RAINING
Tomorrow's weather
The University Daily Kansan
Scattered showers with a high of 62 and a low near 40.
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Sports: The freshmen are making an immediate impact on the Kansas baseball team.
SEE PAGE 8A
Inside: It's Mass. Street vs. Aggieville in the Kansan's new section, Jayplay.
(USPS 650-640) • VOL. 110 NO. 122
THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2000
WWW.KANSAN.COM
James Patterson, left, duels against another member of the KU chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Patterson is involved in the weekly fighting practices. Photo by Craig Bennett/KANSAN
ARMORED FIGHT TO THE FINISH
Jeremy Johnson, Lawrence resident, attempts to defend himself after being forced to the ground as David Volmut, also a Lawrence resident, prepares for another strike. Photo by Craig Bennett/KANSAN
Lawrence warriors battle it out in Medieval apparel
By Jim O'Malley
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The sights and sounds of Medieval combat reverberated in an unusual setting Tuesday evening.
The gym at Centennial Elementary School, 2145 Louisiana St., become a battlefield as the local chapter of the Society for Creative Anchronism held its weekly fighting practice.
About a dozen armored and helmeted warriors dueded with shields and heavy wooden weapons throughout the evening. Hard blows rang against shields and helmets, and sweating warriors retired to the sidelines after being "killed," their places taken by fresh fighters.
The society is part of an international non-profit educational and social organization for people interested in Medieval European history. The local chapter is called the Shire of Carlsby of the Kingdom of Calontir. It has about 35 members.
Lisa Hallberg, Academic Computing software trainer, is Seneschal, or president of the local chapter. She said that like Civil War reenactors, members try to dress and behave like people from
"Even though it's just playing, you'll never forget the friend who stays with you when there are 20 enemies coming at you."
Todd Searls
Lawrence senior
history. Members take on the persona of someone who might have lived in Medieval times, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1600. The personas are all nobles, and most are warriors. But some members concentrate on period clothing, and others produce mead and ale.
“It's a really neat group of people,” she said. “I met my husband here. It’s a lot of fun, and you learn a lot about history — things you wouldn’t figure out without doing it.”
For example, she said she learned that armor chafed.
"If you can't fight, you can always bewr. Hallberg said."
Patti said that all duels were self-umpired. Fighters are on their
Bridget Patti, Lawrence resident,
is Countess Mistress Adelith.
honor to declare themselves "killed" when they've taken a good shot to the head or body.
History was the appeal for some members, Cohen said. For others it was the fighting.
Todd Searls, Lawrence senior, is Gaius Aquilius, a Roman legionary from around A.D. 121. His character is technically outside the Medieval period, but he said the group is open to people interested in earlier times
Searls: said the fighting was a martial art. Though size and strength can help, it's largely skill-based. The society recognizes four levels of warriors - man-at-arms, for beginners; fyrdman, huscarl and knight.
The society's national meetings include battles between armies of more than 1,000 warriors. Searls said the movie *Braveheart* was probably the closest to the feel of it.
"Even though it's just playing, you'll never forget the friend who stays with you when there are 20 enemies coming at you," he said.
Searls said there were strict safety standards for armor, so injuries worse than bruises were rare. Insurance companies rate the fighting as safer than professional badminton, he said.
See MEDIEVAL on page 5A
Universities' funds may be cut by House
By Katrina Hull
By Katrina Hull
writer @kansan.com
staff writer kansas
TOPEKA — State dollars promised for faculty salary increases may be on the chopping block, some legislators say.
The state budget hits the House floor today, and University of Kansas lobbyists and KU-friendly legislators are worrying that higher education money may be an easy target.
money may be an easy target,
"New money is always the first to go," said David Adkins, R-Leawood and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
"New money" means the $21.9 million Gov. Bill Graves recommended to finance higher education restructuring, including a 5.9 percent faculty salary increase for the University of Kansas.
Last year's restructuring, which brought the state's 19 community colleges under the same governance as the state universities, came with a promise for increases in faculty salaries.
"I think we definitely had a target painted on our chest when we came out so well with the governor's recommendations," said Korb Maxwell, student body president.
The Senate passed its version of the budget yesterday, which left higher education money intact. But Jon Josserand, KU liaison, said the House could be a different story.
Representatives undoubtedly will propose spending money for programs not in the budget.
programs not in the schools. Josserand said. That money could come from programs already budgeted, namely higher education.
"If state spending keeps going on, the money is going to have to come from somewhere else," Josserand said. "Higher education is perceived as an easy target."
Adkins said that higher education money likely would survive today's first round and that the real test would come next week. On Tuesday, new state revenue numbers will be released. If the numbers fall below projections, the budget tightens even more.
"If state spending keeps going on, the money is going to have to come from somewhere else. Higher education is perceived as an easy target."
Jon Josserand
KU liaison
Even then, nothing is final until the session's end when the omnibus budget bill is enacted. The omnibus budget bill provides a final chance for the Legislature to decrease or increase spending.
Adkins said universities needed to make a case for why they should be a priority over other state programs.
higher education traditionally has not been very successful," he said.
KANSAS "The community colleges and the Regents institutions are all on the same page now, and hopefully they can stay together." Findley said.
However, some legislators said they were optimistic that this year would be different.
