Opinion
The University Daily Kansan
Laura Roddy, Editor
Sarah Hale, Managing editor
Kristi Ellott, Managing editor
Tom Eblen, General manager, news adviser
4A
Shauntae Blue, Business manager
Bradady Retail, Sales manager
Matt Fisher, Sales and marketing adviser
Scott Valler, Technology coordinator
Tuesday, April 18; 2000
Dana Summers / TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
Editorials, pro and con
College admissions still require Affirmative Action, even in Florida
riorida Gov, Jeb Bush's plan to roll back many Affirmative Action policies, specifically those aimed at college admissions, is a bad idea. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights' criticism of his plan, called One Florida, is a criticism that should be heeded by Bush in his attempts to end Affirmative Action.
Affirmative Action carries with it negative connotations that tend to distort reasonable arguments concerning what to do about the programs. In the case of college admissions, there is too much rhetoric that Affirmative Action denies qualified students admission into state universities. This simply is an oversimplification of a process that cannot be boiled down to one quality or attribute.
The fact is, college admissions never will be able about who gets the best
One Florida proposal attempts to say that the issue of race is irrelevant in today's world
grades. Jeb Bush would like to see the top 20 percent of Florida high school students, measured by GPAs, gain automatic admittance to Florida colleges. Perhaps Bush does not agree with most schools' aims to create diverse campuses. How many times have students been told that grades are not the only thing that matters?
Using race as a factor in admission is not unlike using geography or life experience. It is only one of many characteristics that must be used in an effort to create a diverse campus, which in every
way is a better one.
One Florida is an attempt to argue that the issue of race is irrelevant and solved in the 21st century. This could not be farther from the truth. At the University of Kansas, the chancellor recognizes the need to recruit and retain more minorities. Almost no one disagrees with the fact that the University is in dire need of diversity. How would plans like the chancellor's be received in Florida? Probably not well.
As a nation, we have made huge strides toward correcting the uneven playing field that dogged our nation for almost 200 years. That playing field is not yet even — even though Bush would like to pretend it is. One Florida is not a measure that corrects bias, but instead a measure that entrenches it.
Jeff Engstrom for the editorial board
Affirmative Action no longer needed
Affirmative Action was established decades ago to increase the enrollment of minorities in higher education. This was at a time of political turmoil, in the midst of the civil rights movement. At that time, it was the set of training wheels our nation needed to travel the road to equal opportunity among races.
Now, the role of Affirmative Action is being questioned. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has expressed his concern about how unnecessary Affirmative Action is in contemporary society with his campaign to end Affirmative Action and replace it with the "One Florida" plan, which mandates that all state universities and agencies discontinue their Affirmative Action programs.
While many believe that Affirmative Action is still necessary to improve the
Florida program provides a sense of hope by rewarding qualified university applicants
diversity factor at universities, there is evidence and plenty of sentiment that if Affirmative Action is removed, there will not be a significant change in the enrollment rates of minorities. A recent report from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights shows that the enrollment rates of African-American students at the University of Texas is about the same as before to a federal court ruling in 1995, which virtually outlawed Affirmative Action there. Bush claims that minority enrollment has increased 18 percent this year at Florida State University, without the preference of racial preferences.
Once established as a helping device, Affirmative Action is in danger of becoming a quota system.
There have been many advances since the establishment of Affirmative Action. It is time for new generations to examine new ideas. Affirmative Action was a noble invention that has served its purpose, but it is no longer needed. Bush's new program provides a sense of hope by putting qualified people where they belong. It is time to end Affirmative Action and put plans such as One Florida in its place. Our nation has advanced and is prepared to remove the training wheels to travel steadily down this road on its own.
