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WEDNESDAY, APRIL17, 2002
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NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 7A
SEATING
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Student campers would sit in the general admission section closer to the court. Students with reserved seats would sit behind them on the south side.
Under that proposal, Konzem said Allen Fieldhouse would be less of a fire hazard and students who wanted to show up at tipoff would be able to.
That plan has problems too. Konzem said it could lead to fewer non-student general admission tickets becoming available. And if students with reserved seats didn't show, there would be huge gaps in the crowd right where TV cameras would see them during free-throw attempts.
"Our biggest single problem is not knowing how many students are going to come to each game," Konzem said. "Trying to take a guess on how many general admission tickets we should sell and still fill the building is extremely difficult."
The noise factor
In 1999, Sports Illustrated chose Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium as the fourth best sporting venue in the world. The magazine cited the amount of noise produced by the student section, which surrounds the entire court on the lower level, as a prime reason for its ranking.
Some colleges are deciding that noisier groups do indeed deserve closer seats. A recent trend at strong college basketball schools is to move students closer to the court.
Published reports indicate that Florida, Gonzaga, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Kentucky and Maryland are moving students closer to the court and closer to the opponent's bench because of the advantage it provides their teams.
Curt Cullahan, Maryland director of facilities, said the Terrapins' new arena, the Comcast Center, would cater to the needs of the student fans. It would feature a student section that surrounded the entire court on the lower level and held 4,000 fans.
Cullahan said the athletics department considered moving students closer to the court a top priority when deciding on how to design the arena.
"It's a fact that students produce more noise and provide life to the arena," he said. "Moving the students closer was in the basketball program's best interest."
Student ticket activist Dwyer said he thought giving Kansas students courtside seats would provide the Jayhawks with even more of an advantage at home games. He said he had measured decibel readings in the student section at home games that went into the 120s to 130s. A 747-jet engine heard from 15-feet away is about 100 decibels.
"I would personally like to ask the alumni if they would allow students to sit in their seats just one game and then check the noise levels." Dwyer said. "I would like to see what comes out in the point totals for both teams when the students are screaming in the opponent's ears the entire game."
Wynne Dillon, who has been a season-ticker holder for 31 years, said she didn't see why there was a need for a change.
"I'd probably be pretty upset if I was moved behind the basket," Dillon said. "I think students are important, but I think seats should be distributed equally like they are now. No group deserves the seats more than the other."
Konzem said he thought that moving the students might increase the noise within Allen Fieldhouse.
Would he consider changing the seating plan? Maybe.
konzem said he planned to continue to meet with Dwyer and his group during the next few months. He said there was no guarantee seating changes would be made and that there was no time frame for possible changes.
"We want what is best for Kansas basketball," he said. "Any changes in the seating arrangements in Allen Fieldhouse would have to enhance the entire program."
Contact Wasko at bwasko@kansan.com. This story was edited by Eve Lamborn.
U.S. in talks for couple's release
Rose Hill missionaries held for 10 months could be freed soon
The Associated Press
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines — A top U.S. military commander refused to comment yesterday on reports that Washington was involved in negotiations with Muslim extremists to win the release American missionaries from Rose Hill held by the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group for more than 10 months.
Adm. Dennis Blair, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, said, however, that Washington remained committed to the Philippine campaign of crushing the militant group holding Martin and Gracia Burnham, who are from Rose Hill, near Wichita. They are being held on the southern island of Basilan. Blair also said the United States was in talks with Philippine officials about possibly extending the U.S. military training mission.
"The important thing that we have is the commitment of the U.S. to help the Philippines beat the Abu Sayyaf," he said.
Blair, who retires May 2, arrived in the southern Philippines on Monday to meet with U.S. troops conducting a six-month counter-terrorism exercises for local forces.
"I'm very encouraged by the progress made," said Blair. "What I've seen has exceeded my expectations."
He called the anti-terror campaign a "winning combination" of U.S. high-tech military strength and Philippine "local knowledge."
More than 600 U.S. troops, including 160 from the Special Forces, have been here since
January as part of a significant U.S. expansion of its war on terrorism.
