Elizabeth Kraemer continues to make disturbing statements about the David Hergert situation. Her most recent comments can be found in today’s Daily Nebraskan.
ASUN stands alone in regent controversy - Daily Nebraskan
She said some students don’t care about the issue and many don’t know what the Board of Regents is.
What is the purpose of this statement? Is Kraemer trying to make a blanket statement about the stupidity of the students at UNO? If students don’t know what the Board of Regents is, then let’s educate them. Most students don’t have a clue who Elizabeth Kraemer is, what her position is, or what she does. That doesn’t mean people shouldn’t care. Also, the UNO Student Government makes decisions on a weekly basis that the “average” student doesn’t care about.
Why doesn’t the university hold town hall meeting to educate the students about the Board of Regents and the Hergert situation. Has a poll been done at UNO to see how students feel about this situation? Kraemer’s statements are her opinion and there not based on any facts.
Kraemer said she thinks the Hergert controversy is overblown and keeping the Board of Regents from doing its job.
Hegret remaining on the Board of Regents and Hergert cheating is preventing the board from doing its job (it’s not the other way around). Hergert is a distraction, an embarrassment, and a cheater.
Kraemer should know first-hand that cheating to get elected is not tolerated at UNO. Why should the Board of Regents be held to a different standard? I find it ironic that the only reason Ms. Kraemer is the Student President/Regent at UNO is because the person that won the election was disqualified for cheating. If Ms. Kraemer thinks its OK to cheat during an election, then why did she accept the position as Student Regent when she did not win the election?
Although she doesn’t mind students speaking out, opinions are becoming redundant and Hergert has remained unfazed, Kraemer said.
“He’s not going to budge on that,” she said. “He’s not going to resign.”
If Herget has remained unfazed, that’s because he’s ignorant and has a different set of morals than the rest of us. He’s rationalized his cheating by saying that he’s payed the fine and that means the issue is closed. Hergert thinks that paying a fine absolves his sins.
By that logic, I could murder someone, spend a few years in jail, be released, and then deny I did anything wrong because I’d spent my time in jail.
Also, when an opinion is redundant that means a lot of people share the same view. In this case, a lot of people share the view that Hergert cheated and should resign. Actually, Hergert cheating is not an opinion it’s a fact.
I would like to know why Kraemer is blocking a resolution that would allow the UNO Student Government to vote on this issue? Why is she protecting David Hergert? Why shouldn’t the student senators of UNO be allowed to vote on this issue? Kraemer is preventing the senators at UNO from doing their job. The senators were elected by the student body to make decisions on issues that impact the student body. This is an issue that directly impacts the student body and the student senators should be allowed to weigh in on this issue. At UNL, nearly 80% of the students polled supported the resolution that was passed at UNL. Stop using the excuse that students don’t care about this issue because that excuse is a cop-out.
I guess it’s more important for the student government to vote on issues like how to decide the winner of a tied election at UNO (by the way, we use Rock, Paper, Scissors) because that’s an issue students care about.
I think UNO student should be able to cheat on their tests. And, if they are discovered cheating, they should be fined, but not expelled or punished in any other way than a simple fine. Also, the results of the test they cheated on should be accepted as their test and graded on that test, even though they cheated on it.
Marcus is right. This post is right. The UNO Gateway is right. The UNL Daily Nebraskan is right. The ASUN (UNL Student Government) is right. The vast majority of the more than 2,300 UNL students who expressed support for the anti-Hergert resolution are right. The insipid leadership of the UNO student government is dead wrong. They are right about one thing. They don’t represent the students of UNO. Thank God Kraemer’s term of office is about to end. As an alum of UNO, former editor of the Gateway and former Speaker of the Student Senate, I am ashamed of the current student government, which apparently is interested only in adding a line to their collective resumes. No persons running in the next student election should earn a single vote unless they have the courage and dignity to be willing to speak truth to power. Hergert is a cheat, asked to resign by the Legislature. The fact he remains, clinging to his seat, is an indication that he is also an egomaniacal tyrant without any desire to advance the cause of a great university. The UNO Faculty Senate and UNO Student Senate should consider at once resolutions to change their shameful silence on this issue. Or, these weak individuals should step aside to make way for persons who take these positions seriously.
