THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.115 ISSUE 123
FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
LAW SCHOOL
LEGAL LETDOWN
LAW RANKINGS
Law school drops in national rankings
BY NELM MULKA
nmulka@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Here are the KU School of Law's rankings from the US News and World Report's America's Best Graduate Schools
Edition year Grads employed at graduation Grads employed after 9 months Student faculty ratio Rank
2004 60.7 percent 93.1 percent 13.9:1 63
2005 43 percent 83.3 percent 15.6:1 100
Source: US News and World Report
The school appeared as No. 63 last year and slid to No. 100
Decreases in employment rates and an increase in student versus teacher ratio are the reasons behind the drop, according to the report.
Those numbers can be misleading and students have nothing to worry about, said Stephen McAllister, law school dean.
Faculty who are away on sabbatical were left out of the ratio, McAllister said. At least three professors were away when the magazine gathered its information. Two of those have returned
since and have resumed teaching.
Ranking numbers suggest the school has about 16 students per faculty member.
McAllister estimated that there were 520 law students for 36 faculty members, which equals about 14 students per faculty member.
One of the two employment categories cited that 43 percent of KU law school students were employed at graduation in 2005. But only a portion of alumni
responded to the survey, which skews numbers, McAllister said.
The question is whether the law school needs to do something else, he said.
"We could coerce them if they choose not to respond," he said. "Maybe they can't pick up their diploma if they don't respond."
Data is also dated, McAllister said.
The data reflects employment rates of the 2003 class in February 2004. McAllister said.
For the class of 2004, the
employment rate as of February 2005 was 90 percent, McAllister said.
That data will be in the April 2006 but not April 2005, edition because US News and Word Report only collects data in the fall.
McAllister speculated that the bad economy was another reason for the drop-off in jobs.
The law school doesn't do enough to get those numbers.
SEE LEGAL ON PAGE 6A
PHI KAPPA THETA
IFC denies first appeal
Council upholds decision to expel campus chapter
BY ERIC SORRENTINO
esorrentino@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
The Interfraternity Council unanimously voted to uphold the decision to expel Phi Kappa Theta fraternity from the University of Kansas yesterday.
Phi Kappa Theta, 1111 W. 11th St., appealed to the executive board of the IFC Tuesday, on grounds that its punishment was too severe.
The IFC filed 24 charges against the fraternity for
The IFC expelled the chapter after it had an unregistered party at its house on Feb. 19, where police confiscated 16 kegs of beer, $517 in cash and signs that advertised the party.
recruitment and alcohol policy violations.
"We felt that a more lenient punishment would not have the intended effect to curb the behavior for this chapter," Scott Shorten, IFC president, said.
The chapter has 30 days to appeal for a second and final time.
The general assembly of the IFC, which consists of a representative and the president of each chapter, would conduct the final hearing.
Shorten said the IFC would be open to a second appeal.
Matt Moreno, Phi Kappa Theta president and Wichita sophomore, would not say whether the fraternity would attempt a second appeal.
A decision will be made after his visit to the national chapter this weekend in Indianapolis.
SEE APPEAL ON PAGE 4A
PROFILE
Golden tournament
Contributed photo
Photographer KU graduate to cover 50th Final Four
BY NATE KARLIN
nkarlin@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Win or lose, Rich Clarkson enjoys every Final Four, and he hasn't missed the NCAA men's basketball tournament in 47 years.
But then again, that's all just part of a dav's work.
As thousands of fans witness the winning shot of the championship game, Clarkson captures the coaches' and teams' reactions to the final buzzer on film.
Illustration by Brock Potucek/KANSAN
Contributed photo
For more than 50 years, the 1956 graduate has worked his way to the top of the photography business.
When Clarkson captures the memorable moments at this weekend's Final Four in St. Louis, his 50th tournament shoot, the 72-year-old Lawrence native won't be surprised if photographers are capturing his own movements through their telephoto lenses.
If another journalist or photographer exists who has worked 50 Final Fours, nobody knows about it, Clarkson said.
"He's one of a kind guy," said Bill Snead, Lawrence Journal-World senior editor. "I don't know anyone else like him."
