Opinion
The University Daily Kansan
4A
Laura Roddy, Editor
Sarah Hale, Managing editor
Kristi Elliott, Managing editor
Tom Eblen, General manager, news adviser
Shaunte Blue, Business manager
Brad Boyard, Retail sales manager
Matt Fisher, Sales and marketing adviser
Scott Valler, Technology coordinator
Friday. March 10, 2000
Patrick O'Connor / KANSAN
Editorials
Kansan report card
PASS
Organic foods — New federal regulation seeks to ensure that organic foods are really grown organically. The hippie lobby comes through big time. Hip, hip, hippie!
Online timetable — University posts online timetable several weeks before print edition comes out. Next: Speedy online enrollment? Don't hold your breath.
Habitat for Humanity — Members of the football team help out with construction of a Habitat for
FAIL
Rocker fine — Independent baseball arbitrator reduces John Rocker's suspension by half and decreases his fine from $20,000 to $500. An insult to "fat monkeys" everywhere.
MTV or even KUJH, subscribers will see their bills increase to $29.99. Sunflower's image of being a kind, benevolent cable company is lost forever.
Cable gouging — Sunflower Cablevision offers new,
cheaper "basic service" for $19.99, but for ESPN,
Bike rack rules — It turns out that those racks on the KU on Wheels buses are for bikes. Unfortunately, the strict rules have made them too hard to use.
Tenure 'check back' system needed
The University of Kansas' promotions and tenure review process have been under scrutiny recently. The University just won a federal discrimination lawsuit that involved denial of tenure, and another will be heard shortly. The process of granting or denying tenure is a complex system, but it is effective.
A faculty member's application is reviewed first by the department or school. The recommendation then goes to the provost's University Committee on Promotions and Tenure. The committee's recommendation, along with previous evaluations and recommendations, are sent to the chancellor for final approval or denial.
Because the process involves multiple faculty members and University chairpersons, it ideally should be a fair evaluation.
The tenure committee meets each spring after reviewing tenure applications to discuss problems or possible changes in the process. After a semester filled with controversy and allegations of discrimination, it certainly will have a hefty agenda.
Faculty members should be able to update their applications during review process
One policy that needs discussion and consideration is the "check back" policy: If a higher committee reaches a different conclusion than a lower committee, the higher body is required to communicate its decision to the lower committee so that it can provide additional material from the applicant for consideration.
ommended before the chancellor's decision, the applicants don't have an opportunity to provide more information.
If applicants have articles published or finish new research during the review process, they can't submit the material if the committees all reached the same decision.
The problem is that the committees only communicate when there is a difference of opinion. If tenure is not rec-
The check back procedure is a smart idea, considering the recent alleged discrimination in the tenure review process and the significant impact of a faculty member being granted or denied tenure.
Faculty who are up for tenure should have the opportunity to submit new material to their files at any point in the process — regardless of any committee's previous decision.
The University Committee on Promotions and Tenure should make this change so that the University might avoid headaches and controversy in the future.
Kansan staff
Kursten Phelps for the editorial board
Seth Hoffman .Editorial
Nadia Mustafa .Editorial
Melody Ard .News/Special sections
Chris Fickett .News
Julle Wood .News
Juan H. Heath .Online
Mike Miller .Sports
Matt James .Associate sports
Katie Hollar .Campus
Nathan Willis .Campus
Heather Woodward .Features
Chris Borniger .Associate features
T.J. Johnson .Photo imaging
Christina Neff .Photo
Jason Pearce .Design, graphics
Clay McQuistion .Wire
News editors
Advertising managers
Becky LaBranch . . . Special sections
Krista Lindemann . . . Campus
Ryan Riggin . . . Regional
Jason Hannah . . . National
Will Baxter . . . Online sales
Patrick Rupe . . . Online creative
Seth Schwimmer . . . Marketing
Jenny Weaver . . . Creative layout
Matt Thomas . . . Assistant creative
Kenna Crone . . . Assistant creative
Trent Guyer . . . Classifieds
Jon Schitt . . . Zone
Thad Crane . . . Zone
Cecily Curran . . . Zone
Christy Davies . . . Zone
Broadon your mind: Today's quote
“Individuality realized is the supreme attainment of the human soul, the master's work of art. Individuality is sacred.” — Frank Lloyd Wright
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 Stauffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Nadia Mustafa 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 photo-
graphraphed for the column to run.
