers have contacted us already," UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman said in statement last month. "This Request for Information will open up the process widely and give developers an opportunity to become involved and for us to gain additional insights into a variety of approaches."
The university is currently accepting development ideas, with a deadline of Aug. 15. At that point university planners will examine the proposals and invite three to five developers for further talks on campus.
Chris Jackson, UNL's vice chancellor of business and finance, said that if everything continues according to plan, the university would take possession of the land in Jan. 2010.
"The University's Innovation Campus will play a key role in attracting new talent to Nebraska, fostering innovative research that is aligned with the needs of the state and building partnerships with the private sector," said NU President James B. Milliken in a statement. "The university's potential to contribute to the state's economic future will be greatly enhanced by this action."
One, Fair Vote Nebraska, failed to gather the required number of signatures, while another, the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative, is awaiting signature validation by the Nebraska secretary of state.
Fair Vote Nebraska was attempting to put to a vote whether or not State Fair Park would be turned over the University of Nebraska Lincoln and the state fair would be moved to Grand Island. In April, Gov. Dave Heineman signed Legislative Bill 1116, turning over State Fair Park, totaling 151 acres, to the University of Nebraska effective 2010.
State Fair Park, located next to the UNL campus, would be developed into an Innovation Campus, similar to UNO's Pacific Street Campus.
"The Nebraska Innovation Campus has already generated national interest and several developers have contacted us already," UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman said in statement last month. "This Request for Information will open up the process widely and give developers an opportunity to become involved and for us to gain additional insights into a variety of approaches."
The university is currently accepting development ideas, with a deadline of Aug. 15. At that point university planners will examine the proposals and invite three to five developers for further talks on campus.
Chris Jackson, UNL's vice chancellor of business and finance, said that if everything continues according to plan, the university would take possession of the land in Jan. 2010.
"The University's Innovation Campus will play a key role in attracting new talent to Nebraska, fostering innovative research that is aligned with the needs of the state and building partnerships with the private sector," said NU President James B. Milliken in a statement. "The university's potential to contribute to the state's economic future will be greatly enhanced by this action."
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