Friday, December 3, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A • Page 3
Lawmaker says KU funding looks bleak
By Nathan Willis
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Kansas Senate President Dick Bond's message was gloomy, but not surprising.
Bond, R-Overland Park, told members of University Senate yesterday that the Kansas Legislature likely won't pass a necessary tax increase next year because of politics, and that will hurt the University of Kansas' bid for more funding.
In a meeting sparsely attended by student senators, who are members of University Senate, Bond highlighted the obstacles the Board of Regents is up against in securing more money from the Legislature in an election year, and gave advice to students and faculty on how they could lobby state legislators more successfully.
as they needed. The revenue shortfall follows an era of record tax cuts in Kansas, he said.
Bond said he anticipated a shortfall of about $100 million in the state budget next year, which would prevent the Legislature from giving state agencies as much money
"We cut taxes too much," said Bond, who is not seeking re-election. "And I think that every legislator and the governor should share in that blame."
Bond said he would propose an increase in sales tax to cover the shortfall.
"But I usually don't consider myself naive," he said. "I think that the likelihood of a tax increase in the 2000 legislative year is pretty darn remote."
This is, after all, the same Legislature that voted to cut taxes last year on a 39-1 margin in the Senate and 125-0 in the House of Representatives, he said.
A $21 million package that the Legislature promised to the Regents, which includes about $8.5 million for faculty salaries, may or may not be honored this year, he said, though it will be high on the priority list.
Any additional money, such as the funding Regents requested to bring all Regent
universities' faculty salaries up to those of peer institutions, are farther down the priority list and are less likely to be financed, he said.
He also said that although he thought most legislative leaders recognized the accomplishments of the University, the Legislature as a whole did not, further hampering the University's efforts to get more money.
"I think it's fairly positive," Bond said of the relationship between the Legislature and the University. "But I don't think that most legislators appreciate the quality of education offered in this state."
To that end, Bond, who is a KU graduate, said the University could beef up its lobbying efforts by motivating alumni throughout the state and putting more students in direct contact with legislators more often.
"As for the faculty, I hate to be a skunk at your picnic, but students are more believable," he said.
Following Bond's speech, Senate voted to
aboll the Financial Aid to Students standing committee because University Senate Executive Committee President Jim Carothers said it no longer had any work to do. The committee was formed to monitor administrative decisions about student financial aid.
"No students showed up, and only one faculty member came besides myself." Carothers said of his experience as chairman of the committee recently.
After Senate, University Council met and voted to adopt its goals for the 2000 legislative session, which are increasing salaries for faculty and staff, securing state funding to match the money raised by the student library fee and increasing student financial aid.
Carothers said that University Governance likely would need to retool its strategy for lobbying based on Bond's advice but that its goals would remain the same.
Edited by Julia Nicholson
Kansas Senate President Dick Bond says the Legislature likely won't pass a necessary tax increase next year because of politics. Bond spoke yesterday afternoon to the University Senate for about half an hour. Photo by Roger Nomer/KANSAN
SUA Angel Tree helps needy kids during holidays
By Emily Hughey writer @kanson.com
kanson staff writer
here are angels in the Kansas Union.
There are angels in the Kansas City. In the main lobby of the Union, Student Union Activities is sponsoring 300 Lawrence children in its 11th annual Salvation Army Angel Tree. The Angel Tree, decorated with the names of "angels" to be adopted, offers individuals and student organizations the opportunity to sponsor a child for the holidays.
Amy Liddy, president of Sigma Kappa sorority, said some of the chapter members chose to sponsor a child for Christmas.
Student Union Activities is among several area sponsors of Salvation Army Angel Trees. The Angel Trees allow individuals and organizations chance to sponsor a child for the holidays. Photo by Jamiie Power / KANSAN
"Several girls in our house have participated in this cause because they saw it as a different way to help people," said Liddy, Belleville, III., junior. "Instead of just giving money, we can give Christmas presents to children that may not otherwise have them."
Camille Payne, vice president of University Relations for SUA, said students could adopt angels and turn in their gifts by 5 p.m. Dec. 10 at the SUA office in the Union. Once all the gifts are collected, she said SUA would take them to the Salvation Army for distribution.
"Once you have the present, you wrap it and give it to SUA," Payne said. "The kids that don't get chosen, SUA will adopt."
Payne said that 188 children had been adopted and that SUA would sponsor the children who were not adopted by individuals or organizations.
Payne herself is adopting two angels. She said she was sponsoring them as a Christmas present to her parents.
"My mom and dad are kind of hard to buy for because they have everything," Payne said. "I told my parents not to get me a Christmas present because I don't need any-
SUA's Angel Tree is not the only one in the area. Carolyn Schuetz, representative of the Salvation Army, said there also were trees in Green Hall and at Wal-Mart, 3300 S. Iowa St.
