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Thursday, February 18, 1993
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
IN OUR OPINION
Jerry should resign
Robert Jerry, dean of the University of Kansas School of Law, should resign. In the absence of Jerry's resignation university officials should
remove Jerry from his position as dean of the law school.
One only needs to look at the direction of KU's law school during the last two years to question whether Jerry's present leadership is sufficient. The public record suggests that the compelling answer is no.
During the last two years, a pattern of mismanagement and questionable judgment has wounded the integrity and perceived quality of the law school. For a university that prides itself on academic excellence, the degradation of its law school is intolerable.
In the fall of 1991, four female law students, unhappy with the University's response to sexual harassment complaints, contacted the American Civil Liberties Union. They sought the ACLU's help because they thought their allegations had not been properly addressed by the law school or the University.
The following spring it came to light that a law student had accused tenured professor Emil Tonkovich of using grades to pressure him to perform oral sex. Chancellor Gene Budig recommended in April that Tonkovich be dismissed as a professor. This was only the second time in KU's 126-year history that a tenured professor was recommended for termination.
Jerry said at Tonkovich's dismissal hearings that he knew of the professor's reputation for making unwanted advances toward first-year law students before the allegations. Jerry also said that he knew of other professors who were dating students. Before the allegations, Jerry overlooked these relationships.
In June of 1992, while most students were away from the University, Jerry submitted a proposal to the Board of Regents that a special per-credit-hour fee be implemented at the law school. The fee would be used primarily to increase faculty salaries and pay for library resources. If the Legislature approves the plan, law school students enrolled in 15 hours would be paying an extra $600 a semester by 1995.
Jerry did not seek to include students in the decisionmaking process. He informed students of the fee proposal at the beginning of the fall semester through a memorandum that was inserted in their newly purchased text books.
The recently leaked private memo between Jerry and Del Brinkman, vice chancellor for academic affairs, is the last, and arguably the worst, in a series of questionable judgments. The memo has potential ramifications that extend beyond the law school to the rest of KU.
Jerry cited in his memo the fact that Washburn's law school received significant funding from the state. Washburn is a municipally supported university. Jerry's conclusions concerning funding differences between KU and Washburn were basically correct. However, Jerry arrogantly misjudged the situation when he referred to Washburn students and faculty as inferior to those at KU. Many members of the Legislature graduated from the Washburn law school, and Jerry's comments were taken as a knock on graduates as well as current students. These Washburn law school graduates are in a position to decide the University's financial future.
Jerry's comments were damaging. His past misjudgments concerning problems and conflicts within the School of Law do not reflect the wisdom and forethought of someone who can handle the challenges of the future for both the law school and the University.
Given the law school's most recent problems and the challenges that lie ahead,law students and the University need someone else at the helm.
STEPHEN MARTINO FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
KANSAN STAFF
GREG FARMER
Editor
GAYLE OSTERBERG
Managing editor
TOM EBLEN
General manager, news adviser
BILL SKEET. Technology coordinator
STEVE PERRY
Business manager
MELISSA TERLIP
Retail sales manager
JEANNE HINES
Sales and marketing adviser
Editors
Asst Managing...Justin Krupp
Nowe...Monique Guialsin
...David Mitchell
Editorial...Stephen Martino
Campus...KC Trauner
Sports...Davit Mitchell
Motto...Mark Quinnley
Fashion...Lyme McAdoo
Graphics...Dan Schauer
President Clinton doesn't need play-by-play coverage by press
Campus sales mgr .. Brad Brown
Regional Sales mgr .. Wade Baster
National sales mgr .. Jennifer Pierrier
Co-op sales mgr .. Aahley Hessel
Production mgr .. Ashley Llangord
Marketing director .. Angelia Cloverdge
Creative director .. Holly Perry
Grossman .. Dave Kemper
Art Director .. Dave Haber
If you looked up enough old newspapers from the 1950s and closely studied the front pages,you might notice that something was missing Especially after 1953.
You might look through issue after issue, day after day — maybe even a week or two — without seeing a certain well-known name.
The same could be said for the TV news programs of that era. That same well-known name might not be uttered by news announcers for days at a time.
**Letters** should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 200 words. They must include the writer's signature, name, address and telephone number. Writers affiliated with the University of Louisiana at Monroe should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 700 words. The writer will be **Guest Columns** should be typed, double-spaced and fewer than 700 words. The Kansas reserves the right to reject or edit letters, guest column and cartoons. They can contact us directly by email or phone.
The name was Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was president from January 1953 until January 1961.
You could actually go several days at a time without knowing what the president of the United States was doing with his time. You didn't know what he was thinking, what his views were on the latest news trifle or with whom he had played golf.
Eisenhower was a remarkable man. A great general in World War II and one of the better presidents of this century.
But looking back, one of the things I like most about Like is that he was the last president who didn't feel the need to barge into and out of consciousness every day.
