Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
Lindsey Henry, Editor
Dave Morantz, Managing editor
Kristie Blasi, Managing editor
Tom Eblen, General manager, news adviser
4A
Monday, Feb. 23, 1998
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL
Editorial
Administration should fast-track proposed e-mail terminal plan
Call it e-mail made easv.
Some student senators recently sat down with Jerry Niebaum, director of academic computing, and William Crowe, dean of libraries, and discussed creating e-mail stations at various sites on campus. The idea is that about 50 terminals would be set up at select campus sites, including the Kansas and Burge Unions, where students could walk up to a terminal and check their e-mail in a few minutes.
The idea is not close to being accomplished. The soonest it could happen would be next fall because of logistics and economics. But the University of
Kansas should push this plan through.
The idea has numerous advantages. It would free up computers at the computer center. Now, students spend time using computers to check e-mail. While that's an important service for students, it takes up time on a computer that another student may be waiting to use for an assignment. With e-mail terminals around campus, students would no longer clog up computers.
This also would serve as a good recycling system for outdated computers. Setting up a computer to just focus on email is simple and does not require the newest in computer technology. Computters that otherwise would be be discarded could be used as e-mail terminals. The proposal also would reduce costs because new computers would not have to be purchased to establish this system.
It also would be nice to walk into the Kansas Union and quickly check e-mail. E-mail is becoming a major source of information and messaging, so the more accessible it becomes for students, the better.
A decision by the administration about whether to enact the plan could come by spring break. This is an important idea and the administration should make it possible.
Spencer Duncan for the editorial board
Feedback
Opinion page co-editor's motives questionable
I have previously felt it unnecessary to respond to the often misanthropic, though cleverly well-written, editorializing of Andy Obermueller. However, the recent piece he penned in reference to the Elections Commission's decision to limit campaign spending and harassment simply cannot be ignored — this, insofar as certain actions he attributes to himself call into question his ability to perform his job in the unbiased and professional manner demanded of a journalist and an editor.
In the same editorial where he goes so far as to accuse the Elections Commission of "poorly hidden political motives," Obermueller demonstrates himself to be subject to the very charge he so quickly levels against others.
In a mere stroke of the pen, Mr. Obermüller demonstrates that he has crossed over a line that is clearly drawn in his job description — from merely offering opinion to directly participating in decidedly partisan political action. To this end, he offers the following sentence as a testimonial in his
editorial in The University Daily Kansas: "Our first response to the elections code changes was to petition the elections commission."
Now, understand that he is not referring to the editorial board. In fact, they can do no such thing—they are limited to giving their opinion and leaving the action to others. Who, then, is Obermueller referring to himself acting in concert with? The actual presenters of the petition Obermueller references were Scott Kaiser, Scott Merchant, and Kevin Yoder. Taken alone, these names probably mean nothing to the average reader. However, these individuals also are heavily involved in a coalition campaigning for Senate. Obermueller's involvement with them is highly problematic.
He goes on to threaten: "Now the only recourse is legal action." First of all, this is a questionable call to action and a no-no for most journalists. However, as Kaiser, Merchant and Yoder have threatened the same course of action, the reasons for Obermueller's inclusion of this sentence become obvious.
Of course, as Opinion page co-editor, Obermueller is not allowed to maintain affiliations, allegiances or affections
such as these. Nor is he allowed to do work behind the scenes for his favorite political candidates and then editorialize about it the next week. By doing so he has shown his true colors. Although he has always tacitly thrown the weight of his position behind political causes, he has never done so openly until now.
By laying this open, then, I hope that the Kansan-reading public recognizes that Obermuller's poorly hidden political motives have for some time unduly colored his handling of the Kansan's opinion page in a forum that is supposed to be for all of us. I submit that Obermuller should be relieved of his position immediately and that the Opinion page be returned to the forum for all students that it is supposed to be.
Jason Fizell Olathe Senior
Kansan editor's note: Obermueller has no plans to resign his position as co-editor of the Opinion page. I have no intention of asking him to step down and I stand behind the work he and Paul Eakins have done for all students on the Opinion page.
