Wednesday, March 31, 1993 OPINION UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN IN OUR OPINION University should ban smoking from buildings On March 11, the University Council voted unanimously to ban smoking from all campus buildings. Residence halls and privately owned buildings are the only exceptions. An action long overdue, the proposed ban's final fate now rests in the hands of Ed Meyen, executive vice chancellor, who will make his decision soon after considering all other options. Close to 30,000 students attend the University of Kansas, but only a small minority of that population smokes. It is appalling how adverse an effect smokers can have on the rest. To add to the already overwhelming evidence that points to second-hand smoke as a major health risk, a report by the Environmental Protection Agency released in January revealed even stronger evidence to reinforce the argument. The report included classifying second-hand smoke as a carcinogen. It also cited lung cancer due to secondhand smoke as directly responsible for the deaths of 3,000 non-smokers nationwide over a one-year period. The report concluded that smoking contributes to 53,000 deaths a year. Clearly, when people choose to smoke in a campus building — whether it be in a hallway, lobby or stairwell — they are doing more than endangering their own health. They are also putting their fellow students and faculty members, who walk through these areas to and from classes, at risk. The issue of smoking on campus has brought about many efforts to find some compromise. As it stands, smoking is allowed only within specially designated areas in campus buildings. But with the rise in complaints about second-hand smoke this year, it is obvious, even to a smoker on the Council, that the only viable solution is to ban smoking completely. The smoker proposed the ban. With the increase in complaints of second-hand smoke, the overwhelming vote of the board in support of the ban and the already irrefutable evidence of the health risks involved, a clear message should be conveyed to all smokers regardless of Ed Meyen's decision: if you do choose to smoke, please respect others and smoke outside. SIMON NALDOZA FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD LETTER TO THE EDITOR KU football needs the Crimson Crew March 15th issue of the *Kansan* Vered Hauk expresses her distaste for KU football Crimson Crew. The Crimson Crew is the recruiting hostess program for the KU football team. The sexism has arisen due to the recent media exposure received by other similar organizations around the country. Being Kansas football players we possess the insight into the Crimson Crew that your article lacks. Our direct exposure to this program and others allows us to say that R.D. Helt runs the recruiting program in a professional manner that others seem to lack. We understand your concern with the degradation of women, but having firsthand knowledge of our justification for your fail to see an arrest, First and foremost, Crimson Crew is not an escort service and R.D. Helt is not running a house of ill-treatment. The young women in the Crimson Crew are not harlotts that you make them appear. These ladies have a genuine interest in the improvement in the Kansas football program. These ladies give the young recruits a chance to spend time with a person whose interests are not specifically football, as well as giving them a chance to get a woman's perspective of college life. In regard to the summer ambassador program, what is not stated in your article is the fact that these student-athletes commit to a university in early February. Creating the need for information about the school well before the summer time. What was not stated in your article is the fact that the recruits are shown around by football players as "hosts" as well. This eliminates the need for male Crimson Crew members since these young athletes are surrounded by males 90 percent of their visit to our university. And as for the comments about the post card, a large percentage of people find their future companions at college, a photograph of a bunch of men would not attract male athletes just as a picture of females would not attract females. Also, if the member of the Crimson Crew is performing a service to the KU football team, then your column is a service to the students and faculty of KU. If that is true, then the football team performs a service for much of the state. It appears to us as if we are all just a bunch of performing monkeys. ■ Dick Holt Wichita sophomore ■ Brian Rodeno Castle Rock, Colo., sophomore "I believe he is on his 'Last Straw' Mr. Clinton, Sahib" Beware all who enter, 'The Pile' houses all the semester's ghosts The Pile. You know what I mean — that stack, that glob in the corner of your apartment, office or dorm room. By the middle of the semester it is quite considerable, full of bills that were due a month ago, opportunity to get an extension, the long past application date and letters that are begging for response. Spring Break. The promise that The Pile will be overcome and will never grow again. The promise of refreshment, catching up on sleep, studying, slow food, conversation, exercise and correspondence. Reality. The Pile will grow again. By the semester's end all the post-modern clutter and the baggage of self-actualizing will pulsate forth: the pressure, the bags under the eye, the skin on the scum ring, the overdraft notices and the expired coupons will take root in the fecundity of The Pile. For instance, you quickly clear off the table for study space because your desk is laden with the research equipment that old roommates stop by for that dinner you one her, so the table gets cleared off quickly for a couple of place settings and a bowl of pasta. That is, unless you are among the rare breed that still remembers and practices their New Year's resolutions. Or unless you are rare individuals like Simone de Beauvoir or Benjamin Franklin. Yes, de Beauvoir, we have a reality both they devised in impeccable time management skills. And, more importantly, they were able to put them into practice. Simone de Beauvoir managed to shorten her four-year university program by one full year by an obsessive behavior she had developed. According to her regimen, de Beauvoir made extensive lists to the point that every moment of every day had a prescribed