TODAY'S WEATHER: Clouds increasing with a slight chance of rain. SPORTS: Men's basketball to face Holy Cross tonight. SEE PAGE 8A
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
TALK TO US: Contact Leita Walker, Jay Krall or Kyle Ramsey at (785) 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com
KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
THURSDAY MARCH 14,2002
WWW.KANSAN.COM
ISSUE 113 VOLUME 112
Student Senate debates vote for $50 million tuition increase
By Sarah Hill Kansan staff writer
After almost four hours of debate last night, student senators could not reach a consensus on how to best represent students' opinions on tuition increases.
At issue was student representation on the Ad Hoc Committee on University Funding, which approved a tuition increase proposal of $50 million Monday.
Jamel Bell, graduate senator and committee member, said the committee voted on an arbitrary dollar amount instead of one of the committee's original proposals, which were more structured.
Dallas Rakestraw, student senator and Ad Hoc Committee co-chair was the only student member of the committee to vote for the tuition increase.
A group of student senators asked Rakestraw to resign from the committee. Rakestraw refused.
"I do not feel that I made a mistake." Rakestra said, "I stand by my vote."
Rakestraw spoke for about 10 minutes at the meeting, during which he was interrupted by shouts from other senators. At one point, Rakestraw left the room after being interrupted, even though he had the floor.
"I will not be told I am not pro-student because I voted to keep KU at its current level," he said.
Senators called repeatedly for an official Student Senate opinion on rejecting the $50 million dollar proposal, but could not agree on an action.
Matt Dwyer, off-campus senator, asked the committee members to recommend inclusion of student input for allocation of the new funds. A show of hands indicated that almost all senators agreed.
"It would put teeth on this proposal, which is otherwise an arbitrary number," he said.
The proposed tuition increase will be clarified by the committee at 1:00 p.m. today in the provost's conference room.
In other business:
Rakestraw, Bell and Matt Steppe, residential senator and committee member, asked all senate members to attend tomorrow's meeting.
Senate passed a resolution on the 54-credit hour requirement proposed by the Board of Regents. The resolution urges the Regents to adopt a policy with a minimum of 45 credit hours of upper-division courses.
ine Regents are debating a policy that would require students to complete 54 hours of upper-level classes for graduation. The University requires 40 hours.
The resolution will be faxed to the Regents tomorrow before its meeting in Topeka.
Contact Hill at shil@kansan.com. This story was edited by Molly Gise.
PAST CHAMPIONS
LINDSEY KILIANY/KANSAN
Dallas Rakestraw, student member of the Ad Hoc Committee on University Funding, answers questions from senate members about his vote for the $50 million tuition increase at last night's Student Senate meeting.
FILE PHOTO
University of Kansas students celebrated after the Jayhawks won the NCAA men's basketball championship in 1988. Lt. Schuyler Bailey said the KU Public Safety Office would be more prepared this year.
Officials learn lesson from past experience
KU Public Safety Office prepared to handle post-game revelry, melee
By Rachel Keesee
Kansan staff reporter
Thousands of fans filled Jayhawk Boulevard.
Car horns honked all over Lawrence, people danced on rooftops and fireworks went off.
That was April 5,1988.
The Kansas Jayhawks had just won their first NCAA men's basketball championship in 36 years.
Yet even with the estimated 30,000 people crowded on campus between the Chi Omega fountain and 14th Street according to Kansan archives, few accidents occurred.
But KU police were not prepared for the crowd, said Lt. Schuyler Bailey of the KU Public Safety Office. He was an officer at the time.
"A lot of people assembled very quickly," he said. "The sheer number, the volume—it was overwhelming almost."
Since 1988, the public safety office has improved its
preparedness for crowds on campus after athletic events. The last time, though, police were not quite ready.
April 1, 1991, after the Jayhawks lost the championship to Duke, a crowd of 15,000 again filled Jayhawk Boulevard. After about an hour, things got ugly.
People who had carried beer bottles and cans to campus threw them, causing 23 injuries.
The 35 officers on duty broke up at least six nights. "The atmosphere was much different from 1988," said Bailey, who was on duty that night.
inpus threw them, causing 22 injuries.
The 35 officers on duty broke up at least six fights.
that was the difference between a happy crowd and a disappointed crowd, Bailey said.
According to Kansan archives, campus police made no arrests that night, although people were taken into police cars until they calmed down. Police thought that was the best way to handle the situation.
Now, however, things will be different if KU fans have reason to gather, Bailey said.
