Magazine subscription problems solvable
Rv NANCY FLEEKER
Staff Writer
Undelivered or unwanted magazines are not uncommon problems for students but the problems can be solved, according to July Kroeger, director of the office of consumer affairs.
Kroeger said some students had received magazines last spring and this summer that they had not.
Kroger has handled at least four cases in which someone had ordered magazines using another atm.
The problem is that people sign other students' names to the order card that magazine subscription companies send.
"IGUESS they think it's a toke," she said.
A student who receives unsolicited magazines should wait to see whether he is billed for the magazines, Kroeger said. If a bill is sent, the student will receive an email immediately that he did not order the subscription.
Kroeger suggested that students send a carbon
copy of complaint letters to the consumer affairs office and keep a copy for themselves.
"If they've said a carbon copy of a letter, we hold it and after about two weeks we contact them and ask them if they've had a response from the company." Kroweer
If the company persists in sending the magazines, the students should file a complaint with the con-
in some cases, the magazine companies had turned the account over to a collection agency before the issue was published.
Krooger said all the companies she had written on behalf of students had canceled the unwanted books.
She asks for and usually receives the original order blanks from the companies when they cancel the subscriptions. None of the handwriting on the order blanks have matched the handwriting of the students.
"ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to trace down who is sending the names in." Kroeger said.
Sometimes students have problems getting refunds
from companies that advertise money back guarantees. Kroger said.
She had a recent complaint from a student who had not received a refund after canceling her subscript.
The company, Mother Jones Magazine Co., advertised that the money would be refunded through the first year of the subscription if the customer was dissatisfied. Kroger said.
The student wrote the company and received a letter stating that her money would be returned in five or six weeks.
When she did not receive a refund, she contacted the consumer affairs office.
The student finally got her money back after Kroger wrote to the company and sent a letter to the manager.
"I'm sure that what they were doing is just putting her off," Kroeger said.
She said another problem was subscriptions that were ordered, but never delivered.
Another problem is that many companies send computer form letters instead of answering questions.
KROEGER SAID that many times magazines did
100 arrive because of computer mistakes or book-
keeping errors.
Kroger said she had recently had trouble when she renewed her subscription to a consumer magazine.
"Finally I wrote and said, 'I want a human being to answer my letter and I want my subscription continuation.'"
Although she had requested a renewal of her sub-scription several times, the company cancled the
In the case of a subscription or renewed subscription that is not honored, Kroeger said, an effective solution is to write to the director or president of the publication.
"That'll just clear it up right away," she said.
If the subscription is still not honored, the consumer affaires office can handle the case for the consumer.
DESPITE DIFFICULTIES that might arise with subscription service companies, Kreider said with
the companies did offer better rates than students could get by ordering directly from the publication.
"They offer fantastic rates," she said.
She cautioned students about door-to-door magazine salesmen.
"A lot of times the door-to-door prices really aren't that curate," she said.
Another disadvantage is that door-to-door subscription run for two or three years. Kroerer said.
"When you order from door-to-door saleemember to have remember that they get a commission
Although Krooger sometimes suggests writing to the Federal Trade Commission, she said that the FTC usually investigated cases only if there were several complaints about the same company.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
She suggests that students contact the Magazine Action Line, a service offered by the Publishers
Compaints can be sent to Magazine Action Line,
382 Channel Drive, Port Washington, N. Y., 11052.
The Magazine Action Line handles complaints about any magazine.
KANSAN
Partly cloudy Hot and humid
Vol. 88, No.167
Lawrence, Kansas
Tuesday July 18,1978
One-year pact gains approval of firefighters
Along with the 15 percent wage increase in the police offer, the proposal gives a policeman the opportunity for an additional salary. The increase by obtaining certain additional skills.
"I can't believe they turned down that deal," Rose said. "I just气得glad the press hasn't done a better job of reporting the details of our offer. I think the people would be判处 if they knew a policeman could identify them, by 25 percent under the terms of that offer."
By DAVID LINE Staff Writer
Lawrence firefighters last night decided to accept the terms of the city's proposed wage and benefit package with one significant exception—the union wants a one-year agreement rather than the two-year agreement called for by the city.
Union president Don Knight said last night the decision on a one-year agreement had reverted to the union's executive board after a weekend poll of the union's membership resulted in a slim margin of approval with a high number of abstentions.
A vote taken by the union Thursday night had strongly defeated the idea of a two-year agreement and a subsequent vote on one AEA member. That it was decided to poll the membership.
He said the alternatives would be working without an agreement or conducting some investigation.
KNIGHT SAID the weekend poll found 22 of the union's 40 members in favor of apportioning seats.
Rose said he hard pressed to explain the policeman's rejection of the city's offer.
the trouble with a two-year contract, even with a reponer on wagons, is that it would take away our ability to take work action next year." Knight said.
"If they don't let us have this, we'll just have to look for another alternative,"
The package offered to the city's policemen called for a 4 percent wage increase Jan. 1, 1979, a 5 percent increase July 1, 1979, and a 6 percent increase Jan. 1, 1980, for a total of 15 percent over the next two years.
