Tuesday
February 18, 2003
Vol. 113. Issue No.99
Today's weather
49°
Tonight: 31°
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
Tell us your news
Contact Kristi Henderson, Jenna Goepfert or Justin Henning at 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com
Kansas baseball ranks No.21 after weekend upset p.1B
Tuition increases will persist
Students may not know increases will continue for the next five years
By Jessica Hood
jhood@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Many students may not realize that the last tuition increase was not a one-time event.
The tuition increase for this academic year was part of a five-year plan submitted to the Board of Regents.
A factor that could affect how much tuition goes up this coming year is Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' plan for the higher education budget that was approved Feb. 10. The House budget-writing committee approved the plan to keep higher education spending at current levels. But this amount still falls short of what the University of Kansas needs to maintain current services.
Even though, the tuition increase was introduced as part of five-year plan, students such as Jessica Strathman were not aware that another tuition increase was on the horizon.
"Tuition goes up a little every year. But I didn't think the increase for next year would be as big of a chunk as last year's."
Becky Kuckelman Axtell sophomore
"I thought it was a one time increase," Strathman, Baileyville sophomore said.
Becky Kuckelman, Axtell sophomore, said that, while she was aware tuition would probably go up again, she didn't realize it would be similar in magnitude to the previous increase.
"Tuition goes up a little every year," said Kuckelman. "But I didn't think the increase for next year would be as big of a chunk as last year's."
Provost David Shulenburger said in an e-mail that the proposal given to the Board of Regents laid out a five year plan in which tuition is increased a minimum of $16.50 per credit hour. For 15 hours that's an increase of at least $247 for in-state students each semester.
Shulenburger also said the proposal indicated that other factors may intervene, but the five-year tuition increase course was set.
Strathman said even with the wide coverage of the tuition increase, she missed the key element in the tuition increase: the time frame.
"I can't belive I missed that key information," she said. "Well at least now I know it's coming and can start preparing for it."
Imperfect proportions KU women seek breast plastic surgery to correct health problems, body image
Story by Vonna Keomanyvong Art by John Nowak
When Lucy was 17, her breasts were so heavy, her bra straps left scars on her shoulders.
When Lindsey was 17, she'd look in the mirror and wonder if her breasts would ever grow.
In an era when image is everything and in a country where plastic surgery is almost as common as the cold, both young women went under the knife for a breast makeover.
They're far from alone. More than 200,000 women had breast implant surgery in 2001, while more than 100,000 had breast reduction surgery according to a recent survey by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
In that group, women between ages 19 and 34 accounted for more than 100,000 breast enlargements and more than 51,000 breast reductions.
Lucy's story
Luev Blanev always had big breasts.
The Overland Park senior said that the first time she was teased was on a field trip at a park in fifth grade because she was the only girl wearing a bra
"Everyone was pointing at me and saying 'She's wearing a bra,'" she said. "I tried convincing people it was a bathing suit. No one believed me because someone came up and snapped it."
SEE SURGERY ON PAGE 8A
Profanity central to Carlin's humor
By Lauren Bristow
Ibristow@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Using his ability to humor, appall and entertain audience members to tears, comedian George Carlin performed to a sold-out crowd at the Lied Center.
The almost 2,000 audience members cheered as Carlin walked onstage last night with no formal introduction and immediately greeted them with a joke about female anatomy noises.
"Y'know something that nobody talks to but everyone - suave facts." Cool said
After the comment, the crowd went wild.
"It was typical Carlin," said Richard Stephens, Sterling senior, who brought his mother, Casondra, to the performance. "It's his classic setup. It prepares you for what he's going to talk about."
Carlin is known in the comedy world for pointing out inconsistencies in American culture and ideals while adding a humorous and usually obscene spin to his delivery. He entertained the audience with a mix of his thoughts on traffic accidents, suicide, sex, enemas and masturbation during his hour and fifteen minute performance.
Scott Reynolds/Kansan
Although several audience members with young children left during Carlin's detailed explanation of his idea for female anatomy transplants, Mike Hill and Terri Johnson of Kansas City, Kan. didn't think the content was inappropriate for their 12-year-old son Mike Hill Jr.
"He gets exposed to a lot more than this," Johnson said. "There was no question about whether we would bring him.
"Y'know something that nobody talks about anymore — pussy farts." Comedian George Carlin performed in front of a sell-out crowd at the Lied Center last night. Carlin appears in 60 theater concerts a year, and he has starred in 12 HBO television comedy specials.
