Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
Lindsey Henry, Editor Marc Harrell, Business manager Dave Morantz, Managing editor Colleen Eager, Retail sales manager Kristie Blasi, Managing editor Dan Simon, Sales and marketing adviser Tom Eblen, General manager, news adviser Justin Knupp, Technology coordinator
Wednesday. Feb. 25, 1998
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL
Editorials
Students should make the effort to improve our noble Alma Mater
"Far above the golden valley Glorious to view, Stands our noble Alma Mater Towering toward the blue. Lift the chorus ever onward, Crimson and the blue Hail to thee, our Alma Mater, Hail to old KU!"
How many students really understand the true meaning of these words? How many even know that this is our Alma Mater? The majority of students at the University of Kansas are missing out on an important concept. They are the University of Kansas. Students are the reason for the existence of the University. Without students, there would be no University. Unfortunately,
its students do not recognize this.
On Mount Oread, academic and administrative departments are searching for students to help provide them with feedback to help improve the University. Everyone, not just senators and committee members, owe it each other, our institution, and the future generations of Jayhawks to help meet the needs and challenges facing the University.
Students are neglecting their Alma Mater. But they can make a difference.
We, the Editorial Board, challenge you this semester to get involved in campus organizations, to care about your University, and to tell us what you think. This is our school — when everyone realizes this, we can achieve our potential. Everyone shares a unique bond on this campus: We are all
Javhawks.
Years ago, KU students understood this principle. Students used to take an oath to the University and to themselves.
They pledged that they would "strive to transmit this, our beloved University, not only, not less, but greater, better, and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us."
Although students no longer take this oath, these still are the goals that every student should have.
The power of one can be enormous. If each student took five minutes to share what he or she thinks are the most significant issues facing the University, and what he or she feels should be done, then the University could be improved.
Aroop Pal for the editorial board
Here's a tip: Give it up for the pizza guy
Tipping is the price you pay for your lack of effort. And if students can't afford to pay for service, then they should get off their duffs and serve themselves.
The average server is paid $2.13 per hour. The theory is that their tips will bolster this partial wage to a level from which they can eke a living. If servers do their job, then they should be compensated.
Wait staff are entitled to 15 percent of the food and drink bill as due compensation for their service. A $10 meal necessitates a $1.50 tip. Exceptional service should be rewarded at the diner's discretion, but that discretion should start
Servers deserve to be tipped. If you can't afford a gratuity, stay home and serve yourself
Delivery drivers also deserve gratuity. The drivers are bringing you food, enabling you to sit on your couch and continue to watch television or study. If you don't want to tip, fine. Get up, take yourself to the restaurant. Delivery drivers make about $5 per hour and drive an average of 50 miles per night. A dollar extra for a pizza is a small price to pay for the service. Those dollars add up.
above and beyond 15 percent. Servers should not be penalized for the quality of the food or anything else outside of their control. Obviously, if the service is extremely poor, the gratitude may be in jeopardy — but these cases are rare. Most servers do their job well. And if they don't, a word to the manager will be more effective in correcting the problem than just stiffing them on a tip.
The servers among us are us. Most of the time they are students working to get through school. Students should make an effort to give reasonable tips or they should cultivate a taste for Hamburger Helper.