The city had modified its proposal at last week's commission meeting to include a clause requiring that negotiations on wages be reopened for the second year of the agreement if the inflation rate exceeds 9 percent.
The city's offer, outlined by the City Commission June 30, included a 6 percent annual wage increase for 1979 and 1980, for a total of 12 percent over the next two years.
KNIGHT SAID he would present the proposal today to City Manager Buford
"I'm open to considering that," Rose said. "We'd like to reach an agreement with them if all possible and I think that if they come together, I should be successful. It might be the basis for an agreement."
A slowdown in the issuance of traffic citations was started by policemen last week to pressure city administrators into reconsidering the policemen's demands.
The Police Officers Association rejected the city's proposal July 6, demanding that they be given an additional 2 percent wage and better benefits from 179 to keep pace with other city employees.
"FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, it has not "raised serious proportions" yet."Bnins
Mayor Don Binsn said it was still too early to judge the effect of the slowdown.
"I have heard no discussions about disciplines. But I'm sure it will be helpful if this thing is addressed."
Staff Photo by SUZANNE BURDICK
Commissioner Jack Rose said that he thought the firefighters' proposal for a one-year agreement along the lines of the city's two-year offer might be a plausible after-
"Each one of us was cautious not to promise things we could not subsequently do."
Massachusetts Street bridge at Sixth and Massachusetts streets a good place to rest in the shade.
CARTER SAID the results of the summit, the four in four years, exceeded his expectations. He said the commitments by the countries were substantive and specific.
Bridge breather
U.S. pledges to reduce oil use
A flock of birds finds the crumbling remains of the old
BONN, West Germany (AP)—President Jimmy Carter and the leaders of six non-Commishian industrial countries at an economic summit conference agreed yesterday on measures to increase employment and reduce U.S. oil consumption.
Another apparent success was the joint declaration that countries with large trade deficits, including the United States, need to increase exports and that countries with surpluses, such as West Germany and Japan, need to increase imports.
The agreed-upon strategy provides for increased growth in the Japanese and West German economies and a slower growth rate, about 4 percent, in the United States, where the inflation rate has become a dominant concern.
Carter, expressing satisfaction at the outcome of the twoday session, said. "A lot of people will ask us to help them."
CARTER ALSO PLEDGED an energy program by the end of this year to reduce oil imports by 2.5 million barrels a day by 1985. He did not specify how that would be accomplished, but it could be achieved through congressional approval of his energy legislation or by such administrative actions as import fees or quotas.
He pledged to increase the price of U.S. oil, now as low as $2.3 a barrel, to world levels, now about $13.50 by the end of 1980. He also promised to increase gasoline prices by 7 cents a gallon.
Carter and the leaders of the other countries-German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, French President Valery Giscard d'Estalinge, British Prime Minister James Callaghan, Japanese Prime Minister Takekufu, Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti and Canadian Prime Minister Jimmy Carter all sat at the conference after the final session in Bonn. Each endorsed the commitments listed in the summit communique.
The United States has wanted the Japanese and West Germans to spur their economies. Obtaining their commitments was considered a major success for Carter.
They said they would hold another summit next year, but did not say where. Schmidt, host of this summit, said a follow-up meeting of officials of the seven countries would be held later this year to monitor how well each was meeting the commitments.
Schmidt also declared that West Germany was very satisfied with the results and that his country was prepared to make a substantial contribution to stimulate its economic and increase growth by 1 percent beyond the 10% growth target of 3.5 percent.
THE PLEDGE RY MOST of the countries to stimulate their economies is intended to increase employment worldwide. In the United States, they have relatively high unemployment rates.
In their joint commune, the leaders said, "We must create more jobs and fight inflation, strengthen international trading, expand foreign exchange markets, and greater stability in exchange markets."
want attack all those who produce, all those who work. Its purpose is to bring about an improvement in the economic situation and stimulate employment."
Carter said reducing inflation was the top priority of U.S. economic policy and he outlined details of his anti-inflation program, including the reduction in his tax cut proposal and the budget being prepared for fiscal 1980.
Giscard said, "The results of our meeting.
ROBERT STRAUSS, Carter's special assistant for trade negotiations, said the summit also made important progress on trade issues, making it possible to work out a new world trade agreement by the end of the year.
But Straus said the Carter administration still had not won satisfactory concessions to increase U.S. farm exports, and he added by stumbling slumbering bloom to a final agreement.
In addition to their economic accord, the summit leaders also adopted a statement of cooperation to combat terrorism, especially airplane hijacking, by threatening to cut off commercial air service to countries that aid hijackers.
ASK makes KU tentative member
By TAMMY TIERNEY
Stuff Writer
Staff Writer
The board of directors of Associated Students of Kansas, a state lobbying group, passed a resolution recommending that the University of Kansas be allowed a 10-month provisional membership in ASK with full voting rights for a reduced membership fee of $2.500. Mike Harper, student body president, announced yesterday.
