University of Nebraska Kearney - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Kearney, NE)

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By Marlon BF Sykes, Angle Steffen, and Pam Wood advantages are part of the package. Traditional rivals will be built, schedules will improve and KSC may gain a new reputation due to added NCAA credibility, according to Beechner. Eligibility rules are stricter for NCAA, according to Joan Bailey, swim coach. Students must measure up academically as well as athletically. But tougher rules for academic qualification haven’t really been a problem, she said. “Most of our swimmers have excellent grades anyway,” Bailey said. “We only lost one excellent swimmer because her ACT score wasn’t high enough.” KSC will eventually join NCAA completely which many feel will benefit the college in the long “I feel it’s a good move. When you recruit, people will want to come here because of the notoriety NCAA provides,” Claire Boroff, football coach, said. “The competition won’t get any easier though.” Larry Hennessy, Omaha sophomore, said, “It’ll generate more money, athletes and fans for the school.” Beechner said, “NCAA status can be used not only to enhance athletic recruiting, but also for aca- demic and faculty recruiting.” But, some remain skeptical as to the immediate benefit of KSC’s proposed change to NCAA. “The change probably wouldn’t influence me in choosing a college,” Ann Gibson, Chadron sophomore and swim team member, said. Dan Wurtz, Lady Lopers basketball coach has mixed feelings about the change. “If we had all the funds to make the (NCAA) switch Pd feel a lot better about it. It’s going to be an uphill battle until we raise the money. Regardless of the change to NCAA, KSC’s ath- letic expenses will increase because of travelling ex- penses, according to Beechner. Additional money will have to be raised by out- side sources. Two unique fund drives are underway through the KSC Foundation and KSC Athletic Asso- ciates, two major fund-raising organizations on cam- pus. “Grain for the Loper” is a plan to allow farmers to donate grain to KSC, who receives the profit from the sale of the grain, and the farmer gains all growing costs as tax deductions. This idea was created by the KSC Foundation and the Athletic Associates, but is being implemented by the Athletic Associates. A second idea to increase funds for athletic scho- larships is pickle card sales. The Athletic Associates, a nonprofit booster dub, has developed this unique fund-raising activity, Beechner said. The cards were made possible because of legislation passed by the state. “An agent goes to businesses to put them on sale; but they are limited to country dubs or places with liquor licenses,” Beechner said. run Sophomore Sam Somerhalder, Lincoln SE takes a scoop shot to the hoop against Mis souri Western during the 1987-88 season.

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Addition of NCAA benefits athletics t new ball game Stringent entrance requirements and recruiting appeal have accompa- nied KSC’s gradual change to the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) in the past year. Two main causes prompted the NCAA change process; the trend of other Central States Intercolle- giate Conference (CSIC) schools leaving the confer- ence, and KSC’s goal to upgrade the athletic program by providing stronger competition both in academics and athletics. KSC has continued to be associated with both the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA to insure the opportunity to quali- fy for NAIA national championships if a team has a winning season, according to Dick Beechner, athletic director. CSIC, an NAIA conference, traditionally includ- ed smaller schools. But it disbanded in May 1988 leav- ing four teams in the conference. So KSC has been forced to look for additional opponents, according to Beechner. “The four schools still in the CSIC, including KSC, would list as independent teams (in national competition) if they qualified for tournaments, ” he said. College athletics are supervised by NAIA and NCAA. In contrast with the NAIA, NCAA involves major institutions, is more widely known and can be called an all-sports athletic association, according to Beechner. While KSC belongs to both associations, certain 12 NAIA-NCAA Beechner sets pace SC is undergoing M. change - a new colise- um, pickle card sales, and the athletic association move from NAIA to the NCAA. Athletic director, Dick Beechner, met the challenge with a goal to get more people involved with athletics. Since his arrival in 1986, Bee- chner has focused on promotional programs for athletics such as cam- pus broadcasting for football, vol- leyball, and basketball games. The decision to have KSC broad- cast students cover KSC games came about, Beechner said, after a talk with Tom Draper, director of broadcasting. Broadcasting games has become a way for broadcast stu- dents to gain experience. Beechner is also credited with starting the weekly “Loper Lun- cheon” in which films of previous games or events are viewed by community members, players and coaches. A particular coach may be featured as a guest throughout each season, according to Beechner. An after-the-game gathering for players, fans and parents called the “Fifth Quarter” was one of Bee- chner’s ideas from his days at Washington State University. However, at Washington the gathering usually involved 400 to 500 people and KSC’s gatherings are considerably smaller, he said. by Angie Steffen Enjoying free time, Dick Bee- chner sinks a putt at the Kear- ney Country Club. Photo by Kevin Methe a w g a tc U] ri a ai s ei w ru w Pi cc g sc or de be ch ar m fu afc th lei pe sic thi ck pu to tin CO! an by lar a i fui me sta bu liqi