function. For example, she had an ongoing "Books to be Read Category" subdivided in to "Duty" and "Pleasure." This system included a space to note whether this read was worth it or a waste of time. She took passages to be memorized for the times she might be going by Metro or bus — no time wasted. (Of course, according to her own account, Sartre's entire room was a constant "pile," but that's another story.) Regretting the leisure of his youth, Ben Franklin advised a similar course of action to his son. This type of counsel is best given to us in *Poor Richard's Almanac*, a collection of some most pityly pigment mudges directed at underachievers; he writes that they do well says *SayToday itself* so late the wise did yesterday." Franklin would also make extensive "to do lists" and review them frequently to see how each moment could be more efficient. I understand this idea. Having too much to do can be rectified by overlapping—doing two or three things at once. Memorize irregular French verbs while doing lift lifts for saddlebags and brushing your teeth. When you master this ambulatory feat, add listening to "All Things Considered." In other words, even your dreams are more obviously productive. Of course, if this becomes dangerous or overbearing, there is the more conventional approach. I've read enough time management books to know that they all bolow down to a few simple axioms: figure out what is important, figure out how to get it, break it down into steps, prioritize those steps, and then do them. And, for good measure, learn how to say no. In other words, if it's not on your list don't do it. Pretty simple, right? At least on paper. Just make sure this paper does not get eaten by The Pile. It has a life of its own and has been know to eat children. Ann Jurcyk is a Kansas City, Kan., graduate student majoring in liberal arts. Airdrops won't help, but they're nice There's just no pleasing some people. Your heart can be in the right place, but they still complain. An example is President Clinton's decision to airdrop food and medical supplies for trapped Bosnian Muslims who are being ethnically cleansed by the Serbs. Critics say that most of the stuff we drop for the Bosnian Muslims is landing where the Serbs can get it instead. Well, even if that's true, would they be going to there until the snarrels eat it? As the real goes says: "Waste not, want not." And they complain that even when the Bosnian Muslims manage to find some of the packages, Serbian snipers shoot them. While that seems harsh, it's all a part of the ethnic cleansing process. Is it our fault that there's a shortage of regular dry cleaning establishments in Bosnia? Finally, the critics moan, even if every relief bundle landed smack in a Bosnian Muslims' parlor, there still wouldn't be enough supplies to help more than a fraction of the unfortunates. That may be true, but you can say the same thing about the lottery, vet millions of people play it. All the criticism is probably true, but the gripers are missing the whole point. It is the sentiment that counts. The airdrops are our way of saying: "Get well quick." Well, maybe that isn't the message. It could be: "Hope you are feeling better, either. Not with the enthusiasm for ethnic cleanliness that the Serbs have been showing." I've got it. What we're saying to the Bosnian Muslims is: "We're thinking of you." Yes, that's it, and a fine sentiment it is. So why didn't the White House just send a card instead of doubling sup- pies that will wind up in the hands of the Serbs, who don't have time to unpack them anyway, they're so busy cleansing them all those Bosnian Muslims? clearing an those obstacle. So we've done about all we can under the circumstances. We've sent our respects, our regrets, our condolences. Even as the world's most powerful nation, the only remaining bona fide, verified and certified Super Power, we have our limitations. We can't be the world's riot squad, SWAT team or bouncers. About all we can do is express regret and, if they are determined to go insane, let them go at it. In some parts of the world, they've been doing it for centuries. And they'll be doing it 100 years from now, if any of them survive. have you ever really listened to Serbs and Croatians debate the issues? They quickly hop back 25 years, then 50, then 100. If you listen long enough, you'll wind up hearing about a Serbian caveman named Ugh starting it all when he threw a rock at a Croatian caveman named Ach. Or maybe it was Ach who threw the rock at Uigh. Or get in the middle, if you are suicidal enough, of a debate between an Irish Catholic and an Irish Protestant. Or an Israeli and an Arab. Maybe God is, but I don't believe it because by now he would have whacked them all on the hindquarters with his mighty swift sword. And it's going to get worse before it gets better, if it ever does. That's because the collapse of the Soviet Union has a downside. As bad as communism was, it gave all those states, satellites and ethnic groups something they could share: the misery of Soviet oppression. But with that gone, its former victims have a bright new opportunity. They can now say: "At long last, we are free of Soviet oppression. So what are we waiting for. Let's start oppressing each other." So we're going to be sending out a lot of greeting cards. It's not much, but it is better than making house calls. Mike Royko is a syndicated columnist with the Chicago Tribune. KANSAN STAFF GREG FARMER GAYLE OSTERBERG Managing editor TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser BILL SKEET_ Technology coordinator Educators Asst. Managing Justin Knupp News Monique Guislain David Mitchell Edithland Stephen Martine KC Trauner Compus David Mitchell Sports Mark Rowlntins Photo Lynne McAdon Features Tamar McAdon Graphics Dan Schauer Wise Tiffany La Haurt Hurt Assoc. Editorial Assistant Editor Assoc. Campus Chris Mooser Asst. Campus Christian Laue Assoc. Sports Stacy Morford Assoc. Sport David Barkowski Assoc. Dance Dave Ranney responders Vicki Bode ... Mark Button Jess Deaven ... David Dorsey Matt Doyle ... David England Ben Grove ... Mark Krafer William ... Frank McCleary Terilyn McCormick **Brady Prauser** Jim Reece **Brett Rigga** Todd Seifert **Blake Spurney** Jay Williams **Era Wolfe** | Heather Anderson | Copy Editors | | :--- | :--- | | J.R. 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