State Rep. Troy Findley, D-Lawrence, said the united coalition of community colleges and state universities would make it harder for legislators to cut higher education restructuring money.
insteed that this year, students Included in the package with money for faculty salaries is money to lower property taxes in areas with community colleges.
to cut higher education restructuring money.
"the community colleges and the Regents
But State Rep. Mike O'Neal, R-Hutchinson, whose constituency includes Hutchinson Community College, said he didn't know if that would make a difference.
We'll do the best we can.
Findley warned that talk that higher education money would be the first to go was dangerous because talk often led to self-fulfilling prophecies.
"We'll do the best we can," O'Neal said.
For Adkins, a former student body president, preserving higher education money is a matter of university involvement.
"We're now at crunch time." Adkins said. "And the universities really need to get engaged."
By Doug Pacey
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
University committee readies for NCAA reaccreditation
The University of Kansas is completing its athletic accreditation process to ensure it will be eligible for participation in events such as the NCAA basketball tournament.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association requires that institutions reaccredit themselves every 10 years, said Reggie Robinson, chairman of the University's NCAA Certification Steering Committee.
robinson said the committee will have an open forum at 3 p.m. today at the Jayhawk Room in the Kansas Union.
"The whole idea of the reaccrediting process is that athletics departments will go through a kind of review on a regular basis," he said. "This is similar to the academic review process that universities go through."
The committee is in the process of completing its self-study
and will send it on to the NCAA in April.
Robinson said that nearly 60 people are on the committee to ensure that the University's Athletics Department will be certified.
Four subcommittees — comprised of faculty, students, administrators and alumni — have addressed each area that the NCAA looks at for certification, he said.
Robinson said the NCAA based the certification on four topics: academic integrity; financial integrity; governance and commitment to rules compliance; and equity, student-athlete welfare and sportsmanship.
Dede Seibel, McPherson senior and student body vicepresident, is a member of the equity, student-athlete welfare and sportsmanship subcommittee.
"Basically, what we did on the subcommittees was answer a host of questions that the NCAA had," she said. "Some of the
things I looked at (were) equity of men's and women's salaries, assistant coaches' salaries and locker room space."
Sibel said her subcommittee gave its report to the steering committee in November, which approved the report in January.
The NCAA will send a team of reviewers from other universities to the University for a campus visit for a few days, Robinson said.
"People just like the people on our subcommittees will come to the University for a few days to meet with us and to get a sort of campus tour," he said.
The University will be notified after the reviewers' visit about its status. Though it is likely the Athletics Department will receive certification, Robinson did not want to approach the process that way.
"I'd like to look at this process as an opportunity to take a good look at the University and see if the Athletics Department is doing what it should institutionally."
House rejects proposal to increase financial aid; close vote encouraging
By Katrina Hull
tes@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA - A Democratic proposal to guarantee more state financial aid dollars failed by only three votes on the House floor yesterday.
floor yesterday. The proposal made by State Rep, Troy Findley, D-Lawrence, would have required the governor to increase state financial aid by the same percentage as tuition.
By the same person. For KU student lobbyists, the close 60-63 defeat meant their efforts were paying off. An earlier vote in the Senate had failed by a much larger margin.
a much larger margin.
"I think that is definitely a very good sign," said Ben Walker, legislative director for Student Legislative Awareness Board. "At the beginning of the semester.
the vote wouldn't have been as close."
Most Republicans did not support the amendment. The House vote, unlike the Senate's, was not strictly along party lines, however.
Plus, the tight vote changes next year, Walker said.
Findley attached his proposal as an amendment to another bill dealing with higher education.
Walker: Efforts to increase support for bill successful
"This amendment has not had any hearings, and it's truly a major change," said State Ren. Kav O'Connor, O-Rathe.
Findley had introduced the proposal in the House Education Committee, but the committee did not schedule a hearing.
committee of Education Committee chairman Ralph Tanner, R-Baldwin, said the proposal was unnecessary because Kansas already did more than its share to support higher education. The state finances 70 percent of the cost for a Kansas student to attend a state university, he said.
instead, Tanner said the issue was about party politics in an election year.
"The man who carried the amendment has the University of Kansas in his district," Tanner said. "It's a perfectly natural impulse on the part of the Legislature to want to encourage ease of access. I do feel, however, that 70 percent is quite a substantial load."
But Findley said even 70 percent was not
Ben Walker SLAB legislative director
"I think that is definitely a very good sign. At the beginning of the semester, the vote wouldn't have been as close."
"The proposal offered today was an attempt to help keep the doors of opportunity open for many Kansas college students who depend on need-based student financial aid to access higher educational opportunities," Findley said. "As tuition continues to rise, we run the risk of closing
enough.
the doors of opportunity for many Kansas families and their college-bound children."
During the last seven years, tuition has increased about 30 percent, but the governor has recommended only a 5 percent financial aid increase.
4
However, the Legislature hasn't followed the governor's recommendations and has approved a 24 percent increase in financial aid during the past seven years.
As for the popular Democratic quip that higher education restructuring is being financed on the backs of Kansas students, Tanner said it just wasn't so.
"We've made too much of the fact that there were two tuition increases," he said. "We need to look at what a college education costs in this state compared to neighboring states. Kansas is going the extra mile."
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