TODAY'S WEATHER: Very sunny and mild with a high of 58. SPORTS: Roy Williams respects coach Bob Knight.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
TALK TO US: Contact Leita Walker, Jay Kraill or Kyle Ramsey at (785) 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com
KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8,2002
ISSUE 89 VOLUME 112
University tells GTAs to stop giving out fliers
By Adam Pracht Kansan staff writer
Despite being told by the registrar that they could stay, some Graduate Teaching Assistant Coalition members handing out pamphlets yesterday afternoon in Strong Hall were told to leave because they violated a written agreement.
At 8 a.m., members of the coalition began handing out pamphlets at a table in Strong Hall stating the coalition's position on the contract talk that ended at an impasse last December. About 45 students took turns watching the table with about five people there each hour.
But Morrell said the message never reached Ola Faucher, director of human resources, or GTAC members who took the place of those who had been at the table earlier.
At about 10 a.m., Richard Morrell, University registrar, told Dan Carey, GTAC co-president and Overland Park graduate student, that the group could stay, but would have to follow the guidelines about using campus facilities next time.
Faucher asked the members to leave at about 2 p.m. After the group moved to the front steps of Fraser Hall, she asked the group to leave again.
Faucher said that GTAC violated articles 9 and 10 of the memorandum agreement between the University and GTAC
"Given the nature of what they were doing, I did not think there was a problem with it," Morrell said.
The articles state that the coalition must comply with the guidelines for University Events and Registered
Organizations. Those regulations require organizations to go through an approval process for activities that use campus facilities.
Robert Vodicka, Lawrence graduate student and chairman of the negotiations committee, said that the coalition did not get approval from the University, but that it had not been an issue in the past.
Morrell said that the incident resulted from a communication problem.
But Amy Cummins, GTAC member and graduate student senator, said she thought the University wanted to silence the coalition's message.
"I'm sure that KU administration would like to see GTAC go away, but as long as there are graduate teachers at KU, GTAC will always be a powerful force," she said.
The pamphlets that GTAC passed out said, "Why don't they want to talk to us? The KU administration declared impasse rather than continue contract talks with the GTAC."
But Lynn Bretz, interim director of University Relations, said the statement was inaccurate.
"I think that GTAC has a little case of amnesia,that they forgot what happened last December," she said. "Both the University and GTAC agreed to impasse."
A federal mediator will try to create a settlement during talks on Thursday, Feb. 28. If that is unsuccessful, another mediator will talk to both sides and make a settlement recommendation to the government.
Contact Pracht at apachret@kansas.com.
This story was edited by Jenna Goeffer.
University begins preparing for possible budget cuts
By Meredith Carr
Kansan staff writer
With talk of a tuition increase in the air, budget cuts also are anticipated across campus.
The state of Kansas faces a budget shortfall of $426 million next year. At the University of Kansas, the budget cuts could mean fewer campus jobs, larger class sizes, fewer classes offered, less classroom equipment, fewer graduate student teaching opportunities, and shorter hours for some computer labs, studios and Robinson Center.
Though nothing has been decided, the University has been asked to prepare for a possible $9.5 million reduction in next year's budget, said Provost David Shulenburger.
"Nine-and-a-half million dollars is roughly 6.5 percent of our state appropriation," Shulenburger said. "Part of the proposed cut is a reduction in our base, and part of it is to fund salary increases."
Although the final numbers won't be known until June, University leaders are already making decisions about which expenses will be cut to cope with the reduction in state dollars.
Angela Lumpkin, dean of education, said that the current fiscal year's budget was tight, and next year's would only be tighter.
"It's like when you want to order desert, but know you can't afford it, so you go with the after-dinner mint instead." Lumpkin said.
The budget cuts will be made by schools, the College of Liberal arts and Sciences, and other campus organizations such as Academic Computing Services.
"Last year, we had to cut $3 million from campus units because of state cuts to base budgets and huge utility increases." Shulenburger said.
He said the administration had asked schools and departments to prepare for a cut of as much as $3.4 million from this fiscal year's budget.
Academic Computing Services is preparing for the budget cuts, said Jeree Catlin, associate director. ACS manages the Herb Harris Computing Lab in the Kansas Union and the Budig Computer Lab, Teaching Lab and Media Lab. They also manage e-mail NESTs around campus.
"We, like everyone else, are investigating ways to cut budgets—ACS is no exception," Catlin said. "Currently we don't have plans to change hours of operations or cut student services."
"The tuition increase will benefit students in that more scholarships will be open and then the graduate students will have a pay increase, which is a win-win situation," Lumpkin said. "If they get more money, then better graduate students will come to KU, which means a better education."