"We've been meeting to decide everything from the number and placement of officers and where we think we'll get them from, to radio frequencies," he said. "We expect assistance from several other law enforcement
SEEPOLICE ON PAGE 5A
Cards send sobering messages
By Mike Gilligan Kansan staff writer
For the next year, University of Kansas students turn in 21 will get a birthday card from an unexpected source.
During the next 10 to 12 months, they will receive a birthday card from the University promoting safety and responsibility on their birthday. The University started sending cards this month.
The project is sponsored by the KU Social Norms Media Campaign, which is funded by the Kansas Health Foundation. Janette Berkley-Patton, coordinator for the campaign, said more than 300 students would receive the cards each month.
Along with the card, students receive a free ticket to a Student Union Activities movie and an invitation to complete an online survey about how they celebrated their birthday.
The University of Kansas card has a unique feature, she said.
Students who complete the survey will be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift certificate to the KU Bookstores.
SARA SHEPHERD/KANSAN
"We hope students will drink responsibly on their birthday," Berkley-Patton said. "We know a lot of students drink to some degree, but we want to promote responsibility."
Berkley-Patton said more than 40 schools, such as Michigan State and the University of Virginia, were sending birthday cards to students turning 21.
"Conferences have presented information that students respect the decision of the University to send them cards." she said.
"On the card there's a list of 21 things you should
Topeka junior Crystal Hudson holds a 21st birthday card she received from the University of Kansas. This spring, the University began to send out about 300 of the cards promoting responsibility each month. have done at KU by the time you turn 21," Berkley-Pat-
have done at KU by the time you turn 21," Berkley-Patton said.
She said the list included things like changing your major to telling a good K-State joke.
Berkley-Patton said students at other universities had changed their decisions about what they were going to do for their birthday based on the cards.
But some students disagree about the effect the cards can have.
"I think it's a good idea, but I don't think it's going to influence people's decision to drink," said Ryan Murry.
SEE CARDS ON PAGE 5A
SMILE coalition's issues aim for fun, spirit
A fourth coalition has added its name to this spring's Student Senate elections.
The coalition will focus on issues that would raise students'
Paul Bammel
The SMILE coalition, headed by Paul Bammel, Andover junior, and Jared Hiatt, Salina junior, turned in the required 500 signatures to the elections commission last week.
spirits, such as improving intramurals and Hawk Week, Bammel said.
"We want to make KU fun again," he said.
"A lot of people think we're a joke, but we're taking this seriously," he said. "Isn't it time we all just smile?"
Bammel said that while the purpose of the coalition was about having fun, it was committed to winning the election.
The coalition had its kick-off party last night at the Hawk, 1340 Ohio St.
— Sarah Hill
By Adam Pracht Kansan staff writer
Bill could put politics on license plates
Rep. Gary Hayzlett, R-Lakin, said he wasn't used to hearing the abortion issue as chair of the Kansas House of Representatives transportation committee.
But he expects a bill that would allow a "Choose Life" specialty license plate to create extensive debate as the committee begins hearings today.
the hearings come two weeks after the measure passed the Kansas Senate by a 21-19 vote. If 500 plates are ordered, Kansas car owners could pay $25 to $100 extra for a specialty license plate bearing the symbol and name of Choose Life.
the organization began in August 2000 in Florida, where 30,000 cars bear the plate. Since then, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Alabama have passed similar laws. Choose Life Inc. donates the proceeds from the license plates to support crisis pregnancy centers, maternity homes and some adoption centers. To receive money, the organizations cannot provide, recommend or be connected to abortions.
Eighteen specialty license plates are available already in Kansas that support veterans' groups and universities.
Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, brought the bill from committee to the rest of the Senate. He said he voted in favor of the measure because the proceeds would benefit crisis pregnancy centers.
"I think it can be very, very helpful," he said. "I think anyone that wants to view it as a negative is going to anyway. I don't see it as anything but positive."
However, Sen. Sandy Praeger, R- Lawrence, said while she agreed with supporting pregnancy centers, she voted
SEE PLATES ON PAGE 5A
INSIDETODAY
NATION NEWS ... 3A
SEX ... 2B
WEATHER ... 6B
CROSSWORD ... 6B
COMING IN TOMORROW'S KANSAN
BAR SCENE: Where students are going to get their drink on.
CHLAMYDIA; A disease that often goes undiagnosed.
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The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at 119 Stauffer-Flint Hall.
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