Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY 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 advisor* Justin Knupp, *Technology coordinator*
Thursday, Jan. 15, 1998
W. David Keith / KANSAN
Editorials
Kudos to the parking department for ending disabled parking fee
Hats off to the KU Parking Department.
It finally opened its heart and closed its wallet, taking away the $6 parking fee for disabled motorists who park in the garage north of Allen Field House. Last Wednesday the department discontinued the fee permanently, according to a Jan. 8 Lawrence Journal-World article.
Of course, the fee already was suspended on Dec. 4 because of the threat of legal action by state officials, but was reinstated for the Dec. 18 men's basketball game against Pepperdine.
By state law, people with state-issued handicapped-parking permits do not have to pay at meters of a state, city, county or other political subdivision. The University did not consider the garage to be metered because there are
The KU Parking Department was right to suspend its fee for disabled basketball fans
toll gates and a standard parking fee. Despite the threat of legal action the department took a risk and levied the charge for the Dec. 18 basketball game.
What kind of message does this send to people with physical disabilities? Perhaps it says that the Parking Department doesn't really care about their needs. If it can make a buck from disabilities, it will.
The department had never charged disabled motorists to park at the garage prior to this basketball season.
Why, then, did the department begin
charging the fee in the first place? Did it hope it could squeeze a few more dollars out of KU basketball games at the expense of disabled basketball fans?
Perhaps the department simply overlooked the fact that there were few other options for disabled motorists. True, it did provide a shuttle from the Lied Center parking lot to the Field House for disabled fans. But the parking garage is the closest that one can park to the Field House, and affording its use to disabled fans is the right thing to do.
Most game-goers must walk several blocks to the games, so of course those who park in the garage should be charged for the luxury. For physically disabled fans however, it is not a luxury
it's a need.
Paul Eakins for the editorial board
Apathy is the problem, not proximity
The biggest election issue of the year is already settled: the residence halls will have polling sites. The dining centers at Oliver, Lewis and Gertrude Sellars Pearson-Corin Halls will have open polls at various times during Student Senate elections in April.
This issue has been the subject of banter, belligerence and bovine scatology for as long as most students can remember. There have been debates, conferences, and even legal opinions written about its constitutionality. The elections commission approved the new polling sites this week.
That is up for interpretation.
Some have called this proposal the best thing to happen to student government since students. Others think that it is no more than gerrymandering.
But one thing is certain. The polling sites are a misplaced effort to try to get students to vote. Proximity is no cure for student apathy. No matter how close the polling site is to where students live, if they don't care, they won't vote.
Senate is like the Western Civilization requirement: it seems irrelevant and a waste of time, but it is actually important and something we should care about.
We all gripe about the problems we perceive on campus. We whine about the Coke deal, grouse about Chancellor Robert Hemenway's jet and moan about the buses. At every moment there is some complaint found in the conversational din of the studentry. But when it comes time to do something about it—
like vote — we plant our collective butts in the couch and stay home. And this is what needs fixing, not necessarily the election system.
Students' concerns are important. But why only 16 percent of students vote is anyone's guess.
There is no guess though, as to why students are overlooked by government. As U.S. Sen. Wych Fowler so eloquently said: "Students don't vote. Do you expect me to come here and kiss your ass?"
The polling site issue is finished. We'll know who won later, not in terms of the candidates but in terms of the students.
But the apathy issue will remain until students begin to really care, not merely show up at the polls.
Kansan staff
Andy Obermueller for the editorial board
Paul Eakins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editorial
Andy Obermuelter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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 Oison . . . . . . . . . . . . . Special sections
Lachelle Rhoades . . . . . . . . . . . News clerk
Kristie Bisel . . . Assistant retail, rnc
Leigh Bottiger . . . Campus
Brett Cliffon . . . Regional
Nicole Lauderdale . . National
Matt Fisher . . Marketing
Chris Haghrian. . . 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
News editors
Advertising managers
"Right now, the value of a tree is measured by pulp and 2x4s. The market simply refuses to acknowledge the value a tree has on the environment, how it protects the soil and produces oxygen, something we've all grown rather fond of."
How to submit letters and guest columns
-David Brower, environmentalist, from a speech at Woodruff Auditorium last April.
**Students:** 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 Stufa-
fer-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 Obermuehler (andy@kansan.com) at 864-4810. If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call 864-4810.
How is school going? Don't ask, I won't tell
Perspective
I'm back from my first college winter break. And I'm relieved.
My family wasn't mean to me, and it's not that my room was rented out when I arrived
I never have to answer the question: "How is everything going at school?" Each person I met — friend, foe, or family — felt comforted to ask.
Clay
McCuistion
cinquin@pandas.com
It became annoying.
I visited a close family friend. She'd known me for eight years, talked regularly with my mother, and was a good (I thought) judge of character. Yet when we met, the first words out of her mouth were "How is everything
going at school?" My mother had told her everything I'd done, she knew me well enough to understand I wasn't failing, and yet she still had to ask the vague, meaningless question.
How could I answer? I muttered something about the University not throwing me out yet, and turned the conversation to more specific matters.
"Have you gained weight?" I asked her.
Shopping in a Wichita mall I ran across two high school acquaintances. While they acted happy and pleased to see me, I couldn't quite shake the thought that they didn't particularly care for me in high school. I wasn't part of their clique, didn't converse with them often and frequently hid myself behind large objects when they walked by. Yet they approached me—both flashing white teeth—and asked in unison: "How is everything going up at school?"
Noting the absence of any nearby large objects to hide behind, I shrugged and said, "Pretty good. By the way, did you know I've become a terrorist?"
Another frustrating example: the pastor at my church. When I attended a service, he didn't ask about my spiritual well-being or inquire if
I'd fallen into deviant lifestyles. Instead, he
had "How is everything going at school?"