I think there are a lot of student senators (and faculty senators) at UNO that want this to be brought to a vote. Unfortunately, there are a small number of individuals (and I believe Ms. Kraemer is one of them) that is trying to intimidate and block this resolution. The reason they are blocking this resolution is because they know it will pass if it is brought up for a vote. Why on earth would someone try to block a resolution that would fail? The answer - they wouldn’t.
We need those student senators that support this resolution to step up and call out those individuals that are trying to block this.
Chief, your correlation between Ms. Kraemer being “selected” as student regent and the current Hergert situation is right on.
I may have missed the boat with the “mud slinging”, but I really wanted to express my thoughts regarding Republicans.
I want to start by saying that most of my friends are conservatives, and most of them have unsteady foundations for their views. Most of the Republicans that I associate with voted for a moronic president and they did so based solely on their party affiliation. This is the reason that our country is in turmoil. People should have put their pride aside and voted for a candidate that could represent a country and not alienate us from the world. But there is no need to live in the past, we have a president and we will have to deal with it.
I have found that most conservatives are ignorant and afraid of change (I suppose that is the exact definition of a republican). They do not understand that change is exactly what this country needs.
The war in Iraq is a disaster and has crippled our country and continues to do so and it is compounded by hurricanes and gas prices (I am not saying the our president controls the weather, just that he and other officials could have done more to help the victims). I consider myself an informed citizen, but I still find myself wondering; why exactly are there US troops in Iraq? I know all about what our president said about the threats in Iraq, but all I see are dollar signs and oil cans (not so many of the latter).
I am not a political expert by any means, and these are purely my opinions, but by all means pick this apart because I could always use a new point of view.
–jd
what’s up with all the student organzations saying we don’t feel we have the right to voice our opinion on this matter… Just the bend over and take it policy i guess. I think we need to protest on campus…. just a thought… speak out… bet half the students at UNO don’t even know about this crap.
Hello all,
I recently formed a facebook group for students demanding Dave Hergerts resignation from the Board of Regents. Please join!
Hello all,
I recently formed a facebook group for students demanding Dave Hergerts resignation from the Board of Regents. Please join!
http://unomaha.facebook.com/group_profile.php?gid=5665
What the hell is all of your all problems. Come on…..you are just bitching and moaning about a PIKE not winning the damn election last year. Dont worry you will be back in power again this year. A smear campaign against President Kraemer is a low blow and uncalled for. Why don’t you address your concerns with her in person rather than attacking her with posters and on this blog.
I would like to take this opportunity to discuss this issue with any of you. I believe there are many underlying political issues that are really the focus of ASUN’s action. This is not a clear cut “you broke the rules you should go” situation. It is far more complicated. I find it quite interesting that nothing was said of Hergert breaking these rules until after he made a very strong conservative stance. Please, research the issues before the board that may have prompted this resolution. I also remind you that the President-Regent has no power on deciding what will be heard by senate. Perhaps your quarrel is not with President Kraemer but instead the Rules Committee of Student Senate that killed the resolution. I would be glad to discuss this with any of you if you would like via email or in person at the Student Government office. Sincerely and with the utmost respect to every concerned student thank you for your time.
Aaron, thanks for commenting on the situation. It is not clear whether Hergert should go but he did break the law. I don’t know what you mean by Hergert taking a conservative stance? On what issues are you talking about. As far as I’m concerned, this isn’t about Republicans or Democrats. This is about breaking the rules to get elected to office.
I believe what Jenny said above may be accurate as well. Ms. Kraemer may not be holding up the resolution but she may be intimidating the other senators not to push the resolution through.
It is entirely up to the Rules Committee of Student Senate on whether or not a resolution passes to rise to the Senate floor. Intimidation I personally believe, as an individual who was there, did not play a part.
