Friday, April 16, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 5
Computer access in Senate office may be removed
By Nadia Mustafa
nmustafa@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Student senators may lose their privileges to access computers in the Senate office if illegal computer activity continues.
Academic Computing Services is investigating an allegedly forged e-mail sent Tuesday from a computer in the Senate office.
The e-mail, which was delivered at 7:37 p.m. to Students Against the Recreation Center, appeared to be sent by Jason Fizell, 1998 KU graduate and former Delta Force president. However, Fizell, research director for the Associated Students of Madison at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, was in Madison, Wis., during that time.
Craig Paul, ACS systems software programmer, said he believed that the e-mail was forged. Although he had identified three scientists who had used the computer before and after the e-mail was sent, he said that there was no evidence they were guilty.
"I've recommended that if the problem continues, all computer access in the Senate office should be removed because there's no reason for this kind of abuse." Paul said.
Also, he said, the University of Kansas was considering mandating that individuals who log on to the University network provide a name and password so that it would be able to trace incidents to specific individuals.
Paul said that there had been cases of forged e-mail for years at the University because Internet mail was easy to forge. But, he said that ACS would pursue an investigation if they received a request from the involved
parties. He said that it still might be possible to find the culprit, but was not sure how long it would take.
Sending forged e-mail is a violation of the KU code of student rights and responsibilities.
The e-mail, which was sent using Fizell's e-mail address and what appeared to be the University of Wisconsin at Madison's server, addressed Delta Force members about the recreation task force's proposal for a new campus recreation center.
Fizell could not be reached for comment.
Eric Rush, Delta Force member, said that Delta Force did not yet want to make any accusations.
"We don't want to make this inflammatory," he said. "What's done is done."
Seth Hoffman, Delta Force president, said that he would consult administrators about whether to pursue an investigation.
"Something definitely needs to be looked into," he said. "I don't think anybody should be able to get away with this stuff."
The forged e-mail was the third reported incident this semester of illegal computer activity related to Senate.
Last month, an unknown individual vandalized the Senate Web site. In January, someone hacked Student Body Vice President Scott Kaiser's email account from a computer in the Senate office.
In addition, during campaign time last spring, unknown individuals used Senate computers to forward other people's saved and sent messages to themselves and others.
- Edited by Aerica Veazey
Members of the Board of Regents are getting a better idea of how far-reaching the effects of likely changes to the Regents structure will be.
kreimer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Preparations to begin for new Regents
By Kristi Reimer
"This is bigger than some anticipated," said Andy Tompkins, state commissioner of education, in an understatement that drew laughs from the Regents and audience at a monthly meeting yesterday at Kansas State University.
Tompkins is a member of a transition team formed by Regents Chairman William Docking to steer the board through changes mandated by Senate Bill 345, which has passed both houses of the Legislature and is awaiting a conference committee's attention at the end of the month.
"In order to prepare for likely passage, we thought it appropriate to move ahead in the planning process," Docking said.
The bill calls for a new nine-member board to be established July 1 that would be made up of three commissions — one to govern Regents institutions, one to oversee community colleges and technical schools and one to handle coordination issues and resolve conflicts.
The Board of Regents now governs only the six Regents institutions, and the Board of Education oversees the 30 community colleges and vocational schools.
Tompkins said eight full-time staff positions at the Board of Education would need to be transferred to the Board of Regents, but some of those salaries are partially paid for by federal grants unavailable to the Regents. Those funds would need to be made up somehow, possibly through state general funds, he said.
Not only will the Regents have to determine how to pay the new staff members, they will have to figure out where to put them. Director Tom Bryant said he was considering leasing more office space in the Security Benefit Life Building in Topeka across from Regents offices.
"As you can see, this is a big undertaking." Docking said.
Other concerns addressed by the board included lack of financing for the transition period, the possibility of conflict between the commissions and the amount of time required for the new Regents to handle increased responsibilities
"If this position were to be limited to those who are independently wealthy and have that kind of time, that would be disastrous," said Regent Sylvia Robinson.
Ed Hammond, president of Fort Hays State University and head of the Regents Council of Presidents, said the conference committee should empower the new board to make adjustments as problems arise.
"We don't have the answers, but we agree that fine-tuning is needed," he said. "But we believe as a group that to get all post-secondary education governance into one structure is in the benefit of higher education."
Another legislative decision was easier for the Regents to deal with — an increase of nearly 5 percent for faculty salaries.
