FEATURES: Bathroom graffiti says more than you think, Page 9.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL. 102, NO. 107
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
(USPS 650-640)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1993
NEWS: 864-4810
Seeking influence in city government
Irene Lanier / KANSAN
Students traditionally have ignored Lawrence elections. This year, three city commission candidates may inspire KU students to vote.
Scott Dalton
Chander Jayaraman
Milton Scott
Irene Lanier / KANSAN
By Todd Selfert
Kanean staff writer
Kansan staff writer
Dav 1992.
Ilen Field House was busy last Nov. 3. But it was not a KU basketball game that had the crowd excited. It was Election
That day in the field house, 1,023 people voted on a president, a U.S. senator and local issues.
"We had about 15 people standing in line to vote about 5 p.m.," said Bob Nelson, who worked at the field house. "It was a very busy place. The last presidential election had a very unusual turnout for the field house. A few years ago, we went all day and hardly anybody showed up."
In fact, only 18 voted at the campus polling place the last time it was open for a city primary election in March 1987.
What was the difference? The 1987 election dealt only with local issues.
The general election that followed on April 7 drew only 69 voters to the field house out of 927 registered in the registr. Turnout was so low in the
precinct that officials closed the field house as a voting place during city elections.
Students are not a force in local politics, observers said.
hirley Martin-Smith, a Lawrence city commissioner, said that the low student turnout when she
was elected in 1989 surprised her.
"I always considered the students because I was aware of the impact they could have," she said. "I know that I was disappointed that the students didn't show much of an interest. I even had students working on my campaign, but it was pretty much
assumed that the students as a whole wouldn't vote."
Louise Silber, who heads the Democratic Party in Douglas County, said students usually did not vote in local elections.
"The interest level of the presidential election was pretty high," she said. "In local elections, though, the turnout is usually lower because students see the local policies as not affecting them as much."
Apparently, that is not unusual. Elaine Sharp, who heads the political science department, said students in university towns seldom showed interest in local politics.
"A lot of local issues deal with land use," she said. "Students usually don't
show an interest in that type of issue. There are some issues, though, that do spark student interest and that's when they usually get involved."
Actions by the Lawrence City Commission have resulted in more checks for underage drinking in bars, an ordinance that banned alcohol on Campanile Hill, a city noise ordinance and possible solutions to parking problems. All of these issues have affected the way students live.
Brad Garlinghouse, student body president, said he hoped more students would realize that the city's policies affected them as well as other Lawrence residents.
"Students' interests are being affected by the city now more than ever before," he said. "We've been content in the past, living our lives and not being intruded on. Now our interests
are being intruded on.
"I think we, as students, need to be recognized and treated more like citizens of Lawrence instead of just students. We pay taxes like other citizens do. We don't pay property taxes usually, but our rent goes to the landlord, who has to pay it."
ines could be changing for local politics in Lawrence. Garlinghouse said students could send the city a
message in the March 2 primary election, in which three KU students, Scott Dalton, Pratt junior, Chander Jayaraman, Prairie Village senior, and Milton Scott, Lawrence graduate student, have filed to run for positions on the city commission.
Dalton, who is taking a semester off from classes, is majoring in history. Jayaraman is an economics major and plans to graduate in December.
Story continues. Page 6.
Students, faculty take issue with program merger
Kansan staff writer
Bv Dan England
Students and faculty from both the department of computer science and the School of Engineering voiced their concerns about the proposed merger of the two last night at a public hearing.
A subcommittee of Academic Procedures and Policies conducted the hearing, which was designed to give anyone a chance to speak out either for or against the merger.
The merger, a result of program review, was proposed as a way to solve funding problems and alleviate
understaffing in the department of computer science, said David Shulenburger, acting vice chancellor for academic affairs.
Students and faculty from the department of computer science said they were concerned that the merger would eliminate their program within a few years, that the department's
funding would not transfer with the program and that the merger would stop the recent growth of the department.
Those from the School of Engineering said the merger would cause overcrowding and would damage a program well-regarded by the University.
