UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN editorials
Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Kansan editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of the editors.
April 3,1980
The Kansas Senate is considering a bill that would enable the Board of Regents to enforce parking and library fines against University employees by giving the University—and all other Regents institutions—the power to take the fines out of employee paychecks.
It's about time something was done about this.
Now, the only way the University can force faculty and staff to pay these fines is to refuse parking permits to those with outstanding fines and to impound the cars whose owners have accumulated more than five unpaid tickets, according to Don Kearns, director of parking.
But these methods don't seem to be working. Estimates vary, but Richard Von Ende, executive secretary to the chancellor, has said that as much as $15,000 in parking and library fines may be owed by University employees.
University students don't have it so easy. Students are forced to pay their fines through holds on registration and transcripts. When a student refuses to attend class, the fine and his appeals are unsuccessful. He may be forceed out of the University.
But when a faculty member has outstanding tickets, all he has to do is park off campus until the heat dies down or he gets a new car.
And now some faculty members are complaining because they might be forced to pay their fines through their paychecks. They would really complain if they were to come back to work in the fall because they refused to pay a parking fine.
Those who pay their auto registration fees and park in the proper lots at the right times, and those who somehow manage to get their library books back on time must be careful not to run ridiculous. It is necessary to control parking on this campus; there are a lot of people working and studying on a relatively small plot of land. And it is necessary to control library circulation, or most of us would take our own car to the station to keep them as long as it pleased us.
But all the arguments against the proposed collection system ignore the point. There would be no problem if people, both students and employees, paid their fines when they were imposed. And the financial burdens of fines could be avoided by parking and reading the rules.
And if the only way to maintain this control is through fines, and if the only way to collect those fines is through payroll holds or enrollment holds, then let's have them. If they is too much to take, then start playing by the rules.
Conservative spirit prevents conservation
Jo Smith, average American, hears that the "Jouled States" energy reserves are more than 80% of what driving his gas gunz automobile to the mall, three blocks from his home. He moans and groans over America's energy reserves he continues to use more gasoline than ever.
A recent survey conducted by the University of Kansas Center for Public Affairs indicated that although more than 70 percent of Kansans believe that the energy shortage is serious, more than 60 percent is caused by major American oil companies.
Despite warnings from researchers that the world's supply of fossil fuel will be depleted shortly after the year 2,000.
bob
pittman
COLUMNIST
citizens of Kansas, as well as citizens of the rest of the United States, are not prepared to deal with the possibility of life without oil.
For most Americans today, an energy-dependent culture is all they know. For us, the car has been an icon housed in its garage shrine—a giant house that promised to bring and new experiences on busy city streets, and in the shadows of drive-in movies.
But the car demanded tribute. It had to be washed and cleaned regularly. Its mechanisms had to be kept in working condition. They thirsty for countless gallons of gasoline.
In the years since the first mass-marketing of the automobile in the 1920s, American life has been more and more diverse products of Ford, Chevrolet and the others.
The flight to the suburbs was possible because of the automobile. Men drove to work every day and their unilaterated wives drove to the store every day and chaufered their children to and from after-school in cars powered by cheap gasoline.
Today, with the price of a gallon of gasoline hovering near $1.20, the years of
gas price wars seem as remote as the Model T. But Americans continue to fill their tanks with the high-priced gas—paying a price that five years ago they thought they could never afford. They also continue to buy it because it is less energy-saving take the energy shortage serious.
But after 50 years of automobile worship and cheap fuel, things have changed. It is no longer what it used to be: energy woes on hand scapegoats such as big business. Oil corporations have undoubtedly contributed to the current collapse in oil prices, and high profits. But the fact remains that gasoline is slowly going the way of the dinosaur, the dodo and the passenger plane.
In the next few decades, America will face cultural changes as it has never before. The problems facing America and the world today are largely related to At this time, solar energy and wind power still seem impractical and indispensable. Nuclear energy is still staggering from blows received after the Three Mile Island nuclear explosion to widespread energy source are numbered.
The road ahead seems uncertain. But it will be full of changes. How the United States can move to a new global change world history. The future calls for liberal leaders who are able to embrace diversity.
But Americans are becoming more and more conservative. It shows on college campuses. It shows in the issues espoused by America's leaders, and in nearly every other country. Ronald Reagan's B movie profile is again lurking behind rostrums across America. The United States is shrinking from change of any kind. But the changes that are coming in energy sources will be drastic—much too sudden, much too shocking to take root. So it's hard to fact that the energy shortage will not go away and act on the problem now.
America has the minds, the money and the resources to find out sources of energy in the world that discover soon. The brightness of America's energy future is growing dimmer.
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By MIKE MALONE
Myriad of duties face prosecutors
Angles County district attorney
Every four years 105 prosecutors are elected in this state to serve as the chief law enforcement officers in their respective districts. While most states describe doesn't do a great deal to explain the role of the prosecutor, otherwise it is clear that the state's most populated counties in the state-Shawnee, Wyndotte, Sedgwick, Johnson and Douglas—the prosecutor is called the chief judge.
