CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, September 15, 1993
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Skateboarding, in-line skating on campus violates city law
By Christoph Fuhrmans
Kansan staff writer
In-line skating and skateboarding on campus could be more painful than skinned knees and elbows.
Anybody caught skateboarding or in-line skating will be in violation of city law and could face a $35 fine and an $11 municipal court fee, said officer Burdel Welsh of the KU police.
Source: KU police
Yet despite the possible fine and court appearance, people continue to skateboard and in-line skate on campus.
The possible $46 fine did not keep two juveniles from skateboarding on the newly renovated plaza between Dyche Hall and the Kansas Union on Sept. 8.
The juveniles had been skateboarding down the steps of the plaza and chipped the edges of the stairs, which resulted in damages of $1,000. Welsh said.
He said the juveniles were taken to a juvenile officer. KU students would go to jail if they caused the same amount of damage. Welsh said, because damage of more than $500 is a felony. If the damage was less than $500 a fine would be imposed.
When people are caught in-line skating or skateboarding, it's better to pay the fine than try to run. Welsh said.
He said anyone who tried to run after being stopped would be charged with failure to obey a lawful order by a police officer, which would give the person a criminal record and a fine of up to $250.
To me, it is just not worth it. "Welsh said
T. P.Srivanina, head of the University Sen
ate Executive Committee, said he was shocked when he learned of the damage done to the plaza.
"Do they care for anything at all besides their own pleasure?" he said.
Srinivasan said that the damage was bad enough, but that for it to happen to the newly renovated Union was horrible.
"It kind of turned my stomach upside down" he said.
Bruce Gleason, Seattle senior, said skateboarding could damage property, but in-line skating was harmless.
"There's absolutely no damage a roller blade can do." he said.
In-line skates, including the brakes, are
made of plastic, so they usually do not break anything, he said.
Gleason said the differences should show on the city ordinance.
"In regard to roller blades, it should be changed." he said.
Lawrence modified its city code of banning skateboarding and in-line skating to include KU's campus in September 1990.
Welsh said the University adopted the code because campus property was being damaged and people were being injured.
When people skateboarded in front of Wescoe Hall and jumped off their boards, the boards would keep going and crack the windows, he said.
Forum is on homosexuality, religion
Bv Shan Schwartz
Kansan staff writer
The University Forum in the coming week will feature two different views on the relationship between homosexuality and Christianity.
"Christ and the Homosexual" is the forum's topic today and next Wednesday. The forum begins at noon at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread.
The University Forum is a weekly presentation at which university staff and faculty speak about current topics. It is free and open to the public.
Carl Burkhead, professor of civil engineering, will speak today. Burkhead said he believed that according to the Bible homosexuality is a sin.
"Christ came to set people free from their sins," he said. "Homosexuality is no different than any other sin."
Burkhead said he would examine homosexuality as only one of the many sins
involved in the relationship between Christianity and the Bible.
"I don't put myself above a homosexual." Burkhead said "We are all sinners, and Jesus came to save us from those sins."
Jonathan Knight, pastor at Plymouth Congregational Church, has a different view on gays and religion. He said he thought there was a place for homosexuals in Christianity. Knight will speak at the forum next Wednesday.
"I think people's view on this depends on the way they view or read the Bible," he said. "I don't think homosexuality is a sin.
"Like any other sexual orientation, the way we use our gift of sexuality can be good or bad. But I don't think a homosexual act is, in itself, a sin."
Knight said that in his presentation he would explore how society interprets the Bible and how to view homosexuality as something positive rather than something negative.
Some homosexual students said that
although accepting their sexuality made them re-evaluate their religious faith, they did not think Christianity was incompatible with homosexuality.
Eric Moore, Lawrence junior, said he was raised as a Baptist and had participated in a Pentecostal and Christian charismatic religious movement before coming to terms with his sexuality.
"I was a part of the far-Christian right," he said.
But after accepting his sexuality, Moore said, he re-evaluated his religious faith. He said he now saw little conflict between homosexuality and Christianity.
"I think they're compatible," he said. "If you read the Bible, Jesus never said a word about gays. The concept of homosexuality didn't even develop until the 1890s.
"There are 362 admonitions about heterosexual behavior, which were addressed by Jesus," Moore said. "People should take note of those, too."
Signing renews Costa Rican exchange
By Chesley Dohl
Kansan staff writer
A treaty was signed in Washington this week for peace and friendship — Lawrence was no exception.
