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Kansan
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AA
Monday, March 1, 1999
The Chicago Tribune
Editorial
Adoption of NIU program spurs responsibility, moderation at KU
Soon the University of Kansas will begin implementation of the Northern Illinois University alcohol program. This program has produced tremendous results at Northern Illinois University and the University of Arizona.
Michael Haines, coordinator of health enhancement services at Northern Illinois, said that after the program was implemented, heavy drinking was reduced by 44 percent and alcohol-related injuries were reduced by 76 percent.
The Northern Illinois program is a information campaign that stresses that most male students drink between 1 and 5 drinks each night and most females drink between 1 and 3 drinks a sitting. An in-depth survey that allows researchers to pinpoint exactly how much students drink provides accurate information for each campus.
By publicizing that the norm is lower than what most students perceive, the program creates social pressure for students to moderate drinking and to encourage peers to moderate theirs. The program also stresses that the best way to avoid hangovers and other alcohol-related problems, including arrests, is to drink moderately.
The system would provide help in fighting binge drinking.
The Northern Illinois program is not an anti-alcohol campaign. It does not tell students that drinking is wrong. Instead, it encourages drinking in moderation. Alcohol can be relaxing and a social lubricant, but excessive drinking eliminates alcohol's benefits and creates new problems. Alcohol abuse leads to violence, unplanned and often unwanted sexual encounters, and drunk driving.
It is the few who drink too much who cause problems for the majority of students who drink responsibly.
Data from Northern Illinois shows that publicizing that the norm is five drinks a night does not encourage students who do not drink or who drink very little to drink more. The reasons for not drinking often are based on strongly held beliefs that are not altered by this program.
Haines said that the Northern Illinois program is not effective for problem drinkers and alcoholics, because immunity to social pressure and norms is one of the signs of alcoholism. This program is intended to moderate the drinking pattern of the majority of students the majority of the time.
When students know that it is not normal to abuse alcohol, they are more likely to engage in positive actions such as preventing a friend from driving drunk or getting help for friends who are problem drinkers.
Unlike many of the proposals by the Joint City-Universities Task Force on Alcohol Abuse Prevention, this program targets all members of the University community. Measures such as keg registration, increased penalties for minor in possession charges or giving rewards for turning in people who make false forms of identification do nothing to prevent alcohol abuse — they prevent underage drinking. The Northern Illinois program addresses problems that arise from alcohol abuse by students who are older than 21 as well as those who are underage. It makes more sense to encourage everyone to drink responsibly than to focus all energy on preventing underage drinkers from having a couple of beers.
The Northern Illinois program is effective because it uses social norms and results in more responsible drinking habits. All data indicates that this program will be a beneficial addition to the University.
Timothy Burger for the editorial board
Feedback
Professor questions board's loyalties
In his address to the students of the University of Freiburg in 1933, Martin Heidegger said the following:
"May you ceaselessly grow in the courage to sacrifice yourself for the salvation of our nations' essential being and the increase of its innermost strength in its polity. Let not your being be ruled by doctrine or 'ideas'. The Fuhrer himself and he
alone is the German reality, present and future, and its law. Study to know: from now on all things demand decision, and all action responsibility. Hell Hitler"
On page eight of his book on Martin Heidegger entitled *Heidegger's Political Thinking*, James F. Ward stated the following:
'cleansing' laws that excluded Jews and others from financial assistance, and promoted National Socialism to students and workers in public addresses. Most damning of all, he remained silent, or very nearly so, about the Holocaust."
"Heideger attempted to implement National Socialist aims during his recorder, including efforts to reform the teaching of science to meet the needs of the revolutions, compiled with racial
I take my stand against the totalitarian philosophy of Heidegger and its "reality" in Hitler's Germany. Whose side is the editorial board on?
Kansan staff
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professor of East Asian language and culture
Wallace Johnsor
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Broadon your mind: Today's quote
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 home-town if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
"Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote." —George Jean Nathan
All letters and guest columns should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Staufer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Ryan Koerner or Jerome Doherty at 864-4924.
Guest columns: Should be double-
spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The
writer must be willing to be photographed for
the column to run.
The University Daily Kansan editorial board has endorsed six of the nine candidates for tomorrow's primary election for the Lawrence City Commission.
if you have general questions or comments,
e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com)
or call 864-4924.
In recent weeks, members of the editorial board interviewed and gathered information about the candidates. Candidates were asked about the issues they thought were pressing in Lawrence. Each candidate also spoke about his or her connection to the University of Kansas and the role KU students play as Lawrence residents.
√ Paul Matthew Bryant
Editorial board endorses commission candidates
City Commission
A check mark next to the candidate's name signifies an endorsement by the board.
One candidate, David McKinsey, could not be reached for an interview. According to Patty Jaimes, county clerk, McKinsey has no phone number and has failed to file a report of his financial status with the Kansas Commission on Government Ethics by the Feb. 18 deadline. An unsuccessful attempt was made to reach McKinsey through his address listed with the county clerk's office. As a result, McKinsey was not considered for endorsing by the editorial board.
Occupation: Part-time janitor at BASIC Cleaners
Key issues: South Lawrence Trafficway, public transportation, full-time homeless shelter, main tenance and strengthening of community infrastructure.
KU connection: Former KU graduate student. "The main reason I'm qualified is because I've seen all of Lawrence, especially the homeless. I've had people tell me to just live under the bridge. That's unacceptable. The homeless are the ones who need protection and the functions of government."
David Dunfield
Age:46
Occupation: Architect with Glenn Livingood. Ponzler Architects.