Resisting the temptation to reply "I'm being possessed by the devil right now, you fool. Run for your life! I smiled and said "fine."
I'm having a great time! Right now I'm taking a really interesting class on making mail bombs. It's fascinating to see how powerful these modern explosives are. What's your address again?
After a while, I couldn't bear to be polite. I began to say outrageous things for the sake of my own sanity. Such as:
"I never started school. I got a job as a hairstylist during my first week in Lawrence at this great little place called the 'Curl Up and Dye.' You want a coupon for a free mohawk?"
"Not that well, actually. I dropped out of school and I'm now living in a cardboard box on Massachusetts Street."
"Lawrence is a great town. I really love it. Someday I even might check out that 'University of Kansas' I hear so much about."
These phrases could only work with certain people, though. That is, non-gullible individuals with a sense of humor. I misjudged once, and told a friend about dropping out and living in a cardboard box. He paled, and for a second I could tell he absolutely believed me and was terrified for my future.
Thankfully, he recovered in the next second, but I felt guilty. I tried to change the subject.
"Have you gained weight?" I asked.
I admit I'm gripping for the sake of gripping. But for any parent or friend of a college student who may read this, please do NOT ask that student in a hearty voice: "How is everything up there at [insert name of college here]?" Ask about more specific, interesting things, such as sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. The student doubtless will be so glad at not having to answer the "How is everything up there at [insert name of college here]?" question that he or she will love and treasure you for all time.
Or at least they won't want to hurt you.
McCuistion is an El Dorado freshman in journalism.
No need for textbooks; just make it up as you go
After a long and relaxing break I'm glad to be back in Lawrence. I missed the friends I've made in my years at the University of Kansas. Now I
years at the university can spend time with acquaintances like the bouncer at Juicers and the Lawrence police sergeant in charge of enforcing the numerous restraining orders against me, including the nearly impossible order to maintain a 500-foot distance from my roommate.
Coming back to school has one peril: the bookstore. Nothing makes me feel more welcome than the privilege of paying
Nick
Bartkoski
opinion@kansan.com
Another factor running up the price of my books was that the "Norton Anthology of British Literature" has issued a new edition, forcing the purchase of a new book. This doesn't make any sense, because the high academics that dictate what is printed in the anthology are generally too intellectually snobbish to consider anything written in the past 20 years as literature.
I of course brought this mistake to the attention of the cashier. She conceded the mistake and corrected it immediately. As it turns out, the computer had rung up the used price, and I had a new packet. If I hadn't pointed it out, I might have cheated the bookstore out of about $20.
But I've got to assume that anytime someone finds new letters from a great author, the champagne flows at the Norton offices. As far as I can tell, the actual anthology hasn't changed since the first edition. As a cap-
I think the entire inflated prices issue came to a head this semester when my "understanding the Bible" workbook rang up at $999.00. Not to gripe, but for a thousand bucks, the packet had better include an actual part of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
$50 for a book that can be sold back for $2.50.
Not that it's always that bad. Sometimes it's worse and the book costs $70.
What can we as students do to stop this?
The obvious thing would be to storm the bookstore and burn it while singing about how we are oppressed by the French monarchy ... whoops, that's what we should do if we're ever in "Les Miserables."
italist, I couldn't complain too loudly about the vicious overpricing, but then one day the truth hit me. It's not as if the bookstore hourlies are driving BMWs. So where does all the ill-gotten loot go? I realized there's only one class of human being that needs a lot of cash for no apparent reason: the James Bond villain. I've got to assume that each dollar is spent on some giant super laser or nuclear warhead that one day the bookstore will use to hold the United Nations ransom.
All one needs is to remember phrases like "his/her prose was very eloquent" or "I couldn't decide which of the themes was most important, what were you looking for?" and the popular "Can I answer that question after I return from the bathroom?"
It's also important not to ask questions that showcase your ignorance; for example, "As interesting as Stephen Daedalus and Leopold Bloom are, when are we getting to this Ulyses character?"
Actually, the clearest solution is to not buy books at all. That plan by itself doesn't seem to be cost-effective because by saving $300 you end up losing more than $1,000 when you flunk all of your classes.
Proper usage of those phrases probably can be parralled into a quick Ph.D.
And once you get to that level, maybe you can be instrumental in adding Thornton Wilder's letter to his milkman, "Three quarts and stay away from my wife," to the 500th edition of the Norton Anthology.
So, to compensate for not having legitimate knowledge from books at your fingertips, do what I Do: Just make it up.
Bartkoski is a Basehor junior in journalism and English
This plan of attack doesn't work very well in legitimate, fact-based majors like engineering. But it works like a charm in majors like journalism and English.
Feedback
Hey, something needs to be done about Village Inn
I can understand the sudden dramatic and often devastating changes that serious injury can bring. Like Obermueler, I was involved in an accident over the past summer. I broke both my legs in a work-related accident and was confined to a wheel chair for the next four months of my life, crutches for another month and had never-ending therapies.
Even though the chair is
gone, the memory of what it was like will never leave me.
Imagine for a moment that you found yourself urgently called by nature, and yet no matter how you tried you could not fit through the door to the bathroom, that even if you could fit through that door that you would have to drag your body across the bathroom floor in order to reach the toilet. And then realize that this is not some fantasy in your mind but a reality at the Village Inn of Lawrence, located on Ninth
and Iowa streets.
Sam Raisbeck
You have the power to do something to change that. The next time you're at the Inn, the next time you are in a place that is obviously inaccessible, drop a comment card to the management and let them know, "Hey, something needs to be done about this!"
Sam Raisbeck Peculiar, Mo., senior in math
The writer is responding to
Obermueller's Jan. 14 Editorial