Tabatha Beerbower dissenting
Kansan staff
Seth Hoffman . . . . . . . . Editorial
Nadia Mustafa . . . . . . . Editorial
Melody Ard . . . . . . . News/Special sections
Chris Fickett . . . . . . . News
Jule Wood . . . . . . . News
Juan H. Heath . . . Online
Mike Miller . . . . . Sports
Matt James . . . Associate sports
Katie Hollar . . . Campus
Nathan Willis . . . Campus
Heather Woodward . Features
Chris Borniger . Jayplay
T.J. Johnson . Photo imaging
Christina Neff . Photo
Jason Pearce . Design, graphics
Clay McCuistion . Wire
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Ryan Riggin . . . Regional
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Jenny Weaver . . . Creative layout
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Broaden your minds. Today's quote
"When you go into court, you are putting your fate into the hands of 12 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty." — Norm Crosby
How to submit letters and guest columns
Letters: Should be double-spaced typed and fewer than 200 words. Letters must include the author's signature, name address and telephone number plus class and hometown if a university student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
All letters and guest columns should be e-mailed to opinion@kansan.com or submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stuaffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Nadia Mustala or Seth Hoffman at 864-4924.
Guest columns: Should be double-spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photocarried for the column to run.
If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call B64-4924
Perspective
Try to take high road; stay on the sidewalk
A student walking from Jayhawk Boulevard near Wescoe south to Summerfield or Haworth halls has many choices of which sidewalks to take. A maze of cemented pathways weaves back and forth, up and down the area east of the Military
science Building. It provides almost every possible connection between the stairways and buildings. But it still doesn't seem to be enough.
New trampled, off-road paths appear in this area every year. So many students choose to take these measly shortcuts that save only a few seconds of time. Eventually, a dirt trail replaces the thinning grass.
Lori O'Toole columnist opinion@ansan.com
It demonstrates laziness and carelessness on behalf of the students. It does not
take much more time to avoid cutting a few corners and continuing along the sidewalk.
Bicyclists create some of these trails as they zip downhill to avoid the crowded sidewalks. Perhaps this points to the need for specified bike lanes on campus, another problem in itself.
During my walk to class in the morning, I occasionally see a light dusting of grass seeds on these dirt paths, proof that someone continues to hope that grass can fill the recurring bare patches. But like clockwork, hurried feet kick the seeds out of the way by the afternoon when I leave campus.
When the University of Kansas undertakes a major landscaping task, crew members have to rope off the small portions of land to keep the cattle — I mean the students — from beating it down. Such roped-off areas have appeared recently near Wescoe Beach and on the sidewalk-webbed hill.
The University is known for its beautiful landscaping, especially during the spring, when about 900 various species are planted throughout campus. Facilities Operations crew members spend hundreds of hours to make 500 acres of the campus' land pleasing to the eye. They mow, pick up trash, plant, weed and water.
This spectacle is especially important to many seniors and alumni who attend graduation ceremonies here each year. But the rope-off areas and trampled paths spoil the view.
The only effective solution to keeping students off the small amounts of grass may be to make more sidewalks or to fill in the grassy areas with cement. It has happened before. I have returned to Lawrence in August twice to find more and more cement lacing Mount Oread. Missing trees and plants add to the disappointing discovery.
A large majority of our campus already is covered with streets and sidewalks. But students continue to send the message that they would prefer more sidewalks to a luscious lawn.
This would not only be unsightly, but also bad for the environment. Heavy precipitation would be a problem because there would be no soil to absorb it. Fewer birds and squirrels would make their homes on campus. Cement-covered grounds also would be incapable of supporting trees. If nothing else, many students would miss the shade they provide.
While I do not relish the idea, tasteful wooden fences could be another option to keep students off the grass.
Of course, a few trampled paths won't lead to a treeless, cement-covered University. But students need to show more appreciation and respect for the landscaping. I know I'm not the only one who prefers green to gray.
O'Toole is a Wichita junior in journalism and English.
Nasty little pranks require real-world political lesson
△ m I the only guy around here who remembers Donald Segetti?
That seems ironic at a University that just gave its highest journalism award to Watergate reporter Bob Woodward.
Segretti once belonged to a campus political party at the University of Southern California called Troians for Representative Government. Its brand
of electioneering included "pranks" like stuffing student ballot boxes, planting spies in the opposition camp and printing bogus campaign literature. I can't say whether Segretti, and those who became known in the Nixon White House as the "USC Mafia," ever ripped off student newspapers and dumped them in the trash, but they probably would have if they thought it would have done them them any good.
