3A - THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
TUESDAY,APRIL8,2003
Debated drawslow turnout
By Cate Batchelder
cbatchelder@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Presidential and vice-presidential candidates from Delta Force and KUnited faced off in an informal debate at noon yesterday to an empty Wescoe Beach.
Lord Wads and the 12 Knights of the Crusade didn't attend the debate because its candidates were in New Orleans to watch the men's basketball team play in the NCAA championship game because they said "it would be much more fun."
With the game eight hours and 22 minutes later, even the candidates had basketball on the mind.
Drew Thomas, Delta Force student body presidential candidate, suggested doing the Rock Chalk chant for an hour instead of debating.
Catherine Bell. KUnited vicepresidential candidate, suggested singing the coalition theme songs to attract an audience instead.
"If we sing it, they will come," she jokingly said.
Most of the student questions some serious,some silly came from coalition members.
Courtney Wachal, elections commissioner, asked what each coalition thought was the most important issue on each's platform.
KUnited answered with its "Jayhawk Express" plan, a free on-campus bus route for students. Andy Knopp, KUnited student body presidential candidate said the route would stretch the student semester transportation fee of $18 even further.
Delta Force members had a different opinion.
"You know, buses are cool. Sure, everyone would like to get on a bus and get a free ride every now and again if it is indeed free, but sexual assault? That's huge," said Farakhi.
For more Student Senate coverage, see page 6 and 7A.
Farokhi said Delta Force's main issue was its plan to expand the sexual assault prevention program through the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center. The planned expansion includes either making a full-time position or adding
another part-time position to the sexual assault awareness program. The part-time hired position already makes organizational visits to educate students about assault and what they can do to prevent it. The one employee is not enough to educate the campus about sexual assault, Thomas said.
Lindsey Gold/Kansan
Amy Cummins, graduate senator, asked what each coalition would do to eliminate biases in Student Senate. Good proposals failed because of the bill presenter's coalitions, she said.
"We shouldn't see things as Delta Force or KUnited," Thomas said. "We should see things as good ideas or bad ideas for students and that should be the final call."
Bell said biases weren't a problem for KUnited. She said that when the elections were over, KUnited disseminates and becomes Student Senate.
Knopp also said his coalition was able to look at all sides of
Andy Knopp, KUnited presidential candidate, speaks at yesterday's candidate debate on Wescoe Beach. Candidates for Delta Force and KUnited fielded questions from students in the hour-long session.
issues and has in the past.
"We don't have one common ideology or single mindset that hampers our ability to think independently for the students," he said.
Coalitions were also asked to say something nice about the
other coalition members. It took a while for someone to speak up. When they did talk, the candidates cited their past experiences of working together in Senate — and even before that.
In high school, all of the candidates worked the Kansas debate
circuit. Thomas and Bell cited all the good times spent talking about high school debate as a favorite topic.
"We're dorks," Bell and Thomas said in unison.
Edited by Leah Shaffer
Day on the Hill cancellation due to costs, low turnout
By Lauren Cristow
Ibristow@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Student Union Activities has pulled the plug on this year's Day on the Hill music concert.
This year's event was canceled after SUA officers decided at the beginning of last semester that they wanted funds to be more evenly distributed throughout the semester. SUA has sponsored the concert for 13 years.
"Knowing the amount of work and the money that goes into Day on the Hill,it would practically mean not doing any fall programs," said Fallon Farokhi, SUA president. "Almost every day last semester there was an SUA program."
Last year's event drew a total crowd of about 3,000 people, said Dawn Shew, SUA program advisor.
SUA canceled this year's event because of the high cost of headlining bands and the low turnout in previous years.
"There is a lot of pressure to bring in someone like Pearl Jam," she said. "But what people don't realize is how expensive it is to bring in major bands."
Day on the Hill's budget is usually about $20,000 to $50,000, and major artists such as Nelly and Dave Matthews Band can cost more than $150,000. Shew said.
"People don't realize that we got Pearl Jam on a fluke," Shew said. "We signed them before they had released 'Jeremy' and we paid them an insanely low amount of money."
One of last year's Day on the Hill performers, Beau Jackson, Wichita senior, is not happy about the cancellation. Jackson is the former drummer for the band, Filibuster.
"It reflects the general trend of the University to stop funding things that it feels is unnecessary." Jackson said. "It's unfortunate and ultimately the students lose out."
Shew said she would like to see
SUA is seeking funding, bands and a venue for next year's event, but is not sure if the tradition will continue.
"The way we talk about Day on the Hill is like it's on life support and no one wants to pull the plug," said Dawn Shew, SUA program adviser. "But you have to ask yourself, what's the quality of the program?"
the tradition continue but was worried about the funding situation.
"It's a catch-22." Shew said. "Everyone loves the program, but the funding just isn't there."
SUA is brainstorming ideas to allow for future Days on the Hill.
Those ideas include looking for a major donor in excess of $30,000, holding a benefit concert where bands would donate their time, holding Day on the Hill inside Memorial Stadium and having the event at the Lied Center with smaller bands outside and the headliner on the Lied
Center stage, Shew said.
"The only problem with the Lied Center idea is that only about 2,000 people could see the headliner." Shew said. "But we're open to any and all ideas."
Not all students are upset about this year's cancellation, but hope to see the tradition return in the future.
"SUAs had so many other great events, I'm not going to hold it against them if they don't have Day on the Hill this year," said Amy Cummins, Lawrence graduate student.
Edited by Melissa Hermreck