University Daily Kansan
Friday, February 26, 1971
7
Candidates for Student Body President
Smoot's Task Force Would Involve Students
By MARTY SLATER Kansan Staff Writer
Brad Smoot and Steve Emerson have a plan for the reorganization of the Student Senate. This plan is what they call Task Force 2, and Emerson see the Student Senate as a "bureaucratic stumbling block" in the path of student initiative and action.
The Student Senate has been organized as a legislative bureaucracy with the Senators viewing themselves as legislators rather than workers striving to translate student needs into task force. Task Force is a way of involving all students in the function of the Student Senate.
Instead of perpetuating the inbreed system of committee assignments to Senators, and consequently the use of committee chairmanships as political payoffs, Task Force would enable any student to work on the task force of his choice. The individual task forces will be open to all students who want to work and motivating and exclusiveness of the Student Senate work for its origin. As a collective body, the Senate and its origin act as the expeditor and legitimizer of the task forces' work, according to Smoot and Emerson.
"Drastic measures need to be made in the area of academic change and a crucial financial reorientation is needed." Snoot said. "Instead of waiting until we have problems and it's too late, we should meet these problems head on."
Two crucial areas in this respect, Smoot said, are education and organization of students and getting more control over the budget, according to Smoot.
Smoot visited several campuses across the
country and found several workable plans that could be implemented at KU. These plans include delayed enrollment procedures, student interest budgeting and the pay-as-you-go plan for student enrollment plan, used at some other suburban schools to give students a greater choice of classes.
Student interest budgeting provides for a student-oriented education whereby the budget is controlled by the amount of student interest, Smoot says.
The pay-as-you-earn loan plan would be advantageous to the University and the students because it could raise the tuition to more than $20,000 inenses, Smoot says. Every student would afford an education under this plan because education loans would be paid back according to later earnings, leaving no "block" obligations over students' heads, according to Smoot.
Other issues which need immediate consideration according to Smoot and Emerson are regulations to make off-campus housing safer and adequate for students and better community relations between the University and the Lawrence community. Smoot and Emerson also interested in setting up co-op plans and making the dollar cycle to keep students' money within the University community and as a way to create student job opportunities.
"It is time for a whole new concept of student government to meet the needs of the average student." "Smoot said. 'We didn't get together for a meeting,' she said. 'We have information and experience.' Smoot said.
Myers' Objective Is Effective Leadership
This information and experience can be used to implement new ideas and bring about much needed change, according to Smoot and Emerson.
By KATE MANSKE
Kansan Staff Writer
Bob Myers, Wichita senior, filed for the office of student body president because he saw a need for "more effective student leadership and more effective student leadership."
Cathy Waechter, Overland Park junior, was to have been Myer's vice-presidential running mate, but she had to drop out of the race for personal reasons.
Myers said that he had had some difficulty being allowed on the ballot because he was waging a write-in campaign. He said that if he were elected his case would have to appear before the student court. Either the vicepresidency would be filled as a normal vacancy or the runner-up for president would get the job. Myers said.
"Last year's campaign dealt with too many national issues and neglected the role that student government should take in handling the problems of the average student," Myers said.
According to Myers the student senators should have greater responsibility to their constituents. The senators should be working on specific problems in their schools—problems of courses or curriculum that all students faced.
Thus the students would be aware of what the senators were working for before a proposal came before the Senate. If senators had closer communication with the students, they were working better, the Senate could then get more support from the students.
Myers said he was sympathetic to the student apathy and that there was no real reason for the average student to believe in the concepts of student government.
If the Senate were going to be effective, it would have to start focusing its attention on the most relevant problems of the students. The Senate should be concerned more with the students in helping them pursue their education at the University, he said.
Myers said if student confidence in the Senate could be established and if the Senate could be a more useful working force, then it could move to a greater participation in the Ministry of the University. As affairs are now, the Student has little control of his academic study. The student sees things wrong in his school and he feels powerless to change them.
Meys said he favored a teacher evaluation plan. This plan would give students the knowl of knowing in advance the quality of each instruction, and the quality of each evaluation by students in previous classes.
Bob Myers
Tom Slaughter
effective leadership
Brad Smoot "bureaucratic stumbling block"
more responsible Senate
G. Miller Campaigns For Better KU Image
By CAROL JACKSON
Kansan Staff Writer
Gretchen Miller, Wichita senior and candidate for student body president, said she thought the students could do a great deal in teaching her how to work at University to people outside the University.
During a recent interview, Miss Miller said this could be done by the students relating their experiences at the University to people in their hometowns or places they might visit.
Miss Miller said academic strikes were a model of labor management and, therefore, not applicable to the University. She said they did not have an employment policy, thus, and then should not be overdressed.
"Academic strikes must be used very carefully," she said. "They receive publicity and publicity concern the fact that students are not permitted, etc. then they do more harm than good."
Miss Miller said she thought some issues, such as the Cambodia situation, justified the suspension of classes.
"But by and large, this action negates the whole role of the University," she said.
Miss Miller also commented on the relations between the Board of Regents and the University. She said the main problem was that these men were businessmen and it was hard to communicate with them on anything but business terms.
