8
Friday, March 5. 1993
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
STREETSIDE RECORDS
1403 W.23rd
Defense witnesses testify
By Brady Prauser
Kansan staff writer
Defense witnesses for Emil Tonkovich yesterday characterized him as respected and popular with students, as dismissal hearings for the tenured professor entered their 20th week.
Former dean of law Mike Davis returned to the witness stand to testify about Tonkovich's track record in the School of Law, and one of Tonkovich's former students, Shelley White, verified Davis' testimony.
Davis said that numerical rankings he had made of School of Law professors based on student evaluations placed Tonkovich above the median rankings of other professors during the last years Davis was dean.
Davis, dean from 1980 to 1989, said that in only one instance were a student's complaints disturbing enough
to prompt him to confront a faculty member, who was not Tonkovich.
He also testified that no formal rules prohibited law school faculty from dating students until 1991, when the school adopted guidelines regarding romantic relationships between faculty and students.
"Would you agree it's not a faculty code violation for a professor to ask a student for a date?" Tonkovich asked Davis.
The former dean said that it was not and repeated his answer when Tonkovich asked whether it was a faculty code violation for the same professor to ask 10 different women for dates during a period of several years.
"By itself, no," Davis said. "In fact, I would imagine it has happened in the law school."
After Davis left the stand. White tiffed that Tonkovich was "very popular and very approachable."
A 1914 law graduate, White now is an assistant Douglas County district attorney, a job Tonkovik's fiance Christine Kenpey also holds.
White said Tonkovich encouraged students not to overemphasize the importance of grades in law school.
"What he told us about grades and not emphasizing them was very helpful," White said. "He said, 'Don't let the emphasis on grades define you — what kind of attorney you're going to be and what kind of person you are going to be."
Chancellor Gene Budig moved to dismiss Tonkovich in August 1992, saying Tonkovich had violated the faculty code of conduct. The dismissal motion came in part because of a law student's allegations that Tonkovich had pressured her to perform oral sex after discussing the importance of grades with her.
Man steals Jeep during test drive
By Mark Klefer Kansas staff writer
Kansan staff writer
When car dealer Jim Vestal first met Troy Williams, he thought Williams might have been a student looking to buy a car.
set a date for a trial.
"He said his dad had made money in real estate and had put $25,000 in his bank account." Vestal said.
But Williams was not buying. Instead, midway through a test drive, Williams pulled out a gun and said he needed the car, Vestal said yesterday at a preliminary hearing for Williams.
Vestal, who works at Jim Ellena Auto Plaza, 2112 W. 29th Terrace, said that he had received checks of $20,000 or more from students whose parents had put money into the bank.
Williams has been charged with aggravated robbery as a result of the incident on Feb. 20. Williams' next court appearance will be March 18 to
He said that Williams was dressed well and was polite, which led him to think that Williams was such a student.
But the casual test drive took a wrong turn
and they wanted him to shoot me," Vestal said.
"He said that he really needed this Jeep and had business to take care of in Topeka," Vestal said.
Vestal said Williams then pulled out a gun from underneath his coat.
But Vestal said he did not notice a car following the truck.
Williams continued to drive along Kasold Drive with Vestal for about 15 minutes. Vestal said Williams had him empty his pockets because. Williams was worried that Vestal would call the police if he let him out of the truck.
Vestel left the truck near the intersection of 19th and lowa streets.
"he said he did not want to shoot me, but that he had friends following,
"He thanked me for not causing any problems, and I asked him to put his gun away. He did," Vestal said.
Police found Williams and the Jeep in Leavenworth.
Facilities planning to undergo reorganization
By Dan England Kansan staff writer
Mike Richardson, director of facilities planning.
The University earlier this week announced it was reorganizing the operations of KU's facilities planning, a move suggested by last year's program review report.
The restructuring creates two departments that would split up planning responsibilities.
The report said restructuring in noninstructional programs at KU would save $3 million, which would be used for instruction pursuits.
However, this restructuring is not aimed at saving money but at making facilities planning more efficient, said
A department headed by Allen Wiechert, university director of facilities planning, will be responsible for design projects costing more than $500,000. Its responsibilities will include long-range planning and the selection of architects for projects.
The office of facilities planning and the department of facilities operations will merge with the department
of facilities management, which will be in charge of design projects of less than $500,000 and all construction management.
Richard Mann, director of information resources, will head a department that will coordinate both departments.
Wiechert said he could not say how much money it would save.
"The reorganization was done to help make things more efficient," Wiechert said, "and wasn't really intended to save funds."
THE MASTERCARD COLLEGE MUSIC TOUR
Apply now for a Citibank MasterCard card and receive*:
A MasterCard New Music CD
featuring
BLIND MELON CATHERINE WHEEL THE JUDYBATS
KING MISSILE MATERIAL ISSUE LEMONHEADS
*Offer available when you stop by the Citibank MasterCard table in the Bookstore on Monday, March 8th; Tuesday, March 9th and Wednesday, March 10th between 9+5 and fill out a Citibank MasterCard card application.
©1993 MasterCard International Incorporated