A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2002
EDITORIAL Expand horizons: learn a new language
A recent article in the Lawrence Journal-World reported that some University of Kansas professors were looking at ways to increase enrollment in their programs. Although students may not think that professors looking to increase enrollment in a few classes is newsworthy, they may be surprised to find out what these classes teach.
Foreign languages.
Professors at the University are looking for ways to increase enrollment in some of the lesser known languages offered for study. Most students come out of high school and to the University with a knowledge of languages such as Spanish, French and German. But some professors want to get the word out about programs in Yiddish, Wolof and Kiswahili.
Various departments are trying a variety of ways to attract student attention
"There's the traditional way, filers to advisers, summer orientation, language labs, study abroad center," said William Keel, chairman of Germanic languages and literatures. Keel said that many departments also used the Internet and created web pages to inform students about the diversity of language courses offered.
"After September 11, there was a sudden awareness of how critical language knowledge can be, and especially how lacking we in the U.S. are in language resources," Marc Greenberg, chairman of Slavic languages and literatures, told the Journal-World. Keel said he thought that language knowledge was important as well, preparing students for a global economy.
Lesser-known language classes often have small enrollment numbers. For example, in the Fall 2001 semester three students enrolled in Danish, and two students enrolled in Ukranian. Wolof, the native language of incoming basketball recruit Moulave Niang, also had two students.
Students may have attended high school where only one or two languages were offered. They may not realize that there are many more languages to take advantage of once they come to college.
With looming budget cuts and already small enrollment numbers, many of these smaller language programs may be in danger. When enrollment time rolls around again, or when looking for a class to add to replace that one that was dropped, students may want to consider taking a lesser known language. Small class sizes and the support of a department that actively seeks out students could be welcome.
Donovan Atkinson for the editorial board.
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For more comments, go to www.kansan.com
Coming to KU as a freshman I realized that I was going to have to act as a blind man in an orgy, just have to feel things out.
I keep hearing these rumors that Chenowith is in town, If I see him,
it could get ugly.
I keep hearing rumors that at the next men's baseball game the first 100 in attendance will receive Coach Mangino bobble head.
Hey Kyle Browning, your tuition rally is pointless. Legislature is not even going to be in session on April 18. They won't be there until May 1. Good luck with your march on the Capitol when there's not going to be anyone there.
I would just like to congratulate Phi Kappa Psi on officially becoming the most despised fraternity on campus thanks to their pointless chalk work.
There is a total babe sunbathing behind McCollum. I love this town.
To the woman that followed me on campus today mocking my face, I just want you to know that Jesus loves you.
We have spotted a "agree with Satan" shirt on campus in response to the "agree with Lee" shirt. So be on the lookout, because it's damn freaking funny.
For the love of God, turn the air conditioning back on in the dorms.
I'm about to have a heat stroke. ___
Eric Borja said that Britney Spears is his hero. Does that mean he is going to start wearing halter tops? If so, I say go for it. I love seeing men with shoulders.
I feel sexually harassed every time I open the UDK and have to see that Bada Bing advertisement.
If you agree with Lee,you agree with late J.C. Out.
"I agree with Lee." Diet Dr. Pepper does taste more like regular Dr.
Pepper.
TALK TO US
Lata Walker
editor
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Jay Kraill
Kyle McCuision
managing editors
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Clay McCusition
readers' representative
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Kursten Pheils
Brooke Hester
opinion editors
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Malcolm Gibson
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Matt Fisher
sales and marketing adviser
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U.S. ISSUES MIDEAST TRAVEL WARNING
PERSPECTIVE
KNIGHT RIDDER TRIBUNE
Religious ad sparks controversy, but doesn't reflect view of 'Kansan'
READERS' REPRESENTATIVE
The University Daily Kansan doesn'tagree or disagree with Lee. Last week, callers to the Free for All took the Kansan to task for supposedly supporting the "I Agree With Lee" Christian evangelical campaign. One student was offended that the Kansan would ignore the mvirid other faiths found on this campus.
However, the full page devoted to the "I Agree With Lee" campaign on Monday was an advertisement. It had no connection to the day-to-day news coverage. Although the page wasn't labeled as an advertisement, a coalition of KU groups paid for the page.
Indeed, if a group of atheist students wanted to promote their beliefs and had the money to place a full page ad ($738 for a registered student organization), the Kansan would run the ad. If a group of pagan students, or Wiccan students, or agnostic students wanted to promote themselves and had the money, the Kansan would run their ads too.
