4A
Monday, February 6, 1995
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VIEWPOINT
THE ISSUE: FINANCIAL AID CUTS
Budget cuts can hurt students
Any attempt by Congress to sacrifice student financial aid in order to balance the federal budget is sophomoric.
In the massive wave currently rolling through the United States of trying to trim the budget, it appears that college students may be consumed by the wake. Rep. John Kasich, R-Ohio and chairman of the House Budget Committee, conducted town meetings in January to discuss the possibility of decreasing subsidies on federal loans.
Without such loans, many students may not be able to obtain an education. Governmental assistance in financial aid has played a major role in allowing needy students to go to college. However, in the face of the proposed balanced budget amendment, the government may be withdrawing this assistance.
The government pays the interest that accumulates for federally subsidized loans while the student is in school. Decreasing the subsidy on these loans could cost students who have such loans an average of
The budget-cutting wave currently rolling through Congress may eventually crash over college students.
$2,200 and extend repayment by an estimated three years. Faced with this prospect, many universities can expect a decrease in enrollment.
Subsidized loans, such as Stafford Loans, are need-based loans. These loans allow a great number of people the opportunity to go to college. At KU there are 8,260 students with Stafford Loans. That is roughly one-third of the total enrollment.
Members of Congress are in a budget-cutting frame-of-mind, and it is selfish to think that most government programs are not susceptible to cuts in some form; the 'not in my backyard' argument compromises government effectiveness. However, eliminating programs completely, especially programs that have been proven fundamental to realizing the American Dream, is contradictory to the central role of our government.
TIM MUIR FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
THE ISSUE: DECLINE OF THE PESO
U.S. aid to Mexico necessary
President Clinton acted quickly and decisively last week, averting a possible international financial crisis with an aid package to Mexico.
Not only did Clinton save U.S. jobs that are directly connected to the Mexican economy, he avoided the potential disaster that another collapse of the peso could have caused.
Clinton put into action a $48 billion aid package mostly consisting of loan guarantees. And despite assertions to the contrary, Clinton's plan is not a bailout of a foreign country or an effort to salvage Wall Street financial interests.
Times of isolation are over. A crippled Mexico would hurt the U.S.businesses that depend on its economy and may aggravate the current immigration problem.
In a world that is becoming more connected every day, countries must give up part of their national sovereignty to form stronger trading blocks with their neighbors and to compete globally.
Clinton saved U.S. jobs and averted a potential international financial crisis with his $48 billion aid package.
Besides, the United States was not the only country to share the burden of the Mexican recovery plan. Out of the $48 billion aid package, $20 billion came from the U.S. Exchange Stabilization Fund. The rest was provided by the International Monetary Fund ($17.8 billion) and the European-based Bank of International Settlements ($10 billion).
Finally, at a time when the Democrats were divided on the issue and the Republicans remained hesitant, Clinton showed the leadership that the country needed by exercising his authority.
The hope is that this $48 billion aid package will be the only one needed and will discourage Wall Street vultures from taking advantage of another collapse of the Mexican currency.
HENRI BLANC FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
KANSAN STAFF
STEPHEN MARTINO
STEPHEN MARTINO
Editor
DENISE NEIL
Managing editor
TOM EBLEN
General manager, news adviser
Editors
JENNIFER PERRIER
Business manager
MARK MASTRO
Retail sales manager
CATHERINE ELLSWORTH
Technology coordinator
News...Cantos Tejada
Planning...Mark Martin
Editorial...Matt Gowen
Associate Editorial...Heather Lawrence
Campus...David Wilson
College...Colleen McCain
Sports...Gerry Fey
Associate Sports...Ashley Miller
Photo...Jarrett Lane
Features...Nathan Olson
Design...Brian James
Freelance...Susan White
Jack Weir / SPECIAL TO THE KANSAN
Business Staff
Campus mgr ... Beth Poth
Regional mgr ... Chris Branaman
National mgr ... Shelly Falevits
Coop mgr ... Kelly Connelys
Special Sectiona mgr ... Brigg Bloomquist
Production mgrs ... Ji Cook
Kim Hyman
Marketing director ... Mindy Blum
Promotions director .. Justin Folosone
Creative director .. Dan Gler
Classified mgr ... Lisa Kuleth
Come out, come out Hillary the country needs you now
Has anybody seen Hillary Clinton later?
After admitting her mistakes with health care, the first lady has been staying out of sight. She made appearances to talk about Clinton Christmas traditions, being a mom and what it was like to date Bill back at Yale. But the Hillary we all know as a take charge career woman, took her approval rating seriously and headed for the presidential high country.
I've looked for her on television and in the pages of my newspapers and magazines, but no Hillary.
Where are you Hillary? We need more women like you!
For some of us, it was so refreshing to see a first lady who engaged in more than feel-good feminine issues that often resemble philanthropic work fit for a high-society, white-gloved silver-haired woman.
