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'U~Q ~£,SURVEY OF OMAHA VOTERS
"~C
~y
Merger of Omaha University
and
Nebraska University
November 25 through 27, 1967
Central Surveys, Inc.
Shenandoah, Iowa
�INTRODUCTION
This survey is based on a total of 481 personal interviews with Omaha
adults who indicate they a r e registered and qualified to vote.
Interviews were
in selected precincts, wi th all 14 wards p r oportionately represented according
to their voting strength "
The interviews include 401 that are classified as a
city-wide cross section, and an additional 80 interviews in the western part of
the city intended to give greater reliability for separate tabulation of the areas
described in the report as "North," "South," and "West," Omaha.
The interviewing was on Saturday, November 25, and on Monday, November 27.
�1.
SURVEY RESULTS
Omaha voters indicate strong support fo r the merger, with 55 percent
saying they favor i t and only 8 percent that they oppose.
The other 37 percent
are undecided.
Four different reasons a r e given quite frequently in support of the
merger.
Tax advantages and the idea of lower tuition or less expense for students
attending Omaha University are each mentioned by 27 percent of those favoring the
merger, while the idea of an improved financial position for Omaha U, and of a
stronger academic position, are each mentioned by 25 percent.
Other ideas mentioned less frequently are that it will lead to the
growth of Omaha U, that it wil l make for a more efficient or more economical ad-
ministration of the University, t hat it will generally benefit the city, etc.
Examples of all of t hese types of reasons are quoted beginning on Page 9.
The only two reasons mentioned very often for opposing the merger are
the fear of increased taxes and desire to continue the status quo, for reasons
of sentiment or otherwise.
It appears that the other measures that will be on the December 12th
ballot also have an excellent chance of success.
While individual questions were
not asked regarding these, survey respondents were asked a more general question
as to whether they favor or oppose the other measures dealing with police, firemen, parks, streets, and sewers.
�2.
All five of the other measures have at least plurality support, with the
police and firemen receiving the mos t s upport.
Slightly over half support the
police and firemen measur es, whi l e only 8 percen t and 9 per cent respectively say
they oppose these.
The other three measures a r e supported ~y 41 percent or 42 per-
cent, with 11 percent or 12 percent opposing.
Nearly half do not indicate any opin-
ion either way regarding par ks , str eets, and sewers.
A big majority apparently do not differentiate too thoroughly between
the other measures, at this time .
The survey includes 38 percent who say they
generally favor all five of the others, only 7 percent who express general opposition to the various other measures, and 39 percent who say they have not made up
their minds .
Only 16 percent volunteer tha t they favor certain measures and oppose
others, usually that they support the police and firemen, but not the others.
A total of 82 percent claim that they "definitely plan to vote", which
would appear t o suggest a large turnout,
However, experience has indicated that
answers of this type are of l ittle value as a predictor of total turn-out, since
the socially accepted answer is t o say that one plans to vote.
The real purpose
of this question was simply to pr ovide a basis f or identifying "likely voters".
If those a re excluded who either admit t hey wi ll not vote or say they are not certain, the replies divide 62 percent to 9 percent, in favor of the merger, with only
29 percent undecided ,
This is r oughly t he same r atio as found in the total survey.
The analysis on Page 8
shows t he division of opinions among various
geographic and demographic subgroups of voters .
�3.
This indicates that the strongest support for the measure will be found
in West Omaha, where 73 perc ent favo r and only 9 percent oppose.
The least sup-
port is in South Omaha, where 45 percent favor and 10 percent oppose .
The main
difference is that only 18 percent are undecided in West Omaha, but nearly half
in South Omaha.
Answers in North Omaha divide very similar to the city-wide fig-
ures given previously .
The mo r e education an individual has had, the more likely he is to express support for the merger of the two univer sities, but there is no significant
variation in the amount of oppos i tion by differen t levels of education .
The dif-
ference is simply that those with less education are also less certain as to how
(or whether) they will vote .
The top income gr oup in t he community gives the measure the greatest
support, with 83 percent exp r essing suppor t and only 3 percent opposed.
In the
lowest economic group, 41 percent f avor the merger and 12 percent oppose it .
There is good suppor t by all age groups, with the least support found
among persons over 60 .
But even i n t his gr oup, 45 percent favor and only 12 per-
cent say they oppose the merger .
Relatively more men t han women express opinions, but the ratio of support is about the same i n either group .
By occupations, by far the s trongest support for the merger (by 72% to
6%) is found among white c ollar per sons other than business owners or professionals.