The editorial board
Kansan staff
News editors
Paul Eakins . *Editorial*
Andy Obermuelmer . *Editorial*
Andrea Albright . *News*
Jodie Chester . *News*
Julie King . *News*
Charity Jeffries . *Online*
Eric Weslander . *Sports*
Harley Ratliff . *Associate sports*
Ryan Koeran . *Campus*
Mike Perryman . *Campus*
Bryan Volk . *Features*
Tim Harrington . *Associate features*
Steve Puppe . *Photo*
Angle Kuhn . *Design, graphics*
Mitch Lucas . *Illustrations*
Corrie Moore . *Wire*
Gwen Olson . *Special sections*
Lachelle Rhoades . *News clerk*
Kristi Bibel . *Assistant retail, PR*
Leigh Bottiger . *Campus*
Brett Clifton . *Regional*
Nicole Lauderdale . *National*
Matt Fisher . *Marketing*
Chris Haghirian . *Internet*
Brian Allers . *Production*
Ashley Bonner . *Production*
Andee Tomlin . *Promotions*
Dan Kim . *Creative*
Rachel O'Neill . *Classified*
Tyler Cook . *Zone*
Steve Grant. . *Zone*
Jamie Holman . *Zone*
Brian LeFevre . *Zone*
Matt York . *Zone*
Advertising managers
"You can't make anything up anymore. The world itself is satire. All you're doing is recording it."
Letters: Should be double-spaced typed and fewer than 200 words. Letters must include the author's signature, name, address and telephone number plus class and home-town if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
How to submit letters and guest columns
—Art Buchwald
Guest columnms Should be double-
spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
All letters and guest rooms should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stuart-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions.
For any questions, call Paul Eakins (eakins@kansan.com) or Andy Obermeyer (andyo@kansan.com) at 864-4810. If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff [opinion@kansan.com] or call 864-4810.
Perspective
There has been tension between my mom and me lately. I think she's beginning to feel jealous of my close relationship with another member of the family. To be fair, when I go home, it may ooze into this member.
An electrifying name for the family's feline
While Sparky has an interesting history, I should start by mentioning our other cat that is really old. Her name is Cat.
It's my cat, Sparky the Wonder Cat.
My sister Katie and I tried to name her when we were younger. We named her Cafina after the cat on this lame late-night show Channel 41 had on before they were even a Fox affiliate. However, the name didn't stick, especially because every time my dad
Nick Bartkoski opinion @ kansan.com
went through the garage he'd say "Move, cat." The name Cat just kind of worked.
Anyway, we got Sparky a couple of years ago. In my eyes, Sparky had a couple of strikes against her. Primarily my problem was that Sparky was infringing on another local animal's realm of expertise. We still had Cat, and as far as I was concerned, Cat was still doing a bang-up job of being a cat. I didn't see the need for a younger, flashier version coming in to do the same job.
I sympathized with Cat because I'm the oldest of the Bartkoski children. It has been a recurring motif in my life for my parents to arbitrarily bring in vounter people to do my job—being their child.
My other problem with Sparky was the fact that she was a physical representation of my mother's inability to tell my younger sister Amelia no. My mom gave a lot of rhetoric and double-speak about how Cat was getting older and might die soon. Logically, we needed a trainee cat to fill the role of catness when that happened. The rest of the family wasn't fooled by these blatant lies. Sparky was Amelia's cat, and we got it only because Amelia wanted it.
Not that Sparky even was named Sparky by this point. When we first got the little kitten, Amelia was in charge of naming it. Like Katie and I before, she didn't do a good job of it. She started out by trying to name it Millie, which is the family's nickname for Amelia. As a whole, the family was a little confused by this. Furthermore, because we already had to live with Amelia, we could do without living with her namesakes. That name was quietly
dropped.
dropped.
I can't even remember what else she tried to叫 it, but no name really worked for the kitten. In fact, it was close to being stuck in the generic name black hole by being named Little Cat by my dad. Luckily, fate stepped in.
While I'd take either game, I'd definitely prefer cat Monopoly, which is similar to people Monopoly but without the Scottie Dog. Cat Scrabble can get monotonous. How many times can you spell the word meow?
Fate in the form of me.
The ironic thing about this name is that Sparky is a pretty average cat — maybe even a little bit slow. But Sparky has one thing most spectacular cats don't have: The single greatest press agent for cats in the world — me. Even though Sparky is a tame and skittish cat, I billed her as a lethal killer and planned to get her listed in the yellow pages under "hit men."
I was home for the weekend, and suddenly it came to me. The cat's name would be Sparky the Wonder Cat.
