Tomorrow's weather
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
Periods of clouds and sunshine tomorrow.
Kansan
Monday
March 1, 1999
Section:
A
Vol. 108 · No. 104
Vol.109·No.104
Online today
Check out the TWINKIES, or Tests With Inorganic Noxious Kakes In Extreme Situations, to find out just how much a Twinkie can withstand. http://www.twinkies project.com/
Sports today
The men's basketball team ends the regular season on a losing note as the Jayhawks fall 52-50 to Iowa State.
SEE PAGE 1B
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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Forum on racism spurs debate
Panelist's behavior many interruptions prompt criticism
By Dan Curry
(USPS 650-640)
Kansan staff writer.
The emptiness of Room 110 in Budig Hall was striking at Saturday's dialogue on racism — the panel spoke to only 20 people, surrounded by 980 empty seats.
The few people that did attend had strong words for panelist Ashra Kwesi, who frequently interrupted other speakers with derisive remarks.
The panel included Lewis Duguid, columnist for the Kansas City Star; Barry Shank, associate professor of American Studies; Jordan Yochim, assistant director for administration at the Natural History Museum and Kwesi, a traveling lecturer on Afrocentrism.
Afro-centrism is the belief that the
roots of Western civilization lie in Africa.
Kwesi replaced Yosef ben-Jochman, professor emeritus at Cornell University, who could not attend the event.
The dialogue's topic, "Religion's Role in Racism," took its shape from a slideshow presentation that Kwesi gave before the dialogue.
Kwesi used slides to show how Christian figures, such as Jesus Christ, historically had been converted from black images into white images.
Kwest said Europeans used white images of Christ to spiritually enslave African people.
African Americans cannot call on a spiritual past if that past is in the image of their enslavers, Kwesti said.
At one point in the dialogue, after Diuguid had said that people would always find things in the Bible to justify their beliefs, Kwei cut him off.
"Let's get down to the nitty gritty and stop being masturbational," Kwesi said.
Kwesi drew criticism from several audience members who objected to his
behavior.
"You are very disrespectful," said Maryemey Graham, professor of English, whom Kwesi also interrupted.
Inst. with Riverside, MA.
After the dialogue, Graham said she objected to the dialogue's form rather than its content.
"I think dialogue that opens up ideas is important," she said. "But dialogue that closes down dialogue is not important."
She said that by allowing Kwesi to first show a slide show and then take a position on the panel, unequal weight was given to his platform of ideas.
Graham also said she thought the dialogue should move past historical discussion of ideology and focus more on what can be done to fix problems of racism.
"I think our job is to tell the story about how these resisted," Graham said.
Duliguid took Graham's lead and spoke of several movements in Kansas City in which practical things were being done to improve the state of
See SENSITIVE on page 2A
Antonio Shepherd, organizer of the debate this weekend, comments on racism's role in religion. About 20 people attended the panel discussion. Photo by Ruben Noguera/Kansan
Parking department tries weekend patrols
Experimental policy is reaction to complaints
By Nadia Mustafa
Kansan staff writer
Students who are used to parking in restricted campus spaces on the weekends may have to start walking instead.
The parking department is cracking down. The campus is not usually patrolled on the weekends, but a ticket writer was placing $20 tickets on cars parked in certain areas of campus Saturday.
Restricted parking areas
Donna Hultine, assistant parking director, said the parking department had received complaints from academic departments about cars without the correct permits filling up their lots during lab or clinic hours on the weekends, and from scholarship hall residents about students without Alumni Place permits parking in their lots.
P = 24 hour - restricted parking areas
The Parking Department is cracking down on its restricted areas. This past weekend the parking department began placing $20 tickets on cars parked in certain areas on campus. This was the first weekend to have been patrolled. A representative from the department said that only cars parked in fire lanes, handcapped stalls and other lots or spaces that are restricted seven days a week were ticketed. The department will decide today whether to keep patrolling on the weekends.
She said she also received complaints about lines of cars parked in fire lanes on the weekends.
Rachel Kesselman/KANSAN
She said the only violations that
"We don't usually have someone out on the weekends, but we've had so many complaints," Hultine said. "We thought it would clear things up if we had someone out there."
Hultine said that last weekend was the first weekend someone was patrolling campus lots, and that Parking Director Don Kearns would decide Monday whether to have permanent or occasional weekend patrol.
She said the University of Kansas Public Safety Office answered phone complaints on the weekends, but that the office could only issue tickets if the violation were a life safety issue.
Jessica Sullivan, Wichita freshman, said she should not have received a $20 ticket Saturday for parking in a restricted lot behind Strong Hall. She said the sign for lot 3, which in bold print said a blue permit was required Monday through Friday and in small print said that staff permits were required at all other times, was misleading.
should have received tickets were cars parked in fire lanes, handicapped stalls and lots or spaces restricted seven days a week. She said students should be able to find parking in yellow or red zones on the weekends.
Paul Turvey, Lawrence sophomore, parked Sullivan's car in the Strong Hall lot. He said he did not read the entire sign and only saw that it was reserved for faculty parking during the week.
Turvey said the University should have notified students before ticketing last weekend.
"It was kind of contradictory," Sullivan said. "They shouldn't start ticketing on weekends without telling us because we're used to parking wherever we want on the weekends. It's upsetting."
"It's important to be consistent," he
said. "You need to let people know when you're going to make a change."
Sullivan, an Ellsworth Hall resident, said she was worried that visitors would get ticketed for parking in residence hall lots on the weekends.