Don't get me wrong, I applaud Nancy Reagan for her "Just Say No" campaign and Barbara Bush's war on illiteracy. Both were noble causes that needed the weight of a first lady behind them, but they aren't in the same league as Hillary Clinton's work on health care.
Drug campaigns and illiteracy are safe issues. Who's for drug pushers and illiteracy? No one who wants to be reelected.
But taking on our nation's health care quamire, if nothing else, took
STAFF COLUMNIST
guts.
Sure Hillary could have stuck with a safe theme, like saving home and hearth, but perhaps she knew how important reinventing health care is for our country.
But now Hillary seems to be hiding out, or is she? It looks as though Hillary
may be making a comeback. Several leading political magazines refer to the Hillary Clinton makeover. Like Bill Clinton's attempts to reinvent his image by taking great pains to look "presidential," Hillary will be searching for ways to look like a first lady instead of a presidential staffer.
Be careful Hillary.
Hillary's role in her husband's administration has redefined the role of the first lady.
That is an accomplishment, not a liability.
Instead, the first lady has the freedom to dive in and participate in Washington politics. After all, it wasn't a problem for Bobby Kennedy when his brother was president.
When Sen. Bob Dole last ran for president, some political pundits suggested that a man with such a capable and strong-willed wife, like Elizabeth Dole, could never be president.
The Clinton duo proved them wrong.
The Jan. 30 issue of U.S. News and World Report said that the first lady was easing back into the public eye, planning to take up her fight for true health-care reform and crusading for awareness about breast cancer.
It is no longer necessary for the first lady to look like the dutiful wife, pursuing her own charity causes and hosting White House teas.
As Hillary strives to reinvent herself, she shouldn't forsake her assets by harkening back to a more traditional first lady's role.
As Hillary eases back into the limelight she would be wise, not to back off, but to appear more diplomatic to the general public. Rumors of a take charge bossy personality, while perhaps not fair, have hurt both of the Clintons. At the same time, she shouldn't lose her image as a savvy business woman.
Go Hillarv!
In a country where the professional woman is now the norm, not the feminist ideal, we need a professional first lady.
Heather Kirkwood is a Wichita Junior in magazine journalism.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"I DON'T NOTICE ANY GUYS WHO TAKE BOOKS WITH THEM, UNLESS THEY HAVE A PAPER DUE. THEY TRY TO LEAVE THAT BEHIND AND FOCUS ON THE GAME."
—Kansas junior punter Darrin Simmons on the football team's relatively low GPA for fall semester.
"YOU KNOW YOU HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK IF YOU CAN FEEL YOUR PULSE IN YOUR HEAD."
—Charles Yockey, chief of staff at Watkins Memorial Health Center, on the factors determining the intensity of a hangover.
—John Poggio, associate dean of the School of Education, on the lack of space at Bailey Hall.
"RIGHT NOW IT WOULD BE EASIER TO GET $1,000 THAN IT WOULD BE TO GET 90 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE."
Eddie Gunter, Kansas City, Kan.. junior, on the importance of Stafford Loans.
"I WOULDN'T BE AT KU IF I DIDN'T HAVE IT."
compiled from Kansan staff reports the week of Jan. 30
Higher learning should include more than just 'cogs' training
The idea has crept into some students' minds that the University should be geared toward the very narrow pursuit of a major. Many students would rather forego seemingly "unimportant" electives and non-major-related requirements previously thought by academia to broaden
STAFF COLUMNIST
one's outlook, sharpen one's mind and make one into a thinking, reasoning human being.
The fact that university education
This narrowing of the goal of higher education seems to be a transformation into nothing more than cogs in a machine.
is becoming increasingly expensive requires the student to get in and out, spending as little money as possible and without wasting time with the messy idea that holds the broadening of the mind in high esteem.
I don't mean to get bogged down in semantics, but wouldn't this narrowing of higher education do away with the universal aspect of the university education, to say nothing of the liberating aspect of the liberal arts? It would make the university little more than a very expensive job training program. Is the university going to be nothing more than a glorified votech? I mean, whatever happened to the Renaissance man? Is he strictly a creature of the past? Whatever happened to the 'unexamined life not worth living,' or learning for the sheer joy of knowing something new, rather than seeing college as just another way to get a bigger paycheck in the future or make oneself more marketable to prospective employers?
And what of those classes that don't seem to be related to one's major but may, in fact, be related? God forbid that you should learn something other than what might be on the test, or say, learn something in a math or history class that you could apply to a political science class!
Remember, you have a universe to choose from.
To think that you might actually come to appreciate art, architecture, science, literature, philosophy, history and mathematics and foster that appreciation throughout your life to better understand and enjoy the world around you! Why, it boggles the mind! I guess Aldous Huxley was right when he said that an intellectual is someone who "has learned to appreciate something other than sex."
Michael Paul is a Lawrence graduate student in political science.
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By Jack Ohman