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MUNICIPALITY NAME
KS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA, KS 66612
VOL.104.NO.103
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
ADVERTISING:864-4358
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 21, 1995
(USPS 650-640)
NEWS:864-4810
Dismissal notice can arrive late
By Matt Hood Kansan staff writer
It's the beginning of the spring semester. Joe Student has moved back into his residence hall, bought books and figured out where all his classes are—only to find out that he's been dismissed from the University of Kansas.
Administrators won't say how often it happens. But because of time constraints between the fall and spring semesters, students often do not receive letters of dismissal before paying tuition and returning to campus.
Thomas Mulinazzi, associate dean of engineering and chairman of the University calendar committee, said it was difficult to compile grades, identify students who are academically ineligible and send them letters before the semester starts.
But Mulinazzi recognizes that such explanations may not
question of being ethical. If the problem happens to one student, it's one too many."
Thomas Mullnazzi chairman of University calendar committee
"I don't think it's fair," he said.
satisfy. students who have just hauled a car-load of personal possessions halfway across the state.
"I don't think it's fair," he said.
The problem created by lack of time between semesters is exacerbated by computer problems and professors who fail to get grades in on time, Mulinazzi said. He said every school had similar problems.
Lois Clark, assistant dean of architecture, agreed that time constraints between the fall and spring semesters made for dismissal dilemmas.
"The turnaround time between fall and spring is a problem," she said.
Clark said that the School of Architecture only dismissed students after the spring semester to avoid the time crunch between semesters.
Clark has served on a committee that petitioned to extend the time between semesters. "I feel very strongly that we should have an extra week."
Pam Houston, director of the undergraduate center of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said the college had few problems with late dismissal letters.
The college has a computer program that quickly analyzes student grades to find out which students are academically ineligible for the spring semester.
This semester the system worked too quickly, and 325 students were incorrectly sent letters of dismissal. Houston said the tight time table between semesters forced the college to send letters before the computer's information was cross-checked with ARTs forms.
Houston said there are usually 300 to 400 students dismissed from the college each semester, but few return to school before learning of their dismissal.
Brenda Selman, assistant registrar, said students who paid tuition before receiving dismissal letters would receive a full refund. The money can also be credited to the student's financial aid account.
But to Mulinazzi, it doesn't matter how much money is involved or how many students are affected.
"It's not a question of money," he said. "It's a question of being ethical. If the problem happens to one student, it's one too many."
University wants its position known
Memo sent to discourage GTA union
By Virginia Margneu
Kansan staff writer
An administrative memo warning of the dangers of graduate teaching assistant unionization sent to all GTAs on Friday may push the limits of legality, said Dan Murtaugh, a GTA and leader of the union movement.
The memo, which was written by David Shulenburger, vice chancellor for academic affairs and Andrew Debicki, vice chancellor for research, graduate studies and public service, warns that a union may not be well received by the Republican-dominated Kansas Legislature and would harm collegiality at the University.
The memo also pointed out that a faculty union at Pittsburg State University has not resulted in additional benefits.
"There is no reason to believe that a union could expect a better result and many reasons to believe that a union would have a negative impact on overall conditions," the memo said.
But Murtaugh did not appreciate the warning.
It is a violation of the Public Employer Employee Relations Act to discourage GTAs from forming an employee organization.
"It is condescending." Murtaugh said. "It is borderline unfair labor practices."
On April 17, GTAs will vote on whetherto affiliate with a union for collective bargaining purposes.
Debicki said the University was not
wrong to send the memo because it was intended to make the University's position clear.
"Everybody is entitled to an opinion and so is the University," Debicki said.
"Those things are just plain out-and-out misstatements, at best," he said.
But, Murtaugh said, the University's opinion misrepresented the issues.
Murtaugh said that the administration was incorrectly portraying unions as a looming threat that would rob GTAs of their independence.
"Union representatives — not you, not your mentors, not your department chair
— would speak for you, the memo said. "If a majority of those voting choose KAPE (Kansas Association of Public Employees) representation, you will lose the right to speak for yourself, and KAPE will have the exclusive right to speak for you in GTA employment-related matters."
But the union that GTAs would affiliate
with, the Kansas Association of Public Employees and American Federation of Teachers, is known for localizing control and allowing GTAs to participate in the bargaining process. Murtaugh said.
Murtaugh also complained that campus mail was used to send out the memos, which he said was unfair because GTAs cannot use campus mail for their campaign.
But, Debicki said, the use of campus mail was justified because the memo stated the University's position on an administrative issue.
Topping poll isn't always tops
Scott Stone, the GTAs' attorney, said he would file a complaint with the Public Employees Relations Board if he determined the memo to be a violation of the Public Employer Employee Relations Act.
By Gerry Fey
Kansan sports editor
The No.1 crown once again is hovering above the Kansas men's basketball team. The Jayhawks were named the nation's best team by the Associated Press yesterday
However, the No. 1 spot is more a crown of thorns than of gold.
ANALYSIS
Maybe Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams knows something everyone else doesn't. The book on Williams and the No. 1 position is simple—he doesn't like it. He doesn't like being rated No. 1 and never has.