As a photographer for the Lawrence Journal-World and The Topeka Capital Journal, Clarkson mentored Snead for nine years. Clarkson has established himself as a taskmaster of perfection, but he takes pride in teaching young photojournalists the art of
Rich Clarkson, 1956 graduate, took this photo of Wilt Chamberlain, then a freshman at the University of Kansas, in 1956. Clarkson realized a shot of Chamberlain seated would accurately depict the basketball star's high waist and long legs that composed his towering seven-foot body. This photo received a spot in Sports Illustrated.
Because of the experiences of his last 50 years, Clarkson said he would never get tired of basketball. The easy "walk-up" atmosphere has made the Final Four more enjoyable than the Superbowl and the World Series,
which he has covered several times.
photography, Snead said.
"I just love college basketball," he said. "I think it's one of the best games. I think the Final Four during the years that I've been doing it has developed into a premier sports event."
Clarkson continuing his career at his age has impressed Snead, but Clarkson said he has cut back on the number of sporting events he covers. Clarkson photographed about 20 sporting events this past year, but he used to cover about 100 events per year, he said.
Now he personally covers track and field events and the Final Four because he enjoys those events the most.
Along the way to national prominence, Clarkson has worked for several newspapers and magazines, including the Lawrence Journal-World and The Topeka Capital-Journal, National Geographic and Sports Illustrated.
Clarkson resides in Denver where he owns a photography company that covers all 88 NCAA championships, and the pro teams the Denver Broncos and the Colorado Rockies.
Clarkson's passion for photography began as an activity for the yearbook at Liberty Memorial High School — now Lawrence High — before it transformed into one of the most prominent photography careers in the country.
A giant of an opportunity
By his senior year of high school,
"I just love college basketball.I think it's one of the best games.I think the Final Four during the years that I've been doing it has developed into a premier sports event."
Rich Clarkson Photographer
Clarkson had snapped shots of KU football and basketball games as a freelance photographer.
His ability did not go unnoticed. He received a personal invitation to the 1952 Final Four in Seattle, his first, from basketball coach Forrest "Phog" Allen.
Clarkson enjoyed covering KU sports, but it would not lead him to his dream job at Sports Illustrated, a new magazine at the time.
That changed when basketball standout Wilt Chamberlain arrived on campus, shortly after Clarkson graduated from the University in 1956.
As a freelance photographer, Clarkson took Chamberlain's picture at the beginning of Chamberlain's freshman season. He took several pictures of the star dunking and jumping, but Clarkson said he couldn't depict just how tall Chamberlain stood.
Clarkson realized a seated shot of Wilt would maximize the effect of the star's high waist and long legs to accurately depict his towering seven-foot frame.
"I thought, gee, if I could just get him to sit down in one of these folding chairs and tie his shoes, that might make him look taller," Clarkson said.
And it did
Clarkson sent several 8-by-10 copies of the pictures to Sports Illustrated in New York.
The photo editor at the time, Jerry Ashter, received Clarkson's photos on the Monday before he planned to send a photographer to Lawrence for a piece on Chamberlain. The magazine used Clarkson's photo and never sent a photographer to Lawrence.
"I thought that was the epitome of success at that time." Clarkson said.
Three months later, an editor at the magazine gave him his first assignment. What was supposed to be a single photo from a Kansas vs. iowa State basketball game became a six-page spread after another story fell through.
Three years later, the magazine selected Clarkson to cover all basketball games for Sports Illustrated.
SEE TOURNAMENT ON PAGE 6A
Today's weather
All contents, unless stated otherwise. © 2005 The University Daily Kansan
Science project
Science project A University of Kansas professor found that phytoplankton, microscopic plants that live in water, tend to be more diverse in larger habitats. Val Smith combined research from other studies in his findings. PAGE 5A
Man of the year
Senior Day
Lew Perkins received the NIT Man of the year award last night at the halftime show for the NIT championship game. PAGE 12A
The seniors on the women's rowing team will be honored tomorrow for Senior Day. The team faces Tu'sa and Drake at 2 p.m. on the Kansas River. This is the only home regatta for the Jayhawks. PAGE 9A
Online poll How often have you attended a SUA event?
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EXCLUSIVE
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