Carmela Sibley, who works in graduate admissions for computer science, said she thought the program might work, but only if computer science would still receive funding from the state.
Valerie Kempff, Maryland, Mo,
sophomore, was one of two under-
graduate representatives at the hearing.
She said students were con-
cerned that they might lose their
degree.
"The B.S. in computer science may not even survive the merger," Kempff said.
"I already know of a number of departments licking their chops over the department's moneer." Sibley said.
Robert Thompson, Shawnee senior, said that the engineering school was already overcrowded and that having students from computer science in the school would require additional equipment that the school could not afford.
"That would only mean more students would have to use computers," Thompson said.
Allen Amber, associate professor of computer science, supported the merger and said the department could not resolve its problems alone.
"Sending back this proposal and leaving computer science isn't going to work." Ambler said.
Nancy Dahl, who heads the University Senate Executive Committee, said this was the first time the University was holding public hearings on any restructuring programs.
"No one has ever proposed such sweeping changes all at once," Dahl said.
A hearing of the proposed merger of the School of Education's department of counseling psychology with its department of educational psychology and research will be held from 7 to 10 tonight at the Pine Room in the Kansas Union. An additional hearing will be held on March 9, from 8 to 10:30 a.m., at the same place.
After the hearings are complete, the committees will write a recommendation, which will go to SenEx for approval or amendment, and then to University Council, and then to Chancellor Gene Budig, who will make the final decision on the proposed mergers.
Awaiting change
Influenza brings record number to Watkins
Samuel Adams, associate professor of journalism, seen room for improvement in the way African
See story. Page 3.
By Vicki Bode
Kansan staff writer
More students have been treated this month at Watkins Memorial Health Center than any other month since the building opened in 1974.
"We've seen close to 75 students every day who have influenza," he said. "This is the most students with influenza we have ever seen."
The increase in the number of patients was due partially to the influenza outbreak at the University, said Charles Yockey, Watkins' chief of staff.
During the 1991-92 academic year, 55,000 students were treated at Watkins, Yockey said. This academic year, 49,000 students already have been treated. Yockey said Watkins' staff predicted the total would reach more than 60,000.
Jody Woods, Watkins' nurse practitioner.
said students without appointments had experienced two-hour waits this week.
"It has been more than crazy." Woods said. Yockey said that the initial stage of the annual influenza outbreak normally lasts for 10 days, but that this year the initial stage had continued for four weeks. He said that he expected the influenza season to continue until spring break.
The first students treated for influenza had a respiratory flu, he said. After 10 days, most of the students treated had a gastrointestinal flu, which included vomiting.
"Also, many of the students with influenza are getting a secondary bacterial infection," Yockey said. "Secondary infections are what cause people problems when they are sick
"Influenza causes the immune system to almost shut down, which makes it easy to contract secondary infections."
Yockey said that 10 percent of the students
Yockey said that three physicians at Watkins also had been ill but are on duty.
Woods said virtually every nurse also had been sick.
Watkins staff treated on Monday had the secondary infection with symptoms including secretions from the nose and chest and fevers. He said they could be treated with antibiotics.
To compensate for the increase in patients, staff members took shorter lunches and worked longer hours, she said.
"I have been here for 12 years and this is the most students I've ever seen in the waiting room, "Woods said. "But, if it takes until midnight, we will get every student treated."
"Usually we have seven nurses on duty, but we've had as many as four nurses sick in one day." Woods said. "We are having to work twice as hard."
Watkins getting busy
Number of students seen between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday. These are the highest numbers reported in Watkins' history.
Week of Number of students
Feb. 15, 1993 1.988
Feb. 8, 1993 1.477
Feb. 1, 1993 1.476
Feb. 19, 1992 1.341
Sept. 21, 1992 1.268
Sept. 14, 1992 1.351
April 6, 1992 1.282
Feb. 11, 1992 1.284
Jan. 27, 1992 1.225
Sept. 9, 1991 1.231
During the academic year of 1992-93, the number of patients has increased 9.8 percent.
Source: Watkins Health Center
Dave Campbell / KANBAR