THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
Vol.86 No.165
The University of Kansas—Lawrence, Kansas
Tuesday, July 20, 1976
O little town of Montreal
See page 4
Viking touches down begins Mars survey
PASADENA, Calif. (AP)—The unmanned Viking 1 landcraft cast off from its mother ship this morning and fell on its own through the atmosphere to a soft landing on Mars—and man's first search for life on the red planet's surface.
Final commands radioed to the spacecraft just before midnight triggered an automatic sequence of events ending with a collision at 8 a.m. on the landing site, called Chrysler.
The lander's fate wasn't known for at least 19 minutes after touchdown because of the time it takes radio signals to reach Earth. 230 million miles away.
BY COINCIDENCE, the landing occurred on the seventh anniversary of his first staff member's graduation.
Within seconds of landing, the camera atop the squat, three-legged craft began snapping photographs of the surface. They covered the photographs of Mars taken on ground level.
One scientist said it might look much like an area of the Arizona desert that surrounds Mount Rainbow.
Scientists expect to see a barren, sandy plain with meteorite craters scattered here and there and volcanic ridges winding across the plain.
Eight days after landing, a telescoping claw attached to the 1,300-pound lander is to reach out and scoop a handful of Martian soil, then dump it into miniaturized biochemical laboratories to be analyzed tor signs of life.
Linda Thompson, 25, was appointed new assistant director of admissions by Gilbert Dyck, dean of admissions and records, yesterday.
In addition, Thompson spent one year as an editor for the Institute for Social and Environmental Studies. She holds a B.A. in education and secondary education and an M.A. in counseling.
"I am really excited about the job and really wanted it pretty badly. It should be interesting and challenging, but I have a lot to learn." Thompson said.
Thompson, a native of Winfield, has two years of experience at the University in the staff benefits office, two years as a research faculty member, and three years was a graduate assistant to Phil Rankin, the University of Kansas personnel director. She also has two years experience developing teaching modules in a grant supporting the Gary Clark, professor of special education.
Dyck said the job entailed a substantial amount of travel, preparation and presentation of information about the University to prospective students, parents and alumni in individual and group settings. The job also involves educational counselling, guidance, and mentoring of parents and general administrative assignments within the office, he said.
The appointment of graduate assistants to the Dean of Men has also been completed. Kip Grasshorsen joined William Lona and Bob O'Reilly. Lona and Rozelle began July 1.
Dyck appoints asst. director for admissions
"Grosshans will concentrate on housing, Lona on minority students and housing and Rozelle on scholarship halls," Fred McElhenne, associate dean of men, said.
A graduate assistant is also to be named by the dean of women soon. Mumbi, assisting her, should
MOST scientists think Mars is too dry and barren to support life.
But, as it orbited the planet once a day for a month to scout possible landing sites, the Viking orbit photographed many features of ancient streambeds carried by water.
If water once flowed, living organism may have thrived, some think, and the sophisticated Viking detectors should be able to spot signs of them.
Viking 1, the first of two unmanned American spacecraft scheduled to land on Mars this summer, was launched last August 20. It arrived near Mars and went into orbit around the planet—which is about half the size of earth—a month ago.
A planned July 4 landing was called off when scientists studying pictures taken from orb found the terrain much more rugged than they had expected, threatening to damage or topple the delicate craft. A waiting date was put on for similar reasons.
EVERY MOVE of Viking's descent to the surface was controlled by a computer aboard the craft. Because of the distance and 19-minute time-lag—each way for commands from earth would have arrived far too late to react to emergencies.
The landing sequence began with the separation of the lander from the orbiting mother ship about 3½ hours before the planned touchdown. The lander entered the water about 10,000 miles per hour, then was slowed by a parachute and braking rockets.
During the first part of its trip through the thin atmosphere, the lander was covered by a streamlined, saucer-like shell and carried through the air like a wingless glider.
When it was 20,000 feet up, the shell popped off and the 50-foot parachute blossomed. Less than a minute later, the downward motion added the bluests to help slow the craft.
Research director
Besides his duties as a professor of pharmaceutical chemistry, Takuro Higuchi is the director of McColm Research Institute.
corporation that owns over 40 U.S. patents and more than 30 foreign patents for research in anti-malaria agents, contraceptives and improvements in health-related drugs. See story on page 2.
Ford defends pardon, says he would do again
"I think the American people will make the decision, whether it will be an issue," Forst.
"We could not be involved in the Nixon matter and concentrate fully on the more important matters." Ford said. "I decided in the national interest, I would do it again."
WASHINGTON (AP)—President Ford said yesterday his pardon of Richard M. Nixon served the national interest and "I will give you a clear, no matter what the Democrats say.
