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Monday, April 10, 1978
University Daily Kansan
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Comment
Unsigned editors represent the opinion of the Kansas editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of only the writers.
Start pre-enrollment
In May 1976, Gil Dyck, dean of admissions and records at the University of Kansas, said, "The decision has been made to switch to pre-enrollment. Unless someone tells us differently, we're going to keep moving in that direction."
KU has moved in that direction for so long—and has still never reached its goal—that the introduction of pre-enrollment seems like the end of the rainbow.
The Student Senate has endorsed pre-enrollment since 1974. In September of that year, heartened by the knowledge that Kansas State University's new, computerized pre-enrollment worked, the Senate urged adoption of a similar system for KU. The computers had been ordered and were to arrive in April 1975.
THEY DIDN'T In the fall of 1975, Del Shankel, executive vice chancellor, said the University needed time to study the bids submitted by the computer company. Pre-enrollment was to be put off at least until the fall of 1976.
tall of 1976. Dyck's pronouncement in May 1978 supplemented news that the University was computerizing the student records system. Pre-enrollment was to follow, possibly this spring.
sping
Last week, however, Dyck said, "We don't have any plans for pre-enrollment to talk about."
The administrators should have some kind of plan by now. Ronald Calgaard, vice chancellor for academic affairs, said that a committee formed to study the feasibility of pre-enrolment would report to Shankel next month. He also said he didn't know whether the committee would recommend the switch. That sentiment was conveyed by Dyck to the University Senate Executive Committee last month.
THE COMPUTERIZED student record system is working now, according to Jerry
Magnuson, director of information systems. He said flatly, "The new system can do preenrollment."
Then why doesn't it?
There are two main reasons—uncertainty and inertia. To put the entire University on a pre-enrollment system would be to complete the timetable, scheduling and class rosters for one semester in the middle of the previous semester. That would mean the last-minute timetable changes, so prevalent near semester breaks, would have to be reduced sharply or eliminated. And there are as many as 3,000 changes made very semester, evidenced by the semestery timetable addendum.
Officials say they are not certain how pre-enrollment would affect such changes, advising and late enrollees. But they need only look to the several departments and schools within the University that have used pre-enrollment to see advantages of convenience, ease and fairness.
THE ELEMENT of inertia shows up in arguments made by several members of the pre-enrollment advisory committee that our current enrollment system is adequate.
Calgaard said, "There isn't anyone on the committee who is adamantly against pre-enrollment." There do not seem to be any adamant proponents, either.
Pre-enrollment is needed. KU is the only Regents university to make students and professors agonize through an out-dated enrollment procedure. The Allen Field House maze is confusing, uncomfortable and a perennial cause of complaints.
Now is the time to switch, to have time to prepare properly and implement the new system.
It is worth any difficulty encountered in enrolling between semester exams to be through with enrollment early. The constant delays in devising a pre-enrollment system are inexusable.
In trying to ease the high cost of getting a college education, Washington politicians have created a couple of very expensive 'solution' barriers. But the central problem of putting people through school who could not go to school without financial help.
In fact, it looks as if the proposals would create more problems than they would solve.
Besides being expensive for the taxpayer, the proposals now in Congress would be almost worthless to the student who benefits from them and cumbersome for the financial aid offices to administer.
One proposal, that of President Carter's, would beef up existing loan, grant and other aid programs. Carter's proposal, which carries an annual fee, would greatly extend the family-income limit for qualifying for financial aid.
UNDER THIS plan,
thousands of students from
middle income families would
be able to quality for more
federal aid or qualify for aid
that now is restricted from
them.
In short, Carter has proposed to expand these programs:
- Basic Educational Opportunity Grants. Carter has asked for an increase of $1 billion on the maximum amount of grants already available to also families and incomes from $10,000 to $25,000 to become eligible for grants.
- College Work Study, Carter would add $165 million to the present $435 million allocation, thereby expanding the program to include more than a million students. More than a third of the students would come from states earning more than $16,000.
- Guaranteed Student Loans. The family income limit to quality would be raised to $40,000 would be eliminated
Insurance execs define the terms
To the editor:
THE OTHER proposal is supported by a block of in-
Financial aid plans miss mark
Now and again (most recently, Jan. 31, 1978) the Kansan prints commentary in the field of life insurance by one of the University's professors of economics.
So as to shed other light on the subject lest some interpret the remarks as a definitive guide, it would seem appropriate for a response to be made from within the life insurance field.
Let's examine the quote: "The average student does not need life insurance when he graduates. True. No one should die the day he dies. By that time, however, it's a little late if he hasn't already bought. There are valid reasons for buying, at a young age, at least a modest policy with future purchase options, if possible, advantage of lower rates, rates which can never go up as he gets older—or becomes less healthy, as he may be the case. Second, most people enjoy their best health when they are young. Good health is a prerequisite to being employed. The professor would have difficulty convincing the young wife of one client that life insurance ought not to be bought at young ages. Some 10 years ago, the man, after being awarded from KU, bought his first policy. Today he is totally and permanently disabled—physically unable to buy life insurance at any price and unable to afford it if he could. For two years the insurance company has premiums on the policy for the family—some $230 per year and will continue to do so as long as the man lives.