Jenny Sweeney, Overland Park freshman, also received a ticket Saturday in the Strong Hall lot. She said that she thought the lot was restricted only during the week, and that students should not be ticketed on the weekends.
"It's frustrating," Sweeney said. "We're here for academic services. If the buses aren't running, we should have a place to park without being ticketed if we want to go to the library."
Katie Donnally, Lawrence senior, said she almost received a ticket Saturday for parking along the curb in front of Ekdahl Dining Complex. She said students park there every weekend, especially during church services at Saint Lawrence Catholic Center on Crescent Road.
"We've been allowed to park there for three and a half years," Donnally said. "It concerns me that the parking department didn't let students know that they'd be ticketing on Saturdays. Twenty dollars is a really expensive ticket. It's like a conspiracy for getting our money."
She said at least two other students were ticketed Saturday in front of Ekdahl Dining Complex.
Hultine said the $20 fine was intended to be a deterrent. She said the parking department received more income from the sale of permits than from tickets because it had to pay ticket writers' salaries.
"The fine has gone up and up because it's not deterred," she said.
Popular KU bus driver 'Rockin' Ron'dies at 50
Edited by Juan H. Heath
Kansan staff writer
Bv Jamie Knodel
The University bus routes won't be as loud as they have been for the past 12 years.
The popular bus driver was at his home Saturday night when he felt sick. Gleason was taken by ambulance to Lawrence Memorial Hospital where he died from an apparent heart attack.
Ron "Rockin' Ron" Gleason, 50, known to students for the loud music he played on his campus routes, died Saturday.
"Ron was a legend. Everyone knew Ron, everyone loved Ron," said Eric Darnell, Lawrence Bus Co. driver. "He was a rockin' guy."
Most students recognize Gleason as the driver of the Naismith/Oliver route
Gleason worked as a bus driver for the Lawrence Bus Co. for the past 12 years.
rock it on music.
Scott Zerger.
Hutchinson junior,
said he would intentionally pass up
opportunities to get home earlier just so
he could ride Gleason's bus.
"Ron was always really easy-going, talking about having a good time and always playing his rock 'n' roll loud, rough!" Zorger soi
who blasted loud rock'n'roll music.
Gleason: Died Saturday of an apparent heart attack.
real loud," Zerger said.
Students said "Rockin' Ron" would be
Gleason's bus passengers said he always took an interest in how students were doing.
"He always put everyone in a good mood," said Brad Weiner, Engelwood, Colo., freshman.
remembered most for the music he played.
he always asked about what was going on, how you were," Zerger said.
Gleason was a veteran of the U.S.
Army and served in Vietnam.
Graveside services for Gleason have been planned for Thursday at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence. Military graveside services will be conducted by Dorsey-Liberty Post #14 of the American Legion of Lawrence.
Gleason is survived by his wife,
Rauna Tangmo Gleason; sons Raymond, Lawrence, and Ron, Lincoln,
Neb.; parents Raymond and Mabel,
Hartford, Conn.; and sister Connie,
Hartford, Conn.
The family suggests memorial contributions to the Ronald E. Gleason Memorial Fund, to be used for his children's education. Contributions may be sent in care of Warren McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th St., Lawrence, Kan. 66044.
Family friend Nicolete Proudfoot said friends also had established a memorial fund. She said contributions could be sent to the Ronald Gleason Memorial Fund, 821 New Jersey St., Lawrence, Kan. 66044.
Proudfoot said friends set up the fund to help cover expenses that were not covered by insurance.
Edited by Juan H. Heath
Kansas receiver recovering following shooting
By Katie Burford
By Katie Burford
Kansan staff writer
KU football player Michael Chandler, 22, was in good condition yesterday after being shot at 5 a.m. Saturday at his southwest Lawrence residence, said Doug Vance, assistant athletics director.
Chandler: Was attacked by three unidentified men.
Chandler's family and the nursing supervisor at Lawrence Memorial Hospital asked Vance to speak on their behalf. Lt. David Cobb, of the Lawrence Police Department, said Chandler, Kansas City,
Kan., junior, was asleep at his house in the 4400 block of Adam Ave. when he was awakened by a knock at the door.
As he opened the door, three men in masks burst into the room and struck him with a baseball bat.
Police have not identified any suspects and have not received any leads from possible witnesses.
They asked to know where Michael Chandler was, not knowing it was Chandler who had opened the door. When they realized it was him, one of the men shot him in the groin area with a small-caliber handgun.
"We're pretty optimistic about his recovery." Vance said.
Chandler's roommate, who was awakened by the gunshot, found him lying on the floor. The men already had fled, Cobb said.
Chandler's roommates were instructed by the police not to discuss the shooting.
"All I know is that the police are investigating it," said Williams.
Chandler underwent surgery Saturday and was upgraded from fair to good condition yesterday, hospital officials said.
his recovery, vance said.
KU wide receiver Algen Williams, Lawrence junior, said he did not know why anyone would want to hurt Chandler, whom he considered a good friend.
Williams visited Chandler Saturday at the hospital but said he was unable to speak with him because he was still groggy from surgery.
He said many teammates had come to express their concern and support for Chandler and his family.
Chandler was not scheduled to start spring training March 30 with the team, because he had not recovered from an injury that he suffered last season. Vance said.
The 5-foot-11-inch, 195-pound wide receiver started the team as walk-on his freshman year. He subsequently earned a football scholarship, which he still has.
Last year, Chandler ranked third on the squad with 21 catches.
Football Coach Terry Allen said his primary concern was for Chandler and his family.
Edited by Darrin Peschka