This is the lar ges t s i ng le occupa tional group in the survey .
There is also
very strong support by t he o ther ma j or oc cupational group, including skilled, semiskilled and industrial worke r s .
I n thi s gr oup there is 58 percent support.
�4.
The least support is found among the group comprising elderly, retired,
widows, divorcees, et c., which largely overlaps the "over 60" group mentioned .
In
this group, which would have t he least interest in education, there is nevertheless
a ratio of about 3 to 1 favoring the merger .
A very high proportion are undecided
in this group, which may simp ly indicate lack of interest .
Only a very small number of business owners or professional people (or
their wives) were included in the interviews, and they may not be entirely typical •
•
At any rate, this group does not show as much support as would be expected, only
45 percent to 14 percent .
Since there is such a strong evidence of maximum support
by both top income and top educational groups, answers by this small group of "business owners and professional" would seem to be no cause for concern.
Conclusion
There is every reason for optimism about the merger carrying by a healthy
majority, although the present ratio of 55 percent to 8 percent is hardly realistic
for any election ,
Those undecided probably will tend to be negative if they bother
to vote, but there is nothing at this time to suggest any motivation for them to
even show up on election day .
A large and representative vote, especially in West and North Omaha, is
probably the best insurance of a favorable end result.
Present support for the merger is solidly based in terms of both geographic and demographic components, and it is based on sound reasons of finance
and civic progress .
The scattered opposition does not appear to have found a
rallying point on any one reason or slogan, nor any one population group that would
function as a cadre for carrying on an organized campaign .
�SURVEY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
NOTE:
All percentages are based on 401 respondents in Omaha sample, unless otherwise designated ,
Q. 1:
Are you a registere d voter ? *
Q. 2:
How long have you lived at this address?*
Q. 2a: (If less than 1 year on Q. 2)
Have you re-registered since you moved?*
*Replies to these questions were not tabulated, as they were asked solely to qualify
respondents. · All respondents are registered and qualified to vote December 12.
Q. 3:
There will be an election December 12 on merging Omaha University and the
University of Nebraska. Do you favor or oppose the merger?
Favor . merger
Oppose merger
55%
8
37
Undecided
Q. 3a: Why do you favo r the merger ?
Number favoring
(221)
Tax advantages
27%
Lower tuition or expense for
students
27
Financial improvement for
Omaha U
25
Academic improvements
25
Will aid growth of Omaha U
6
Efficient or economical
administration
5
Generally of benefi t to ci ty
4
Greater educational fa ci lities
in Omaha
1
Miscellaneous other reasons
1
Nonspec i fic
6
No reason
4
�6.
Q. 3a: Why do you oppose the merger ?
Number opposing
(33)
Fear of tax increase
30%
Status quo, sentimental type
reasons
30
Fear "Lincoln" administration
6
Miscellaneous other r easons
No reason
Q, 4:
18
16
There will be 5 other measures to vote on, dealing with the police and
firemen, parks, streets, and sewers o In general, do you favor these
or oppose them?
Police:
Favor
53%
Oppose
8
Undeci ded
39
Firemen:
Favor
Oppose
Unde cided
52%
9
39
Par ks :
Favor
41%
Oppose
12
Undecided
47
Streets:
Favor
42%
Oppose
11
Undecided
47
Sewers:
Favor
41%
Oppose
12
Undeci ded
47
�7.
Q. 5:
As of now would you say that you will definitely vote in the December 12
election, will definitely not vote, or that you aren't sure yet?
Definitely will vote
Definitely will not vote
Undecided
82%
2
16
�8.
Q. 3:
There will be an election December 12 on merging Omaha University and the
University of Nebraska , Do you favor or oppose the merger?
Number of
Respondents
Favor
Oppose
Undecided
(Percentages read across)
9
34
83%
3
72%
6
52%
41%
10
12
14
22
38
47
481
57%
35
106
276
64
57
123
82
122
61%
67%
60%
56%
45%
12
30
26
31
37
43
Men
228
71%
11
18
Women
253
45%
7
48
22
183
156
36
84
45%
14
72%
6
58%
44%
32%
10
12
11
41
22
32
44
57
North Omaha
176
55%
7
38
South Omaha
155
45%
10
45
West Omaha
150
73%
9
18
169
196
45
61
66%
58%
33%
41%
10
8
24
33
58
51
398
62%
9
29
83
34%
11
55
Survey Total
Income:
Well-to-do
Upper middle
Lower middle
Poor
Age:
21
30
40
50
60
to 29
to 39
to 49
to 59
and over
97
9
7
9
7
Occupation of Head of Household:
Business owners and professional
Other white collar workers
Skilled - industrial
Miscellaneous others
Retired and widows
Education:
College graduate and some college
High school graduate
Some high school
8th grade or less
Q, 5:
Will vote
Will not vote or undecided
9
9
..