If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call 864-4924
Perspective
Sitting unassumingly at the corner of 14th Street and Jayhawk Boulevard is Danforth Chapel. It's actually easy to miss. Most students probably will never even think to enter it. Inside however, the instant quiet is almost startling. Sounds of steam whistles, stu
Chapel built by Nazis fills important niche
dents and smog-belching buses disappear, providing an oasis of calm at the very center of the campus.
Seth Hoffman
opinion editor
oipinn@kansas.com
The chapel is nondenominational and open to any member of the KU community who wants to pray, meditate or just warm up on a cold day. Since it was built in 1946, it has been the site of thousands of weddings, greek ceremonies, honor society initiatives and prayer services. But what does it mean to have a chapel in the middle of the
campus of a publiclv financed university?
When the chapel opened in 1946, Chancellor Malott promised that it would be open 24 hours per day, so that students could run in and pray whenever the mood struck them. That ended in the early 1960s, however, when several acts of vandalism, including the theft of the Gethsemane painting, forced the chapel to close at night.
In its early days, most of the activities were sponsored by the several Christian organizations that held prayer meetings. Slowly however, the chapel has become less of a denominational building and more of a gathering space for people of all faiths.
Building the Danforth Chapel was made possible by a $5,000 grant from the William J. Danforth foundation — its namesake and founder made his fortune with the Ralston-Purina Company in St. Louis, Mo. His foundation also funded several other similar chapels on campuses across the United States. Other contributors included the KU Endowment Association, — which actually provided $1,000 more than Danforth — the Panhellenic Association, Student Union Activities and several groups that had fund-raisers to help pay for the construction.
The building originally was decorated with Christian adornments, including a painting of Christ in Gethsemane, which was also a gift from Danforth.
Any registered campus organization, ranging from Student Senate to the KU Table Tennis Club, can reserve the chapel for up to three hours per week. St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center also celebrates Mass there three times per week. Also, any student can get married in the chapel for free, as long as his or her guest list has no more than about 70 people. About 165 couples got married there annually.
Construction commenced that year. To supplement the male-depleted labor supply, German soldiers from a nearby prisoner-of-war camp were brought in to haul limestone and help with construction. Before the war, several of the soldiers had been skilled stonemasons and were experienced in that type of work. Watching Nazi soldiers build a chapel on Jayhawk Boulevard must have been an interesting sight.
Before construction began, Chancellor Deane Malot told the Kansan, "The University is happy to have this building as a center of emphasis for Christian living, for which this University has stood throughout its history."
When the project was initiated in 1944, building materials were scarce because of World War II, but Danforth and the KU administration thought the chapel was important enough that they couldn't wait for the war to end. They were required to ask special permission to build it
from the War Production Board. Permission was granted. Apparently, chapel building was an important part of the war effort.
Impressively, the Nazi-built Danforth has made the transition from a decidedly nonnuclear intent as a "center of Christian living" to a building of use to the entire KU community. Because of that transition, its place on campus should be secure, even if only as a shelter from the wind on blustery spring days.
Hoffman is a Lenexa senior in journalism.
My name is Choo Yi; no, not like the wookie
"our name is what?"
**Y** your name is what?" I used to get that response a lot when I introduced myself. I also heard "How do you spell that?" and
"Interesting name." The people out there with the unusual names know what I'm talking about.