At last count, the Kansas legislature had enacted 127 distinct duties for the county or district attorney. However, the job of the prosecutor can be more clearly stated.
The most time-consuming function of the office is to represent the state in criminal prosecutions. This job is shared with the city if it or a court ordinance or law covers a particular crime, and with the other. Otherwise, if the crime occurs outside the city boundaries, if the city does not have an ordinance the city boundaries, if the city does not have an ordinance covering the violation or if the crime is a felony, it does not have a sole jurisdiction over the criminal action.
if the prosecutor determines what level, if any, charges are to be filed, at what level (felony or misdemeanor) the charges are to be filed; at what degree the disposition of the charges filed.
THE PROSECUTOR can divert the field charge from the criminal justice system. A diversionary program is basically preemptive and allows the defendant enter into a contract whereby the defendant agrees to fulfill certain conditions appropriate cases, restitution, community service work or counseling. In return, the state dismisses the charges after the defendant leaves.
The district attorney can also prosecute a particular case to the fullest extent, and, if he is successful in convicting the defendant, the court will demand that the defendant be incarcerated.
THE FUNCTION of the prosecutor as trial attorney is in doubt best known to the general public. The prosecutor faces the judge and he is required beyond a reasonable doubt to each of 12 presiding jurors. To do this, he organizes evidence and cross-examine witnesses.
The prosecutor does all this while faced with an ethical canon that requires him to be responsible for any wrongdoing. The prosecutor may be faced with the situation where a trial is in full swing and exculpatory evidence comes out. In this case, the prosecutor would dismiss rather than face a conviction.
The prosecutor must pursue justice while representing the people of the state, so
technically the state never loses a case. Since every defendant charged with a crime has a jury, the prosecutor returns a unanimous verdict of guilty, the prosecutor must constantly walk what is sometimes an extremely thin line between constitutional fairness and vigorous
THE KANSA PROSECTOR also is responsible for presenting evidence in juvenile hearings. (Persons under the age of 18 must not be criminally prosecuted.) Although the philosophy and terminology is quite different in juvenile cases, the function of the prosecuer is the same; that is, to present evidence against someone wrongdoing beyond a reasonable doubt.
payments is another area that is becoming increasingly important to the prosecutor. A variety of legal procedures, including, in the case of child abuse, enforce child support obligations. With federal support and assistance, the local agency can effectively enforce these obligations.
Consumer protection is a prosecutorial role that has taken on more importance in this age of buyer protection. By law, the prosecution is authorized to file legal actions against a supplier. In some cases, commit deceptive or unconscionable practices. The prosecutor can bring an action to prohibit a supplier from continuing his practice, to recover damages on behalf of consumers, to recover reasonable incomes, and to accept a consent judgment against the supplier.
Mental and alcoholic commitment hearings can also be handled by the local prosecute. Although these cases are civil in nature, the burden of proof that must be met is the same as in criminal cases, since the hospitalization is possible in such actions.
Obviously, there are certain types of consumer fraud that are appropriately handled through the criminal process.
COLLECTING PAST-DUE child support
The prosecutor also has an extra-legal duty as the training officer for all law-enforcement agencies within the county. It is also the duty of the police department for insuring that police departments are continually educated in the legal process to protect the constitutional rights of citizens and to protect the community from crime. The police department which could allow a ralty person to go free.
This overview of the duties of the prosecutor is a fair one. Obviously, from county to county the degree of involvement in each of the categories will differ. But each county or district attorney has the authority to involve himself in these roles.
This is another article in a series on the law and how it relates to students.
To the Editor:
Law to collect faculty fines is unfair
The Kansas Legislature is considering legislation to withhold money from faculty pay checks if faculty members do not pay taxes. The Kansas State Department oppose the legislation because I think it is counterproductive and will certainly cause ill will between the State and the faculty. Moreover, as far as I can see, the proposed legislation would be with virtually no options outside a courtroom.
Students, on the other hand, can refuse to pay fines, although their alternatives are really unpleasant—no transcripts or proof of residence. But until their bills are paid, Despite the March 31 Kansan article, I have never said "it's OK" for this to happen to students if they don't pay their fines. In fact, I very much want to be polished, though I had nothing do with the regulations.
The present unfortunate plight of the students on this matter, however, is not touching the point. It is relevant to argue that students are being unfairly treated so the faculty should be treated even more unfairly. That issue is matters to dwell on in their lesure moments.
