4A - THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
WEDNESDAY,APRIL10,2002
POINT-COUNTERPOINT
Alcohol would benefit Union provide safe drinking option
1 Boulevard. It is known as a local landmark and borders campus, making it a popular place to unwind after classes.
This bar is as close as they come to campus. But next semester offers the possibility to let loose within campus boundaries.
There has been talk of serving alcohol in the renovated Jaybowl in the Kansas Union. From both a profit and a safety standpoint, the Kansas Union could not make a smarter move.
KU is a dry campus, but there is a small window for exceptions. The administration allows alcohol at Cancellor Hemenway's house, the Alumni Center and at Memorial Stadium before home football games.
football games.
With the Jaybowl situated on the bus systems' routes and at a location that is within walking distance of many students' homes, it is a safe option for those who want a night out without worrying about a driver.
The profits that serving alcohol would bring in are impossible to estimate, but it could be perceived that making the Jaybowl into a more bar-like atmosphere would bring in more people. This, in turn, will bring a larger, more diverse group to the Kansas
Union and improve business. This would also turn the Jaybowl into a rental option for parties.
No one wants to risk this campus' emphasis on academics, so the Jaybowl could simply not serve
beer during daytime beers. If the Jaybowl served alcohol after campus office hours, it would not encourage students to drink between classes.
Giving students the option of an oncampus bar has great potential, not only for profits, but also for drawing more attention to the Kansas Union. Beer in the Jaybowl would also provide a safe atmosphere for students to drink
Beer in Jaybowl would threaten educational mission of KU
a safe atmosphere for students to drink and a way to get home safely.
Jessica Smith for the editorial board.
most recent talk is for the University to approve the serving of alcohol at the Jaybowl once it is remodeled.
If approved, this decision would greatly undermine the University of Kansas. As an academic institution, alcohol does not belong in the Kansas Union where classes convene, academic conferences are held and guest lecturers speak.
Pernaps the Jaybowl would attract more students and make more profits if beer were to be served there. But Mike Fine, recreations coordinator for the Kansas Memorial Union, said that when beer was served at the Jaybowl.
Perhaps the Jay-
it made up only 25 percent of total beverage sales
The Office of Institutional Research reported that 57 percent of the undergraduate population is under the age of 21. More than half of all undergraduate students could not legally drink beer at the lajbow, even if they wanted to.
the jaywalk, even if they were students. David Ambler, vice chancellor of student affairs, said a city-wide task force made up of individuals from the City of Lawrence, Haskell Indian Nations University, the Lawrence Public School District and KU met in 1997 to address the abuse of alcohol by college and high school students.
high school students. In response to the recommendations of the task force, the University decided to discontinue the sale of alcohol at University venues.
sale of alcohol at a minimum.
The problems the task force faced in 1997 have not disappeared in 2002. Students are still abusing alcohol and people are still hurt by the effects of drinking. Until students can maturely manage alcohol, why should a decision that was so carefully considered be overturned after just five short years?
turned after just a short time. If students want to relax and unwind after a long day of class, they can do so at the many bars that are located within a couple blocks of the Union. We must always remember that the Union is a place for students, but more importantly it is a part of a larger academic institution dedicated to higher education.
Amy Potter dissenting.
PERSPECTIVE
What do you want from your student newspaper?
What does The University Daily Kansan mean to you? Sure, you might pick up the paper now and then to read Free for All or fiddle with the crossword. But what does it mean? What values does it represent? What is its relevance to your daily life?
I ask these questions because they're questions I wonder about. As I talk with members of student groups and respond to e-mails, it's become clear to me that the Kansan has a frustratingly nebulous job. According to its own masthead, the Kansan is the "student newspaper" of the campus, which suggests it represents KU students. But how can a newspaper do that? How can a single publication adequately represent the thoughts and
emotions, activities and advocacy, of more than 20,000 people?
It's a difficult question.
It's a unfortunate question this week, when the Kansan devotes much space and energy to covering Student Senate elections. The elections mean a lot to many students — to these people the campus is defined by student politics.
