UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, May 2, 1994
9
THE DEFINITION OF POWER
ae difficult to obtain
they step on toes trying to accomplish things. "he said,
often students involved in the University Governance process think their accomplishments can be ideals.
Given the number of students, it might mobilize just one-quarter your might be able to accomplish something, but that is very difficult," said Dill Bechtel, student senator and undergraduate SenEx representative. "The administration gives us Student Senate, but I think that is more of an exercise in co-operation." Student body president clearly is the most visible student position; however, that person has to deal with an apathetic student body.
"Come on, 10 or 15 percent of student body votes in an election, and someone expects to get a mandate or respect from the administration?" said an administrator who did not participate in the survey. "It's a joke. They get invited to all the right meetings, but they are just window dressing."
The perceived lack of power does not mean that organized students could not bring change to the University, but it would be difficult.
"This is a participatory governance opposed to a benign dictatorship," said Caryl Smith, former dean of student life. "So, for students, there is always room to get involved."
НАРАЛА
Tom Leininger/ KANSAN
Kansan sways campus opinion
6. Editor
8 of 21 votes
University Daily Kansan
8 of 21 votes
salary: $1,500 a semester
Power can come from controlling money, and it can also come from controlling the agenda of discussion on campus. No individual does that more than the editor of the University Daily Kansan.
The campus newspaper distributes about 15,000 copies throughout campus every weekday, and what it contains on its pages can get people talking.
"Clearly, the editor of the Kansan is the single most powerful student on campus," said Burdett Loomis, professor of political science. "He or she is the only person that can communicate with thousands of students, faculty members and administrators."
But it isn't just the decision-making capabilities about the paper's content that sets the editor apart. It is his or her ability to define how other people and organizations are viewed.
And unlike other student leaders, such as student body president, whose decisions can be overridden by the administration, the Kansan editor is the final authority on what gets into the paper, often without direct advice from any faculty member.
"Student Senate would be almost
nothing without the Kansan," said Jill Bechtel, student senator and undergraduate member of the University Senate Executive Committee. "It is the most important presence in mobilizing student opinion."
And it is not just students that are affected by the Kansan's content.
"Reading the Kansan is one of the first things administrators do every morning," said David Hardy, acting director of the Organizations and Activities Center. "Its influence over them is tremendous."
Recent protests by minority groups against the Kansan reflect its impact in the University community. The groups were upset at what they perceived to be a lack of coverage about minority issues.
"By setting the agenda," Hardy said, "the Kansan editor decides what will and will not be covered, and thus the Kansan decides what the campus will and will not talk about."
Ben Grove, Davenport, Iowa, senior and Kansan editor, said he realized the impact the student newspaper had over all persons at the University.
"Each semester, the Kansan has the power to set a new agenda," he said. "A lot of students read the Kansan, and for a lot of students, the Kansan is their only source of news. That's a huge responsibility for us. The administration and students alike understand how much power we have."
Tom Hutton, director of University Relations, Lawrence campus Richard Konzem serc
Richard Konzem, associate athletic director.
Burdett Loomis, professor of political science
Jason McIntosh, former student
ordinator and undergraduate rep-
resentative on SenEx
John Macleod, conference staff
10. Ray Moore, professor of civil engineering and former head of University Council
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*Richard Morrell, University regis*
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Caryl Smith, former dean of student life and, at present, vice president for student affairs at The University of Akron
Dan Murtaugh, graduate teaching
assistant in English
Beverly Sypher, associate professor of communication studies
KC Trauner, former editor of the University Daily Kansan
Pat Warren, law student and former Student Executive Committee chair and former undergraduate representative on SenEx
Sherwood Thompson, director of the Office of Minority Affairs
Attracting research grants earns campus clout
7. Andrew Debicki
about prominent Spanish authors.
Tom Leininger/ KANSAN
If the future of public higher education lives in joint ventures with private companies, Andrew Debicki will play a key role at the University for years to come.
Dean of the Graduate School
7 of 21 votes
salary: $102,800
The dean of the graduate school, Debicki is scheduled to replace Howard Mossberg as vice chancellor for research, graduate studies and public service July 1. The position allows its occupant broad power over most of the research that occurs at the University, and Debicki will play a vital role in determining grant money for KU
A Spanish scholar, Debicki has written many books in his field and understands the importance of grant money in the life of a research institution.
"I know that I never would have been able to spend as much time researching and advancing my area of study if it had not been for the assistance I received," he said.