KU's membership, the resolution said, is subject to the approval of each member student governing association and the legislative assembly of ASK.
The resolution also said that the board hoped KU would next year become a full member of ASK, paying the required membership dues. The board did not expect that expectation, the resolution said.
Harpar said his next step in obtaining K11's membership in the lobbying group would be to contact the student body president of other member schools and ask them to introduce him.
"I'M NOT THE LEAST bit pessimistic about the other schools' letting us join," Haarper said. "I think our own Senate will be the hardest to sell on the idea. We do need ask WITH US."
Harper said he would present a bill allowing KU to join ASK to the Student Senate at his first meeting in September. He said he was hopeful KU membership would be approved.
"I have to be." Harper said. "There are a lot of issues at stake that we don't have the capacity to deal with alone. We need a unified voice."
Although he has been criticized by some members of Concerned Students For Higher Education, a KU lobbying group, for attempting to join ASK, Harper said KU's mem-
bers were not required to attend an event.
"ASK and CSHE have two entirely different functions." Harper said, "One lobbies for issues that affect all Board of Regents schools and the other lobbies for issues that affect all teachers."
"ITINK THERE'S A dramatic need to lobby for both. There are some issues, such as women's athletics funding, the graduate fee waiver and Watson Library renovation, that affect only KU that CSHE can be very effective dealing with, and some, such as the minimum wage issue and the proposed cigarette tax, that ASK can be more effective."
Green sand. "It's nice to have a private-party dinner." The one-year provision is that the ship will give us a chance to see if it hurts or helps us, and that area. We just have to waltz and see what happens."
Rob Green, executive director of CSHE, said the reduced fee for the provisional membership in ASK would decrease Senate opposition to joining the group.
"Assuming there are no other complications, I think it's a pretty good deal all around," Green said. "It's like a quarter-prime deal with no obligation to rejoin.
other things we're doing in that area. We'll just have to wait and what happens." Harper said the decision whether to region ASK would be made by next year's student database. "I'd like to see if the program could work."
"It will be at the discretion of the new student body president and Student Senate," he said. "However, if ASK proves good and merits the additional expenditure, then we will accept."
course, the new course should consist of
Hames Jacferas, executive director of ASK said he hoped KU would join the labo
"That's why we were willing to bend some and compromise," he said. "We're very nervous to give KJII. It would give us statewide solidarity."
Zacharias said that there was a possibility of other member schools' objecting to the reduced membership fee for KU.
"Pittsburgh State pays $3,000 for five delegates and KU will be paying $2,500 for 21 or 22 delegates," he said. "I can see some objections to that."
Zacherias said that he was hopeful KU would be allowed to join but that he would not say he was optimistic.
"It's too soon for that," he said.
LONDON (AP) - The United States will urge Egypt to spell out security guarantees for Israel in new Middle East peace talks opening today behind the walls of a medieval castle in south England, U.S. officials said yesterday.
The participants.-U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance and foreign ministers Moshe Doseh of Israel and Mohammed Brahim Kamel of Egypt—arrived
Driver dies in one-car accident
A one-car accident north of Lawrence yesterday resulted in the county's fourth traffic fatality in the past five days.
Gregory A. Hendrix, 16, Route 3, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, on a gravel road a mile half east of Midland. Sheriff's officials said yesterday that Hendrix was in the car when he apparently lost control while driving southwest on the highway.
separately yesterday behind a shield of touch security.
Hendrix' car, a small foreign one, was declared a total loss after rolling in the ditch and coming to rest on its top, according to
Hendrix was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Chew, Route 3. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Murray Funeral Sector.
Home, 601 Indiana St. Graveside services are scheduled for 11 a.m.
tomorrow at Oak Hill Cemetery, 1606 Oak Hill Ave.
Yesterday's accident was the third fatal automobile accident in Downtown County since Thursday.
U. S. officials, who asked not to be identified, said Vance hoped that specific assurances from Egypt, particularly on coping with Palestinian extremists on the West Bank of the Jordan River, could lead to matching Israeli concessions.
Marisa Kelly, 1%; 263 Redhill Lane, was killed Thursday night when she wandered into the path of an oncoming car on Iowa Street. Two Lawrence women, Kathryn S. Duwen, Mundinger, and Teresa H. Gould were in an accident morning on U.S. 59, just north of the Baldwin junction.
THE PURPOSE IS to draw Israel Prime Minister Menachem Begin into an acknowledgment that Israel will withdraw from the Middle East captured from Jordan in the 1967-six-day war.
saturday into late morning, and the 1878 county traffic toll to nine, compared with 14 traffic deaths recorded in the county at the same time.
An Israeli newspaper, the Jerusalem Post, reported that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, which have not been officially disclosed, called for Israel to turn the West Bank over to Jordan after five years. Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians would administer it in
Sadat also would agree to a continued Israeli military presence in the West Bank to meet Israel's security needs, the Post reported. The Egyptians had assured that they accept a continued stationing of Israeli soldiers in the occupied territories.