The University of Kansas and the University of Costa Rica formally signed an agreement yesterday, making their relationship the oldest educational and cultural exchange of students and faculty in the Western Hemisphere.
"It's been a week of historic occasions," said Ed Meyen, executive vice chancellor, at the signing ceremony yesterday. "An important document was signed in the White House and now here in Lawrence." Meyen said.
Before signing the agreement, Chancellor Gene Budig said the number of students passing through the program, now in it's 35th year, was proof of its success.
"It's an agreement used as a prototype for other institutions," Budig said.
About 20 faculty members were at the sign
ing. Some of them were at KU when the agreement began 35 years ago.
Charles L. Stansifer, head of the department of history, said he remembered when the first agreement was signed.
"This was one of six exchanges that began around 1960," Stansifer said. "And this program is the only survivor."
Stansifer said that in 1958, Franklin Murphy and Rector Rodrigo Fazio, chancellors from each university, met in Chile. He said the two men put their heads together and decided to form an exchange of students.
Mary Elizabeth Debicki, director of study abroad, said that classes at the University of Costa Rica are taught in Spanish so KU students must have a concentration in the language. But she said that classes in nearly all majors from journalism to biology are offered through the exchange.
Stansifer said that 750 to 800 students from KU had taken part in the exchange program since its start.
Every four or five years since then, the agreement has been renewed.
KU students live with Costa Rican families during their semester of study. Debicki said that students usually are fluent in Spanish when they return.
Manuel Murillo, dean of international studies at the University of Costa Rica, signed the agreement in the absence of Rector Luis E. Garta.
Murillo said the agreement made a big impact on the University of Costa Rica, helping it to become one of the leading universities in Latin America.
"This opens our university to international students by providing them with opportunities to learn our way of life and culture," Murillo said. "Likewise, this allows Costa Ricans to learn about America."
The American and Puerto Rican education systems are different systems all together, both in culture and in disciplines taught, Murillo said.
"There are many differences that separate us as people but we cannot forget the great relationship we have between us," Murillo said.
Daniel Pfifer, foreground, Vanguard Products employee, and Jim Frost, employee of Young's inc., position an 18,000-pound concrete valve box behind Dyche Hall.
Boxed in
Riding bikes does not alleviate parking hassle
Crowded racks in some areas lead to damaged bikes, frustrated riders
By Shan Schwal
Kansan staff writer
Many students ride bikes to campus each day to eliminate the hassles of parking a car.
But at some places on campus during the day, students find that parking their bike can be a hassle as well.
Even facilities operations director Mike Richardson, whose department is responsible for maintaining most bike racks on campus, agreed that bike parking could be a problem.
"It's a mess," Richardson said. "But right now, there is no mechanism to fund bike racks on campus. I wish there was, because we need them."
Facilities operations does have some portable bike racks, he said, which can be moved around to meet the needs in areas typically overcrowded with bikes.
But some students prefer not to use the portable racks because they say it is difficult to properly lock up the bike.
"These are a pain to use," said Julie Cline, Park Ridge, Ill., senior, as she locked her bike to one of the portable racks outside Wescoe Hall. "I don't know who designed them, but they don't work very well."
Cline said the most crowded areas were around Wescoe and the Kansas Union.
The crowded rocks also may lead to a damaged bicycle. Jeremiah Johnson, Wichita sophomore, said his bike was damaged last month while it was locked up in front of the Union.
"I had one of my spokes taken out," Johnson said. "It looked like someone got their pedal caught in my tire and just yanked it."
Johnson said that since his bike was damaged, he tried to park his bike in more open areas.
Richardson said bikes were occasionally towed off campus if they blocked stairways or building ramps. He said facilities operations would determine if a bike was actually obstructing a passageway if supervisors spotted it on campus or if they received a complaint.
"I've locked it to trees and shed sighs, no
suicide. I can't help the end of a rack so no
could it hit me."
The only law controlling bike parking on campus comes from a Lawrence municipal ordinance, which prohibits bike parking "in such a manner as to obstruct or endanger pedestrians or vehicular traffic."
Richardson said that the lock would be cut under police supervision and the bike removed from campus and impounded by a towing company.
Amy Baguyos, Overland Park junior, said she often locked her bike to the guard rails between Wescoe and Malot halls.
naguyos said, "I don't know if those are bike racks, or I park there anyway."
Weekly Re-affirmation To maintain my health of mind and body,
I affirm: Thank you, Spirit, for healing
me through the power of your love.
From K-Unity & Unity of Lawrence 843-8832 416 Lincoln