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Student spending affects business unicipal bonds Student spending means an increase in late-night like Jennie Roesener, Bertrand freshman Photo by business for Amigos and creates jobs for students Michelle Thompson T r r here are businesses that wouldn’t be here if it wasn't for the college ’ said Jon Nel- son, associate professor of business, who di- rected a study to determine the actual eco- nomic impact of KSC employment and spending on Kearney's community. Last year students spent $52 million, generating $91 million of business activity in the community, ac- cording to the study. These figures are based on the assumption that every dollar spent by students en Student Spending 1$ I Impact on Kearney's Community million 06OO6O066666 ooooeoooooo®' 0000060000 0 ■ 000 ooo 00 . 0 6 . 00 oooo OoO . » ooooooooo ooooooooo oooooooooo «•666000 00600 oo oo- 06 060 oooooVoo 00600006 o0000600006 60 0 1 ♦♦ ♦♦♦♦ 6 ♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ooooo 060« 6« 60 6 ♦»J ♦♦♦ ♦ 01 loo ♦ ♦I 1 00 ♦ -t ■ ♦♦ o W I» ♦ 0O W o 0666060066' «6 6 666 6 6 600' . ♦♦♦♦♦♦ 6606 ♦00004 6 00 04 OO • BVOO' 66 4 6606 6060 .. . 00006 ■ ♦♦♦♦ © ♦ ooo oo o« jjgggggd) i ► 604 00000060 0 00« 000000 0600oo 00000060600004 6 000060600004 if • 06 • 60 06 •ooT 00 1 „ Oo Ol 606660 66 «606«6066 0000 060 0600 600’ ' ooooool »06 604 000 04 . ►0000001 »ofcft06l 0 1 looof |ooo 06000000004 10 006000 600 04 100000000000004 1987-1988 Direct Spending by KSC Students ’Figures tor graph taken from Jon Nelson's “The Economic Impact of Kearney State College | on the Area Economy Total Impact of Student Spending |...These numbers have been calculated with the assumption that every dollar spent causes another 75 cents to be spent- ables another 75 cents to be spent in the community. The four areas of KSC’s influence measured were “direct college employment and college related em- ployment, college and student cash outflows into the area economy, college visitor spending in the area, including alumni, visitors of students and campus ac- tivities, departments, and events. Nelson said he recalculated because he was sur- prised that the numbers were so high. “Community members were also surprised at the numbers,” Nelson said. “Their second reaction was gratitude to KSC.” Originally begun in 1983, the study was updated in 1985 and 1987. Nelson said in 1990 the report must be entirely revised. The impact of KSC on the Kearney area reaches far beyond economics. According to Nelson, there is no measurement for the cultural impactof KSC in sports quality or in the fine arts. The $10 million-coliseum renovation has had an effect on the community, according to Nelson, be- cause supplies and labor will be needed to complete the work. The new telemarketing corporation, WATTS Marketing of America Inc. decided to come to Kear- ney because of the labor pool of college students, ac- cording to Nelson. “The hours WATTS needs workers for will work in well with college students' schedules,” Bruce Graph by Angie Steffen