OPINION
Coming Wednesday, November 14...
or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the night of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances
Editorial: Ticket pick-up for the KU vs. Missouri football game and men's basketball turns into a circus.
Musellman: A YouTube persona inspires a wide audience.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13. 2007
PAGE 5A
EDITORIAL BOARD
Mrs. E's vandalism handled appropriately, calmly
Two recent cases have challenged how the KU Public Safety Office responds to both shooting and destruction of campus property claims
Within the past two months, Lewis Hall and the adjoinig Ekdahl Dining Commons, known as Mrs. E's, were the victims of two separate acts of vandalism. Both incidents involved gunfire. While these occurrences could easily have caused the University to devolve into a state of panic, both KU Housing and the Public Safety Office should be commended for a level-headed response.
The first incident occurred over Fall Break, between 5:30 p.m. Oct.13 and 10:50 a.m.
Oct. 14, according to a University news release. A person, who remains unknown, discharged fire into three windows, two on the east side of Mrs. E's, and one on the west side third floor lobby window of Lewis Hall. The second happened between 9:30 p.m. Nov. 3 and 11:30 a.m. Nov. 4. This time, a rear window of Mrs. E's was shot.
Neither of these acts occurred when people would have been present, but the use of a firearm in both cases warrants immediate action on the part of the KU Office of Public Safety. The KU
Crime Stoppers Board pre-designated a reward of $1,000 to anyone who could provide information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible. KU Housing also sent an e-mail to students living in University housing, reassuring them that safety was their highest concern.
said in the e-mail.
"Your safety is a top priority at KU. Please know that KU police are investigating these incidents to the fullest, including examining video from cameras in the area." Diana Robertson, Director of Student Housing,
It is appalling that anyone would damage University property, and even more disturbing that they would use a gun to do so. It not only shows a lack of respect for the University, but a complete disregard for the safety of other people. Firearms are completely banned on the University campus, and everyone is told to call 911 immediately if they see a weapon. The use of a deadly weapon worsens the already vile nature of the vandalism.
Following recent violence at Virginia Tech and Delaware State, paranoidia could have taken hold here and caused hysteria and a lock-down. Housing and KU Crime Stoppers are doing exactly what they should: reassuring housing residents and their families, and utilizing resources in order to identify those responsible. The vandalism that occurred at Lewis Hall and Mrs. E's was just that, vandalism. If every incident of damage to University property were treated like a campus attack, a 'cry wolf' syndrome could easily set in. It's important for the
University to properly differentiate what constitutes a clear and present danger, and what is vandalism. Up to this point, the University gets top marks for maintaining a level of civility.
It is hoped that someone will step up and supply KU Crime Stoppers with the information it needs to make an arrest. The person or people responsible for this have no business on KU's campus, and their arrest is imperative.
DRAWING BOARD
FREE FOR ALL: 864-0500 OR KANSAN.COM/FACEBOOK
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
MAX RINKEL
To the cute girl at The Underground who's always at the far-right register: You make my day.
You know who else hated smoking, don't you? Hitler. I'm not saying anything, just, interesting.
I'm out of green, and it makes me sad.
That girl is so evil, instead of a vagina she has a sarlacc.
Free for All, you are my best friend.
It's official. My roommate's boyfriend is the most awkward human being ever.
I wish everyone would quit bitching about White Owl.
My cat just licked my lip, and I don't know if that's gross or cute.
Wichita is like the Mordor of Spangles.
To the loser of the twenty gigabyte iPod with 2,000 songs under the jazz genre: Thank you for changing my life.
A beer bong is the solitaire of drinking games.
Free for All, if somebody doesn't call in and say that I made their day by falling down Marvin's steps, then it was all for nothing.
I think White Owl lives in a car outside my house.
White Owl is just a figure of our imagination.
While I'm passing you is not the time to speed up. jackass.
We need a Jayhawk on the fifty- yard-line as big as the one in the Fieldhouse.
I just called a Praise-A-Thon and prayed for a win for the Kansas Jayhawks.
The Jayhawk should be of ridiculous size. Ridiculous.
108 years. Best team in 108 years.
I used to have respect for old people, and then I met White Owl.
When the cops came, I hid in the
Big Jay grabbed my boob.
drier
than marry me.
My boyfriend who I've been on-and-off with for the past year and a half just told me that he'd rather die
Nunununununununununununu
nunununu Batman!
I have been waiting for that Flea Flicker all year long.
Todd Reesing, I've got a man-crush on you!
You know, I wish my parents had Facebook. That way, it could tell me when their birthday is.
That's it. Mangino sold his soul to the devil. This is crazy!
TUESDAY MORNING
Class size not solo factor in student learning
Active and animated professors are most important in leading class of five or 500
As an incentive for potential students, many colleges advertise that their college offers the advantage of smaller class sizes. Supposedly smaller class sizes benefit students by offering advantages such as more individualized attention, less distractions and increased success. But when it comes to learning, does class size really matter?
According to Tennessee's Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) project, a large-scale, four-year, experimental study of reduced class size, students enrolled in smaller classes as youngsters were more likely
to graduate on time,
complete more advanced math and English courses,
complete high school and graduate with honors.
This makes sense. After
all, it's easier for teachers to get to know and control younger students within smaller classes. Yet, while smaller classes may be beneficial to young students, in college classes size is less important.
By this point in our education, two factors really matter when it comes to learning: Teaching quality and student effort.
Whether I'm in Budig 120 or the smallest classroom in Wescoe, what holds my attention is an interesting teacher. Obviously some classes should be smaller, such as foreign language classes where participation is a key part to learning. Yet, in other smaller classes I always find it amusing when teachers attempt to "make us equals" by arranging all the desks in a circle to supposedly make students more at ease and promote participation. Personally though, I'd rather not be equals with my teacher. If I was an equal to the teacher then what would be the point in taking the class? I'd already know everything about the subject.
You can arrange the classroom in every shape known to man—square, star, octagon—and it won't affect my learning as much as an animated professor completely ecstatic over his or her subject. Whether a class contains 20 students or 500 with the desks arranged in the shape of a sunflower and the teacher lecturing on the ceiling, what matters is the quality of the teaching.
At the same time though, there could be a class size of two with an amazing teacher and students could still fail if they don't put in the effort. It can be harder
to pay attention when you're in a larger lecture hall. Especially if you're sitting in the last row of Budig with Facebook pulled up on your laptop while doing the Sudoku. It may be easier to pay attention when the teacher is right up in your face calling your name, but at this point in our education, we should have enough control over ourselves to put in effort in our classes, regardless of the size.
As much as some of us would like to dismiss our grades as a result of too large a class, the grades printed on your transcript reflect the quality of the teacher and your effort as a student.
Hudson is a Wichita sophomore in journalism and business.
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Erick R. Schmidt, editor
864-4810 or eschmidt@kansan.com
Eric Jorgensen, managing editor
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Katie Abrahamson, sales manager
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Malcolm Gibson, general manager, news adviser
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864-7866 or jschitt@kansan.com
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The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length, or reject all submissions.
For any questions, call Kelsey Hayes or Bryan Dykman at 864-4810 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com.
to the editor at editor@kansan.com,
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The Editorial Board
Erick R, Schmidt, Eric Jorgensen, Darla Slipke, Kelsey Hayes, Bryan Dykman, Brandon T. Minister, Angelique McNaughton and Benjamin R. Smith
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