CAMPUS/ AREA
University Daily Kansan / Tuesday, April 14, 1992
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Vice chancellor selection process under scrutiny
Shankel says panel sought minority candidates
By Jenny Martin
Kansan staff writer
A statement approved Friday by the University Senate Executive Committee concerning the two recent vice-chancellor appointments pointed out that the entire central administration at the University was made up of white males.
The statement questions the commitment of the University administration to affirmative action.
At issue in the University is the need to increase the number of women and minorities in administrative positions
and the need to choose the most qualified candidates regardless of sex or race.
Elizabeth Banks, associate professor of classics, said she drafted the SenEx statement to raise awareness. The administration does not appear to follow affirmative action guidelines, she said.
Del Shankel, interim executive vice chancellor, said that the administration complied with affirmative action measures.
"We try hard to find qualified women and minorities for top administrative positions," he said. "But if
they don't apply or don't meet the qualifications, there is not much you can do to appoint them."
Shankel said that in the search for the vice chancellor for research, graduate studies and public service, the search committee included women, minorities and students and was broadly representative of the KU community.
Andrew Debicki, professor of Spanish and Portuguese, was named to the position March 31.
"They tried hard to identify qualified women and minorities for the position, but when the search committee turned in its list of recommendations on the basis of qualifications and abilities, they all happened to be white
Shankel said he thought the search committee for the executive vice chancellor also concentrated on trying to find good women and minority candidates. The position was filled last week with the appointment of Edward Meyen, dean of education.
males" he said
But Brune said that of a pool of 70 to
Caroljean Brune, budget analyst and a member of the search committee for executive vice chancellor, said that she applauded the statement and regretted that the administration did not better reflect the constituency of the University.
80 people who had either been nominated or had applied for the position, the committee picked the most qualified candidates.
She said she wished that there had been top women and minority candidates who met the job qualifications but that the committee did its best to choose the top seven candidates.
"The past is working against these groups right now," she said. "They haven't been given the same opportunities that men have had to gain experience."
Frances Ingemann, presiding officer of SenEx, said she did not support the statement.
Ingemann, who was a member of the search committee for the executive
vice chancellor, said the committee made an effort to find women and minority candidates.
"Candidates who really seemed to meet the needs of the University in aspects other than affirmative action were found," she said.
Ellen Sward, professor of law and member of the search committee for vice chancellor for research, graduate studies and public service, agreed that although the committee was looking for women and minority candidates, it could only work with the applicant pool it was given.
"I'd be more in agreement with the statement if the University had never had a woman in any of these positions, but this is not the case," she said.
Julie Denesha/KANSAN
Brian Clinin, Arlington Heights, III., senior, works in his studio after an interview at Hallmark yesterday. He was working on sketches for a coming project. Clinin has been preparing for the senior show, which is now open at the Art and Design building. He also has won an award to attend school in England for his work in the show.
A work of art
Dermatologists question recent studies linking acne medication to skin cancer
Benzoyl peroxide study used massive doses, experts say
by Katherine Manweiler
Kansan staff writer
A possible link between a common acne medication and skin cancer is weak and needs to be studied more before the medication is no longer offered over-the-counter, dermatologists say.
The use of the medication, benzoyl peroxide, to treat acne has been questioned since recent studies found that laboratory rodents developed cancerous growths after they were given massive doses of the medication.
The rodents were exposed to 13,000 to 30,000 times the lifetime dose a human could expect to take.
Lee Bittenbender, Lawrence dermatologist, said he saw about 30 patients each week with acne and prescribed water-based medications with benzoyl peroxide for most of them.
Many of the over-the-counter acne medications with benzoyl peroxide are alcohol-based, which can cause dry skin, he said.
"Based on what I have seen, I don't see a problem clinically with benzoyl peroxide products and the development of skin cancer," Bittenbender said. "I've never seen a patient that has been the case."
He said acne was a problem for many college students.
Based on what I have seen, I don't see a problem clinically with benzoyl peroxide products and the development of skin cancer:" Lee Bittenbender Lawrence dermatologis
"It is a fairly common misconception that once you reach 20 or 21 and you're not a teenager anymore that you stop having acne." Bittenbender said. "A lot of people have acne into their 20s or first start to have acne in their 20s. The vast majority of people have acne during adolescence, but there is no magic cut-off age. Some people may have acne for the rest of their lives."
Thelda Kestenbaum, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, said she prescribed benzoyl
peroxide medications for about 80 percent of her patients with acne.
"Compared to other drugs, I don't see a problem with it," Kestenbaum said. "It's been around for so many years that I would think we would probably have noticed a link to cancer by now. It's been used so much."
Benzoyl peroxide has been sold over-the-counter for more than 30 years and has proven effective to kill the bacteria that causes pimples and chronic acne.
Acne medication products such as Clearasil and Oxy-10 contain benzoyl peroxide as the active ingredient.
John Baughman, chief pharmacist at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said about 20 students came to the pharmacy at Watkins each day for acne medication. About half of those students receive products with benzoyl peroxide.
But Baughman said benzoyl peroxide acne medications were not ideal for everyone.
"Some people will develop an irritation with frequent use — usually excessive dryness," he said. "People sometimes need to use a moisturizer with the product to prevent dry skin."
Baughman said he thought warning labels alerting people to the possible link with cancer should be placed on tubes of acne medications with benzoyl peroxide.
The Associated Press contributed information to this story.
Kansanstaffreport
School begins process to find interim dean of education
Administrative staff at the School of Education met yesterday for the first time to begin the process of looking for a new dean.
The meeting was a response to dean Edward Meyen's acceptance last week of the executive vice chancellor position. He will replace interim executive vice-chancellor Del Shankel this summer.
John Poggio, associate dean of education, said that the meeting was scheduled to decide the school's course of action in the search for an interim dean.
Two months is not enough time to complete the process of finding a new dean, Poggio said, and a search committee needs to be formed to begin the search for a new dean.
The school also needs to define the qualifications for applicants, he said.
Kristen Petty/KANSAN
Kennedy Glass employees Darrell Wieden, left, Rick Hunter, center and Mike Lohmann, far right, a size sheet of glass to replace a window yesterday at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. Bottleneck employee Dana Wilkins said the broken window probably was an accident caused by a flying beer bottle.
Easy does it