Your name symbolizes a major part of your image, personality and how you perceive yourself. Coming from a small town, I thought that I was known as "the Asian girl with the funny name." That made it even harder to get used to
a new culture and language. Most of my friends, including other Asian girls, had "American" names such as Sarah, Lisa or Jessica. I longed to be normal and have an American name like the other girls. I used to dread introducing myself to new people because of my name. In a way, I felt ashamed that my name was so different, so "un-American."
My first name was Choo,
pronounced the way it's
spelled. My last name is Yi.
June
Yi
guest columnist
oionin@kansan.com
pronounced Yee or Ee. That's right, chewy, as in choo-choo train or chewy chocolate chip cookie. I was called Bwelacbaca the wookie for the entire seventh grade. Don't laugh. It still haunts me. When people see my name in print, they come up with different pronunciations I never would have dreamed of. I have been called 'chow' or 'cho' and many others.
Don't get me wrong. I sometimes actually liked having such an unusual name. It provided certain perks. It practically was guaranteed that no one would forget my name. And my name did get attention when I wanted. It also provided a great way to start a conversation. I knew five Sarahs, but it was pretty much a sure thing that no one would have my name.
As a result of having an unusual name, I developed ways of coping with the extra attention it brought, and I learned how to joke with people about my name. But when I started attending the Korean church in town and later in Kansas City, I purposely began introducing myself as June. I was tired of people making fun of my name, and I wanted to blend in. So I
To my Asian friends and anyone related to church, I was June. To my school friends and everyone at home, I was Choo. Being called June was refreshing after hearing "Chewy" screamed down hallways and in classrooms everyday. I liked leading a double life, and I began developing a slightly different personality for each name.
picked June.
Everything was fine until I hit college. Suddenly, I couldn't keep my school friends and church friends separate because they attended the same school. It became tiresome to try to explain why and how I ended up with two names. Trying to blend the two different sides of me also became confusing and difficult.
I used to dream about changing my name, and finally an opportunity was presented to me. I found out that I could legally change my name forever when I became a citizen. I was estatic. Finally I would have a normal name and blend in with everyone else. I wouldn't be made fun of with every introduction to a non-Asian person. No more wookie or train lokes.
My roommates, sisters and I began brainstorming for the perfect name. I began to look through baby books and quickly discovered that it was not as easy to change your name as it was your clothes.
My names fit me and had become a part of me. They defined the way I perceived myself and the way people saw me. Trying to imagine myself as something other than June or Choo was harder than I originally thought. The more I brainstormed, the more I realized that I didn't mind being the Asian girl with the strange name. Changing at 19 years old seemed fake and superficial. Every other name reminded me of someone else.
However, I ultimately did decide to change my name. Now my name is legally June Yi. Most of my friends who know me as Choo refuse to call me June. I understand and, in a way, I'm glad. Changing my name felt like I was ignoring a major part of my life, and being called Choo reminds me of that time. I find myself actually missing the questions, remarks and even the jokes that my name brought. Although I'm happy with my decision to change, a part of me will always be Choo — the Asian girl with the funny name.
YI is a Leavenworth sophomore in advertising.
Feedback
Crosswalk needed at 15th and Naismith
When I read the short article in Tuesday's Kansan about a student hit by a car on 15th Street, my first reaction was, "What kind of crazy person runs out right in front of a car" (Even if it is just a Neon.) Then I read the comment at the end of the story about the
lack of a crosswalk at the site of the accident, implying that the student should not have been crossing where he did.
There is a simple reason why the student did not cross 15th in a crosswalk. There is no crosswalk at 15th between Iowa Street and Naismith Drive. None.
I don't want to be the advocate for crazy people who run out right in front of cars, but
sometimes, to get across 15th Street, especially during rush hour, you just have to cross your fingers, say a little prayer, close your eyes and hope for the best.
Of course, the better solution would be a couple of crosswalks. Maybe before someone gets seriously hurt.
Heather Wood Lawrence graduate student