Segretti went on to run Nixon's infamous dirty tricks
RICK
Musser
guest columnist
opinion@karsan.com
campaign. Covering up Segretti's string of nasty little pranks was part and parcel of the Watergate coverup itself.
Segretti is exhibit number one that lessons learned in student politics live on in grown-up politicians. That's a scary thought because I am not at all convinced that Jameson Jones, R.J. Woodring, Lindsey Gaston and Drew Thompson have learned their lesson after tramping on a free press, the democratic system and the rights of the KU student body.
I am told that the Kansan has finally decided to press charges against these students for what is at least a felony theft and at worst baby steps in fascism. I am also told that it will be up to the Douglas County district attorney whether the case will go forward. I am sure there are those out there who
will say that they have suffered embarrassment, enough, those who will shrug their shoulders and believe that they (or perhaps their parents) are willing to repay several thousand dollars, the matter should be settled.
It's not enough for the people who wrote the stories and the headlines and took the pictures and sold the ads and paid the student fees for last Tuesday's Kansam.
It is not enough.
It is not enough for Norbert Zongo, editor of a weekly paper in Burkina Faso whose charred body was found in his bullet-ridled car after his paper published articles asking for an investigation of President Blaise Compaore's brother. It's not enough for all the other journalists who have died for trying to challenge those in power.
And it sure isn't enough to stop the next bunch of people with a political ax to grind from doing the same thing.
I'm angered when the president of the student body blithely observes that stealing papers is a common thing. I'm angered when one of the perpetrators calls his actions a common prank and seems only sorry that "we got caught." I'm angry that the management of the Kansan would even consider that writing a check and getting a little negative PR would be sufficient penalty for trashing newspapers. And I really angry that four student politicians may learn that you can come to a financial arrangement after raping the political process.
Charge these people with a crime. Charge them with academic misconduct. Sue them for damages. Make them do public service stuffing envelopes for Amnesty International or the Committee to Protect Journalists. Let them see what happens to people in countries where crimes against the press are treated lightly.
Musser is a professor of journalism and a Kansas board member.
Feedback
NCAA is exploitative
Jimmy Barmann hit the nail right on the head with his April 3 column about the NCAA's exploitation of athletes.
If you take the economic value of the four-year athletic scholarships received by these athletes and divide it by the number of hours devoted to sports during those four years, you end up with an hourly wage that hasn't been legal in any civilized country for a very long time. As Barmann points out, no other "amateur" organization in this country (to my knowledge) has operating revenues in excess of $300 million.
Brad Steeples 1996 KU graduate
It's time for someone somewhere to do something about the economic atrocity that is the NCAA.
Amnesty International, for
rerhaps Sternberg does not realize that partisan groups do not get funds from Senate. He also incorrectly puts special interest groups in the same category as political organizations.
Groups like Amnesty need Senate funds
Student groups that are officially classified as "special interest" are not "politically oriented organizations." There are the two separate categories for student organizations because special interest groups do not participate in political activities, and if they do, they are not supposed to receive Senate funds.
Although I support increasing campus safety at the University of Kansas, I disagree with Jonathan Sternberg's argument in his April 6 column that Student Senate should have a "funding overhaul" in which the financing of "partisan-political" and "special interest" organizations would be eliminated.
example, deals only with facts,
not with advocating political
ideas or theories. Amnesty won the
1977 Nobel Peace Prize for,
among other things, its human
rights research (the facts we use)
and nonpartisan activities to promote
and protect human rights.
Taking away Senate funds from
Amnesty would seriously hurt its
ability to carry out important
human rights work.
The work that Amnesty, Students for a Free Tibet and other "special interest" groups do is worthwhile and should be supported by Senate. Their funds shouldn't be eliminated ad hoc. As Sternberg himself points out, the Supreme Court also agrees with me.
Maybe Senate should use part of its reserve account for campus safety measures, and thus not deprive eligible campus groups of much-needed funds.
Kyle Browning Overland Park junior President, KU Amnesty International