Opinion
Kansan
Published daily since 1912
4A
Lindsay Henry, Kaua
Dave Morantz, Managing editor
Kristie Blasi, Managing editor
Tom Eblen, General manager, news advisor
Marre Harrell, Business manager
Colleen Eager, Retail sales manager
Dan Simon, Sales and marketing adviser
Justin Knapp, Technology coordinator
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 1998
Clav McCuistion/ KANSAN
Editorials
Student Senate Web page project taking longer than getting on AOL
During last spring's Student Senate elections, members of the UNITE coalition promised that, if elected, they would take steps to "increase student awareness and involvement all across campus." The University of Kansas is the only university in the Big 12 that does not have a functional Student Senate Web page. To give students easier access to Student Senate and to help them become more involved in the University, the creation of a Student Senate Web page was supported by UNITE. After UNITE's vice-presidential candidate Mike Walden was elected, he said that "one of the issues that (student body president) Scott (Sullivan) and I ran under was student outreach. We've made it a priority to get with the times."
Promise for student involvement far from achieved; Web site needs to be established
After almost a year, this highly prioritized Web page is still not online.
Kelly Huffman, Senate executive committee chair, said that Senate has dragged its feet on the issue. It was not until after the winter break that the Senate Communications Board hired a student, Leonard West, to design the page. The Board plans to set up a subcommittee that will maintain and update the page, but no action has been taken on this.
The Senate Web page will eventually give students on-line access to information regarding student sena-
tors, upcoming Senate bills and past minutes. It is also intended to help students get more involved on campus by providing information about committees and online committee applications. Hopefully the Web page will become a tool that all students will use to learn more about important issues and to find a way to make a difference on campus.
The Senate Web page is a great idea and will be a good way for students to feel more connected to Student Senate. We appreciate Senate finally taking a step toward fulfilling this campaign promise by hiring West. However, it has taken almost an entire year. Perhaps student involvement is no longer as high a priority for Senate as it was before elections.
Susan Dunavan for the editorial board
Intellectual property policy right on
The World Trade Organization's objective for designing intellectual property rights is to stimulate and reward creative ingenuity. These rights protect an individual's mental creations, such as books, writings, musical compositions, paintings and computer programs. It also protects the rights of entrepreneurs such as performers, producers and broadcasting organizations. The individual is granted ownership of the intellectual property, which means that it is his or hers to sell, market or franchise.
At the University of Kansas intellectual property rights are based upon the World Trade Organization's standards. This policy is forthright and effective, benefitting both the students and future researchers. It gives no less than 15 percent of the revenue from research projects to the student who made the discovery while allocating the remaining revenue to future research-related initiatives. This benefits both the student and the University as an entity.
If a student were to create a tangible asset using personal resources, then the World Trade Organization's regulations would apply. The University has no vested interest in that creation. However, if the only means of creation were through the use of University resources, then ownership becomes a question. Could the student produce the asset without exterior assistance? If so, then there would be no need for University intervention. If not, then the creation would not have been possible without the University's help. For example, if a graduate researcher makes a scientific discovery using University resources that would not have been available to
him otherwise, the University should have partial rights to the property. A corporation funding a research project expects to capitalize on the results. So should the University.
The details of the policy are forward and concise. The University and the individual enter into a patent contract before research ever begins. This dispels any disputes that may arise over the ownership of the completed work. The policy offers protection to the University for its invested resources and funds future student researchers in their endeavors. The goal of stimulating and rewarding creativity is satisfied.
This policy can be found in Section E of the University Handbook for Faculty and Other Unclassified Staff on the internet at www.cc.ukans.edu/history/unigov/intela.html.
Jason Holsman for the editorial board
Kansan staff
News editors
Paul Eakins . *Editorial*
Andy Obermueller . *Editorial*
Andrea Albright . *News*
Jodie Chester . *News*
Julie King . *News*
Charity Jeffries . *Online*
Eric Weslander . *Sports*
Harley Rattif . *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 Oison . *Special sections*
Lachelie Roades . *Neues clerk*
Kriett Bisel . . . Assistant retail, PR
Leigh Bottiger . . . Campus
Brett Cliffon . . . 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
"All I know is indecision may or may not be my problem."
