Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
Lindsey Henry, Editor
Dave Morantz, Managing editor
Kristie Blasi, Managing editor
Tom Eblen, General manager, news adviser
4A
Marc Harrell, Business manager
Colleen Eagle, Retail sales manager
Dan Simon, Sales and marketing adviser
Justin Knupp, Technology coordinator
Friday, Feb. 13, 1998
W. David Keith / KANSAN
Editorials
University should make every effort to implement new enrollment system
One entrance in, one exit out, thousands of classes suspended in limbo. Lines that stretch down a hall, around the corner and out of sight. Almost every KU student at one time has walked into Strong Hall and released a heavy sigh. The first days of enrollment and add/drop are time consuming and stressful. However, hope is on the horizon.
A new program called PeopleSoft is in the process of installation. Once in place, it will make enrollment easier and more accessible for students. The University should use every resource to expedite this process. Students need an improved enrollment system now.
Richard Morrell, University registrar,
said that the program was state of the art.
"Once we have implemented PeopleSoft, the University of Kansas will be
The sooner the University's new computer program is in place for students,the better
equipped with the best software on the market. This program is leading edge technology and will be Web-enabled. The finished program will be as sophisticated a system as any where in the country," he said.
The University purchased the student records PeopleSoft version last fall. It will centralize information and provide online services. These services will assist students in registering for classes, accessing course schedules, changing address information and accessing grades all from the comfort of home. The only question that remains is when. Morrell offered no date for the completion, sighting the complexity of the program. When the project is finished it will supersede the functions of nearly 1,700 mainframe programs currently in use.
The good news is that the University has recognized the situation. This is the first step toward alleviating it. Students joke about irritatingly long lines, but it is a serious problem. The University of Kansas is technologically inferior to most Division I schools. This is unacceptable. The finished implementation of PeopleSoft will hopefully cure this problem, but the University should use every means necessary to complete this in a timely fashion. Until then, have fun standing in line, and remember, patience is a virtue.
Jason Holsman for the editorial board
Students should help with orientation
Do you remember when you were a new student at the University of Kansas? If you do, then you must understand the importance of the Office of New Student Orientation.
The office is dedicated to making the transition for new students as smooth as possible. It welcomes all new students through the summer and fall orientation programs and helps plan and implement Hawk Week, Parents/Family Day Weekend, Reorientation, and the Freshman Calling Project.
Students play key roles in all of the office's programs. Student involvement is important and needed to make this an effective program. We encourage all students to get involved.
Fifteen students are selected each year
as Orientation Assistants to welcome
Diversity of experiences are assets to the University
new students. These volunteers help their peers and the new families adjust to the University. They are the first representatives new students and parents meet when they arrive on campus.
In addition to the orientation programs, these students help throughout the year in the office's programs, such as the Freshman Calling Project. Student volunteers call as many freshman as possible to see how the freshman are handling their first semester and to answer any questions about advising and enrolment. The office is also a prime example of the importance of student feedback. No one is
more able to judge the effectiveness of the university's programs than the students.
Student input is essential to meet the needs of the new students. The New Student Orientation Student Advisory Board is the main vehicle through which students can help provide feedback on the effectiveness of existing programs and plan new ones.
Remember: Each student represents an experience here. The only way to meet the needs of future Jayhawks is to improve the existing programs and initiate new programs. We owe it to the future generations of Jayhawks to help out the Office of New Student Orientation.
Students who want to get involved can email orientation atst37.eds.ukans.edu or call 864-4270.
Kansan staff
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“Love is a sickness full of woes, all remedies refusing.”
LeTears: 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
Samuel Daniel, Hymen's Triumph
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 Obermuelmer (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
Drinking age resolution sends powerful message
A lot of people claim that Student Senate is out of touch with KU students and that it doesn't speak for the majority of the student body.
John Colbert
opinion@kansan.com
I agree. When I was elected to Senate last spring, like most of the other newly elected candidates I vowed to change this. I have at least made an attempt to bridge this chasm that divides KU students from Senate. This week, for example, I am sponsoring legislation that will go before committees that every student should support.
My bill is a resolution
stating that Senate, on behalf of the student body, opposes the current 21-year drinking age and that it thinks that the age limit should be lowered to 18. If this legislation passes, it will send a powerful message to the politicians in both Topeka and Washington that we
the campaign contributors of the future feel strongly about this.
The drinking age was raised in an attempt to reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities. It is true that alcohol-related traffic fatalities have gone down since then.
However there are many other factors, such as tough penalties for drunk driving and different public opinions toward drunk driving that makes it virtually impossible to say that raising the drinking age to 21 is to thank.
Kansas, and most other states, also raised the drinking age because the federal government told the states it would withhold highway funds if they did not. Naturally, no state is going to pass up millions of dollars so that its young people can drink. That sent out a strong message about how much politicians really care about young peoples' rights.
