4 University Daily Kansan / Monday, April 13, 1992 OPINION LIFE IN HELL 1992 BY MATT GROENING Age gauges musical tastes I was browsing through a music store the other day and came across a compact disc of Carole King's "Tapestry. I" was elated. It was one of my all-time favorite albums during my early teen years. The songs still elicit a myriad of emotions and memories each time I hear them. I bought the compact disc, took it home, and placed it with my collection of Hall and Oats, Elton John, Three Dog Night, James Taylor, Rod Stewart and Chicago. Lots of Chicago. There are a few selections from this decade but the bulk of my music collection consists of artists I loved in the '70s. I remember baby-sitting as a teenager for people whose age fell between the generations of me and my parents. I would go through their records and find a lot of Elvis, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Everly Brothers and the Four Tops. I thought those poor people had gotten so out of touch. I knew I'd never be too old for the coolest new music! I think one of the great reliefs of growing older is the realization that you don't have to like all the new Kate Kelley Staff columnist music. No matter how old you are, or when you grew up, the best music will always be the stuff you loved as a teenager. One day, all you heavy metal fans will be buying the "Greatest Head-Banger Hits of the '80s and '90s" and flocking to see comeback tours of old dinosaurs such as Poison and Guns n' Roses. You'll watch a spongy Axel Rose, stuffed into a pair of low-cut polyester double-knit pants (even spandex stretches only so far) with a scarf tied around his bald head (that mass of stringy hair is not long for this world). He'll try to screech out those same songs and swivel that portly middle around, and you'll think he's just as terrific as the first time you saw him. My parents couldn't abide the Beatles and thought the Rolling Stones were just a bunch of immoral, drugging abusing delinquents. They were, I guess, but they also created some of the best music I've ever driven too fast to. My daughter thinks Hammer is just the ultimate and wants to play his music continuously. We've had to come to an agreement about only playing his compact discs when I'm not home. Although I like Hammer's videos — he's fun to watch dance — I can't abide just listening to someone chant to a drum track for hours on end. I know a lot of people love rap, and that's fine. Just keep in mind, their children will listen to music EVEN MORE ANNOYING, because that is a law of nature. So, when you hear people criticizing the music you love, make note of their complaints. One day you too will wonder, "What is wrong with kids today? Why do they listen to that garbage? Why the music in MY day... that was music!" THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Kate Kelloy is a Ft. Leavenworth junior majoring in English. Vision must prove sincerity Coalition with Senate majority should fulfill promises made during the campaign A few months ago, Brad Garlinghouse and Lance Wright decided to do something practical about the problems facing the University. They formed the Vision coalition and successfully ran for the Student Senate offices of president and vice president. The students embraced Garlinghouse's and Wright's message and gave Vision a victory against the Unless coalition by a two-to-one margin. Vision pledged during the campaign to address five issues next year. The coalition supported creating a vice-chancellor for minority affairs, allowing KU students to buy bus passes that would be good for a year rather than a semester. 100-percent fee waivers for graduate teaching assistants, the formation of a Graduate Student Union and a restructuring of the University grievance procedures. Now is the time to make good on those promises. With the Vision coalition holding a clear majority in Senate next year, there is no reason why Senate should not be an effective, unified body next year. Senate should be able to implement at least some of the Vision coalition's proposals and make a good effort toward implementation of the rest. Electing someone to Senate always raises the question of the accountability of the person who is elected by the students. Once in office, presidents do not really have to do anything if they don't want to. By voting, students trust not only that a president has the ability to do a good job but also that he or she has a desire to. Garlinghouse and Wright now need to justify the students' trust in them. Fine Arts should vote again Mark Coatney for the editorial board Charges that the polls closed early could have serious consequences for the school The Student Senate elections on Wednesday and Thursday produced a controversy that will affect representation for the next year in the School of Fine Arts. Two candidates, Renee Rosen of the Unless coalition and Stephen McBurney of the Vision coalition, were tied after the voting. However, a controversy has developed about whether certain polling sites closed early. The Elections Commission has written into its rules a provision that defines what happens in the event of a tie. In that case, after three recounts, a coin toss is used to determine the winner. These rules are not necessarily right or equitable. Student Senate is an important body and holds much responsibility, especially for smaller schools such as Fine Arts. To have a coin toss determine this representation is a dangerous way to select a senator. However, the most troubling part of this problem is the allegations that members of the Elections Commission, who were responsible for operating the election booths, closed them early, denying students the right to vote. The commission and its members should make every effort to ensure student participation, not discourage it. Yet, according to these allegations, which could have serious consequences for the School of Fine Arts, the commission did not do its job. Two student candidates tied for a position they both wanted. Instead of having a coin determine the winner, the Elections Commission should do the only fair and reasonable thing for both candidates and have a new election. The School of Fine Arts is small enough to accomplish this without complications. Neither Rosen nor McBurney should have to see their hard work for victory dissolved into a heads-or-tail situation. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of The University Daily Kansan editorial board. Opinions expressed in letters, cartoons and guest and staff columns are solely those of the author or artist. Views expressed in columns and cartoons are not necessarily shared by the Kansan. Stephen Martino for the editorial board Members of the editorial board are Alexander Bloemhof, Jim Brown, J.R. Clairborne, Mark Coatney, Amy Francis, Tiffany Harness, Tiffany Lasha Hurt, Kate Kelley, Eileen Lillett, Stephen Martino, David Mitchell, Chris Moeser, Beth Randolph, Martin Scherstuhl, Julie Wann, Frank Williams and Sarah Zercher. KU needs fee waiver State Sen. Gus Bogina said he would suggest dropping the graduate teaching assistants' fee waiver from 75 percent to 50 percent if KU GTAs form a union. I think this is a real threat to the entire KU graduate program. The contribution that GTAs have made is a well-known fact. To attract more top graduates, many universities have been offering their GTAs 100-percent fee waivers and health insurance. Actually, the 100-percent fee waiver is something that has been needed at the University of Kansas for years. Let's look at what happened recently on our campus. First, two outstanding professors in the department of biology decided to leave because the department lacked money. Second, the conflicts between faculty members in the department of computer science led to a departmental crisis and a recommendation that the entire department be eliminated. Moreover, one of the best music instructors was fired with no further explanation. Based on the above facts and the threat of cutting the fee waiver, I believe that top graduates will think twice before they choose KU. ■ San Tsul Lettersto the editor As a graduate teaching assistant at KU1 cannot help being offended by Howard Mossberg's statement that GTAs and GRAs are primarily students, not employees. I have been a teaching assistant for the past seven years at different institutions across the United States. KU is the only institution that has refused to give me a 100-percent tuition GTAs are employees I am presently teaching two French classes, which meet three times a week, with a total of 35 students. By the end of this semester, I will have graded 140 exams, 420 compositions, 315 workbooks, 525 quizzes, and 420 homework assignments. Besides grading, I have to prepare my classes, create and type exams, and hold office hours. waiver. I have signed a contract with my department which defines my duties and responsibilities. I pay taxes from the money I receive. I consider my teaching opportunity at this school not as a service for my department but rather as a real job from which I can be fired if I do not fulfill my As a GTA, my supervisors at all the institutions I attended came to observe my teaching and evaluate my service, an evaluation upon which my rehiring for the next semester was based I love my job. I do not complain. Teaching is a fulfilling experience, but I do not want to be told that I am primarily a student. I am a student and an employee, I am an employee and a student. Lawrence doctoral candidate contractual obligation. Token help is no help Fortunately, all I need to do is wear a ribbon or give a dollar and everything will be OK. It's terrible; there is a war on drugs, a war on illiteracy, a war on poverty, a war on Iraq, a war on AIDS, a war on ignorance, a war on homelessness and a war on hunger. David Loewenstein Lawrence graduate student KANSANSTAFF I want everyone to understand that I never stated or implied that abortion is a cure for crime. In my letter I clearly stated that I would be discussing the effects of making abortion illegal, one being an increase in the crime rate, the stays legal, yes, crime will still be a problem. My concern was that we will suffer from more crime. Education is very important, I agree, but it is not a cure. I'm not saying that my letter offered a solution to our abortion problem. I was simply offering some things to consider when debating the issue. Karyn Gross Chicago sophomore TIFFANYHARNESS Editor VANESSA FUHRMANS Managing editor Attention, all people who misunderstood my previous letter "Reasons for Abortion." TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser Editors Editors News Mike Andrews Editorial Bert Randall Planning Lara Gold Campus Eric Gorski/Rochelle Ollen Sports Eric Nelson Photo Julie Jacobson Features Debbie Myers Graphics Aimee Braindar/J Jeff Meesey Clarification of letter JENNIFER CLAXTON Business manager JAYSTEINER Retail sales manager Business Staff Campus sales mgr 贝利·贝鲁腾 Regional sales mgr Richard Burzahmer National sales mgr Scott Hanna Co-op sales mgr Arnne Johnson Production mgrs Kim Wallace Marketing director Lisa Keeler Marketing director Climax Creative director Leah McCormack Classified mgr Kip Chin JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser Business Staff Letters should be type, double-spaced and fewer than 200 words. They must include the writer's signature, address, and telephone number. Writers are affiliated with the University of Kansas. by David Rosenfield Great columns should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 700 words. The writer will be photographed. The Kansan reserves the right to reject or edit letters, guest columns and cartoons. They can be mailed or brought to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Safer-Flint Hall. Stick