Jimmy Buffett
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
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 Stuffer-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.
One basketball legend sadly missed at game
Perspectives
basketball is a tradition at the University of Kansas. The inventor of the sport, James Naismith, was the first basketball coach at the University in 1898. It almost seems the
game itself started here. This year marked the 100th year of basketball at the University and all of the former players were invited back for Sunday's game. It was the most historic halftime event the KU basketball program has ever had. But someone was missing from all of the hype about the 100 years of men's basketball. This weekend that person conducted one of the best basketball performances that I have seen in a long time. That person has been missing from the public eye.
Chrissie Hogan
opinion@kansan.com
I'm talking about Coach Marian Washington of the women's basketball team and her team's performance against Kansas State University on Saturday. The game was a knock out from the beginning. To recap, K-State was up by 10 at halftime and the Jayhawks came back fighting to win by a nail-biting three points. They are undefeated at home this year, but how many KU students knew that? If the student attendance at women's basketball games this year is any indication, not many.
Washington is a valuable asset to this institution and she deserves everyone's respect, not only as a spectacular coach, but also as a remarkable woman. She has accomplished so much in her 25 years as a coach that she deserves just as much recognition as do the 100 years of Kansas Basket-
ball. She has led her team to six Big 8 championships and one Big 12 championship; coached three Kodak all-Americans and one Academic all-American; and she was the recipient of the WBCA-Carol Eckman award for outstanding leadership, sportsmanship and dedication, among other attributes. She was also an assistant coach for the 1996 U.S. women's basketball team, which won the gold medal in the 1996 summer Olympic games. With all of these accomplishments and more under her belt, she deserves much more respect and publicity from students.
A surprise was planned for Washington at Saturday's game. Students were invited to bring flowers to give to coach Washington before the game, just like we do for the men's basketball team's last home game. Unlike past men's games, however, the floor was not littered by thousands of flowers. Only one basket full was given to this great lady. How disappointing that must have been for her. What may have been even more disappointing was that there were probably no more than 100 students at the game. The rest of the almost 5,000 people who attended were patrons, many from K-State.
No matter what, the women's basketball program will remain. Whether it grows will depend on the students. Students have free admission to women's basketball games, so there is little excuse for not attending them. If some students think that women's basketball is boring, I suggest going to the next home game and finding out. They may be surprised.
Let's not leave Washington out of the University tradition any longer. Let's show respect to this phenomenal woman.
Chriskie Hogan is an Oskaloosa sophomore in psychology.
A author's note: It hit me the other day that writing a column is not where the literary money is. That money is all in licensing fees
for such productions. I offere the following印章：
for public production. Offer you the following min
may that can be put on at any local summer stock for the paltry fee of $20 or a case of Heineken. Now picture, if you will, Anytown, USA. Anytown ... with their weathermen.
"You don't need a weather-
man to know which way the
wind blows" — Bob Dylan
Scene 1—A local newsroom.
Weatherman — And the National Weather Service reports that in the Pacific, this looks to be the worst El Ninso since the time of Noah ...
Nick Bartkoski opinion
Intern — Sir, do you really think that this El Niño will bring devastation?
crewman — offstage And we're clear
Weatherman — Excuse me? Tell me you don't believe in all that claptrap.
Intern — What do you mean? El Niño isn't real!?
Weatherman — El Niño is just something we created to throw the public off the fact that we have no idea how to predict the weather.
Intern — You can't predict the weather!! Incredibly dramatic music comes in, perhaps something by John Tesh. But how can you be sure that the public won't catch on that El Niño doesn't exist?
Weatherman — They haven't figured out yet that it just means "The Nine" in Spanish. Thank God for public education Spanish classes. If anyone knew anything about anything ...