I am very much in favor of all rules regarding elections being imposed and I would like to encourage students to contact the election commission responsible for this years elections to inquire as to how many regents actually acquired office by the same means as David Hergert. Hergert is not the only one. I am personally in favor of removing all those who did the same and calling upon the state’s election commission to change the rules regarding such situations. We must be non-partisan in our actions regarding such crucial issues.
I think that a vote concerning medical research at UNMC played a large part in the actions of UNL’s student government. The regent minutes are available on line as well as in the SGUNO office.
Perhaps ASUN’s resolution would have been better suited to pursue the resignations of all those who acquired office in a questionable manner.
Here is the BOR Bylaws link:
http://www.nebraska.edu/board/bylaws2005.pdf
Here is the BOR District Map link:
http://www.nebraska.edu/board/members_map.shtml
Here is the BOR Minutes link:
http://www.nebraska.edu/board/board_minutes.shtml
Aaron-
Hergert’s violations of state election laws were not “the same” as those of other Regents (Ferlic and Miller…all 3 Republicans). In Ferlic’s election, he more exploited a loophole, as opposed to Hergert’s flagrant breaking of the law. Furthermore, Hergert’s actions showed more evidence of being committed with ill-intent, hence the incredible $33,000 fine imposed by the state’s Accountability and Disclosure Committee.
ASUN said nothing about Hergert breaking the rules until the ADCs investigation closed and the legislature voted UNANIMOUSLY in May calling for his resignation and warning of possible impeachment. But as soon as UNLs senators returned to campus, they got to the business of standing up for integrity and honesty on their campus. What’s you excuse? This is only about politics so far as it is about good government and fair elections. If you and the students of UNO do not support these, you have served your constituents well. Otherwise, you should be ashamed.
Mr. Michaelis,
I have been polite, I am not defending anyone. I would like to make it clear that I am not your enemy. I am not the one who voted the issue down in Rules Committee. I have spent many hours researching what I can about the issue. I just want everyone to be informed as to what I know already. I would encourage you when the new senate is elected after Oct 5th to pursue a resolution that is more clear than the last.
It is a question not of whether Hergert should be dismissed but who is at fault: Hergert the corrupt politician or the ADC as you said passed down the judgment? Are we approaching this in the right manner calling for a resignation without a correction in the rules.
Honestly, I am impressed of your knowledge regarding the issue and would like to meet with you. But I don’t think you want to question my loyalty to my constituents because that is one area you are not familiar with. Moreover, to familiarize you and since you are a constituent lets meet in the student government office soon to discuss the issue. I promise you that you wont be disappointed in my diligence on these issues.
I do not believe Elizabeth Kraemer is not at fault here. She has nothing to do with initiated legislation. The President-Regent cannot even write legislation. This is totally undeserved and unwarranted political pressure towards her. Even if you could change her mind she has no legislative power.
Senate is the group you need to address. I hope that you will take me up on the chance to meet.
email: agilliland@mail.unomaha.edu
ph: 554-2620
Mr. Gilliland-
Thank you for your willingness to participate in this forum. It does shows loyalty to your constituents. Unfortunately, it has not shown much in the way of understanding about what’s really at issue here, falling back on hypotheticals and straw men to justify the student senate’s indefensible inaction.
While one can debate whether the ADC was correct in settling with Hergert out of court (Hergert paying a RECORD fine in the process), putting blame on anyone’s shoulders other than Hergert is simple misdirection. Ultimately, he is responsible for his own actions….not the ADC and not the Attorney General’s office (who continue their investigation of his misconduct).
Hergert broke the law, violating every expectation of honesty, decency, and fair play that the University of Nebraska expects from its students and its employees. As a Regent, Hergert has the ultimate responsibility for upholding these standards. His actions prove him entirely unsuitable and unable to represent and lead the University in this capacity. His very presence on the Board calls into question the integrity of the entire body, endangering the good name the University system is always attempting to build for itself.
