Tuesday, November 2. 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
KU general counsel to step down
Search to begin by mid-month for replacement
By Clay McCuistion writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Victoria Thomas, chief lawyer for the University of Kansas, will step down Dec. 31.
And the search is on for her replacement.
An eight-member committee of University employees will meet for the first time Nov. 19 to consider a replacement for Thomas. Yesterday, Chancellor Robert Hemenway's office drafted a memo setting out the group's mission.
"In this day and age, organizations like the University of Kansas need a good lawyer," Hemenway said.
The general counsel not only represents the University in legal situations, but also offers advice and recommendations to the administration. Thomas' office recently helped Hemenway reply to questions about the legality of the University seal posed by the KU chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
"The general counsel is a very important part of that inner set of advisers," Hemenway said. "We need sound legal advice."
Thomas is retiring after 23 years in the general counsel's office. She came to the University in 1961 as an undergraduate and stayed to earn her masters' degree. After time away from the area and a brief stint as assistant district attorney in Johnson County, Thomas moved to the general counsel's office in 1976.
"That's a lot of time to be involved in a fairly high-stress job," she said. "I'm just planning to take some time and enjoy not being at work."
Martin Dickinson, distinguished professor of law
GENERAL COUNSEL SEARCH COMMITTEE:
Mike Keeble, associate vice chancellor, University of Kansas Medical Center
Marlin Rein, budget and govern- ment relations director
- mental relations director
* Dionge, Carlin, interim associate
Diang Carlin, interim associate
She said she didn't plan to take another job. Her salary for fiscal year 1999 was $99,710. But she's keeping her options open.
provest for academic services
Rud Tumbell, senior scientist and professor of special education
Karen Gallogher, Education Dean
Patrick Warren, assistant director of athletics corporation
Leslie Callahan, associate at the Center for Research, Inc.
"I never rule out anything," Thomas said. "I'm not planning to just retire from the world."
Thomas said that her replacement would need both strong legal skills and an understanding of the University environment.
"You have to keep the focus on what the purpose of the institution is," she said.
Leslie Callahan, of the Center for Research, Inc., is a member of the
Center for Research, Inc.
search committee. She said that she had worked with Thomas in the past.
"She's been tremendous at what she does, and she's a tremendous resource for the University," Callahan said. "It's going to be hard to fill her shoes."
Callahan said she didn't know if there would be pressure to find a quick replacement.
"Until the committee meets, I don't have sense of things," she said.
Edited by Jennifer Roush
Students wary of alcohol policy changes
Continued from page 1A
Yemi Adeyanu, Lawrence junior and Watkins Scholarship Hall resident, said the same was true of the scholarship halls.
"I don't think there's a difference," Adeyanju said. "I don't think it's gotten worse or better."
Wamelink said the change wasn't necessarily one that students would see.
"The change takes place on a sanctionary level." Wamelin said. "I don't think it is a change the everyday student would see."
Coming restrictions?
But students could see changes if the 11 members of the Student Housing Advisory Board endorse them this semester.
The first change being considered is to create a rule banning intoxication on all student housing property.
"Maybe we ought to redefine the issue in terms of behavior." Stoner said. "Right now, you can be stone-cold drunk and not be proven to be guilty of possession or consumption."
Such a change sets off alarm bells in students' heads.
"I think that's infringing on our rights," Adeyanju said. "I don't think that's fair."
Not allowing students to enter their buildings could increase drunk driving and force students to stay in unsafe places at night, she said.
The second change would ban empty alcohol containers.
"Nine out of 10 times, the empty container was most likely consumed in the hall," Wamelink said.
Capen said that change could hurt students who collect bottles as a hobby, as some of his friends did in McColum.
sider holding all people responsible if anyone in a room is caught drinking. Now, only roommates can be held liable.
Many students said that wouldn't be fair, either.
Finally, the board will likely con-
"I don't drink, but sometimes I go into a room and hang out with people that are drinking," Adeyanju said. "I don't think it would be fair for me to be written up."
Problems with enforcement
However, many students say that no policy would work unless it was strictly enforced.
Alex Runner, who was a resident assistant for two and 1/2 years in Ellsworth Hall before leaving for Japan this year, said that the connection was clear.
"The policies are nothing unless you have people that are willing to enforce them," he said.
enforcement seriously, although there were a few bad apples.
"You have good RAs, and you have bad RAs," Runner said. "As an RA, you have to live with residents and maintain a good working relationship or even a friendship. Some RAs choose to look the other way because they don't want to be the bad guy."
He said most RAs he knew took
But Runner said enforcement was also limited by privacy laws.
"Students have certain freedoms," he said. "I could hear bottles clanging, and I could say, 'Open your door,' but they don't have to."
Still, Stoner and Runner agreed that alcohol was held in check better at the University than at many other schools.
