A University of Nebraska-Lincoln student Friday directly confronted Regent David Hergert with allegations of cheating and called upon him to resign.

“Students have a lot of questions for you, Mr. Hergert,” said Matt Schaefer of Columbus, a member of the UNL Student Senate. “First of all, we want to know why you cheated.”

Hergert, under fire for campaign finance violations for which he has been fined, sat silently as Schaefer addressed him during the public comment portion at a monthly Board of Regents meeting.

“We want to know why you are still on the board,” Schaefer said.

Students believe he should be held to the same standards on cheating applied to them, Schaefer told Hergert. The UNL junior authored the resolution unanimously approved by the Student Senate last month calling for Hergert’s resignation.

His election was unfairly won, Schaefer told Hergert, and represents “a stain on our democracy, an embarrassment to the state and a disgrace to our university.”

Hergert, who lives in Mitchell, won a western Nebraska seat on the board last November. During a recess in the meeting, he told members of the press he has no intention of resigning.

“I have extremely strong support from the constituents,” he said.

After acknowledging a series of campaign finance violations last year, Hergert agreed to pay $33,512 in fines assessed by the state Accountability and Disclosure Commission.

A special legislative committee is investigating the possibility of proposing censure or impeachment.

Roger Holmes, a board member of Common Cause Nebraska, also addressed the regents, asking Hergert to resign and requesting the board to censure him if he did not.

Hergert, he said, has “forfeited the trust of the state’s citizens and the university community.”

During a lengthy meeting, the Board Regents approved three new academic programs at UNL.

A new major in hospitality, restaurant and tourism management was created.

A new bachelor of science degree in landscape architecture was approved and a bachelor of science degree in construction engineering was added to the College of Engineering and Technology.

University President J. B. Milliken told regents he is heartened by a 6 percent increase in first-time freshman students at the institution’s campuses.

“It’s a great trend,” he said, and it is matched by evidence of rising academic skills.

Milliken’s annual salary was increased from $270,000 to $280,800.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.