Kansan staff
News editors
Paul Eakins ... Editorial
Andy Obermuelier ... Editorial
Andrea Albright ... News
Jodie Chester ... News
Julie King ... News
Charity Jeffries ... Online
Eric Weslander ... Sports
Harley Ratliff ... Associate sports
Ryan Koerner ... Campus
Mike Perryman ... Campus
Bryan Volk ... Features
Tim Harrington ... Associate features
Steve Puppe ... Photo
Angie Kuhn ... Design, graphics
Mitch Lucas ... Illustrations
Corrie Moore ... Wire
Gwen Olson ... Special sections
Lachelie Rhoades ... News clerk
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"Most of the time I don't have much fun. The rest of the time I don't have any fun at all." —Woody Allen
How to submit letters and guest columns
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.
Guest columns 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 columns should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stuaffer-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 Obermueller (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.
From the Opinion page editors
Testing offensive waters
WE're not going to apologize for Nick Spaceck. His guest column, "Maybe Kurt Cobain should have lived at Templin," has received the dubious honor of allihas received the dubious honor of eliciting the most feedback of the year.
Spacek's column was a commentary about life in the residence halls. He perceived such a lack of privacy that a student couldn't even kill himself without being bothered by his neighbors. In a somewhat macabre vein, Spacek reviewed the various forms of suicide, concluding that the residence halls weren't conductive to the usual methods.
And if we ever run a page with which every student agrees, then we think we aren't doing our job.
Most readers thought that it was in poor taste to make light of suicide. They thought the column lacked deference to people whose lives had been scarred by the tragedy of losing a friend. Others were appalled about our decision to run the column, which some readers thought lacked a point.
To be sure, we're sorry readers were offended. We understand that some people think this topic is one not to be made light of. We empathize with those who have lost loved ones to suicide.
In January, we tackled abortion. Normally, this is not a timely issue of interest for a majority of students, so it would fail the test. But during the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, we thought it was timely. After the week of the anniversary, we moved to other topics.
Spacek's column was about a timeless issue, life in the residence halls. Because many students live there at one time, it is of interest to a majority of students. And, like it or not, his perspective certainly was unique.
However, we are not sorry that we chose to run the column.
At the beginning of the semester, we sent letters to more than 30 campus groups asking them to present their viewpoint in column form. We have received none.
We sent letters to more than 15 administrators and staff members asking for the same. We have received none.
We don't mean to offend students and we don't run pieces because of their shock value.
We have run editorials reminding readers that this is *their* newspaper and that we value their input to the opinion page through columns and through participation on the editorial board.
Obermueler and Eakins are the Opinion page editors. They can be reached at 864-4810.
We have had 10 people out of 26,000 students volunteer for the editorial board. That is statistically none. And we have received only a handful of guest columns.
that's more, we have been forright in our support of the First Amendment. In all but one of the editorial board's decisions, we have held that students have the right to express their opinion —
Would we print a column that contained racial slurs or made an argument against an ethnic group? In most cases, no. Such a column would not be about a timely issue, and students wouldn't be interested in reading a column that could not possibly be supported by evidence. However, if the author of The Bell Curve were to come to campus, we would print both sides of the debate that the event would be bound to generate. 'Both sides of the debate' is a phrase that must be included in any definition of good journalism.
Our test is simple. Does the column provide a unique perspective about a timely or timeless issue that will be of interest or concern to a majority of students on this campus? Second, is the column grounded in factual or anecdotal evidence that supports any questionable conclusion? If a column meets both of these criteria, we will run it.
regardless of content or merit. So when a student wants to express himself, we plan to let him, without regard to literary value or importance of content. There are those who have said this is bad journalism. For an opinion page, however, we believe this to be fine journalism.
So the question is appropriate; Where will the opinion page draw the line?
Feedback
Late one evening this summer, I was relaxing in my apartment. I received a phone call from my girlfriend at the time, and she was crying. She could barely speak. When I finally calmed her down, and got her to talk, she told me that her 13 year-old step-brother had hung himself with a belt in the shower. I didn't get a wink of sleep that night. The following morning, I drove home to be with her, and I attended the funeral that week. The church was overflowing with Jason Dailey's classmates, teachers, friends, and family. It was one of the worst moments of my life to see a boy so young and full of life, laid to rest at the age of 13.
Readers' response: Suicide editorial insensitive, not humorous
I read Nick Spacek's column in *The University Daily Kansan*, making a big joke out of suicide. Now, I am a very easy-going person with a very dry sense of humor, but I fail to see the humor in Nick's story. I can say for a fact that I am not alone in having this opinion either. I can guarantee that nobody who attended Jason Dalley's funeral would have laughed.