The problem with naming the cat when I did was that Sparky was three or four months old at the time. I don't think he ever really knew his name. I still get the overwhelming feeling that every time I say, "Come here, Sparky," the cat first looks around to see who I'm calling and then trots over.
Because of my act of naming, I really have grown to love both Sparky and Cat a lot more. They've become my favorite members of the family. I even think of them when I go shopping, making sure to look around for cat versions of Monopoly or Scratch. Because the cats spend a lot of time together, what better way to pass time than board games? Of course, I could join in when I'm around.
Sadly, many pet departments are poorly stocked, so I haven't found either.
The thing that worries me is Amelia's still-present hand in Sparky's life. When I first renamed Sparky, I jokingly suggested that what she needed was a cape. Man, did we have a good laugh about that.
I stopped laughing a couple weeks ago when I learned that Amelia had created a cape for Sparky. It even says "Sparky the Wonder Cat." While I haven't seen the cape yet, it worries me that she didn't realize that I was only kidding.
She really takes this whole Wonder Cat thing too far.
Bartkoski is a Basehor junior in journalism and English.
Feedback
Credit Union article helpful to University
Gerry Doyle's article that ran Feb. 5 was a service to all students, faculty and staff at the University of Kansas. It brought attention to an issue that threatens to undermine one of our basic benefits as members of the University community. That is the right to join and utilize the KU Federal Credit Union. Nationally, credit unions are under attack by the banking industry, which has systematically attempted to limit access to credit unions through legal proceedings in the courts and legislative action to place restrictions on how credit unions do business with their owner-members.
At the same time, banks have raised rates and charged more for their services while their profits are at an all-time high. They claim they are at a competitive disadvantage with alternative financial institutions such as credit unions. I sincerely hope that those of us who choose to will continue to have the opportunity to belong and receive benefits of owner-membership in KUFCU and that access to those benefits won't be errored or denied by further legal or legislative action. House Resolution
1151 would assure that students who only recently were declared eligible for membership in our credit union would not have it stripped away. It goes further in providing that many other groups with common bonds may also continue to join a credit union of their choice. Thus, HR 1151 serves to protect present practice, which the ABA would like to limit even further by actively lobbying against the bill.
Thank you, Gerry Doyle, for raising this issue in The University Daily Kansan.
Curt Sorenson Associate Professor of Geography
Legislation before Senate Committees
The following legislation will be reviewed by committees tonight:
A Bill to Fund KU Environs
Sponsors: Natalie Sullivan, Matt Dunbar,
Sarah Schrek
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees
A Bill to fund KU Cultural Indie Club Night Sponsors: Scott Kaiser and Seth Hoffman Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees
A Bill to fund the Elections Commission Sponsors: Scott Kaiser and Seth Hoffman Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees
A Bill to amend Rules and Regulations
A Bill to amend Rules and Regulations
Sponsors: Ann Marchand, Matt Bachand,
Michelle Dennard, Jason Fizell, Seth Hoffman,
Partha Mazumdar, Jason Thompson and Art
Yudelson
Referred to University Affairs and Student Rights committees
A bill for emergency funding for Headquarters Center
Sponsors; Tami Radolh, Christy Lamble, Larry Gibbs.
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees.
A Bill to fund the KU Habitat for Humanity Sponsor: Jason Thompson
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees.
A Bill to fund the KU Chapter of Students for a Free Tibet and their speaker Palden Gyatso Sponsors: Matt Bachand
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees.
A Resolution supporting a recommendation for the Provost to all departments to use recycled paper.
Sponsors: Kevin Yoder, Natalie Sullivan, RJ Woodpier
Referred to University affairs and Student Rights committees.
Mr. Paul Eakins and Mr. Andy Obermueller request the honour of your presence at the first Kansas Opinion Page Coffee. Join us for an evening of discussion at the Traditions Room on the fourth floor of the Kansas Union, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. tonight.