Her only proposed solution was to wait until other people were appointed. She said she thought steps were being taken in that direction.
Miss Miller expressed her viewpoint on the assignment that student groups should be allocated student faculty.
She said, "Organizations organized with an intellectual purpose, literary groups, etc., and worthy student organizations should have student funds given to them."
She also said, alluding to KU athletic programs, "semi-professional organized sports" bringing in gate receipts from people other
Gretchen Miller
than students should not be supported by student fees.
strikes only in crisis
candidate, would like to see the street between Lilie Lane and Poplar Lane turned into a park.
Women at the University have been neglected, according to Miller.
Miss Miller and Sarah Scott, Prairie Village junior and Miss Miller's vice-presidential
"This is the last chance many women will have to choose what they want to do with their lives. They can choose to do something constructive, they can get married and have children."
D. Miller Proposes Senate Changes
Dave Miller, Student Senate Treasurer and candidate for Student Body President, believes his campaign is based on more than just the reorganization of the Senate.
Miller has also proposed amendments to the Senate Code to improve the Senate. He would provide for the president to appoint a presiding officer of the Senate who would act as Chairman of the Student Executive Committee. This person, the three student members of the Senate Executive Committee, the vice-president of the student body
"I am not running a campaign on reorganization of the Senate, but on the objectives of these changes. I want to make students aware of what is important something for the student body." Miller said.
Miller, a Eudora senior, senses a failure of the Senate to produce the type of action the student body is interested in which is due in part to a problem of communication. He believes the lack of communication exists not only between the student body and its representatives in the Senate but also between the senators themselves.
To deal with this problem Miller has proposed changes in the structure of the Senate.
and three others elected by the Senate would form a committee to appoint the membership of six standing committees.
Dave Miller
These six committees would handle the responsibilities of the eight committees of the National Park Service.
senses failure of Senate
Politic Interest Declines
Awbrey, now a Senate candidate, won the presidency with only 40 per cent of the votes cast. Last spring Bill Ebert was the winner with 44 per cent of the total.
Student involvement in campus elections reached its peak in 1964. About 41 per cent of the student body turned out to vote that year when 4,695 ballots were cast. Two years later the decline in participation began to show. Since then the average percentage of KU students who vote has been about 25 per cent of those eligible to vote.
Since the record year of 1965, voter turnouts have been much less than overwhelming. In that year 4,677 students cast a ballot and the winner received a record 2,250 votes, or about 57 per cent of the total cast. Only 15 per cent of the student body turned out in 1968 to elect the Cilind Confr., with 86 per cent of the total. He received 2,016 votes of the 2,248 which were cast.
The days of high interest in the campaign efforts of student politicians is wailing according to the statistics. Even with a record number of Senate and presidential candidates and a referendum on activity fees, it seems unlikely the trend will be reversed this spring.
Under Miller's proposal the other members of StudEx would be the Senate's appointed presiding officer, the vice-president and the three members of SenEx.
would select their own chairmen who would become members of StudFx.
Miller thinks this arrangement would open the lines of communication between StudEx and the standing committees. He believes this would be a necessary move to improve the quality and quantity of work done by the committee and that it would make it possible to cut down on the number of Senate meetings and would take better care of the week-to-week work of the Senate.
Statistics can be misleading but a look at the election results of the last eight years indicates a decline in interest in student politics.
Miller said the lack of comment on significant issues by the candidates in this campaign was partially caused by this problem of communications. He said the candidates were not of the sentiments of the student body on certain issues which has led to a general silence.
Miller and his running-mate, Moly Laffin,
Louis senior, think the primary issue of the
campaign is the Senate itself. They said students are disappointed that things that were promised during last year's campaign have not been done. Miller thinks this lack of support for the Senate has led to dissatisfaction in the student body and apathy towards this election.
Miller and Miss Laflin have devoted much of their campaign energies speaking before organized living groups. Although they not using a formal party organization in their state, they have several cohesions of Senate candidates supporting them, according to Miller.
By CAROL JACKSON
Kansan Staff Writer
Slaughter Campaigns On Student Problems
Tom Slaughter, Sailorina running for student body president, said in a recent interview many people were confused as to whether there were any issues in his campaign.
Shлаunger said he thought it was hard to state exactly what he would get done if he was a public body president because the president has no more legislative power than student senators.
"The issues of my campaign are the student's problems," he said. "If I can't generate enough interest in students themselves, then no one should try to create 'issues.'"
"I would like for the senate to take a more responsible attitude towards students on this campus," he said. "They need to be sensitive to the problems of the students."
Slaughter said that students were unhappy that the College Within-aCollege Program was restricted to underclassmen and that he wanted it expanded to a four-year program next year.
Slaughter would also like a change in the credit-no credit option. Students present can take one course each semester on credit-no credit. He said he would like to offer students all courses all four years on creditno credit option of taking courses on a regular grade basis.
He said, "There are social problems that we need to do something about."
When asked if the Student Senate should take a stand on political and moral issues beyond the KU community, Slaughter said it would define to where the influence of KU stops.
