University Daily Kansan, April 17, 1981
Med Center faces multimillion dollar loss
By BRIAN LEVINSON Staff Reporter
EMPORIA-The University of Kansas Medical Center may have a deficit of 824 million at the end of this fiscal year, Keith Nitcher, University director of business affairs, said yesterday.
Nichter, in a presentation before the Kansas Board of Regents, said the deficit would be covered by funds that would be carried over from the last fiscal year. The fiscal year ends June 30.
A $400,000 reduction in salaries and wages would be erased by a $400,000 deficit in Other Operating Expenses, Nitcher said.
The original OOE deficit was $700,000, but the Kansas Legislature appropriated a $300,000 supplemental
budget last week to help reduce the deficit.
Both Nichter and Tom Greeson, associate director of business affairs, said there were several reasons for the deficit.
THE LEGISLATURE did not fund a
$795,000 civil service plan for
members of the Board of Services at the Med Center,
as Med Center had to absorb the
Nichter, said New York.
Another problem is a 70 percent occupancy rate at the Med Center's Bell Memorial Hospital, Greeson said.
The occupancy rate has plummed twice recently, after several state legislators found poor housekeeping conditions and after the shooting last month of a doctor and a bystander in the hospital's emergency room.
Med Center Executive Vice Chancellor David Waxman said that the
occupancy rate was slowly approaching last year's level, when the legislators made a surprise inspection of the hospital and publicly called for an improvement in housekeeping conditions.
The rate started slowly climbing again, when the shooting occurred, and the occupancy rate plummed after that. Warxman said.
"If we can get the patient load up, then we won't have to worry about fiscal problems," Waxman said.
A SLOWDOWN IN renovation work at the old hospital also affected the occupancy rate and patient revenue, Greese said.
Sixty renovated rooms were supposed to open last July 1, but did not open until Jan. 28, because of the problem and del retreatment in a loss of 180 patient days, or
a possible $180,000 in revenue, for each of the rooms, Greeson said.
Renovation work is now on schedule and 30 new rooms will open later this month, KU Acting Chancellor Del Shanklet said.
The Med Center is also trying to develop "generalists," Waxman said.
The Med Center already is working to increase its patient load and fill up the renovated rooms as they open up, Waxman said.
THE MED CENTER has 60 new patients, as a result of opening up a satellite clinic in Overland Park this spring.
"Because we are a teaching hospital, we have developed into a group of subspecialty practices," Waxman said. "Academicians don't like to see patients with general problems. We will have to work to change that around."
Gasohol gains popularity
By LAUREL RANSOM Staff Reporter
Gasoloh has become more price competitive as well as more popular among a growing number of energy users. The price of gasoline continues to climb.
Station owners and managers who pump gasoline, which is nine parts unleaded gasoline to one part alcohol, say that most motorists are willing to spend several extra cents a gallon because they believe the investment will be returned in extra mileage and better performance.
The price of gasolol sold in Lawrence service stations is nearly equivalent to that of premium gasoline grades and ranges from 1 to 6 percent unleashed. It is as much as to 52 cce a gallon more than regular gasol.
Gasolol prices have held steady because of the stabilized price of alcohol, and because of tax incentives both federal and state governments.
Don Tinkle, a spokesman for the Derby refinery in McPherson, said yesterday that the federal government now waived all federal tax on gasoline, which is 4 cents for Kentucky. Kurt Waives its own 3-cent gas tax also.
"Gasohol has been growing like a wildfire in the last year," Duane Skelton, director of program
operations for the U.S. Department of Energy in Kansas City, Mo., said.
John Kent, the manager of the Derby station at 2330 Iowa, said that his gasolol sales were on the upswing.
Kent said that he sold 9 percent of his total volume in gasolon last month. He estimated that this month he would sell close to 12 percent.
Kent said that his customers bought gasohol because it had a higher octane than regular or unleaded. He said they told him it burned cleaner, and made the engine run better.
He added that some of his customers filled their tanks in the winter with gasohol to prevent the gas line from freezing.
Clyde Cramer, owner of Cramer Service Station, 1002 New Hampshire St. he said also was selling a percent of his total sales in gasolol.
Rob Shawger, Independence,
Kan., sophomore, bought gasoloh for the first time Thursday.
"I just decided to try it," he said. They say you get better gas mileage—guess I'll find out."
Another Lawrence resident who stopped to fill up with gasoland he used it because its higher octane produced fewer emissions and cleaned the engine. He said he frequently bought gasoland to mix with the regular gasoline already in his car.