But he didn't think it necessary to send his press secretary out every 15 minutes to give reporters an update
COLUMNIST
"Why, did she hire illegal aliens?"
"No, this one was an illegal alien."
on how he did his job during the past 15 minutes and a preview of how he would do it during the next 15.
You'll never see that again. Not unless you go off and hide in a cave. And even if you do, some other heritum will show up and say: "Just got the word: Another attorney general nonine went down the drain."
Nor was he surrounded by an army of yammering White House lackeys springing more leaks than an old garden hose.
Mike Royko is a syndicated columnist with the Chicago Tribune.
He was the last president who respected the right of all U.S. citizens not to believe that the sun, the moon and the stars rotated around the temporary occupants of the White House.
Maybe that's why people look back so fondly on the 1950s. They think of it as our last tranquil decade.
It was Kennedy who introduced the concept that a day without a White House story was like a day without sunshine.
But that ended with lke. He was succeeded by our first media president, John F. Kennedy. Kennedy introduced us to the photo opportunities of a president taking walks on a windswet beach, the glib press conferences and all the camelot schalmz.
Since then, every president and presidential staff member has felt it
as many U.S. citizens' lives as Vietnam, didn't end until the summer of 1953. We had Joe McCarthy leading the frenzied communist bogman hunt. The Soviets beat us into space with Sputnik, causing a burst of nuclear fear that had millions of U.S. citizens digging fallout shelters in their back yards.
Maybe that's why the 1950s now seem so peaceful: We had a president who knew who he was. And he knew that we knew. So he didn't have to get up every morning and say: "My fellow Americans, remember me?"
their duty to bombard defenseless citizens with every thought that pops into their heads.
Now with President Clinton in the White House — or as some snide fellow said, "The law firm of Clinton and Clinton" — it will become almost impossible to hide from the barrage of presidential non-news.
And Blitz Wolfer would go on CNN and tell us: "Informed sources say that informed sources aren't being informative."
We had the first rumblings of the civil rights movement, with Eisenhower sending troops to Little Rock, Ark., to enforce a judge's high school desegregation order. Typical of like he didn't order a speech writer to whip up something eloquent for perseverity. He just sent the troops in and told them to enforce the law — which they did.
I will offer a bet, if there are any foolish takers. Look at this newspaper every day for the next year. See if you can find one edition in which the words "President Clinton" do not appear.
Actually, it wasn't all that tranquil. The Korean War, which took almost
It won't happen. Even if Clinton and Clinton locked themselves in their offices and told their staffs that if they said one word to the press they would have their tongues torn out, we'd have a headline saying: "Clinton Puts Gag on White House."
If you are a broadcast-ness addict, see if a day passes without the words "President Clinton" or "the White House" being used on CNN or the networks.
Robinson fanatic says players are helpful, respectful
In response to the article by Tricia Sears I would like to explain to her how the Robinson system of pick-up basketball works. First off, as one of the so-called Fanatics, I would like to answer Tricia's statements. Tricia has obviously been to Robinson once and never cared or tried to join in — she only could complain a few days later by newspaper.
The courts are used by any KU student who wants to participate to play full-court games. Robinson has a north gym that is used by people who
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
are just shooting around and don't game. want in play a real full-court game. Now, to answer her incorrect assumption about the people who play basketball, I'll start with patience and quietly move to respect. There are four courts in the main gym. When one walks into the gym, one simply chooses a court and asks any bystander "Who has the next line?" Players patiently waiting their turn will answer with the number of line they have. From there, a player has a choice of taking the last line or joining a line in front of them that doesn't have five players. For example, if you have second line, you get to choose four more players and then your five will have the second game. It's simple; just ask around and players will help you out.
Troy Tarwater
Overland Park senior
Fanatic for four years and have enjoyed playing with many types of people. From great players to bad players, players with disabilities, older players, younger players, and of course women players are all welcomed by the Fanatics at Robinson. I was very pleased that you don't make this an issue of male vs. female because there are also some women Fanatics that regularly attend Robinson. So before you put us down, look at yourself, maybe you have forgotten what you learned in kindergarten + how to act your age. So next time you want to play ball come on we. Don't grudges, we just play BASKET BALL.
to respond to the lack of being polite – did you even talk to anyone? Players will be happy to play with you or to let you play with them if they don't have five players already. To be realistic, everyone is at Robinson to play basketball and to compete. So use your head and understand when people are playing in a competition they are not worried about using polite words. You won't hear "Excuse me, pardon me, I'm trying to score a basket. Oh... thank you." Let's be real; it's a competitive game. Most importantly, the regular Fanatics at Robinson are very respectful. If you're a horrible player or a great player, people understand and respect everyone's ability. The courts are used by a diverse group of people from every aspect of the game. I have been a
1906FM
by Moses Smith