I am like many KU students who have had a close encounter with suicide. My step-sister attempted to take her own life when I was in high school. I am very thankful that she failed and is still alive today. I can't imagine life without her.
when I went home for winter break after my first semester at the University of Kansas, I was told that one of my high school classmates had shot himself. Suicide is not something that should be looked at in a satirical way. I understand that people are entitled to freedom of speech, but there must be a line drawn somewhere. I can understand if there were an article published about suicide, but Spacek's article served no purpose.
It was simply a misguided attempt at comedy. I guess I just don't understand how someone could submit an article to the Kansan, with a complete lack of compassion. How could one not realize the effects of such a thing? I am not trying to preach, and I am certainly not attacking the Kansan, but I would encourage writers and editors to consider the consequences of their words.
As for Nick Spacek, the next time you write a column, think about the people it might hurt and put yourself in their shoes. When someone close to you takes their life, good luck finding a shoulder to cry on.
Ryan Riggin
Topeka junior
Gillian Burrow Lincoln, Neb., junior Kate McGee Loveland, Colo., junior
Sorry Nick, suicide can't be approached satirically. It only takes a moment for someone to end their life. Maybe when it's someone you love, you'll understand it can happen in a residence hall. It can happen anywhere.
Nick Spacek's column was by far one of the most upsetting editors们 we have read that has been published in The University Daily Kansan. Nick's words were completely heartless and totally did not consider the feelings of those who have ever lost someone to suicide. If this is Nick's idea of humor, he needs to have his head checked. He trivialized suicide...which is a leading cause of death among those of us between the ages of 18 and 24.
I was reading Nick Spacek's article about suicide and wondering, "where's the punchline?" He seemed to have no compassion whatsoever to the problem of suicide. I know several people who once tried to kill themselves, and let me tell you that it is not funny. Individuals who are suicidal are experiencing a level of depression, fear and lost hope that most of us probably cannot imagine. Even joking about cancer or AIDS, while in poor taste, would not be as bad as making fun of suicide. Making fun of those two diseases is not going to cause them to increase. Making fun of suicide, however, might cause it to happen. Suicidal individuals are — surprise
— suicidal. Though this may sound overly dramatic, they really don't need to be picked on. It just adds to their already back-breaking problems.
Erik Goodman Dayton, Ohio, soph.
More than 200 people, including RA's, senior, professional and maintenance staff, commit countless hours to the residential students at the University of Kansas. They are dedicated to the academic, emotional and social concerns of their residents. They strive to provide
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It must be a slow week for news. Newsweek has Monica Lewinsky on the cover for the second time this month and Nick Spacek can think of nothing else to write about other than an incredibly thoughtless piece on suicide.
strong, intentional communities where students get help not only from the RA's, but from each other and themselves. Unfortunately, this dedication often goes unappreciated because freshmen journalists like Nick Spacek write idiotic and insensitive pieces like the one found in The University Daily Kansan on February 19.
Residence halls will always be the butt of jokes about college. They will also always be a place where many students begin prosperous college careers that lead to bigger and better things. They will always be a place where the only objective is the success of the students who live there. I am truly sorry that people like Nick Spacek don't appreciate that.
Emily Ronning Star Prairie, Wis., graduate student
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I am sincerely troubled by the column written by Nick Spacek that was printed on Thursday, February 19. As a resident assistant for the Lewis and Templin staff I found this article unnerving and insensitive. I think that it is important for all of the students at the University of Kansas to realize the severity of suicide and the impact that death has on us as a member of the student body. There are many people here in the residence halls as well as at the University that are affected by suicide everyday. I failed to find the humor in degrading Templin Hall, nor did I find reason for printing an article that makes fun of such a serious problem. Nick Spacek, I have 22 residents. Two have already attempted suicide, three are manic depressant, three of them have parents who are suffering from some sort of depression. Do you also find their circumstances funny? I have a news flash for you. They are survivors. They are not changing their living arrangements so that they can "slit their wrist the right way."
Instead, they all work together to help each other get through the rough times. Therefore I take suicide very seriously. My job requires that I take suicide seriously and your joking and sarcastic tone was inappropriate. It was disrespectful to all of the people who have been effected by suicide, a slap in the face for those of us that work with the residents of Lewis and Templin Halls and insensitive to the people that attend the University.
Shyra Darris Wichita sophomore