Although 1,500 angels were adopted last
year, she said it looked like more children would be sponsored this year.
Most people adopt angels, Schuetz said, because they want to share.
"Most of the time the reason a person would buy presents for an angel is because they want to have a good Christmas, and they want someone else to have a good Christmas as well." Schuetz said. "For the
most part, I think they just want to share.
The tree has been in the Union lobby since 1975.
Payne recommended spending between $5 and $20 on each angel, and Schuetz said there weren't criteria for the gifts.
"I don't think there are any wrong or right things to buy." Schuetz said.
- Edited by Darrin Peschka
Sold-out Holiday Vespers to showcase KU music
By Warisa Chulindra
Special to the Kansan
Hundreds of people are expected to be turned away from the 76th annual Holiday Vespers Sunday afternoon at the Lied Center. Both performances at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. have been sold out for a week.
The sold-out audience is as much of a tradition as the concert itself. The concert draws people from throughout Kansas. Nearly 4,500 people will listen to about 350 musicians. A waiting list will be taken at the Lied Center box office an hour before performances.
Vespers features performances by the combined University of Kansas choirs. conducted
by Simon Carrington, professor and director of choral studies, and the KU Symphony Orchestra, directed by Brian Priestman, professor and director of orchestral activities.
"Vespers is a sort of word that has associated with festive music," Priestman said. "It goes back to the idea that the sun rises again on the horizon. We're celebrating the winter solstice, the return of the sun, which brings hope, life and strength."
Derived from the Latin word vespera, meaning evening, vespers is a worship service held in the late afternoon or evening.
Each year, KANU radio records the performances and sends it to about 70 National Public Radio stations from San Diego to
Maine.
Both traditional Christmas carols and Kwanzaa songs are on the program. This includes selections from the Nutcracker, Winter Wonderland, and "For Unto Us a Child is Born" from "Messiah" and the Nigerian folk song, "Ise Oluwa," which is sung in the Yoruba language.
The audience will join the choirs and orchestra in singing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "O Come, All Ye Faithful."
Kelly Shepherd, Overland Park senior and violinist in the orchestra, bought 16 tickets for her family in September. She said Vespers had become a tradition for her and her family, and was the only orchestra concert of the year they all attended.
Shepherd said that Vespers was one of the few opportunities the orchestra had to play for a sold-out crowd and that the concert was a showcase of the talented KU music program.
"I think Vespers is just as popular in the community as with students," she said. "It's also a fun way to bring in the holidays."
"It's a really beautiful, joyful service," she said.
Julia Gilmore, Clay Center junior, will attend Vespers for the second year.
Half an hour before each performance, other groups will play holiday music as people are being seated.
- Edited by Mike Loader
Hillel donates clothes in spirit of Hanukkah
By Erinn R. Barcomb
writer@kansan.com
Kanson staff writer
Part of the holiday tradition is giving gifts, and KU Hillel is giving gifts of its own.
Today at sundown, the first of eight candles on the menorah will be lit in observance of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
Mayaan Pase, Hillel's program director, said the organization was participating in a community service project in the spirit of giving exemplified by the holiday.
Hillel is participating with the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy in Overland Park in Project Warmth, a drive to gather clothing, coats and blankets for the needy.
Collection boxes were placed throughout the Kansas City and Lawrence communities, including boxes in some of the University's residence halls.
"Mainly, we're doing it now because it's getting cold outside," said Jessica Kalender. Leawood sophomore who worked on the project. "But it is in the holiday spirit."
Some items will be taken today to the Project Warmth warehouse in Kansas City, Mo. On Wednesday, students will take the remaining items to homeless people in Lawrence living north of the Kansas River.
"We knew there was a large homeless population in Lawrence from other groups we've worked with," Kalender said. "We wanted to interact with the people and make it more personal."
Although Kalender said she did not know yet how many items had been collected in Lawrence, she said enough had been collected throughout the Kansas City area to fill a station wagon.
Jessica Stein, Leaward junior who also worked on the project, said most of the items collected in Lawrence would stay in the community. She said Hillel would donate any leftovers to the Salvation Army.
"It's nice to make it more personal and see where the efforts go."
Lois Snyder, president of the Lawrence Jewish Community Center, said the center had plans for the final day of Hanukkah. Dec. 10.
Snyder said the community was invited to a dinner, service and menorah lighting, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the center, 917 Highland Drive. She said each family should bring its own menorah.
"We light them all together," Snyder said. "It is really very beautiful."
Reservations can be made by calling the center at 841-7636.
- Edited by Chris Hopkins
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