THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2009
NEWS
3A
Dewill nuc Li-
DEBATE (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
our highest priority."
Roney said the metal detectors were not a response to any specific threats made. She said
rumors were unsubstantiated because the caller did not identify himself or herself or the targets, but the caller did imply a shooting in relation to the debate.
"Because there was no specific threat there was nothing to pin down and send a text about."
"If you've been
MARLESA RONEY
Vice provost
if you been paying attention to the news for the past two weeks, you're aware that there has been an unprecedented level of violence in our country with numerous shootings and over 50.
ings and over 50 people killed," Ronev said.
Roney said she met with a group of KU officials Monday morning to discuss using the emergency text message system to alert students of the thrats.
"An imminent threat is something that people need to take action from, so if there's no action to take, what's the use of me alert"
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
"Because there was no specific threat, there was nothing to pin down ind send a text about," Roney aid.
ing you?" Cohen said.
Todd Cohen, director of University Relations, said the police lad a way of determining which threats were legitimate and which were unconfirmed, and that the emergency text message alert system was implemented only in cases of imminent threat.
"If it's an event where we have to have metal detectors,it's something we don't want students to attend."
Student Senate coalition candidates were informed the debate was canceled Monday morning.
May Davis, Clay Center junior and vice presidential candidate for United Students, said the
presence of metal detectors was a deterring factor.
"If it's an event where we have to have metal detectors, it's something we don't want students to
attend", Davis said.
"We don't want students to feel unsafe."
Alex Porte, Great Falls, Va., junior and Envision vice presidential candidate, said metal detectors in the Kansas Union alarmed him.
three years now, and I've never been to a University event that required metal detectors of any kind." Porte said. "That to me is very disconcerting."
"I've been going to KU for almost
Kevin Hardy, Brianne Pfannenstiel and Kayla Regan contributed reporting to this story.
Edited by Melissa Johnson
BASOFLAS (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
Former KU student Cem Basoflas, 21, of Turkey, and his defense attorney, Sarah Swain, listen as a representative of the District Attorney's office discusses stipulations in Basoflas' guilty one on one charge each on two counts of felony animal cruelty Monday.
to pay $1,000 to the Lawrence Humane Society to help pay for investigation costs related to his offenses.
Swain recommended that, following his sentencing, Basoflas be turned over to immigration officials for deportation to Turkey.
picion of animal cruelty Feb. 4 after employees of his apartment complex found a large amount of blood and other evidence within
"It seems a waste of taxpayers' money to have him sit in jail or on probation here."
for an undergraduate degree in physics on a student visa before his arrest. His felony conviction Monday nullified his student visa.
"The best outcome for this case was to get Mr. Basoflas back to Turkey." Swain said. "It seems a waste of taxpayers' money to have him sit in jail or on probation here."
Basoflas was arrested on sus-
his apartment.
SARAH SWAIN
Basoflas' attorney
more information about the state's evidence against Basfolas had come out. She also said she hoped that Basfolas' jail time would be extended at his sentencing, saying 30 days was "not enough."
Midge Grinstead,
Lawrence Humane
Society director,
said she had mixed
feelings about the
plea agreement.
Grinstead said she
was pleased that
Basoflas pleaded
guilty, but wished
"To me, it isn't justice," Gristead said.
— Edited by Susan Melgren
SAFETY (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
left before stealing property or harming anyone. Mueller said the property owners hadn't done much to secure the home from future break-ins.
it, but there's not really much we can do"
"It's really easy to break in," Mueller said. "We're worried about
Visit The Home Safety Council to create a custom safety checklist for where you live.
- Edited by Grant Treaster
7 tips for you
YOUR STUFF
CHECK YOURSELF,
BEFORE THEY WRECK
YOUR STUFE
1. Keep doors and windows closed and locked.
3. Ask reliable neighbors to watch your residence while away.
2. Reinforce sliding doors by wedging a stick or pole firmly in the lower track behind the door.
4. Keep window shades or curtains closed after dark
5. Never let strangers into your home, not even to use the phone. Make the call for them while they wait outside.
6. Give the appearance someone is home when the residence is empty by using automatic timers on interior lights to and keeping mail picked up.
7. Never let strangers know if you live alone.
http://www.homesafetycouncil.org
7 tips for your landlord
LANDLORD CAN YOU?
so doors and windows are not obscured.
1. Install good quality locks on doors and windows that everyone can open easily from inside the home.
2. Replace inside-key locks with deadbolt locks that have a "thumb turn" instead of an indoor key.
5. Provide security bars on doors and windows with a quick-release latch.
3. Install peepholes and chain locks in doors.
ADMINISTRATION
4. Keep shrubberv trimmed
7. Install a motion detector or alarm system.
6. Put bright lights over porches and walkways in the front and back.
http://www.homesafetycouncil.org
University suspends faculty ticket discounts
Staff must pay full price for basketball, Lied Center tickets
by the numbers
BY JENNIFER TORLINE jtoiline@kansan.com
For 28 years, Douglas Houston has purchased basketball season tickets with a faulty discount.