John Gaunt, dean of the School of Architecture & Urban Design, said the money that his school received would go toward enhancing the technical and functional equipment that was used by the students.
Vickie Hamilton-Smith, director of communications for the School of Fine Arts, said that school was evaluating its budget to prepare for any potential cuts, but that it would continue to focus on education.
A tuition increase by the Board of Regents could balance some of the state budget cuts.
With the money from the possible tuition increase, some schools plan to hire more faculty members. Others want to put the money toward equipment.
"Our primary responsibility is to provide students with the highest quality of education regardless of the budget situation," Hamilton-Smith said.
Design students unite discuss budget woes
Contact Carr at mcarr@kansan.com. This story was edited by Sarah Warren.
By Caroline Boyer Kansan staff writer
Industrial Design Student Association members decided at a meeting yesterday to try to unite all School of Fine Arts students to deal with the school's budget cuts.
Snap," a place for fine arts student to work on projects, open on weekends. They also want to find ways to save money and keep faculty members.
About 40 students attended the association's first meeting last night to talk about ways to keep the "Common
The group plans to present its ideas to the school's dean, Toni-Marie Montgomery.
support. He said the fact that the students had met independently of the professors showed how much they cared about what was happening.
Katie Harris, Olathe junior and vice president of the association, said the group planned to work more closely with faculty members.
Although no professors attended the meeting, Tom Brantman, Overland Park senior and president of the association, said he thought the students had their
"I think we should be the ones to initi-
Danny Glover answers questions about Langston Hughes at Central Junior High School, 1400 Massachusetts St. — the same junior high school Hughes attended. Glover spoke and recited poetry to the junior high children yesterday.
KIMBERLY THOMPSON/KANSAN
SEE DESIGN ON PAGE 8A
Actor lends meaning to Hughes' poetry during reading
By Leah Shaffer Kansan staff writer
Actor Danny Glover used the poems of the late Langston Hughes last night to show the poet's hope and humor, which resonated in Glover's mind as a child.
"It's so accessible to the people," he said of Hughes' work.
About 1,800 people attended the event last night at the Lied Center. Glover's performance officially starts the Langston Hughes Symposium, an event that runs until Sunday and will celebrate and explore the impact of Hughes' life and work.
"I'm really humbled to be a part of this celebration," said Glover before he began to recite some of Hughes' most famous poems such as "Freedom Train," "Trumpet Player" and "Bitter River," a poem that Hughes in the memory of two 14-year-old African-American teenagers who were murdered in Mississippi in 1942.
Heather Greene, Lawrence graduate student, said that "Bitter River" showed how Hughes was a great social critic.
Hughes was a great writer. "It showed activism in a real sense," she said.
SEE GLOVER ON PAGE 8A
Cells replacing standard phones
Convenience cost make cell phones preferred alternative
By Melissa Shuman Kansan staff writer
Anna Calcagno saved money by canceling her local phone service and keeping her cell phone.
"It was really expensive — about $90 per month with my cell phone and my regular phone," said Calcagno, a graduate research assistant in pharmaceutical chemistry.
Celling out
To learn about different cell phone plans and cell phone information, take a picture of someone else.
Some students are canceling their home phone lines and communicating by cell phone instead.
gander at these sites www.swbell.com
Calcagno said her local phone line had many extra services, such as caller ID and
www.swbell.com
www.cingular.com
www.cingular.com
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINA NEFF/KANSAN
www.wirelessconsu
mere.org
www.bbb.org/libra
ry/cellplans.asp www.consumer
Some students are canceling their home phone lines and communicating by cell phone instead. Footing the bills for a cell phone and a home phone can get costly.
www.consumer reports.org
call waiting, which added up quickly on her bill. When she canceled service, her phone company sent her a bill telling her to pay immediately, even though her payment wasn't due for three weeks.
Calcagno said.
"I got a nasty letter and they really didn't want me to quit, but I didn't have to pay a fee,"
She said it was easier to have a phone number that people could contact her at all the time.
Calcagno said. "I was paying $40 to have an answering machine for telemarketers."
"The main reason I did it is that I'm never home,"
INSIDETODAY
Calcagno pays $35 per month for a plan from Cingu
SEE CELL ON PAGE 8A
COMING IN TOMORROW'S KANSAN
LOCAL NEWS ... 2A
HOROSCOPES ... 2B
WEATHER ... 6A
CROSSWORD ... 6A
CUPID: READ ABOUT WHAT AWAITS STUDENTS ON VALENTINE'S DAY.
SPORTS: KANSAS PLAYS TEXAS TECH THIS WEEKEND.
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.