�9.
Attitudes Toward the Omaha University and
The Unive r sity of Nebraska Merger
Q.3:
"There will be an ele ct ion De cember 12 on merging Omaha University and
the University of Neb raska. Do you favor or oppose the merger ?"
Q. 3a: "Why do you (f avor) (oppose) the merger?"
(4 81 total respondents)
275
FAVOR THE PROPOSED MERGER o
79
mention academi c imp rovementso
37
"The standards of the school wi l l be better - higher s cholastically,"
"Better education," "It will improve the school and credits," "It
should give us better education and make a bet t er s chool out of it,"
"I think it wi ll provide a better education and universally acc epted
credits," e tc •
.24
"They will offer more subjects, such as engineering," "More subjects
will be offered," "It will improve Omaha Univ ersity's academic standing - right now t hey offer no engineering," "They would probably be
able to offer more s ubjec ts," "I feel it will strengthen the academi c
structur e . The Univ ersity of Nebraska is stronger and offers more
courses than Omah a University and Omaha Un ive rsi t y students on campus
will have these courses too," etc .
18
"It would prob ably do for better education; pay the teachers more and
more courses of s tudy," "They will be able to retain good instructors,"
"So they can keep qualified teachers and attract more teachers," "Better teache rs," "Better utilization of professors - may be able to
trade them back and forth," et c.
79
refer to tax decrease : "It will make it less costly to the public should help out on our taxes," "It's supposed to cut the property tax
down," "Taxes would be cheape r ," "It could cut down on taxes here in
Omaha," "The taxes wouldn't be so high," "It will be . good - spreads
taxes throughout the state and not just the city of Omaha," "It will
be better for Omaha as far as taxes are concerned," etc.
65
refer to lower tui tion or less e xpense for students: "Tuition would be
lower and more students could afford t o attend college," "Lower tuition
rates," "St uden ts will benef it be cause of lower tuition," "By merging,
tuition would be less ," " It would cut down on tuition c osts," "I think
it will help the students e conomically," "Tui ti on will be cheaper," "It
will lower the cost per student," et c o
�10 .
64
mention finan ci a l advantages for Omaha University: "It will save Omaha
University f rom clos i n g - t hey wi l l get t ax money from the whole state,"
"Omaha Unive r s ity i s low on money s o it wil l help for the two to go together," "I t will i mprove Omaha Universi t y as fa r as money to work with,"
"I think they wi ll ge t be tte r finan ci al help by merging," "With the financial problems Omaha Univ e r s i ty has, maybe they wouldn't have the fi~
nancial problems if they merged," "We should save Omaha University and
this is the only way to do i t; they apparently don't have the resources
to expand withou t s tate ai d and if it doesn ' t expand, it will fold - the
city can't supp ort it ," "I t would be a financ ial he l p for Omaha University," e tc.
16
believe it will help Omaha Uni versity grow: "Omaha Univers i ty is very
overcrowded and i t wou ld help to correct this," "It will become larger
and more students c an attend," "I t would be come a larger college," "It's
the only answer t o t he growth of Omaha University - it c an't grow like
it stands now," " It wi ll res u l t in a .bigger school," "I t will make it a
larger school," et c.
15
mention mo r e e conomical or effic ient operations: "Easier to control as
one instead of t wo s choo l s - one group c an take' care of all the business
instead of havi ng two groups doi ng t he same work," "I think they will
have better manageme n t under t he Board of Regents," "I think they could
operate the two on l ess money t han by operating them separately," "More
economi c al," "It wi l l i mp r ove the efficiency of both schools," et c.
9
believe Omaha will bene f it general l y: "I t would be best for the community - a lo t of men work in Omaha whi l e a t tending s chool here," "It will
be good for the city - it will put us on the map and we ' ll be more recognized," "It's an i mpr ovement for the future of the city," "With a campus in Omaha it wi ll benefi t t he city," etc .