In a conference committee's state budget compromise, legislators added $900,000 to a $2.5 million salary-enhancement pool. That $3.4 million for retaining top faculty, plus a 3.5 percent increase for all faculty, brings the total increase to 4.9 percent, said Marvin Burris, director of governmental affairs.
The board approved a motion allocating the salary-enhancement funds, of which KU would receive $889,500. All instructional, research and public service faculty who hold the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor or instructor would be eligible for salary increases from the enhancement pool.
But KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway warned that the salary increase wasn't final until it passed through a three-day legislative session at the end of the month.
"That can be dramatically changed during the wrap-up session, so we need to be vigilant," Hemenway said. "There's no guarantee until then."
—Edited by Juan H. Heath
Kansas students need more aid, administrators say
By Kristi Reimer
kreimer@kanson.com
Kansas staff writer
The lack of financial aid for Kansas residents and the increasing costs of education have left some students with massive debts and led others to decide not to attend college at all, said Christine Crenshaw, director of student financial aid for the Board of Regents.
"When I was in college—and I'm 51—if you worked 20 hours a week at minimum wage, you could go to k-State and live on campus," Crenshaw told the board at its monthly meeting yesterday. "Today, you would have to work 40 hours a week or earn $$ an hour."
Crenshaw distributed information showing that of the $330 million in financial aid given to needy students at all universities in Kansas, about $206 million was in the form of loans. The average loan for a student in Kansas is about $3,000 per year.
Regent Murray Lull said most students weren't prepared to handle that kind of debt along with the credit-card bills many of them rack up.
"They haven't even begun to think about the consequences." Lull said.
Ed Hammond, president of Fort Hays State University, said graduating so many students with loans was not in the best interests of the state.
"Such a debt level will make them unable to participate in the economy," he said. "This is something that has not been understood by policy-makers."
"There is a direct correlation," he said. "You can graduate in four years, but not when you're working those kinds of hours."
Hammond said universities and the board needed to educate students about the impact of heavy debt and press state officials to take action.
Sorority member to file YOU campaign complaint
Edited by Kelli Roybem
nmustafa@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
"The Legislature has ducked this issue by not putting more money to state scholarships," he said.
By Nadia Mustafa
A sorority resident plans to file a complaint against members of the YOU coalition, who were knocking on residents' doors yesterday at Sigma Kappa sorority house, 1325 W. Campus Road.
Liz Wristen, Leawood junior, said that she would complain to the elections commission today about being harassed at her room in Sigma Kappa by YOU supporters yesterday afternoon.
She said that Rebecca Houghtland, Overland Park freshman and Sigma Kappa resident, and Kimberly Fuchs, Merridam sophomore, opened her door and entered her room, even though she and her roommates did not answer their knocks.
Campaigning in sororities without the permission of the house mother is a violation of the elections code and may violate state trespassing laws.
Wristen said that Hougland and Fuchs, who were dressed in YOU attire, went door to door at the sorority encouraging residents to vote and offered them rides to campus.
Melissa Yeager, Overland Park junior, is one of Wristen's roommates. She said that she was annoyed by Hougland and Fuchs because she wanted to relax and watch television at home during her lunch hour.
"I get hit eight or nine times when I'm walking on campus, but I got hit by two more when at home when I just wanted to chill out," Yeager said. "When they're knocked on your door and
harassing you about not voting, it gets really annoying.
Ruth Rader, Sigma Kappa house mother, said that no one had asked her permission to enter the house.
"I didn't know they were here, and I'm upset that they were," she said.
Shelley Moore, Sigma Kappa president, said that she also was unaware that Houland and Fuchs had been knocking on doors.
Korb Maxwell and Dede Seibel, student body president and vice president-elects, both said that they had informed their candidates and supporters about elections code regulations and that they were unaware of Hougland's and Fuch's actions.
"We tried to fire people up, but we never told people to go door to door." Maxwell said.
Koren Hawk, Topeka junior and
Sigma Kappa resident, also said that she didn't appreciate Fuchs, who was alone at the time, knocking on her door.
"It caught me off-guard," she said. "I didn't know the person. Guests have to be walked around, but she was alone."
Hougland said that she and Fuchs did not identify themselves verbally as supporting YOU and that they were only asking residents if they had voted and offering them rides.
Fuchs could not be reached for comment.
Jennifer Watkins, elections commissioner, said that their actions could be in violation. However, she said she could not comment further because she was busy with elections.
— Wristen is a copy editor at the Kansan.
— Edited by Aerica Veazey
A blustery day
A tree snapped outside of Wescow Hall because of high winds. The storm, which began Wednesday, wreaked havoc throughout the city. Photo by Joseph Griffin/KANSAN
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