To many other students, the elections mean little. Their version of the KU campus is defined by other issues. Activism, perhaps. Sports. The club scene.
With so many different versions of campus to cover, this "student newspaper" has an elephantine task.
In the last few weeks, I've been told the Kansan is "irrelevant." I've been
READERS' REPRESENTATIVE
asked "why didn't you cover" a multitude of events. I've been asked, "How could you possibly print that?" I've been told, "I never read it. Sorry."
told. Prefer read all newspapers are concerned about these questions and comments. All newspapers, after a fashion, trv to
Clay McCuistion cmccuistion@kansan.com
address them. Yet as the years go by and newspaper circulations across the country continue to decline, the questions remain.
To some, the Kansan will never be relevant. Simple as that. The paper can't (and shouldn't) be turned into an extremist journal. Sure, we can reflect liberal and conservative viewpoints. But changing into something wholly different would betray our mission to provide news to as many students on campus as possible.
possible.
Yet I wonder about all the other students. I wonder about the groups who see all the different versions of campus mentioned above. I wonder about being relevant — because we so hard here to
do it, and because it concerns so many of you that I've talked to.
I want to know what you expect from the Kansan. What would make this newspaper relevant to you? I don't expect that we can make it the ideal newspaper for everyone.
newspaper for my weekly.
But I want to know, and I want to feature your responses in my column two weeks from today. E-mail me at cmcuelision@kansan.com or come by the Kansan newsroom any afternoon on Friday. 3:30-5 p.m. I'll be there.
I want to know what this newspaper means to you.
McCuistion is an El Dorado senior in journalism and English.
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to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
--rink it's pathetic that people call into the Free for All and punk out Drew Gooden and the basketball team about how they did this season. If we were Drew I'd come to your room and punch your head off your neck.
For more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
Hey KUUnited, we already have a centralized KU calendar at ku.edu. The big secret behind KU Info: google.com. Please put some more thought into your supposedly innovative goals.
rink it's pathetic that people call into the Free for All and punk out Drew Gooden and the basketball team about how they did this season. If we were Drew I'd come to your room and punch your head off your neck.
What would the plural of Lexus be? Would it be Lexuses, or would it be like Lexi?
Yeah, this is for Drew Gooden. Don't listen to what anyone else says. Go to the NBA, so you can sit on the bench, and we can get some real talent, like Simien, playing.
I'll be burning rubber. You'll be kissing my end.
Real TV is the bomb
A day without Doyle is like a day without sunshine.
I just wanted to say that 151 Strong needs to get their act together, because I don't like being sent on wild goose chases.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
--pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
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For the person that complained in the Free for All about the basketball players getting too many extra benefits in Atlanta, all I have to say is when you bring hundreds of thousands of dollars into the program, then you can have a massage, too.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
This goes out to the guys who broke into my car and stole my stereo. You left your screwdriver in my car, so why don't you come back and get that? I'll be waiting for you.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
図
The Murphy Hall box office has a lack of nice
people, especially those who run it.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
I'm no expert, but it seems that the Jewish people have Israel, and the Palestinians don't have anything, and that's what they're fighting about, so why don't we just take over Afghanistan, which we should do anyway, and give it to the Palestinian, and then they can have their own country.
All is right with the world. I finished my first crossword puzzle today, last night I talked to a basketball player, and it's nice outside.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
This is to the girl singing in Mrs. E's. My friend thinks you sound like Alicia Keys, and he thinks you're hot.
I want a Delta Force bandana.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
Karen Keith is hot. She's got my vote.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
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Anybody's first two albums against my first two albums. I'm there, I'm with the Beatles.
Free for All. To be or not to be? That is the question. Whether it nobler to drink or to pass out one no knows, but if you drink a lot I guess that's pretty noble, and if you pass out that's just and end to the means.
I was in the Free for All one time, and I cut it out and kept it, so I'm looking for No. 2, so please print this. Bye.
--pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
All I have to say is that new Mexican restaurant, I'm not saying which, had pretty terrible service, and none of us plan on going back.