He loves the HBO specials. He's the reason we came."
Carlin rose to national fame in 1973 with his stand up comedy routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television." Carlin used many of those words during his performance last night.
"He uses the profanity for artistic purpose," Stephens said. "It's just what he does. It isn't to offend people."
"His material just never gets old," Casondra Stephens said. "He just keeps writing more material and it just keeps getting funnier and better."
- Edited by Jason Elliott
Chicago nightclub tragedy raises awareness at local bars
By Cate Batchelder
cbatchelder@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
A confirmed 21 people died early yesterday morning in a rush to leave the confines of a panic-ridden crowd suffering from the effects of pepper spray or Mace, at the Epitome Night Club in South Chicago.
Questions from concerned native Chicagoans as well as local bar owners and concert-goers have surfaced in reaction to a good time at a nightclub that turned deadly.
Kelly Mack, Naperville, Ill., senior lives in a suburb 20 minutes southwest of the city. Mack and her friends hit the Chieago night clubs such as Le Passage, Vision and Crobar but Mack had never heard of Epitome.
"It made me feel relieved that I'd never heard of the club because then I knew none of my friends were there," she said.
Mack was shocked by the tragic situation but said it could have been worse.
there, but say it was a Friday or Saturday night?" she said. "I'm sure there would have been more people there."
Epitome was already at its capacity of 1,500 people when a fight broke out between two women. Mace was sprayed into the air sending the rest of the clubgoers heading for exit doors that became blocked in the hysteria. The 21 deaths were caused by crushing and injuries due to suffocation. The nightclub was operating in violation because it was meant to be closed down after receiving a months-old court, city authorities said.
"I'm sure there were a lot of people
The club fatalities marked one of the nation's deadliest stampedes. In another situation in December 1979, 11 people were killed in Cincinnati trying to enter a concert by The Who.
Closer to home, clubs such as Abe and Jake's Landing, 8 East Sixth St., can pack in about half the number as the Chicago night club. The bar has hosted several sold-out shows with bands such as The Wailers, Blues Traveler, Leftover Salmon and, more recently, The Roots on Saturday nights.
"You couldn't move around on the floor, but I could never imagine what happened in Chicago happening here in Lawrence."
Kyle Hopkins Prairie Village senior
Lawrence fire marshal Rich Barr issued Abe and Jake's a ticket Saturday night for exceeding its capacity.
Mike Logan, general manager and Lawrence senior, said Abe and Jake's will appeal the ticket. He said that although 740 was the official capacity number, the number was kept low enough so that the bar and concert-goers could be comfortable. Logan also said Abe and Jake's had enough exits, seven, so that 1,000 people could easily exit.
Jeff Allmon, Wichita senior, paid $23 minus Ticketmaster fees for his ticket to The Roots show. By the time he got to the front of the line, the fire marshal told Allmon and his friends they might not be
able to go inside because Abe and Jake's was over capacity by 60 people. The fire marshal let them in after issuing the bar a ticket, Allmon said.
"Right now I'm angry." Allmon said. "But I'd be infuriated had I been left in the cold."
Aminon said the show was skinging even though he and his friends missed The Roots' first two songs.
"We were this close to rioting to the front if the doormen didn't let us in," he said.
Once inside, Allmon said it was packed — the floor, the stairway, everywhere.
Mark Grinstead, inspector for the Lawrence Fire Department, said the department had nine consultants that it sent out to check for those kinds of situations.
"Being a college town, we keep a real close eye on it." Grinstead said.
"Most of the kids are happy that we are bringing their favorite artists," Logan
Logan said most of the crowd Saturday night had their eyes on the stage and their bodies grooving to the music.
said.
Kyle Hopkins, Prairie Village senior, went to The Roots performance and said it was the most crowded show he had ever been to at Abe and Jake's.
"You couldn't move around on the floor, but I could never imagine what happened in Chicago happening here in Lawrence." Hopkins said.
Hopkins said he felt a good vibe at Lawrence shows.
"I think the crowds in Lawrence are always relaxed," he said.
Logan said he had never had problems with bar brawls but prepared his staff for the possibility. Should a fight happen, he has instructed his staff to break up the individuals and take them to separate exits, which should end the situation.
"In case of a fight, fire, whatever, you have to know how to handle these situations," Logan said. "That's just part of the job.
—The Associated Press contributed to this story.
—Edited by Andrew Ward