$382,000 — amount spent on ticket discounts in the Athletics Department
$451,000 — how much the discounts cost the University for the 2008-2009 school year (according to an e-mail)
$69,000 — amount spent on ticket discounts to the Lied Center
1,618 — the number of discounted Lied Center tickets
purchased by faculty and staff for the 2008-2009 season
2,033 — the number of free Lied Center tickets used by retirees for the 2008-2009 season
Martin said the University had covered the costs of the discounts
Martin said employees had received the 20 percent athletic discount since 1999. While basketball season tickets cost $1,195 regularly, faculty and staff have been able to buy season tickets for $956.
But when the University recently announced that it was temporarily getting rid of fatulty and staff discounted tickets. Houston, professor of business, said he was deciding whether to pay the full price for tickets next year. It's a huge increase, he said, and the discounts were an important part of employee compensation.
Out of the $451,000 the University paid for tickets, Martin said $382,000 went to athletics tickets and $69,000 went to Lied Center tickets.
2,101 — the number of athletics discounted tickets purchased by faculty and staff for the 2007-2008 season
The only exception to the suspension is football season tickets for next fall, because many faculty members have already purchased the tickets.
"In order to protect the academic and research mission, we decided that we would temporarily suspend those discounts," said Jack Martin, deputy director of University Communications.
Jack Martin, deputy director of University Communications
An employee at Allen Fieldhouse scans a fans ticket before the April 4 aftop of the WINT Championship game against the USF Bulls. The University recently announced that discount tickets for University faculty would be discontinued.
"Many long-term employees are not taking huge salaries, and this is a part of who we are." Houston said. "I don't happy, I'm mad as hell."
The suspension includes the 20 percent discounted athletics tickets and the 15 percent discounted Lied Center tickets available for both current and retired faculty and staff. Free Lied Center tickets for retirees have also been suspended.
The University's tightening budget is the reason behind the suspension of the discounted tickets for the 2009-2010 school year, according to an e-mail Provost Richard Lariviere sent to faculty and staff on Wednesday.
Rvan McGeenev/KANSAN
The e-mail stated that the 2008-2009 discounted tickets cost the University $451,000 — the equivalent of 11 faculty positions.
"We cannot in good conscience lay off additional employees in order to maintain this discount," Lariviere said in the e-mail.
for several years because of an agreement between the University and Kansas Athletics. The Athletics Department pays for utility costs and facilities and the University covers the costs for discounted faculty and staff tickets.
Martin said it was unlikely that the Athletics Department would try to cover the employee discounts for the 2009-2010 school year because the economy also affected the department.
Faculty and staff have had mixed feelings since the announcement.
"I think that the faculty discount was a really nice thing, but in light of the University's budget situation, I completely understand why the University wanted to stop it," said Susan Twombly, professor of education and chair of the SenEx basketball committee.
But Joe Reitz, professor emeritus of business, said the discount removal was an insult to the faculty and staff, who were the backbone of the University.
"There are a lot of ways to save
money and the University is taking away one of the very few perks that faculty and staff enjoy," Reitz said. "It basically shows that at least some administrators have no respect for the people who do real work for the University."
"The retiree benefits are an expression of thanks from the University for a service given," Niebaum said. "To have the benefits reduced shows the University no longer values your contributions."
Jerry Niebaum, president of the Endacott Society, the University's organization for retired faculty and staff, said members had expressed concern over the withdrawal.
In a tightening economy where retired faculty must live on fixed incomes, Niebaum said it would be especially difficult for retired
Niebaum and several members have met with leaders of Kansas University Endowment Association and the Lied Center during the past week to discuss the discount suspension.
Many ticket prices for the 2009- 2010 season at the Lied Center have been reduced, said Tim Van Leer, the center's executive director, and the 15 percent discount that faculty and staff received in the past could be offset by lower prices.
faculty to be able to pay full price for tickets.
Associate athletics director Jim Marchiony said faculty and staff would still be able to sit in the same seats for basketball games. He also said faculty and staff would be able to buy half-season ticket packages, a benefit not offered to the general public.
Martin said student tickets were discounted through a Student
Senate arrangement that was different than the way that faculty and staff discounts were arranged.
"I know no reason that students should be on vacation." Matthew said.
Martin said once the budget
improved, the University hoped to return the discount for faculty and staff.
Edited by Susan Melgren
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