The AFL-CIO executive council cited the pardon yesterday among the reasons for labor's endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee Jimmy Carter.
Democrats, including vice presidential nominee Walter F. Mondale, have raised the pardon and the memory of Watergate scandals, as a campaign talking point.
At the same time, Ford announced he has sent Congress legislation "which would further advance our efforts to restore public trust in the federal government," three branches of the federal government."
Balfour fill-in possible
An interim appointee to temporarily replace William Balfour, vice chancellor for student affairs, may be forthcoming, or executive vice chancellor said yesterday.
Shankel said action may be taken because of a delay caused by change in education. Mr. Shankel was a Chronicle of Higher Education. The change stated that experience in student affairs work was preferable, but not necessarily, as had been previously stipulated.
"I hope not, but an interim appointee might be necessary from two weeks to several months," Shankel said. "I'll have to wait until after Aug. 5 (the new deadline) before I appoint somebody on the staff to coordinate student affairs."
Shankel said the decision to change the ad was made by Chancellor Archie R. Dykes and himself in conjunction with the search committee, headed by Rich
"We just wanted to make sure the selection process was run correctly and to make it possible for people with a broad experience to apply," Shankel said. "I don't know if we'll be able to, but I do know we can candidates by the first of September."
Re-touching a facade
Construction work at the new law building is progressing on schedule, and while next summer's completion date draws closer.
workmen yesterday touched-up one of the new facades on the eastern corner of the building. The first classes in the new facade were held on April 28.
Student advisors want time to study fee hike
Bv BERNEII..JIHNKE
Staff Writer
Three members of the Student Advisory Committee to the Kansas Board of Regents said yesterday they felt they hadn't been given enough time to study the tuition increase at the six Regents universities and colleges.
Tedde Tasheff, student body president, told the Student Executive Committee Sunday of the members' disapproval of the procedure.
"We were led to believe we had to take action now," said Chris Lamb, student body president at Kansas State College at Pitt. "I was very nervous." He wrote a statement on the tuition increase.
LAMB SAID the Student Advisory Committee had been told at a June 18 Regents meeting that the tuition increase could only be discussed at the June 22 meeting because the Board wouldn't meet again until late August or September.
On June 22, the Regents approved a $6.9 million increase in incident fees (tuition) for the 1977-1978 school year. The increase was for Kansas residents, $150 a semester for out-of-state students at universities and $102 a semester for out-of-state students at universities.
Lamb said alternatives to the approved tuition increase could have been considered if there had been more time to study the issue.
Since the June 22 meeting the Board has met once, Friday, and plans to meet two times this month.
He said the issues discussed at Friday's board of Regenta meeting weren't any more serious.
CHRIS BADGER, student body president at Kansas State University, said the advisory committee wanted to know why the Regents couldn't have called a special meeting after June 22 to discuss the tuition increase.
"The Student Advisory Committee is wondering about the urgency of the June 22 deadline."
Lamb said the effects the tuition increase
would have on student enrollment should have been more thoroughly examined.
TASHEFF SAID that a gradual tuition over a four year period could have been avoided.
She said she would contact each of the Regents members to find out why the tuition increase decision couldn't have been made at a later date.
Lamb said, "I am extremely dissatisfied with the manner in which the tuition hike woke me up."
HE SAID two more Regents meetings were scheduled for Aug. 4 and 13.
Bickford said he thought it unnecessary to delay the Board's decision on a tuition increase beyond June 22 because the Council of Presidents' study on a tuition increase would be published in other information was available and to delay the decision would have been pointless.
Prudence Hutton, Regents member from Newton, and the Regents didn't tried to solve the problem.
She said that it wasn't the Regents policy to meet as often as they had this summer but that "once in a lifetime" issues had demanded their attention.
THE ISSUES are the bond sales for the KI Medical Center and the replacement of Michael Bickford as executive officer, she said. The president of Regents, she said, the three Regents meetings scheduled after June 22 were special, not general meetings.
He said last Friday's meeting to consider procedures for selling bonds for the Med Center had to be in July because the sales were to begin in August.
"There is nothing controversial about the tuition hike," he said.
Smith said the tuition hike was a minimal increase considering total cost increases for the Regents institutions and that the tuition increase decision hadn't been made in a
He said much information had been examined before the decision was made.
Loneliness and despair precipitate suicide attempts
By GREGG HEJNA
Staff Writer
Terry was dying. In a moment of desperation she had taken an overdose of pills trying to kill herself. Three months later, last April, Andrew would do the same thing. Fortunately, both are still alive today.
Terry is a sophomore majoring in pre-nursing and Andrew is a junior major in advertising. They don't know each other, and the odds are that they never will. Terry is a Catholic and an only child, while Andrew doesn't go to any church and is the oldest child in a large family.
names. Although Terry and Andrew aren't their real names, they're real people and students at the university.