For these reasons alone, it is entirely reasonable and, in fact, the obligation of our student senates to stand up on principle and for the good of the University in calling for Hergert’s resignation. Such proclamation would be little more than a call for decency and humility on the part of Hergert that he has thus far shown no evidence of. Saving the state a costly impeachment hearing - both financially and morally - makes it even more clear that Hergert ought to resign for the reprehensible actions that helped win an election but tainted the office and made mockery of our democracy in the process.
This is not a witch hunt. This is about doing the right thing. While Miss Kraemer may not have much legislative authority, she has nevertheless spoken out against ASUNs actions and, like you, shamelessly questioned their motives. For that, she is rightfully deserving of criticism for her failure to represent the interests of the UNO student body, particularly because she herself serves on the Board of Regents.
As for the Rules Committee, if they are truly the ones standing in the way of this commonsense declaration of outrage, I repeat, THEY should be ashamed. Ignorance of the law and the facts of this case are not an excuse. To remain silent in the face of Hergert’s violation of the people’s trust is a betrayal of students both current and future, not to mention a horrendous failure of leadership.
Dear Concerned Constituents,
I think the real issue here has not been addressed. Truthfully the whole issue has been clouded by a few people. What I intend to do in this article is expose the whole issue for what it is. People who have been following this issue know this all comes back to Martha Stewart and her sale of yellow bedspreads at K-Mart. Since Doug Hergert is obviously partial to blue bedspreads, this has become a problem. Martha is seriously angry about this because if Doug will not buy her yellow spreads, what does that mean about his constituency. I think that this is really an evil plot by corporate America to undermine the freedom of choice. I don’t claim that what Doug is doing isn’t wrong, but what about Martha? Can she really impose her will on the rest of us. As for me and my house I say, “Give me the color of bedspread I want, or give me Death!” Also I like to say, “Down with Martha, Down with Doug, Down with slow microprocessors as well!” If anyone would like to debate me on this issue, don’t bother. This is the first and last time I will ever visit this blog. If you don’t like it, go buy a yellow bedspread because its a free country and you can buy them on the black market anyway. Also I just bought some sea monkeys and they are slightly more entertaining than this issue.
In Response to the Concerned Student post…..
Where just whining about not winning last year… WHY would we be whining when theres an election in what a week! Really think about that. What where “WHINING” about is the denial of basic dignity in the system… that Hergert cheated! With a school with such a strong Acedemic Integrity Policy shouldn’t we be discouraging cheating not encouraging it. Its not a thing of campaigning… its a thing of letting well as Kreamer believes all our students to be.. “ignorant” people on campus know what’s up… that the shit going on in the system is more then some stupid student election… its about our future, our education, not some narrow minded campaign shit!
~~~~Joe Sund~~~~~
I love this blog (though I’ve only been here twice). I came here hoping to find something exactly like this article. However, I find it amusing that while decisions made in Student Government (I am on rules commitee) find very little response on campus (in my experience) this blog has provided another scathing review of our performance. While I wonder why no direct action was taken to inform the senate of these seemingly obvious facts, I will assume that the entertainment provided by blogging them exceeds the benefit of participating in our mock-democracy.
The Letter of Statement that came before the rules commitee needed amending as I recall, since the figures on it concerning Hergert were not sourced or verified on the document. I don’t remember who wrote it initially, but in any case, it hasn’t been submitted again. Besides, the issue was largely a moot point; a “Letter of Statement” expresses the opinion of the senate (as a representative body). If 99% of students think it is nice to have sunshine, I’d be happy to pass that bill too, for all it’d be worth. If in some metaphysical world not expressing outrage is a moral sin, then we have clearly done you wrong. Would expressing one’s outrage on a website after the issue is passed make any constituents feel better?
Keep up the good work, but don’t expect it to be taken all that seriously. It’s a cool blog, but then… it’s just a blog. Mr. Chrisman hit the nail on the head.
So, Mr. Martin you are saying that Student Government is a useless body?
I know we discussed this in the meeting…we’ll simply vote for other people this year.
SG can also pass resolutions that aren’t Letters of Statement that actually do things. And that’s based on my pretty cynical evaluation of them. But hey, that’s why I like this blog.