But whether he likes it, Kansas took its No. I ranking into Norman, Oklaw, to play the Oklahoma Sooners last night. The Sooners defeated the Jayhawks 76-73. One can understand Williams' frustration and worry about taking over the tainted crown.
This season's track record of the nation's best teams is poor. So far, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Connecticut and Arkansas have faltered no more than three weeks after they were handed the No. 1 curse.
In fact, that is how the Jayhawks came into the position. Last week's poll had Connecticut and North Carolina ahead of Kansas. Not only did the Huskies lose for only the second time this season, but the Tar Heels were upset by Virginia in the same week.
If that wasn't enough, the Jayhawks' string of losses as the nation's No. I team could really have Williams grabbing for the Maalox.
In 1993, Long Beach State dominated Kansas 64-49 the very week the Jayhawks took over as No. 1. And no one will forget when Kansas State slipped by Kansas 68-64 the day the Jayhawks took their first turn atop the rankings last season.
Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun says he would rather be ranked No. 1 than No. 200. If Williams had his way there wouldn't be such a thing as AP rankings. Kansas knows better.
No.1 crown has been a cross for Jayhawks to bear
Keep the thorned crown in the East. It feels much better there.
Carrying the curse
The top 10 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Feb. 19, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
Paul Kotz/
KANSAN
| | Record | Pts | Prv |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1. Kansas (54) | 20-3 | 1,637 | 3 |
| 2. UCLA (12) | 18-2 | 1,546 | 6 |
| 3. North Carolina | 20-3 | 1,481 | 2 |
| 4. Connecticut | 20-2 | 1,438 | 1 |
| 5. Massachusetts | 20-3 | 1,347 | 5 |
| 6. Kentucky | 18-4 | 1,319 | 4 |
| 7. Maryland | 20-5 | 1,219 | 7 |
| 8. Arkansas | 21-5 | 1,181 | 10 |
| 9. Villanova | 19-5 | 1,155 | 15 |
| 10. Wake Forest | 17-5 | 1,009 | 14 |
Oklahoma forward Ernie Aborcombbie and Kansas guard Jacque Vaughn get tangled up going for the ball. Oklahoma defeated Kansas last night 76-73 in Norman, Okla.
SEE PAGE 1B
Source: The Associated Press
KANBAN
Page1B
Stamping money translates to 'higher' learning
Kansas freshman center Koya Scott hasn't seen a lot of playing time this season, but she is a big factor in the success of the Kansas women's basketball team.
By Paul Todd
Kansan staff writer
NORML advocates artwork on currency
When Kerri Bell plopped her dollar bill with the words "I grew hemp" stamped on it on the counter at a convenience store, the clerk just stared at her.
Since the convenience store incident, Bell, a Lawrence resident, has received several other bills stamped with the presidential drug confession when she has cashed a check or taken a payment at work in the Riverfront Plaza.
"When you use one, people think you are growing pot in your back yard," Bell said.
At first, Bell thought it was funny, but then she thought it was weird.
No, Bell was not high.
Members of the KU and Lawrence chapters of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws have been stamping the words "I grew hemp" on one, two and 100 dollar bills.
The stamp is a bubble with an arrow pointing to the central figure's mouth.
"It's a symbolic, futile gesture," said Mark Creamer, a member of Lawrence NORMAL. "But if we add enough of them together, we might win."
Creamer said NORML members had been stamping about 200 bills a month to protest laws against marijuana. They assert that marjuana is an industrial, recreational and medicinal product.
"There's a war on drugs," Creamer said.
"What we want to do is get marijuana pulled off the bad-guy list. We feel marijuana is less harmful than alcohol."
Creamer said stamping the dollar bills was an easy way to get people to pay attention to marijuana issues.
"If we had money, we would have TV ads, but we don't," he said. "So it's real cheap for us to pass dollar bills with the stamp on them."
Creamer said the first U.S. president gave NORMI the idea to advertise its affinity for marijuana.
"There's a quote in George Washington's diary that says, 'Make the most of hemp seeds, sow it everywhere,'" Creamer said. "That's where the idea came from."
But bank employees are not happy
Creamer said Ben Franklin made hemp paper for public sale, and Jefferson grew weed on his Virginia estate.
NORML chapters also stamp two-dollar bills which picture Thomas Jefferson. One hundred-dollar bills, which picture Benjamin Franklin, also are stamped.
But George and Martha Washington were not the only patriots to grow the noxious weed, Creamer said.
about the effects of Ben Franklin confessing his now illegal crop selections on 100-dollar bills.
Creamer said bank employees didn't like it when 100-dollar bills were stamped because less of them were in circulation, and the bills were harder to destroy.
Destroying money is illegal, but NORML members said the stamp did not render the currency useless.
According to federal laws, cutting, defacing, disfiguring and mutilating money with the intent to make the bills un-exchangeable is illegal. But NORML members said they wanted the bills to circulate.
Creamer said the bills with the stamp were still usable, but they were cash with a message.
"Its sort of like a 'get used to it' kind of thing," he said. "If people start getting a dollar bill with a stamp on it once a week, they can't ignore it."
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