UNO faces possible budget cuts

In a president's report for Nov. 5, UNO Student Government President/Regent Neal Bonacci announced the Nebraska Legislature is in a special session to discuss the state deficit. Neb. Gov. Dave Heineman is proposing educational budget cuts to lessen the deficit of $334 million.The entire University of Nebraska system will be affected by this, Bonacci said. It's too early to tell where and what the cuts will be, but education cuts are being considered.

Ben Jager, student government advisor, also spoke to the senators concerning the budget.

He encouraged the senators to write letters to Nebraska state senators about how budget cuts would hinder students in the future.

"The university cutting money is a bad thing," he said.

A resolution written to recognize Freedom Week was brought to the student senate floor and passed. Freedom Week encompasses Nov. 9 and 10, Veterans Day on Nov. 11, as well as the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and World Freedom Day.

Christine Koenig of UNL encouraged passage of the resolution. She is traveling to all of Nebraska's universities trying to get Freedom Week recognized. So far, UNO and UNL have agreed. She is also speaking with Concordia University and Peru State College about the resolution.

In addition to getting Freedom Week recognized, Koenig built a mock Berlin Wall in the Pep Bowl on Sunday. The wall was scheduled to come down on Monday, and copies of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were provided to passersby. Koenig said 60 universities across the country are participating in Freedom Week and 40 are building walls.

Finally, there was another round of appointments. Greg Fonda was appointed to the Student Activities Budget Commission. William Choate and Luke Hoffman were appointed to the Traffic Appeals Commission. Brad Licht was appointed to the Judicial Committee and the Student Activities Budget Commission. Sen. Jeffrey Johnson was appointed to the Committee on Technology and Resources. Sens. Liz O'Connor and Ephraim Hintz were appointed to the American Multicultural Student Agency. Sens. Nathan Kirkland and Allison Myers were appointed to the International Student Services Agency. Sens. Stefanie Hoffman and Marshal McGovern were appointed as General Agency Liaisons and Sen. John Wrobel was appointed to Sergeant at Arms.

The next student senate meeting will be on Nov. 19 in the Milo Bail Student Center Dodge Room at 7 p.m.