Friday, March 19. 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 5
Bill looking to replace Regents
Legislation moving quickly through Senate committees
By Kristi Reimer
kreimer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
A plan to abolish the Board of Regents and establish a new system for governing higher education in Kansas is gaining momentum in the state Legislature, and members were advised yesterday to watch out.
"Being told to keep an eye on this bill is a little like standing on I-70 and watching a Mack truck come your way," said Regent Kenneth Havner at the board's monthly meeting in Topeka.
Senate Bill 345 has barreled through the Senate Education Committee, though the Senate itself has yet to pass it and already is being debated in the House Education Committee.
"This is highly unusual," said Chairman Bill Docking, who had to leave the Regents meeting mid-session to testify before the House committee. "It certainly seems that this bill is on the fast track."
The bill would do away with the board and reestablish a new nine-member board. Three sub-
boards or commissions would oversee public
universities, community and vocational colleges
and coordination issues.
"It appears to me that the governor is behind it. It appears that the House and Senate are communicating about it," said Tom Bryant, Regents interim director. "It does seem to have legs."
Board members voiced several concerns, one of which was concerning the requirement that the governor appoint members to the commissions.
"I think that should be left to the discretion of the chair." said Regent Harry Craig.
Docking said he had made Craig's suggestion to Rep. Ralph Tanner, House Education Committee chairman, who had seemed receptive to the idea.
But Docking said he had learned that Senate Majority Leader Tim Emert, one of the bill's sponsors, was strongly opposed to another suggestion to phase out the commissions through a sunset clause.
KU chancellor Robert Hemenway said he was concerned about specific details of the plan because no bill had been introduced in the House.
"We're in an extremely awkward situation," he said. "We haven't seen a bill. We don't know specifics of the language. We're handicapped in making a statement on it."
"Being told to keep an eye on this bill is a little like standing on I-70 and watching a Mack truck come your way."
Kenneth Havner
Regent
But Jon Wefald, president of Kansas State University, said this legislation was better than a bill that passed the House last year. That plan would have abolished the Board of Regents altogether.
The Senate is expected to debate the new measure next week.
In other news, the board also:
Heard a report that most graduates of the Regents Honors Academy, a program for academically talented high school students, are attending Regents and other Kansas institutions:
- Observed a demonstration of a new Regents-wide database with statistical information to be used in planning and review processes;
Encouraged faculty senate presidents in their efforts to meet with legislators on the initiative to raise faculty salaries.
—Edited by Keith Burner
Student arts package made more feasible to increase interest
By Nadia Mustafa
nmustafa@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The Lied Center is trying to attract more students to the arts by making the arts package cheaper and more manageable.
In coordination with Kevin Yoder, student body president, and Scott Kaiser, student body vice president, members of the Lied Center management finalized changes last month to the arts package available to students through optional campus fees during enrollment, which will begin April 2.
"It was an effort to make the arts package more affordable and more attractive and to increase the number of students going to Lied Center events." he said.
About 260 students purchased the $148 arts package this year, but fewer than 100 students picked up their tickets.
Kaiser said that the optional campus fees committee approved changes to the process of picking up and securing tickets for the Lied Center, University Theatre and Music and Dance shows because in past semesters it had been inconvenient for students.
The package entitled students to attend about 26 events, including 15 shows in the Lied Center's Concert series; Chamber Music and New Direction series; some University Theatre events; and a variety of jazz, symphony, vocal and dance shows selected by the Music and Dance department of the School of Fine Arts.
next fall, the package will cost $108 for 16 events and will offer students one show in each of the Lied Center's five series, including the Broadway and Family series.
Michelle Traband, Lied Center
"It's a more manageable package freeing their hands," she said. "We consider it more a taste of the arts."
box office manager, said that she wanted to give students more flexibility.
To pick up tickets through this year's package, students have to go to the Murphy Hall Box Office and designate which nights throughout the year they would like to attend events.
She said that the complexity of the process deterred students. She said she still was considering options to make ticket pick-up process easier.
Traband said that students often forgot that they had purchased the arts package or that the number of shows overwhelmed them.
One option would give students the opportunity to pick up tickets for the entire year at the first event. They would then be able to exchange them later in the year if they were interested in attending a performance on a different night.
The second option would be to issue arts cards to students, similar to the Student Union Activities Box Office movie cards.
Traband said that she would make a decision this summer.
With the new package, students will receive membership to Friends of the Lied Center, a group supporting the Lied Center series. Friends of the Lied Center receive newsletters and information about pre-performance lectures.
Students also will become Friends of the University Theatre and will receive invitations to special University Theatre events.
Traband said that although students who bought individual tickets to Lied Center events received a half-price discount, the package offered a larger discount.
- Edited by Liz Wristen
Under the boardwalk
Chrystal Faucher, Lawrence freshman, and Adam Hunter, Lawrence senior, walk through a covered passageway on the south side of Budig Hall. Campus was relatively empty late yesterday because of students departing early for spring break. Photo by Graham K. Johnson/KANSAN
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