Yeah, about that Skye Blue I'm pretty sure it's the best thing I've had in my life. It doesn't even taste like alcohol. It's absolutely, 100 percent fantastic, and we're sitting here drinking it at Corbin, just to let everyone know.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
This is for the person that made that comment about us spending all that money on the basketball players in Atlanta. Yeah, they don't bring in any revenue do they? Stupid hinnie
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I've reached a new low point in my life. I just drank a bottle of Tuffin, and everything's getting really weird right now.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
Greeks and hippies are pretty different from each other. Oh, I don't know about all that. They both wear sandals, they both care a whole lot about their appearance and they're both really weak-minded.
pies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
The only difference between greeks and hippies: hippies are trying to make a statement, and greeks have had their statement printed on their clothes since 1892.
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KUnited? More like KU sucks. Oh, noonan.
I don't know if I speak for everyone else, but I just wanted to say that Eric Borja is my hero. Eric Borja is probably the best writer to come through The University Daily Kansans since, I don't know, since Seth Jones. Eric is my hero. Thank you.
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Just kick the baby robot's ass.
To the three basketball players, Michael Lee, Aaron Miles and Jeff Hawkins, who showed up at the Hawk on Friday night I just wanted to let you know that it made my night. You guys rock. Peace.
Right now I'm in the middle of making the perfect pancake, and it is 2:30 in the morning. I'll get back to it with this one if I can possibly make the perfect pancake.
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My roommate just called a second ago, and he was bragging about his perfect pancake, and I know you guys probably don't believe it, but I have to say it's true. That is a damn good pancake. That is one damn sexy pancake.
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I just can't get over my roommate's pancake.
If pancakes were a girl I would have intercourse with that one.
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This pancake isn't quite as good as the last pancake he made. It's not perfect, but nobody's perfect. I mean, even George Brett only hit like .350.
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Does anybody over there at Free for All need a pancake? Because we're all full, but this is too beautiful to let go to waste.
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He can't stop making pancakes. We're all full. Nobody's going to eat these, but it's such a gift he can't stop doing it. Someone please come over here, and eat these pancakes.
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Hey, just think, we've got all day tomorrow to make more pancakes.
I need help. There's this girl that keeps masturbating in my shower, and she's nasty. Help me out.
As cool as you look in your sunglasses, you're not quite as cool, because zone defense? Juan Dixon? You lost us the game, buddy. Admit it.
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Oh, tuition raising 50 percent. Yeah, how about we put the administrators in a zone defense, Roy?
I kind of like to compare Drew Gooden and Eric Chenowith. In other words, Drew, I cannot wait to see you watch you on SportsCenter getting balled up by Chris Webber, and please don't stay another year. Go for it, buddy. I can't wait.
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I'm a freshman. I keep hearing about this Chenowith guy. He must have been horrendous.
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Yeah, it's like 5:50 in the morning, and the spirit squad is definitely watching the sun rise off of Daytona Beach, and it's pretty sweet. Talk to you later, dudes.
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Hangovers suck
I'm going to run for student body president, and my first task will be to dismish Student Senate, because it's such a waste of money.
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I get really pissed when I'm studying all night long, and I'm on my way to Learned Hall for my midterm exam, and see some stupid art student painting a pretty little picture out on the lawn for their midterm. It just doesn't seem fair.
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I've got this great idea. All you art students can just pay me the money you are going to college with, and you can all go work at McDonald's, which is where you'll end up in five years anyway. Man, that's the best I have ever come up with yet.
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I just want to say sorry to Carrie and Ace for throwing up all the time when we went to a lawn concert on Friday. Thanks for taking care of me. That was very nice, and I'm sorry
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It's too bad Matt Steppe was disqualified. I don't think I'll vote in the elections now that nobody is qualified to run.
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Yeah, we be smoking right now, and we're just high on life.
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Live life day by day, hour by hour. Smoke whenever you have time.
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Right now we are playing a game — who can say the stupidest thing to Free for All, so just hand in there.
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