The biggest argument I have against the drinking age is that it is nothing more than an
annoyance to most minors. I can honestly say that I have never ever met anyone who said that they weren't going to have a beer until they were 21 because until then it was against the law. Anybody who thinks that minors in this town don't drink are suffering from a serious case of anal-cranial insertion.
Until I turned 21 buying beer was almost like buying illegal substances. I would have to call around and see who could "hook me up." Of course, I always managed to find someone who would.
Before you start calling me irresponsible and writing me hate mail saying that Student Senate is irresponsible to even consider this proposal, let me ask you a few questions. What does the University of Kansas stand to lose? Unlike my waterslide bill that went down in flames two weeks ago, this piece of legislation will not cost KU students a penny. Also, isn't the purpose of Student Senate to represent the students at the University as a whole? By this I am referring to the vast majority of students that never vote in elections or even consider where their student fees go.
Another reason to support lowering the drinking age is the local economy. This became apparent to me last weekend. While I was on my way to a social event, I stopped by some of the local taverns that recently have come under fire because of their policies regarding minors. Normally these places would be packed, but on this particular night they were empty. The man at the door told me that there was a $2 cover charge even though I was 21. It saddened me deeply to know that some of the University's favorite night spots have been forced to institute such a policy in order to secure their financial future.
Let's not forget all of the poor minors who are forced to consume alcoholic beverages behind closed doors like some junky on heroin. Who speaks for them?
Colbert is a Shawnee Mission senior in engineering and an engineering student senator.
Feedback
Confiscation of 'deaf sign a just action
Just for the record, as "cute" as the forced rhyme between deaf and ref may appear to be, the confiscated sign also violates the spirit, if not the letter, of the University Policy that protects our blind and deaf students from having to shug off this kind of stupidity.
Moreover, considering the huge amounts of noise during a basketball game, deaf referees might actually enjoy a certain edge when it came to avoiding distractions and making good calls.
Michael L. Christianson Assistant Professor of Botan>
Story about greeks studying not news
Chi Omega enforces study hours for below a 2.0 GPA? I lose my scholarship if my GPA gets that low! Why should they get so much credit for maintaining mediocre GPAs? Why not write an article like this: "Regular, independent students who carry 18 hours and a part time job squeeze in study time for academic success?" Or how about this one: "Non-traditional students who are married and have a family study between their job and feeding children for academic success?" Instead of singing the praises of a group that crams studying between the Rock Chalk Revue and party planning, extoll the virtues of those of us who reside in the real world.
You have GOT to be kidding.
On Monday, Feb. 9, The University Daily Kansan gave almost a quarter of a page to extoll the virtues of the Greek system for studying. The last time I checked, Everybody who is even remotely close to successful on the University level studies. And we don't even have to wear letters on our chests to do it! I can't tell you how many times I have attempted to use the libraries for studying and have made the mistake of showing up during study hours. My favorite excerpt from conversations by greeks while studying? "Let's use those tables, there are more boys over there."
Julie Fugett
Lecompton senior
Recently, student senators proposed a plan to build a waterslide at the University of Kansas. They said it would be fun and that and that students at the University were ranked 118th on the national tanning list.
Waterslide proposal was a bad idea
In order to do this they proposed a plan to make students enrolled in six credit hours or more pay an extra $7 per semester. Myself and a number of other students are paying about $83 per credit hour. Out of state students are paying three times that. Most students have one or two jobs to pay for not only tuition, but books, food, rent, bills, etc.
Let us think about when you could actually use a waterslide. In the summer! Most students don't even stay around during the summer, they go home and visit their family and friends. An even larger number work during the summer to have the money to pay for all of their needs during the school year. How many students would that have left actually to enjoy this waterslide that we all paid for? Probably less than five percent of the students, so we would be sending our money down the drain.
Where would they have put this waterslide? On West Campus! How many people have actually been to West Campus, or even where it is? I don't even know where West Campus is, and everybody I've asked has no clue either.
I am sure that these two student senators only want to do the best for the students, but I think that they should be more concerned with what we rank on a national academic list than the national tanning list.
Michael Zimmerman Topeka freshman
Professor open to abortion discussion
One might infer that I dislike discussing the abortion issue or the essay. This is not so. Students who wish to discuss the issue or the essay with me are welcome to do so in my office in 3038 Wescoe Hall.
The University Daily Kansan ran an article on Jan. 30 concerning an essay I wrote that argued that abortion is immoral. It noted that although this essay has been reprinted 32 times, I have not recently taught this essay in any of my classes.
Dan Marquis Professor of Philosophy
Comic Corner
By T.J
A problem isn't hard to fix. If you have.
THE RIGHT TOOLS!