Friday, February 19, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A • Page 5
Magazine salesmen hostile to decliners
By Katie Burford
Kansan staff writer
A man came to her door. He told her she looked great. He said he wanted to take her out and asked her if she would have dinner with him. Then he asked her if she'd like to buy a magazine from him.
A solicitor used this tactic in attempting to convince Hilary Heffley, Atchison senior, to buy a magazine subscription. Unfortunately for him, she neither went out with him, nor did she buy a subscription.
He took the rejection in stride, but some solicitors don't. This week three solicitors selling magazine subscriptions were arrested because of reports that they had become hostile toward people who refused to buy subscriptions.
One of these solicitors was a Milwaukee man arrested Tuesday on suspicion of grabbing a KU student's arm after she refused to buy a magazine subscription.
Two other men, also from out of town, were arrested Wednesday in
the 1800 block of Kentucky Street after two area residents complained to police that the men had yelled profanities at the them.
The two men also were cited for not having a license to solicit.
scriptions from solicitors.
Sgt. George Wheeler of the Lawrence Police Department said that while it was unusual
sgt. George Wheeler of Lawrence Police Department that while it was unusual to have solicitors become belligerent toward potential customers, it was common to find them soliciting without a license.
"Generally these companies drop in a couple times a year and blanket the town," he said. "Inviably they're from out of town."
Lawrence, because it's a college town, is a prime target, he said.
While some solicitors are legitimate, some aren't.
Carol Holstead, an associate professor of journalism who teaches classes about magazines, said she generally avoided buying sub-
Nonetheless, she said that once a woman had come to her to door and convinced her to change her
"She was an incredibly affable woman and had such a disarming style," Holstead said. "Before I knew it, I had her in my house."
She said that the woman showed documentation verifying that she represented a legitimate operation.
Holstead said she exercised caution with solicitors because she couldn't be sure her money would buy a sub
scription and not end up in a phony company's bank account
Danny Kaiser, director of the Student Organizations and Leadership Development Center, said solicitation was allowed on the KU campus as long as the company was sponsored by a registered
He said the KU organization had to receive a percentage of the sales.
organization
He said that the department wanted to respect residents' privacy.
Solicitation is not allowed in the KU residence halls, said Fred McElhenie, associate director of Student Housing.
The two men arrested on Kentucky Street said that they worked for Oklahoma City-based Subscription Plus Inc.
SPI is in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. Thomas Cole, director of SPI, said that his business did not supervise solicitors in the field. He said that sales companies hired the solicitors and that his company processed the subscriptions they sold.
He said that, according to his files, there had not been any previous complaints about the two men.
Illustration bv Jason Williams/KANSAN
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Four plans considered in Union face-lift plan
By Nadia Mustafa
The first option would renovate the billiards and bowling area and add a cafe with big screen televisions and an outdoor terrace.
In addition, retail space would be added on the second floor next to the
The second option would convert the first floor into technology-based space, including a cyber cafe, a computer lab and space for live performances.
Kansan staff writer
Kevin Yoder, committee member and student body president, said that he did not want to remove Jaybowl because students used the facility for classes or recreation.
The University of Kansas is one step closer to having a renovated Kansas Union.
WTW Architects presented four $4 million renovation schemes yesterday to about 20 members of the Kansas Union Renovation Planning Committee. The renovations would be financed through student fees.
Paul Knell, architect, said that one of the primary objectives was to attract more people to the Union. He said other objectives included maximizing student organization space, exploring options for renovating Jaybow and maintaining space for the art gallery.
Jim Long, former Kansas Union director, said that construction was scheduled to begin next fall and that the renovations would be completed in Fall 2000.
He said keeping the main entrance on the fourth floor and having large windows, an information desk and space for e-mail access were also goals.
Korb Maxwell, committee member and Leawood senior, said he wanted student organization space to remain on the fourth floor.
The committee decided to explore two out of three options concerning the first floor presented by the architects.
The architects will present more finalized plans to campus architects and engineers March 11 and 12. The Memorial Corporation Board will review the plans in April.
"The life of this Union is on the fourth floor," he said. "Students don't walk on Mississippi Street — they walk on Jayhawk Boulevard. We want it to be easy for students to come in and see us."
The second scheme would be symmetric westward expansion.
Knell said that student organizations would have 24-hour direct access to their portion of the Union under the first scheme.
Each of the four schemes presented allowed for 12,000 to 15,000 square feet of assignable new space. The schemes offered a plan for a covered walkway from the future parking garage, with a crossroad entrance for students walking from Oread Avenue to Mississippi Street.
The committee decided to proceed with three of the four schemes proposed.
"It's something different on campus that we don't have anywhere else," said Yoder, Hutchinson senior. "But it needs remodeling to make it more inviting because it's dark down there."
The first scheme would expand the Union on the north side. Student organization space on the fourth floor would be expanded 50 percent and would include a tiered seminar space for conferences and meetings.
Kansas Union Bookstore. The Burge Union Technology Center also would move to the Kansas Union.
Student organization space on the fourth floor would be expanded 4,000 square feet across the back of the building.
Because the administration wants to implement campus alternatives to late night drinking, Knell said that the first floor, including Jaybowl, should be converted into a commons area.
Knell said that the space would be smaller and more compact but that there would be space for future renovations.
The third scheme would develop asymmetrically on the west side. Knell said that there would be less space for student organizations and the art gallery. Some floor space also would be removed for the addition of a new staircase.
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