3
believe it will provi de i ncreased educational fa c ili t ies in Omaha: "I
think it will provide bet t er educ ation for our local s chools," "It will
make more educ ational oppo r tunities available for t his area," or "It
will expand our educ ation he r e in Omaha . "
5
give miscellaneou s r easons ,
2
"My husband at tend s t he University and believes it's the right thing"
or "My husband s aid i t wou l d be g ood for Omaha University so I will
go along with h i s dec is i ons . "
1
"I'm fo r pub lic educ at i on and anything to improve it , "
1
"It wou l d b e an adv antage to the Omaha students , "
1
"Omaha s tuden t s could a t tend a state uni versity . "
�11.
17
10
43
are nonspecific: "It's a valuable college that the state should have,"
"I just think it would be better all the way around," "I just think it
would be a good idea," "Mainly because I went there and feel it would
be best," "Be c ause Omaha Uni ve r sity favors it," etc ,
can give no reason fo r f avoring the merger: "I don't know," "No reason
right now," "I don' t know - I don't know enough about it yet," etc,
OPPOSE THE MERGER ,
13
refer to taxes or be l i eve taxes will be increased: "For tax reasons
mostly, I guess , I t seems to me a larger university will raise taxes,"
"I'd oppose it because there would be more taxes," "We've spent our local
money here and I think we should keep it here - it will just cost us more
tax money," "I th ink i t will mean the taxes go up again," "I just think
it's another way t o get our taxes," "I have a feeling it would make the
taxes go up," "I think t he merger would cause our taxes to be raised
again," etc ,
13
give sentimental. stubborn, or status guo types of reasons ,
6
5
"I think they are O. K, the way they are now," "I think it's all r i ght .
the way it is now - my son gr adua t ed from Omaha University and I like
it the way it is," "I would rather see Omaha University stay independent. I've been here since 1931 and they have turned out some good
scholars," etc.
1
"I am a graduate of Omaha and I guess for sentimental reasons I would
rather Omaha keep it for their own . "
1
2
"I would rather see Omaha keep its own uni versity - there are so few
municipal ly suppor t ed universities , I think it's a good school,"
"Omaha University was fo unded by Omaha and should remain the property
of the city," "Taxpayers paid for Omaha University and therefore it
should belong to the city," e t c .
"The school is for Omaha childr en . "
oppose dictation from Lincoln ,
1
"Basically, be c ause Omaha University will not get the money f r om the
legislature . The budget c ommittee has ten out of state and two city
members , "
1
"I feel it might be run by people in Lincoln and Omaha won't have
anything to say about i t, "
�12 .
8
give miscellaneous other reasons .
1
1
"I don't believe in helping educate other people's kids . "
1
"I just believe you get less done in grouping things together . "
1
"I don't have any use for the young people these days. They want
everything for nothing and this would be helping them too much . "
1
"They tell me we wil l l ose Elmwood Park, and we need parks and that
is a n i c e par k and I c an 't s ee losing it . "
1
"I think I will go along with the majority and I feel the majority
opposes it . "
1
"I doubt if the r e wi ll be a t ax decrease . Also, I wonder if the
quality of teaching will be as high in Omaha if there is a merger."
1
7
"I just don' t see a purpose for this at all; I'm in favor of small
colleges . "
"We live in Di strict 66 and have no voice in Omaha University." (si c )
can give no reason fo r opposing the merger .
5
2
163
"I don't know," "I have no reason at all," "No reason - I just oppose
it," etc .
"I won't answer that" or "It's none of your business . "
ARE UNDECIDED ON THE MERGER.
�
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Title
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Survey of Omaha voters: merger of Omaha University and Nebraska University, November 25 through 27, 1967
Subject
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NU-OU Merger
Description
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Public opinion survey of Omaha voters regarding the merger of the Municipal University of Omaha with the University of Nebraska. The survey was conducted by Central Surveys, Inc., of Shenandoah, Iowa, November 25-27, 1967, and includes detailed information, such as reasons for favoring or opposing the merger and levels of public support by income level, age, sex, occupation, and education. Selected comments by survey respondents are reprinted verbatim.
Creator
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University of Nebraska at Omaha
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University Archives File Cabinet Collection (University of Nebraska at Omaha Records), UNIVERSITY HISTORY--Merger--Election Information
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Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska at Omaha Libraries
Date
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1967
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PDF
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English
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records (documents)
text
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UNO0005_Survey_Omaha
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<p>University Archives File Cabinet Collection (University of Nebraska at Omaha Records) finding aid available at <a href="https://archives.nebraska.edu/repositories/4/resources/200" title="Finding Aid: University Archives File Cabinet Collection (University of Nebraska at Omaha Records)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://archives.nebraska.edu/repositories/4/resources/200</a></p>
NU-OU Merger
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records (documents)
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University of Nebraska at Omaha