The reasons behind Terry's and Andrew's suicide attempts are very similar. Both were lonely and had been rejected by their families.
THERE IS ONE thing that links them together; they've both tried to commit suicide.
"I lost all hope, was disgustingly lonely and saw no way out of it." Terry said.
THE BOTTOM just dropped out. I was lonely, dejected and just couldn't see things getting any better.
That is a common feeling in suicide attempts, according to Janet Snyder, director of Bert Nash Mental Health Clinic, Lawrence. Loneliness and lack of role roles lead to a suicide attempt, Snyder said.
also pointed out some of the other common reasons for such attempts.
"Often a person who wants to commit suicide will feel that there are no alternatives to what they are doing. They also feel that they have no goals in life that they just can't reach their goals." Snyder said.
Andrew's reasons for trying to commit suicide
"I'm meaner than I used to be, I don't have any patience now, there's nothing really positive."
THIS WAS THE first time Andrew had tried to commit suicide. It was something that he had not done before.
thing to do. I guess that if I had thought it of a little more carefully or rationally, then I wouldn't have done it. There wasnt any way I could be rational right then." he said.
"It killed me not seriously entered my head before
myself. I used to think that it was the wrong
"They say, 'Justice is inherently was' her fourth. "I was a junker in high school the first time, just a kid. I got upset and took an overdose of my pills. The second time wrist;s; it didn't work. Of course, the second time I was quite stoned, but I had been thinking about it for some time before that," she said.
Terry's last suicide attempt was her fourth.
ALTHOUGH Andrew describes his attempt as a
If the problems that cause a person to try to commit suicide persist, he may consider trying to kill himself again, according to B. Kent Houston, associate professor of psychology.
"spur of the moment thing where the pills happened to be there," it wasn't the same for Terry.
"I had tried it before, but I would still think about it. Even though I knew it was bad, I still think it is."
"While most attempts are the first time, three-fourths of them try again," he said.
Both Andrew and Terry said their parents were a big factor in their decision not go through with their suicide attempts. Terry explained that she had been out of touch with her parents.
"I REALLY wasn't in touch with their feelings right then, just my own feelings. You can't do that, you have to think about other people too," she said. "And I know."
"I had called a friend. There had been an argument earlier in the evening, and I just didn't want her to feel responsible for what was going to happen. Well, well, anyway, she said that if I didn't go to Watkins (Hospital) with her, she was going to call my parents." Andrew explained.
"I guess that's when I realized that I would really be hurting them if I went through with the suicide. We're awfully close and I wouldn't want anything to change that," he said.
THEY WERE both taken to the Watkins emergency room after their attempts. Terry had
called the hospital where someone called the resident director of the hall Terry lived in. The director took her to Watkins. Andrew's friend and her roommate took him to Watkins.
Andrews described what happened there:
"You go into the emergency room and you're given a small cup of syrup liquid. I get shakey thinking about it. The syrup is followed by three pitchers of warm water. This combination causes you to begin to throw up uncontrollably, and it wouldn't stop. My ribs and stomach were wouldn't stop. My ribs and stomach were."
"I had tried it before, but I would still think about it. Even though I knew it was bad."
Schroeder was quick to point out that not all suicide attempts were reported to Watkins and that
SYDNEY O. SCHREDER, director of Watkins Mental Health Clinic, said that last year one KU student committed suicide and there were six attempts. He half the number of attempts of the year before.
strained that I hurt for days afterwards. It was awful. The next day I was afraid to eat anything because I thought I would have to go through the whole thing again."
these numbers didn't reflect the complete picture. He said he thought that about twice as many suicides were attempted as were reported each year.
"In the 13 years that I've been here, we've had two students who were in contact with the clinic commit suicide, as opposed to between 20 and 25 students who were not in contact with us." Schroeder said. "The successful suicides are not in contact with the clinic."
FOLLOWING an overnight stay in the hospital,
he met a psychiatrist he had been seeing intermittently.
"We both discussed it and decided that I would be a lot better offer if I was left on my own. I told him that if I needed any help I would call but I haven't talked to him since." Andrew said.
Terry met a psychologist for the first time following the suicide attempt.
"They put me to bed but I couldn't sleep. About a half hour later I asked if I could leave, and they said that he (the psychologist) had come up and talk to me. I really didn't feel like talking, and he made me call my parents and tell them what happened. Then I walked home," she said.
TERRY WAS WIST bit about what the psychologist did. She said that although he did what he thought was best, she still regretted telling her parents that she would be leaving him and wants to work things out for herself.
See SUICIDE page 3