University Daily Kansan, March 27, 1981
Page 5
Convocation
From page 1
Recognizing that tenure is one protection for controversial faculty ideas, Shankel reminded the gathering that tenure was not a protection for incompetence.
"It should be viewed as a protection of the role to espouse, teach and do research into new and emerging areas and ideas," he said. "It is an important protection for academic freedom in the real sense."
Candidate
From page 1
Clark voiced a similar opinion concerning the resignation.
Tenure does not protect faculty salaries, however. One professor later asked Shankel why KU faculty should不union after years of using the Legislature slash faculty salary request.
"I'm still a little bit in shock about the whole thing," he said. "I don't know what to think."
The league accepted written questions from the audience and the remaining candidates answered five of these. Each candidate was allowed two minutes to respond.
"I've observed around the nation and in Kansas that those faculties who have unionized are not receiving salaries that are significantly lower in terms of economic benefits," Shankel said.
All of the candidates agreed that the older neighborhoods in Lawrence should have increased public services, including new waterlines.
Candidate Nancy Shontz said that funds for waterline replacement should not come from their present source, water utility funds, because water utility original purpose was to provide new lines and replace them.
'What we need is a capital improvement program . . . so we don't rely on these stopgap measures . . . money that might be used in some other way,' she said.
Gleason said, "Historically, the cities that die from the inside out. I would hope the city
would take steps in the future to provide more individuals distribution of service throughout the city."
The candidates also agreed that the city should look into the development of public transport.
"If we're going to do anything other than stack parking to the moon," Gleason said, "we're going to have to look seriously at public transportation."
Nancy Harbleton, commission candidate,
said "We're going to have to come up with
capital to buy the buses. We're going to have
to be creative."
Clark mentioned the possibility of shuttle bases, an extension of the KU bus system and a new bus for a variety of other locations.
He said that "a pipe dream" of his was to unearth the trolley car tracks that stretched from the Kansas Union to Eighth and Mississippi streets.
"It would be one of the greatest tourist attractions in the area," he said.
EARLIER IN THE CONVOCATION, Shankel told his fellow educators that they must be like Caesar and his wife—above suspicion.
Unionization also reduces faculty collegiality and creates an adversary relationship between students and faculty.
"I believe that we consider it essential that we meet our teaching obligations, meet our classes as scheduled, meet our students for individual appointments, follow prescribed University guidelines, observe the duration of classes and the holding of classes throughout the academic year, etc," he said.
Faculty also should report consulting arrangements and follow other University regulations applying to research, teaching and service, Shankel said.
"The University, and each individual in it, must hold itself accountable to the greater society," he said. "If we are to retain our freedoms to teach, do research and serve our country, we must also be financially accountable, and the University must be able to be accountable on behalf of each of us."
Four steps are being taken, he said, which include:
Earlier, Shankel related how the athletic department was being held accountable for questions raised by the Kansas City Times and others who practiced and academic standards for athletes.
- An athletic department review of questions concerning compliance with Big Eight Conference standards.
- An athletic academic standard review board the examining athletes' advising and academic
- A review by Shankel and others of the administrative structure of the student athlete academic advising program.
- A review by academic deans of course approval and advisor assignment mechanisms.
But Shankel told the gathering nothing new about the four steps, which he originally revealed March 3 in an open letter to the University.
He did say that the University was not reviewing the questionnaires raised by the times journalists.
"I find we discover any truib to the concerns that have been raised, we will learn from any mistakes that man has been made," Shankel satishes and we will see it to that they do not recur.
THE ACTING CHANCLELLOR then turned to the problems facing the Med Center, stressing that those problems were neither new nor being ignored.
"Similarly, I would say to you that the reports of problems at the Medical Center have been so extensive that they are hard to absorb."
Shankel then gave three examples of such problems, beginning with the allegation that KUMC was short almost $2 million in funds because Medicare and Medicaid bills had not been submitted on time to the appropriate state agencies.
This allegation is being reviewed with the agencies involved, Shankel said.
"It turns out, as I had expected, that almost every bill has been submitted on time by the personnel at the Medical Center," he said. "But there are many explanations involving several different agencies and firms for a backlog of payments which changes from day to day as
checks are received and new bills are submitted."
Shankel also labeled false another allegation that funds for remodeling old hospital areas were misused. He said KU's internal auditors were in the process of verifying that.
Furthermore, the claim that Med Center budget funds have been used inappropriately to pay personnel whose primary responsibilities were on the Lawrence campus is untrue, he said.
THE ALLEGATION AROSE because some people who served both campuses were budgeted totally at the Med Center, he said. Others who served at other campuses totaled totally in the Lawrence campus bed, he said.
The budgeting, Shankel said, was a matter of structure and convenience.
"I believe that the distribution of these funds is appropriate and a full study has justified the use."
Shankel urged the gathering to visit the Med Center and to tell him if unacceptable conditions
"I doubt that you will," he said, "but if you do, please have the courtesy to bring your findings to the attention of someone who can do something about it—someone inside the University who has experience and the obligation to take care of that problem and any others which you might observe."
The importance of the University's taking care of its own problems echoed through Shankel's speech, along with the plea that the University aid in the resolution of those problems.
"We will continue to do our part," he said,
"and we hope you do yours."
Chancery Club, KU's Pre-Law Club,
announces
a speaking contest addressing the topic
"The most significant legal issue of our time."
- judged by law professors
- speeches memorized, 6-8 minutes
- contest held on Law Day, May 1.
Questions, contact Eric Behrens for more information, 749-5135.
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FRIDAY 27,1981----7:30 PM FORUM ROOM, KANSAS UNION LAWRENCE, KANSAS