Intern — ... there would be fewer journalism
majors? They laugh evily.
Weatherman — Seriously though, the public is nothing more than a group of sheep, ruled by the herd mentality. Regardless of how far we are in our prediction of the weather, we blame it on some fictional weather boogie man and the public swallows our lies like a White House intern.
Intern — But what about the National Weather Service?
Weatherman — They don't exist either. Look behind this door.
Intern — Dear God, it can't be ...
Weatherman — It is. It's nothing more than a lot of balding guys throwing darts at a dartboard to figure out where precipitation will fall.
Scene 2 — A crowd massed around the window.
Weatherman — offstage ... you might want to buy
that extra blanket, because it looks like it could be
the worst winter ever. As you can pretend to see
by these absolutely fake satellite graphs behind me,
El Nino looks like this winter we can expect a lot of
Man 1 — Blankets ... he said blankets.
snow and much cooler temperatures. Hopefully it won't come in for another couple of weeks.
Woman 1— I need blankets immediately, or my children will freeze.
Man 1 — Then I want two blankets also.
Man 2 — Look at her, she has two blankets. I want two blankets.
Scene 3 - The Newsroom
Woman 1 — For the love of God, I need these blankets for my children. Won't someone do something for the children?
Bernies — Nervous Room
Intern — You predicted somewhere around thirty feet of snow thanks to El Niño. Have you taken a good look outside?
Weatherman — Not recentiv ... no.
Intern Well this is probably the best January weather ever. Fifty degrees. The El Niño ruse can't possibly contradict itself.
Scene 4—The crowd around the TV
Weatherman — I thought I had taught you better than that. The public has the memory retention of carp. Just because I blamed one weather pattern on El Niño doesn't mean that it can't adjust itself... Some A. The ground around the TV
Weatherman — offstage ... the high today was 55 degrees, and tomorrow, we might hit 60. We can attribute this unseasonably warm weather to the largest El Niño since the Sahara formed.
Woman 2—Ah, a journalism major?
Man 1 — Huh? anyway I think we've had enough of this intellectual nonsense. We need swift action, not brainiacs with satellite photos.
Man 1 — Now I may not be the smartest man in the world ...
Man 2 — I've got it! Let's have a good old fashioned riot!
Woman 1 — For the love of God, won't someone do something about El Niño?
Man1—Baaaa!
They riot. The song Celebrate is heard. People run past with TV's, stereo equipment, etc.
Scene 5 — The newsroom.
Intern — Your little "boogie man" created a riot that rivals even Los Angeles'. How does this placate the masses?
Weatherman — You don't understand. Every herd will stampede once in a while, but the herders regain control and the herd becomes brainless and docile again. This is why the Weathermen will always be the secret rulers of the world.
Fiction
Weatherman — No. Because no one else in their right mind would want the job.
Intern — I suppose it beats being a journalism major.
Thev laugh evilly.
Barkoski is a Basehor junior in journalism and English.
Legislation Before Student Senate Committees
The legislation for this week's committee meetings is as follows:
A Bill to Fund Jayhawk Communications
Calls for allocation of $185 to the group for general funding
Sponsor: Sarah Schreck, LA&S Senator
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees.
-
-
A Bill to Amend Student
Simulate Rules and Regulations
Calls for a Rules and Regulations change concerning the Student Health Advisory Board.
Sponsor: Art Yudelson, Nontraditional Senator
A Bill to Fund the KU Environs' Keynote Speaker for Earth-week. Doug Peacock
Referred to University Affairs and Student Rights committees
Calls for allocation of $2000 for the group's speaker
Sponsor: Natalie Sullivan, OffCampus Senator
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees
-
A Bill to Fund the KU Public Relations Student Society of America
Calls for allocation of $725 for general funding and a special project.
Sponsor: Scott Merchant Business Senator
Referred to University Affairs and Finance committees
-
A Resolution Opposing Current Drinking Age
Sponsor: John Colbert, Engineering Senator
Referred to: University Affairs and Rights committees