Clay McCuistion cmcuistion@kansan.com
"That ad in no way reflects an endorsement by the Kansan," editor Leita Walker said.
"They (The Lee backers) are using the Kansan as a medium to get their message out," said Matt Fisher, Kansan sales and marketing
adviser. "They have the freedom and right to say what they want, if they have the money."
Because the news department tries to operate on an objective basis, it has little direct contact with the ad side. After all, ads aren't objective; they're paid space in a newspaper that attempts to sell or persuade something. Thus, most of the news side didn't know the "I Agree With Lee" page was in the newspaper until Monday's Kansan was printed.
It's essential to understand that the newspaper has two main departments—news and editorial. News stories, columns and photos are produced by the news staff. All of the paper's advertising functions—including ad sales and design—are handled by the ad department.
Both the ad and the news sides agree that the ad should have been labeled as such. This isn't common practice, Fisher said, but when ads begin to look like news content, the disclaimer is sometimes added.
Procedures are in place to review controversial ads — ones that are directed against other groups or have political and social content that might be offensive. The ad staff's advertising rates brochure has an entire section on acceptance policies for advertisers.
Fisher said that the Lee ad wasn't reviewed as being potentially offensive.
Whether you agree with Lee and the campaign surrounding him, advertisers that follow proper guidelines should have their say in the Kansan.
"In this case, this really wasn't a controversial ad. It was more an opinion ad," Fisher said. "A lot of times when there's a controversial ad, it's directed against somebody else."
It's crucial however, that readers understand that ads are ads not our own opinions.
McCuistion is an El Dorado senior in journalism and English.
PERSPECTIVE
Turning away from problems won't make them disappear
I was walking up from class Thursday just as the peaceful protest against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories was beginning in front of Stauffer-Flint Hall.
Being a journalism major, I was automatically curious. But as I made a beeline to the crowd to pick up some free literature, I noticed that students around me were not so comfortable. Many avoided the protest altogether. Some people politely took the literature and never looked at it.
I chatted for awhile with a few protesters before I made it to the bus stop. There I watched a young lady who had until then avoided contact with protesters politely take a flier. A friend then joined her. The two, acting as if the protest was more of a nuisance than anything else, talked about how it was just better to stay away from things like this. Their conversation soon turned to where one of them had found such cute shoes.
So my question is, how was I born into such a non-passionate generation? Granted, not everyone is so indifferent to the events of the world, but really, when did people stop caring about the global community?
And people wonder what is wrong with the world. Besides the war, hate and general nonacceptance, did people ever wonder if it was their own indifference?
I'm not saying you have to agree or disagree with the protest, or any other cause. I am not saying that you even have to pick a side or have an opinion about everything that happens. I have yet to decide and understand what I think about the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
COMMENTARY
But at least I am willing to listen. My plea is just that you understand what is going on around you. Pay attention to the world. Take a flier and actually read it. Listen to what someone has to say. You might learn something and it might spark something inside you to help out and make a difference. That is if you can spare the time from shoe shopping.
My fear is that your indifference comes from feeling as if you will never be affected by a particip-
Tabatha Beerbower
opinion@kansan.com
Leading up to the protest I saw filers in residence halls with a picture of a small child with a gun to her head. The reactions to the posters were all the same. "How hideous," and "That makes me sick." There were even resident assistants who took the posters down, cut out the guns, then put them back up.
Talking about how disturbing the image is will not help the problem. A more assertive action must take place. But if I were going on the responses of the people around me, the best reaction would seem to be to turn my head and pretend I didn't see it. Maybe then the problems of the world will go away. Let someone else handle it because "it is better to stay away from things like this." And go back to your daily routine where the atrocities of the world cannot touch you.
ular situation, or that you really do not understand anything about it.
Everyone I talked to told me that the poster made them feel uncomfortable and it was crossing the line. I think that the posters made people uncomfortable because they represented some truth in the world. A gun held to a child's head is a very disturbing image, but it happens every day. And not just overseas, folks, but right here in the U.S. as well.
Or you can step up and join the human race. Because believe it or not, we are all connected. As my mother told me when I was younger, there is more to life than hair and boys.
Be informed, be active and be human.
■ Beerbower is a Fort Scott junior in journalism and creative writing.
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