When news of this proposed legislation appeared in the Jan. 6 Lawrence Journal World, I wrote Sen. Roy Doyen, president of the Senate, and expressed strong opposition to it. I stated that which were then in a state of flux, we already posing difficulties, especially since in some cases the faculty might be forced to move his computer to straight out problems. In other cases the problems we can simply cancel our cards, as I have done, when the problems are insurmountable. Not so with the library department. If students need scholars, the faculty must use books simply to keep up with teaching and conducting research. A state law arbitrarily deducting fine monies—whether the fines were fairly low or too high—is already potentially difficult problem areas.
The main point of my first detailed letter to Doyen was that "Murphy's Law" posed a potential threat: if something can go wrong, we will坏 wrong. We already have countless problems, and if we unnecessarily generate more problems that may lead to faculty versus State of Kansas
disputes? “Besides,” I wrote, “the universities already have alternatives if we refuse to pay a fine. Are they really going to pay more?” I quickly generate additional income? Period.
Doyen's reply reflected little interest in my concerns and demonstrated some fundamental misconceptions about the faculty at KU. On Jan. 25 I replied to him, "I think the faculty are providing services and workers providing various services for the State. By then, I had learned that the ostensible primary reason for the legislation was that a 'faew' faculty were giving the faculty the training they needed true with the parking difficulties. Before my first letter and my second, the foremost library problem had been alleviated by new rules. In my opinion, the proposed law was clearer. It is not simple and simple ways to solve the library and traffic problems. The legislation is superfluous, and if the University attaches faculty pay checks for unjustified fines, we shall no doubt fight them in court. I am not alone in my opposition to the
After sending the Chancellor a copy of my letter to Doyen, I discovered that he supported the legislation. My questions then revolved around whether he was working? We are already stranded by rules why they should really be required, then they're really dunked in outstanding faculty debt at KU (as stated in several newspaper articles), and how many of the faculty are actually involved? How much support did he get?
After reading the Kansas article, I still don't know how many of the faculty, as opposed to University employees, caused these "problems," and how many of the fines were really justified. I do know that the faculty will resent the legislation and that it will be very counterproductive during an outbreak of salary erasures by unbelievable inflation.
I still believe that this matter can be summarized by my remark to the Chancellor: "the legislation I discussed really overkill—or a way to generate ad-hoc legislation should ask ourselves how many other states have passed such outrageous legislation?"
I doubt that even one faculty member would leave KU because of such a law, nor
H. Lewis McKinney
d id I state that any would. like WU too much or we wouldn't be here. But the law would not generate good feelings. Why does the University administration support such legislation when it is unnecessary and counterproductive? Hopefully, students, employees will write their representatives in Topea opposing this litigation.
H. Lewis McKinney Professor of History of Science
To the Editor:
Banner confiscation impounds freedom
It seems that banners have a hard time at the University of Kansas.
When a group of students and Lawrence residents attended the John Anderson lecture, Mr. Anderson freed of speech was blatantly violated. While Anderson was voicing his opinions freely, our banner was conflicated and our freedom was suppressed by members of the university.
It is interesting to note that as the authorities were taking the sign, we interrupted them, saying, "We have a right to hang it here." Their response was: "No, you should confiscate the sign, say, 'If you want, you'll have to come get it after the lecture.'"
They then filed off, impounding not only our banner but also our freedom of expression.
As the Bible says, Act 4:18-20, after the disciples Peter and John had been arrested for speaking out about things they believed, he was sentenced to death by speech or to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, "There is a place where you need to give heed to you rather than God, you be
Admitted, itally our sign was controversial. It read, "The Bible says abortion is murder," and theologians were in a state of Biblical principles, silences this form of expression. The Christian consensus seems to be disappearing, and with it, unintended consequences. The University's rhetoric of academic freedom sours in light of these perversions of the most essential rights claimed in this book.
the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard."
Jay Smith
Overland Park junior
Chuckson junior
Chuck Vauzeau
Jimuno junior
Dole asks tolerance of Iranian protests
To the Editor:
In recent weeks I've received a number of letters from students at the University of Kansas expressing their concern about one university's decision to have described a campaign on campus to try to persuade the University community that the university Teenagers are guilty of criminal activities. This includes distribution of literature and an information booth in support of the Iran-Containment Act.
I share a sense of repugnance at such a display. In Washington, no less than in Lawrence, temperatures are short because of a temperature environment to extract international blackmail.
But our pride in our own country must never be tempered by a resort to the suppression or intolerance of others. We are a people with an innate ability to diversity. Because we do, because we bend over backwards to welcome and house people of varying backgrounds and political convictions, we remain what we have been created for and earth for the individual and his conscience.
Trying as it is to see demonstrations of the kind described to me, gelling as it must be to describe it, I find myself ungrateful mutterturses of those who cannot gracefully accept our hospitality, we do have an obligation to live up to our heritage. We have a responsibility to the people, we just as I know that beneath the imprint of a University of Kansas, we are a strong commitment to the civil and political rights of everyone on campus. Adherence to these help all of us to get through a difficult time. We should not grieve.
Bob Dole
U. S. Senator, Kansas