In most cases, the sphere of influence
"It bothers me that people feel that their only weapon is using a means as impudent as an academic strike. It shows someone is not listening somewhere," he said. "I feel it is going to be people to realize that they are never going to be members of Regents to their knees. The Regents can do just about anything they want and they are never going to force them."
stops at the boundary of the campus," he said. "The senate should explore all aspects of the situation. They should not sacrifice their morals, but before committing themselves, they should be sure they're not overextending themselves."
The emergence of more than two political parties in campus politics has also transformed the results. Until 1969 the winning candidates were predominantly white, and the majority of the total. In that year Dave
Slaughter stated that there are two ways to consider the athletic fee appropriation. One is how it relates to the athletic department and the students should have to pay activity fees he said. Slaughter and his vice-president,date, Gene Roberts, Ravenna, Bn., graduate student, have come up with an idea to reduce the payment of activity fees. He said perhaps he involvement each semester a student could designate to what group his fee money would go.
Slaaughter discussed his views on the validity of student strikes.
"It would not limit the amount of money used as fees, and would let the students learn to manage their money would go," he said. Slaunter countered that an idea that joi and Wolters have been conducting.
"Gene and I have decided not to use the hackedoney political tricks that people have used on this campus for a long time. Consequence, it seems as though we aren't doing anything, it seems like we're. We're trying to keep a low profile and not get into a lot of dramatics."
Hendrix Wants an End To Community Split
By JEFF KENNEDY
Kansan Staff Writer
Hendrix, Overland Park junior, and his running-mate, Patricia Murphy, Webita senior, formed the Boston Tea Party with the objective of ending the alienation of the different communities within Lawrence. Hendrix said he thought there were large degrees of isolation which had created a dangerous situation.
He hopes to achieve a better understanding among all people on campus to work together to create a community that incorporates not only the University but the townpeople. He stresses a collective effort through the power of the people to achieve this end.
Walker Hendrix looks at KU student government as a base for constructing organizations and functions that will benefit the community as well as the student body.
Hendrix said he believed the Student Senate should play an important role in working toward these goals. Through the money the Senate can allocate as it sees fit, he would build of cooperatives and other institutions to bring the community together. He would implement food, gas, clothing and book cooperatives through the Senate.
Hendrix also said he thought Lawrence was in need of places where people of differing lifestyles could meet and feel comfortable. He said that many people who were sympathetic to progress in terms of using communal resources were simply afraid of the Rock Chalk Cafe which has been the center of such activities.
Hendrix said communal activities also will strengthen the community against arbitrary action by people outside the community. He said he thought if the community was built
stronger than a collective effort it would be able to resolve its own problems without people like Vern Merrill influencing it. In this manner KU and Lawrence would be able to deal with the problems of housing and police relations in a better way.
Using the University of Wisconsin in Madison as a successful example of cooperative services, Dhrux hospice to apply it to KU and Lawrence. He said he thought this would be the best government could serve the students and the rest of the community with legitimacy.
Hendrix said if this community intended to be a community, all segments such as students, faculty and the administration should have an equal voice in creating its future.
Walker Hendrix
student government is base
Wall Sees Turning Point at KU
By MARTY SLATER
Kansan Staff Writer
Lewis Wall, Roeland Park junior, and George Pearson, Overland Park junior, candidates for student body president and director of Kansas at a turning point. Wall said the running for the offices because they see a need for bringing the University back to a more traditional course 'which does not bend to those forces, and off campus which seek to destroy it.'
"The University must be ruded by reason, not by rampant emotionalism. Wall said. He also believes that the University suffers when political activism intrudes and when offices are used to promote political prejudices of individuals.
The primary problem, according to Wall, has layed in the relationship of the University to its external forces and organizations. Wall wants their goal to help the University restore balance lines of communication between the student body and organizations such as the Board of Regents, the Alumni Association, the En-
gagement Association and the State Legislature.
Wall and Pierson propose to bring these organizations to the campus to meet in small groups with various campus living groups and participate in discussions about the problems of the University. They hope that with the help of open-mindedness, mutual
understanding and open communication with result
The primary problem, according to Wall, has layed in the relationship of the University to its external forces and organizations. Wall believes that their goal to help the University restore balance lines of communication between the student body and organizations such as the Board of Regents, the Alumni Association, the Enrollment Association and the State Legislature.
Wall and Pierson propose to bring these organizations to the campus to meet in small groups with various campus living groups and participate in discussions about the problems of the University. they hope that with the help of open-mindedness, mutual understanding and open communication will result. Another proposal made by Wall is to follow the end of this semester to engage in discussions about the problem to tour bring the problems of the University and the attitudes of the student body to all interested groups in Kansas.
The other main issue that Wall believes needs immediate attention concerns Watkins Hospital. He urges close cooperation with the hospital in getting the present civil service pay scale for doctors changed. Wall said that he would like to finance entirely through student fees and closed civil service pay scale. The scale does not allow financial compensation for experience or ability and is not competitive with pay scales in effect elsewhere. Unless this is changed the quality of the staff will decline because you become virtually nonexistent, be said.
Two other issues that Wall and Pierson believe would benefit student's concern are the possibility of free on-campus busing and a day-care center.
Lewis Wall
... back to "middle course"