This is not to say that every undergraduate should place a life insurance policy at top of his priority list, especially if he has no dependents and is going down the budget. He has an obligation to finish school and to prepare himself for a career.
Neither is there any defense for high-pressure sales tactics. In fact, if you are to exist, however, much of the blame should go to the handful of companies and managers whose stage or condeñe such methods.
Also, many will take issue with the statement: "The most advantageous policy is the 20-year decrease insurance and the 10-year equivalents which call for decreasing-term insurance, but, by large, decreasing
Letters
term is the worst kind of insurance to buy. Most young people, from the day of marriage, find their debts and obligations during the next 20 to 25 years—not to mention a compulsory economy only serves to compound the problem.
The advice to "buy term and invest the difference" is a good-sounding theory, but in actual practice it's a farce. The average man has not neither the money nor the investment "invest the difference"—even if he has the ability. The two major assets in the average estate at death are a home and some permanent, cash-value life insurance. If the professor has been successful in his insurance outside life insurance, he's in a small minority.
Those considering the purchase of life insurance might select two or three agents who have experience willing to talk on a professional basis. Visit with them, get their recommendations and make your own decision when you feel ready to take the necessary information
It has been said that the purchase of term insurance to provide permanent protection is like using a Band-Aid for a broken back. Far-tatched it, but it serves to make the point.
In closing, let it be said that the state of Kansas has a strong insurance department that has the objective of protecting consumer interests in this field. The department will not tolerate any abuse on the case or documented and supported by facts that indicate the violation of laws or regulations.
are several inaccuracies,
however, in Chuck Wilson's
review of the Kansas City
Philharmonic, published April
First of all, the dog that wandered on the stage during the Dovar symphony seemed to be white, not yellow. The conductor, Maurice Peres, did not state "You've heard the name of this one," but the finale." In the first movement, as anyone who has taken only one music history course would know, this leaves out the middle chunk of the movement! What he did any way was the execution of the development, now well begin with the development."
Finally, the encore was not a Bavarian dance, but one of the Hungrarian dances by Brahms.
Thomas M. Gregg, President Kansas Association of Life Underwriters
President Lawrence Association of Life Underwriters
J. Bunker Clark Professor of music history
Review cited for inaccuracies To the editor:
William L. Hogle, CLU President
Headline gives misleading view To the editor:
I am delighted to see that the Kansan supplies reviews of concerts--indeed, the only local newspaper that does so. There
Topeka, Kansas
It would be nice if the Kansan would be more careful in its word choice for headlines, to make them better reflect the subject of the article. I'm referring to the March 23 article Black Horse Theory of Panhellenic The negative connotation of "spurus" suggests that Sigma Gamma Rho has no use for Panhellenic
and that it would rather remain separate. This is the impression a reader could get, just skimming through the paper, not reading the text.
Why make the sororities' decision not to join sound like a white sorority? Is it white sororites? In an attempt for better relations, the misleading headline has cer- tainly hurt both groups involved.
Peggy Carr
Prairie Village sophomore
First, the substance is derived from the leaves of the cocoa plant. Cocoa is a powder, not a tree, and it's made from the seeds of the cacao tree. Cocoa, definitely a tea, is also as a cooking and in a baking.
Secondly, although many inexperienced users may believe the numbness obtained from spreading caine on the face should be understood that cocaine, like procaine, is a topical anaesthetic and is used surgically in eye, nose and throat procedures. Therefore, cocaine need not be mixed with cocaine, or anything else, just to produce a feeling of numbness.
Cocaine not all story says it is
It seems Tom Ramstack's April 6 article on cocaine needs some clarification.
Steven Stingley
Editorial writer
According to reports in the Congressional Quarterly, the tax relief bill would cost $4 billion and $4 billion a year.
To the editor:
Cheri Cox Leawood junior
fluential legislators, primarily Republican. They favor a plan that would give a tuition tax credit of up to $500 to parents whose children pay any kind of tuition— either for college or for private elementary and high school education or powerful Catholic school lobbying group has joined the forces supporting this proposal.
At first glance, both of these plans seem to represent heavenly relief for the college student and his parents.
More people would benefit from the money manna continually being tossed over the water in Washington. Certainly, both proposals are sure methods to extend federal financial aid to the middle class, even to those who earn $40,000 or more.
**BUT IS this right? Does the federal government need to step in to help those who don't know what they're going to propose these proposals attempts to take the money that needs to be paid to the poor and give it to the less poor.**
KU financial aid officials are skeptical of the two proposals.
Jeff Weinberg, associate director of financial aid, said last week that the two proposals were politically attractive in an election year but that they would address the needs of the most needy."
Asked what plan he thought was better, Weinberg said "Neither."
He said federal money should be used to expand the College Work Study Program and to increase the funds available to students from lower income families.