While declining comment on negotiations to free the Burnhams, Blair repeated that the U.S.-backed Philippine campaign against the rebels had been stepped up.
"The goal with regard to the Burnhams is to keep increasing the pressure on the Abu Sayyaf. Keep them on the run. Make them realize it's in their interests to release the hostages unharmed," he said.
911 employees honored for heroism
NEW YORK — Employees of the police department's 911 center were honored yesterday for their work on Sept. 11, when the World Trade Center attacks prompted a flood of calls, many from trapped victims or their frantic relatives.
In the 18 minutes after the first plane struck the trade center, 911 workers took more than 3,000 calls. In the 24 hours after
the attacks, the center logged more than 57,000 calls, nearly twice the average.
Nearly 200 dispatchers, supervisors and operators were recognized in yesterday's ceremony at the New York Police Department headquarters. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly spoke of their heroism; another official said they went beyond the call of duty.
"Dozens of them took calls from people who were trapped
in those buildings and ... unfortunately, were never going to make it out," said Deputy Inspector Charles Dowd, commanding officer of the Communications Division. "But they were getting comfort from people on our telephones."
Dispatcher Russell Alston said he took a call from a man on the 100th floor. "He begged me, 'Please call my family and let them know that everything is all right, I'm OK, I'm OK. I’m just waiting
for them to come and get me.'
"I told him I would," Alston said. But "the towers came down. I was never able to make that call."
Louis Johnson, a 34-year veteran, was among employees who came in on their day off or stayed beyond their shifts.
"A unit came over and said Central, this is 10-26, and the World Trade Center is not here anymore," Johnson said. "That, to me, was the saddest."
Artificial heart brought to where the home is
Rural Kentucky man returns to hometown after transplant
The Associated Press
CENTRAL CITY, Ky. — The longest-surviving recipient of a self-contained artificial heart returned home yesterday seven months after his operation, waving to well-wishers as he rode a wailing firetruck through town.
"It's good to be home," 71-year-old Tom Christerson said
after the caravan of dozens of vehicles finally pulled up to his house.
He was given a plastic-and-titanium AbioCor heart at Jewish Hospital in Louisville on Sept. 13. Christerson, the second recipient of the device, was released from the hospital March 20 and had been living at a hotel one block away.
"I feel like I'm pretty back to normal and I can do as I please," Christerson said at the hotel.
After the news conference, the retired tire dealer and his wife drove to their home in Cen-
ran City, a town of 6,000 people about 125 miles southwest of Louisville. Christerson sat in the passenger seat of the minivan, which was fitted with an electrical outlet so he could recharge the heart on the road.
When he got to Central City, Christerson was helped up the four steps onto the firetruck, the ride fulfilling a wish he had expressed weeks ago. People spilled out from businesses to greet him as the caravan crept along.
At the Christersons' brick, ranch-style house just outside of
town. Mayor Hugh Sweatt read a proclamation declaring it Tom Christerson Day.
"Welcome home, buddy," the mayor said, hugging Christerson.
Ken Christerson said his father hoped to rejoin his coffee-drinking buddies, who meet each morning at a restaurant, and eventually spend time on his houseboat.
Christerson already had spent a weekend at home.
The KU School of Fine Arts and Kansas Union present
Brown Bag Classics
Make your lunch a classic. Join the Music & Dance Department for free, noon-time performances. Just bring your lunch because drinks are on the Kansas Union.
January 23 Pirates Review
January 30 Vince Gnojek, Saxophone
February 6 KU Horn Ensemble
February 13 Instrumental Collegium Music
February 27 KU Harmonie
March 6 Keith Wright, Flute
March 13 Amir Khosrowpour, Piano
March 27 Pamela Hinchman Voice Studio
April 3 Melanie Hadley, Piano
April 10 Paul Stevens, Horn
April 17 KU Saxophone Quartets
April 24 KU Tuba, Euphonium Consort
May 8 BA Woodwind Quintet
Wednesdays, 12:30 pm to 1 pm, Alderson Auditorium, Level 4, Kansas Union
School of Fine Arts
Piano courtesy of Vaccano's Piano and Organ of Overland Park
University of Kansas
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