UNL lecturer enters regents race
A third candidate has entered the race for the District 1 seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.
Don Costello, a UNL computer science and engineering lecturer, has dubbed himself the “education candidate” in the race for the seat, which will be vacated by Regent Charles Wilson of Lincoln.
Costello says his No. 1 priority as a regent would be keeping tuition affordable. If elected, he says he’d fight to freeze tuition at NU for three years, or even work to reallocate existing funds that would allow tuition to drop.
“We have a tuition and debt situation where education is being priced out of the market,” he said. “We’re going to create a two-class society: There will be those families who can afford to send their kids to college and there will be those who can’t.”
His dream of a tuition freeze is likely to be popular among at least some students and families. NU has handed down steady tuition increases in the past decade, including four consecutive years of double-digit hikes.
Most recently, regents in June approved a 6 percent tuition increase for the current academic year.
The numbers can’t keep rising, Costello said.
“Nebraska needs to compete and if we want to compete, we have to get these kids through school with an affordable education,” he said.
As regent, Costello also says he’d work to improve distance learning at NU.
Costello, a New York native, has lived in Nebraska for 40 years and is a 28-year veteran at NU. He earned degrees from Manhattan College in New York and the University of Notre Dame and did Ph.D. work at NU.
Six of his seven children earned degrees from NU.
“Nebraska as a state has been terrific to me,” he said.
Lincoln attorneys Tim Clare and Earl Scudder already are in the race to represent District 1, which covers most of Lancaster County. Wilson has held the seat since 1990.
Reach Melissa Lee at 473-2682 or mlee@journalstar.com.
Don Costello, a UNL computer science and engineering lecturer, has dubbed himself the “education candidate” in the race for the seat, which will be vacated by Regent Charles Wilson of Lincoln.
Costello says his No. 1 priority as a regent would be keeping tuition affordable. If elected, he says he’d fight to freeze tuition at NU for three years, or even work to reallocate existing funds that would allow tuition to drop.
“We have a tuition and debt situation where education is being priced out of the market,” he said. “We’re going to create a two-class society: There will be those families who can afford to send their kids to college and there will be those who can’t.”
His dream of a tuition freeze is likely to be popular among at least some students and families. NU has handed down steady tuition increases in the past decade, including four consecutive years of double-digit hikes.
Most recently, regents in June approved a 6 percent tuition increase for the current academic year.
The numbers can’t keep rising, Costello said.
“Nebraska needs to compete and if we want to compete, we have to get these kids through school with an affordable education,” he said.
As regent, Costello also says he’d work to improve distance learning at NU.
Costello, a New York native, has lived in Nebraska for 40 years and is a 28-year veteran at NU. He earned degrees from Manhattan College in New York and the University of Notre Dame and did Ph.D. work at NU.
Six of his seven children earned degrees from NU.
“Nebraska as a state has been terrific to me,” he said.
Lincoln attorneys Tim Clare and Earl Scudder already are in the race to represent District 1, which covers most of Lancaster County. Wilson has held the seat since 1990.
Reach Melissa Lee at 473-2682 or mlee@journalstar.com.
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