Edited by Mike Loader
Baby boomers could flood adult-care market
Continued from page 1A
America's aging population
Among most of Kelly Assisted Living's clients live in Topeka, Bulmer said there were not enough Lawrence employees to meet the city's needs.
reaching age 65 in 10 years, making the elderly population more than 20 times what it was at the turn of the century, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In Kansas, senior citizens account for 13.5 percent of the entire population, an increase of 2.6 percent since 1990.
"We have a harder time staffing jobs in Lawrence than we do in Topeka," Bulmer said. "There aren't nearly enough caregivers in Lawrence."
The American population of persons 65 years and older has grown approximately 2.1 percent faster than the rate of those under the age of 65. Reduced death rates for children and young adults have increased the life expectancy for children born in 1997 by about 29 years more than those born in 1900.
The 176 units at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor, 1429 Kasold Dr., are usually 98 to 100 percent full, said
Nursing homes are another option for families seeking higher levels of care for their relatives than they can provide.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of older people living in nursing homes increases with age: 1 percent of people 65-74, 5 percent of people 75-84 and 15 percent of people 85 and older.
Source: The U.S. Census Bureau
Ellie Hajek / KANSAN
Mary Jane Fitts, director of marketing and admissions. Because the continuing care retirement community offers multiple levels of care such as independent living, duplexes, assisted living, skilled nursing and 24-hour nursing, there is sometimes a waiting list to be admitted for certain levels of care. And Fitts said she knows that problem will only increase in the years to come.
"The population of our clients is growing," Fitss said. "There are a lot of freestanding facilities popping up, but in terms of seeing people through continuous care, I think the demand is going to increase."
Nursing homes and assisted living can do much to alleviate the daily burden on families by surrounding older relatives with medical professionals and peers.
"I think it gives the family a lot of peace of mind to know that their family member is always within a few feet of a trained nurses," Fitst said. "And also, older people can get socially isolated, and here they have their meals with other people. We also take a holistic approach to their care. We take care of their emotional, spiritual and physical needs."
But the price for that care is not always easy on families. Fitts estimated that the range of cost was between $525 a month for an independent unit to $125 a day for continuous care.
Minear recently tried to become the legal guardian of her mother — the woman who had been her legal guardian for 18 years—but she said the legal process involved was more hassle than it was worth.
Although she said she knew her mother would continue to need more supervision in the future, Minear is focused on graduation.
"At times things have been very tough," Minear said. "But my selfish side won't take less classes because I want to finish so I can go to law school."
- Edited by Chris Hopkins
The FMC phosphorous-producing plant is one of three sites that attendees to the "Working with Wetlands and Riparian Areas — New Ideas for Growing Areas" tour will visit. The FMC plant has restored surrounding wetlands. Photo by Eric Sahmann/KANSAN
Preserving wetlands at center of seminar
By Todd Halstead
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Protecting wetlands and riparian areas in the midst of construction will be the focus of a free daylong seminar Thursday at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
"Working with Wetlands and Riparian Areas — New Ideas for Growing Areas" will be hosted by the Kansas Wetlands and Riparian Areas Alliance. Three speakers will address the attributes of wetland and riparian areas, using them in an urban setting and outlining preservation projects.
Dennis Haag, chairman of the alliance, said the organization wanted to bring new ideas in restoration of wetlands and riparian, or streamside areas, to the Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka and surrounding metro areas.
"This is a pretty big order," Haag said. "One of our purposes is to invite the different components of development, including city officials and planners, the engineering community, the design community and other people that make things happen and try to get them in one venue where we can discuss the potentials of how wetlands may be utilized."
Haag said working with wetland and riparian areas often was a less expensive alternative for developers because they could avoid the costly permits and landscaping associated with altering them.
Attendees will hear from people who are making wetlands and riparian areas co-exist with urban settings, tour three sites in the Lawrence area that have possible solutions and discuss ideas and concerns with peers and experts.
The tour will consist of a phosphorous-producing plant at 440 N. 9th St., which restored and
Paul Rich, associate professor of environmental studies and a scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey, said many people did not understand the importance of wetlands.
"The wetlands are not fully appreciated except, perhaps, by duck hunters," Rich said. "They are really important for supporting habitat areas not just for bird species but for a wide range of other plants and animals."
He said that in areas where wetlands were retained, there were less problems caused by flooding and drought.
Rich said wetlands were important because they regulated and impeded water flow by acting as buffers, so in cases of flooding, they absorbed some of the excess water and in times of low water flow they released water.
In addition to monitoring water flow, wetland areas also worked to naturally purify water.
"The wetlands have been called the kidneys of the land." Rich said "The reason for that is, like the kidneys, they have an important function in purifying water in terms of any kinds of run-off that might contain fertilizers or contain toxic substances. They're very important in locations to essentially improve the water quality."
Registration will take place at 8 am on Nov. 4 at Building 21 on the Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper. Lunch will be served on site for $7.
For more information about the seminar and the alliance, contact Tim Christian at (316) 241-6921.
— Edited by Jessie Meyer
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