Obviously both proposals go beyond actual need, especially the plan giving across-the-books to anyone who has a child in college.
WEINBERG said he couldn't agree with Carter's proposal to give interest-loan loans to families make $45,000 a year.
"They can well afford to pay the interest on those loans," he said.
But both measures would be politically attractive because many middle income families
would suddenly receive a tax break or be eligible for federal money. Weinberg said.
He pointed out that Carter's proposal was a political reaction to the Republican proposal.
Jerry Rogers, director of financial aid, said that he favored Carter's plan over the original proposal, and left a great deal to be desired.
Both Rogers and Weinberg said it was better to keep financial aid programs based on actual need of the student.
Rogers said Carter's plan would have a "terrific" administrative effect on KU's financial aid office.
get an interest-free loan for four or five years, Rogers said, they would take advantage of a loan if they didn't need the money.
"We would have double or triple the number of students who would be applying for basic grants." he said.
ALTHOUGH IT was difficult to estimate the additional cost of administering Carter's plan, Rogers said, the KU financial office would need at least three additional staff members.
"It takes a lot of work and we're already feeling a crunch now."
Rogers also said that Carter's program would be good because more people would get federal aid. But he said he thought it was necessary to should have to pay interest on the federal loans they received.
IT IS also apparent that the plans Carter and his legislative counterparts have put together go beyond any reasonable and economical solution to the problem of student financial aid.
If people had the chance to
every american should have the right to a college education, regardless of his parent's immigration and federal aid program ensures that right. Yet the line has to be drawn somewhere and additional funds must be fumelled to keep the lowest-income families first.
The taxpayer and the needy student will both lose if either one of the proposals now being made is approved, it is passed and implemented.
'Benefit bums' clog system
While professional educators and parents wring their hands over low Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, they seem to treat the problem in the abstract as if it had no practical application. What they say is that it is a bad situation for someone that something has to be done or the nation will face the consequences. What
By SAM WITCHEL
Letters Policy
The Kansan welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be typewritten and include the writer's name, address and telephone number. If the writer is affiliated with the University, the letters should include the class and grade or faculty or staff position. Letters are not to exceed 500 words in length. The Kansan reserves the right to edit all letters for publication.
they do not realize is that the consequences are already here.
consequences. The manager will tell you that yesterday's generation of nonstudent is today's generation of nonworker. They are here in the marketplace today and their numbers are growing. Right now, they are filing office filling out application forms. These people are very easy to spot. Many personnel managers call them "Benefit Bums." During an interview, they hardly listen to the duties they perform; they are the ones who ask many questions about salary, vacations, sick days and other benefits. They shop employers for benefits. That seems to be to the whole essence of employment. They are responsible for compensation. They are ready to take, but not to give.
ONCE HIRED, the syndrome continues. They are chronically late in the morning, they take the longest coffee breaks, the longest lunch breaks, to leave at 4:30 p.m. Their skills are usually low; their motivation even lower. Further, they seem to suffer from strangle malades. Health records would indicate that they should not group should be the healthiest. The reverse seems to be true.
The most common aliment is the "Monday Affliction." Personnel records confirm that Monday seems to be an especially unhealthy day for young workers. Friday is a close second, and for those who do appear in large numbers, offices where that is payday, they fall prey to another malady commonly described as "Friday Afternoon Paralysis."
Another disturbing aspect of this situation is that these noworkers come from all the same groups. Many of them grew up as middle- and upper-middle-class children, but they all seem to be affected by always getting or never giving of always getting and never giving. They seem to
be saying to the office managers, "Pay me because I am here, not for what I can do." The implication is that the employer should take up where the parents left off.
Even more maddening is that absence of the work ethic. Work is not a means to an end; it is not a life's role; there is no fulfillment in work. Worse still, there seems to be a complete absence of ambition as is often seen among the kind and of subversive. Getting to the top of the ladder is irrelevant. If it is, so is capitalism.
IN CONVERSATIONS WITH this "New Capitalism Person," one once discovers that being first a nonstudent, then a student, becomes into other nons. He is usually a nonreader, a nonvoter, a nonjoiner, a noninvolver, nobeliever, non-achiever. His world is himself. The player of an infant is still there.
How did they and we get here? That answer is not easy. Surely the absence of a depression in the postwar
period contributed. The easy-to-on-fellow mentality also helped, the revival of the young Vietnamese as a national Vietnam years and recent laws and court decisions making it more difficult for employers to discharge them. In these people are here today. Tomorrow they must be the timber from which America's middle management is hewn. Yet, can they serve an international breakdown in production?
IF THIS situation seems bad, consider then Murphy's Law, which says that if anything bad can happen, it will. In this case, employees work for an important European work laws giving employees tenure and forbidding their discharge, so that these people are locked into our production system with little chance of escape, even if that happens, an unhappy day will be daunting for America.
Sam Witchel is a financial and corporate public relations consultant.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
Editor Barbara Rosewicz
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