Community Involvement: Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods President, 1997 class of Leadership Lawrence, 1994-95 President of Barker Neighborhood Association
Key issues: Fixed-route public transportation system, cooperative planning among Lawrence, Douglas County and Lawrence School District. KU connection: Received bachelor's and master's degrees in art history and architecture from the University.
"Students should play a greater role in Lawrence government, but I understand they have 'divided loyalties.' I wants students to take a greater interest in the community."
√ Denise Gibson
Age:37
Occupation: Professional Development Manager for The Farm, Inc., a nonprofit child welfare agency
Community Involvement: Achievement Place for Girls, Assistant Leader for Kaw Valley Girl Scouts, Active member of Cordy Elementary School PTA, Kansas Guardianship Program Volunteer
Key issues: Residential growth and commercial development, traffic, and collaboration among city commission, surrounding counties, schools and the University of Kansas
KU connection: Received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University.
"Initially it was the traffic problems that motivated me to get involved. I also am bothered by the closing and consolidating of schools."
O. Scott Henderson
Occupation: Retired manager of Hallmark Cards.
Age:58
Community Involvement: United Way, Valley View Nursing Home, Salvation Army, city's Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee
Key issues: Public transportation, attracting businesses to North Lawrence.
KU connection: Believes students should support his campaign because, if elected, the commission's work will be his top priority.
"Because I'm retired, I believe I will be able to devote more time to the job."
✓ James Henry
Occupation: Retired Associate Director of the University of Kansas Placement Center Community Involvement: First United Methodist Church, Lawrence Jaycees, Optimist Club, Lawrence Rotary Club President, Warm Hearts of Douglas County President Key issues: Public transportation and city growth.
KU connection: Obtained three degrees from the University and worked in Registrar's office for 29 years. Named administrator of the year by 1992 senior class.
"I'm interested in creating jobs for students in Kansas. My job at KU centered along finding internships for students."
Brenda McFadden
Age:35
Occupation: Accountant, McFadden and Associates
Key issues: Strong leadership, maintenance of downtown area, need for citywide busing and transportation program.
KU connection: Received degree in Business Administration from the University.
Community Involvement: Serves on the board of Shelter, Inc., active in United Way
"It is essential that both KU and Haskell work with the city to create a city wide busing and transportation program."
Age: 75
G. Wayne Parks
Occupation: Retired farmer
Key issues: City growth, South Lawrence Trafficway, expensive recreation and child care, and education.
KU connection: Feels education is a priority and wants to emphasize the relationship between the University, its students and the city of Lawrence.
"Iam a supporter of a citywide transportation system without raising taxes. I also oppose the idea of a downtown parking garage, because residents with cars could use the public transportation system as well."
Mike Rundle
Age: 45
Occupation: Membership coordinator and newsletter editor of Community Mercantile Grocery, City Commissioner from 1987 to 1991 Community Involvement: President of neighborhood association, Volunteer for Berk Nash Health Center, Board member of Women's Transitional Care Services
Key issues: Quality of life, growth, cooperation between city, county and school board.
KU connection: Favors a full-time public transportation system.
"I'm interested in a good liaison with my student constituents. Without students, there's no economic viability."
Perspective
Laundry empties pockets
quarters, man, I need quarters. I'm stranded at the laundromat, and the change machine is spitting my wrinkled dollars back at me so indignantly that I think I may take a
baseball bat to it.
It's not like I haven't tried avoiding this scenario. I bought a pack of socks a week ago, and now it's gone, so here I am.
Two days have passed since I shelled out a few scraps of cash for some discount boxers, and now I'm forced to wear the last pair I have, the ones with the crotch ripped out in an embarrassing incident.
These jeans are funky. You can't even see the khaki through the stains in my work
H.G.
Miller
opinion @ kansan.com
pants, and for the first time in college, I'm wishing I had joined a fraternity just to have the T-shirts.
But no, I am now left with no options other than washing my prized collection of concert shirts, flannels from the alternative age and towels with just enough threads left to rub the water off, rather than dry skin.
Of course, excelling at procrastination as I do, none of the "nice" laundromats are open when I stuff my soiled articles into a cracked plastic basket, a few trash bags and a sack from the grocery store. No, my laundromat doesn't have pool tables or video games. The sign over my laundromat simply reads "24 Hours. Coin Operated," although the last part is hard to see because half the lights are burned out.
Inside, superior technology does not prevail. Aside from rows of washing machines that I assume used
"Please, take my dollar." I begged. "It's backed by the government. I swear it's good."
to be white, a weathered Coke machine rests next to the your-dollar's-no-good-here change machine. Inside the selection buttons of the Coke machine are cut-out tops of twelve packs of various soda brands — we're talking class here.
Above the coin slot on the machine is a swab of duct tape with "75 cents" scrawled out in black marker. Of course, I've got way more than 75 cents. I wrote a check for $10 at the grocery store to have money for the laundry, even asking for ones.
And now, I find myself getting on my knees and praying to the demon lord of change machines.
Finally, after agreeing to put in a good word with dryer No. 3, the change machine decides to give me the quarters I need. About then, I realized that I haven't remembered to bring detergent, and I strain every muscle in my face so as not to unleash a string of profanity that could make only a mother proud.
Tears pour out, and the patrons begin to look uncomfortable, probably silently cursing themselves for coming to a place like this at a time like this.
I've got plenty of dryer sheets, though, so when my clothes are rolling around in that machine that would probably work if it used heat, I know they won't be picking up static.
This thought is of little solace, though, as I drive back to the apartment, checking my watch to see how much more sleep I'll be losing, wondering if I'll get to see yet another sunrise through the greasy window panes of the laundromat, and beginning to realize that the whole living-at-home thing wasn't so bad.
Miller is a Hutchinson senior in English.