On the Record
A KU student was captured Wednesday afternoon within minutes after fleeing the scene of an armed robbery of the Midland Quick Shop, north of Lawrence, Douglas County officials said yesterday.
Bob Joe Bugg, Medicine Lodge freshman, was arrested by Kansas Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Jim Woods and is being held in Douglas County jail on charges of armed robbery. Bond was set at $25,000.
The sherriff's office said a man entered the store, north of Lawrence on U.S. 50, at 4 p.m. Wednesday and a gun at the clerk, demanding money.
The man fled on a motorcycle, according to the store clerk.
Woods said he was returning to Lawrence from Oskalasoa when he heard a police radio alert about the robbery. Woods said he saw the man and motorcycle almost immediately and stopped him.
Bugg was armed with a pellet pistol and had a backpack containing $250
KU POLICE SAID sandals broke into sellars Scholarship Hall early Wednesday, after a court injunction, wrote obcenteities with lipstick and smeared ketchup and vaseline around the living room and on the third floor. Damage was minimal, police said.
The residents of the hall were asleep at the time.
842-0312
(limited area only)
(23rd & Iowa)
Cynthia Woek, full-time attorney for legal services, will handle the search process for the new attorney, and be busy reviewing her final recommendation.
Student Legal Service will add a part-time attorney to its program next year, the legal services board decided last night.
The board also took time to celebrate the successful outcome of the Student Legal Services first year program, which is $350 in attorney's fees for the program.
The board also decided not to charge students for the use of its services during the summer. Free services will be provided for summer students and those students who are to re-enroll for the fall semester.
Steve Leben, legal services chairman, called the victory "a milestone for the program."
"It's the first time we ever actually entered the courtroom doors and a trial," he said.
The trial was a landlord-tenant
Legal services to add second lawyer to staff
case with legal services representing the treant.
"We have a 1-0 record now," Weeksaid.
The legal services, which formerly offered only consultation and advice, last year was granted the power to represent its clients in court.
In other business, the board approved a $80,$87 budget it had previously sent to the Student Senate, and decided to print a legal services handbook for distribution at next fall's enrollment.
At the end of the meeting, Leben urged the board to improve public relations for the legal services.
"We have not had any public relations for the program ever," Leben said. "In some way we need the university to invest our efforts of reaching the campus."
Leben also mentioned client feedback as a subject for future improvement, suggesting the board should be involved in an aid in evaluating the program.
Leben was presiding at his last meeting as legal services chairman. A new chairman and two new board members will be appointed by Bert Colman, student body president, later this month.
2228 Iowa
By MARK ZIEMAN Staff Reporter
Rent it. Call the Kansan Call 864-4358.
At Lawrence Open School we're very curious.
About knowledge. About learning. About nature.
About peers. About ourselves.
Are you curious?
In fact, one of the reasons we send our children to the Lawrence Open School is to preserve their curiosity. We believe that the process of learning is just as important as what is learned.
We believe children learn best when they are curious. Whether it's learning how the wind blows or why 2*2*4. (That's right. We teach basics, too.)
Lawrence Open School. We're a private, cooperatively-owned, fully-accredited elementary school. 'We're located at 14th and Monterey Way (3/10 mile west of Kasolid). Curious?
Then call us at 841-1669 so that we can give you more information and arrange a visit. We are now enrolling for the fall semester. Equal opportunity. Scholarships available.
Where children learn how to learn.
call us at 841-1669 14th and Monterey Way
You're invited to Easter dinner at the Ramada. [No bonnet required.]
We'll have a special meal cooking Why not stop over?
11:00 A.M. TO 4:00 P.M.
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 1981
—BAKED HAM
—BAKED HAM
—ROAST TOM TURKEY WITH DRESSING
COUNTRY FRIED CHICKEN
—CREAMY MASHED POTATOES
WITH GRAVY
—CANDIED YAMS
CORN O'BRIEN
CORN O'BRIEL
GREEN BEANS ALMONDINE
—ASSORTED SALADS
BOLLS WITH BUTTER
—FRUIT PIES
—BEVERAGE
ADULTS $5.95 CHILDREN UNDER 10 $3.50
RESERVATIONS ENCOURAGED 842-7030
AFTER DINNER, CHOOSE A "RAMADA EGG" AND SEE WHAT THE BUNNY HAS LEFT FOR YOU.
"We're changing right before your eyes."
2222 WEST SIXTH STREET