"Scholarships, grants and fellowships allow our faculty time to research and develop their ideas," he said. "We must promote the idea of scholarship and research within our faculty."
Debicki's position at the university may be unknown to the majority of KU's population, but that does not make it any less powerful.
researchers.
More than $80 million a year flows to the University in the way of research grants and scholarships. A former director of the Hall Research Center, Debicki has pulled down his share of grants, allowing him to spend time researching and writing books
"He clearly will be less involved with undergraduates, but that does not mean they will not benefit from what he does," said David Hardy, acting director of the Organizations and Activities Center. "Everyone at KU benefits from research going on here."
The Mann behind the scenes keeps KU operating
7. Richard Mann
University Director of Administration
salary: $102,583
Who does the KU police department report to? Ed Meyen? No. David Ambler? No. Human resources?
No. Gene Budig? No.
The best kept secret across campus may be the power of Richard Mann. He holds the title of University director of administration, but a more accurate title may be "Mr. Everything that is not academic."
Mann holds a great deal of authority at the University of Kansas. Many departments report to him. Among them police, computing services and human resources. He oversees Facilities Operations, Design and Construction Management, the comptroller's office, payroll and accounting process and a number of operations at the Medical Center.
Every Wednesday, Mann heads for the Med Center with the chancellor. He is really the only person
in the top 10, other than Budig, with influence at the Kansas City hospital.
Mann is respected across the University as someone who can solve problems and deal with the noninstructional world at the University.
"Richard Mann has an incredible level of intelligence," said Tom Hutton, director of University Relations. "He is an analytical thinker who looks at the facts and works from them."
By having control of the nuts and bolts side of the campus, Mann influences many things, including the way campus looks.
"He plays a major role in determining the face of this university." Hutton said.
But, it is Mann's influence over the budgets of each of these departments that make him a force. Even so, it is not surprising that few people know who he is. His is not a high profile job.
"He knows about the business parts of the University," said David Hardy, acting director of the Organizations and Activities Center. "But his job is probably about as thankless as anything at the University."
For a long time, the Lawrence and Med Center campuses have seemed a world apart. The hope has been to change that image.
"For the longest time, we've been two universities," Hutton said. "It will be people like Dick Mann who will make us one university with two campuses."
For the governor, what a difference a veto makes
9. Joan Finney
Governor of Kansas
6 of 21 votes
salary: $76,476
Kansas organizations that depend on state funding live by the motto, "The governor proposes, and the Legislature disposes."
Tom Leininger / KANSAN
For the University of Kansas, it is no different.
Even though she rarely is on campus, Gov. Joan Finney has a tremendous influence on how much money goes to the University and what it is spent on.
This year is an excellent example. The Partnership for Excellence was supposed to raise faculty salaries.
cellar gene Budig and Kansas State President Jon Wefald, gained Regents support but needed the support of Finney before it could fly. Finney gave her support — with a condition. She would sign the partnership if, and only if, the Legislature made Washburn University a part of the Regents system.
The partnership, created by Chan-
The Washburn proposal failed miserably in the Kansas Senate, and the Partnership for Excellence immediately went belly up in the Legislature.
Finney put politics before the faculty salaries, but she has swung big deals, such as funding the reconstruction of Hoch Auditorium, that prove her positive power on the University.
"It would have to be verified — you could ask the chancellor — but I have given that university more money
than anyone else has," Finney said. "And a major deal I funded was $18 million for Hoch."
And just this past week, the governor recommended $3.8 million more for Hoch. This is, she said, her positive effect on the University.
However, for any KU supporters who feel Finney has turned a deaf ear to the school's concerns, they may find solace in the fact her term ends next year. A new governor may change the way the state looks at the University.
"The governor deals with a lot of concerns and can make a lot of deals," said Burdett Loomis, professor of political science. "If Finney had wanted to work a deal for Washburn, I'm sure she could have."
Popularity continues to grow for KU basketball coach
Tom Leininger / KANSAN
10. Roy Williams
KU Men's Basketball Coach
5 of 21 votes
salary:$98,000
Roy Williams has proven that success on the basketball court can lead to power at the University.
Williams has been the men's head basketball coach since 1988, amassing an amazing 159-45 record, including two appearances in the Final Four, one of which led to the championship game.
But perhaps more than any other person in the top 10, Williams has gained his position because of his success and demeanor. It is hard to find one person who dislikes Roy Williams, Anywhere.
"Roy Williams is the most unusually refreshing sports person we've seen in a blue moon," said Rick Harman, former member of the Kansas
Board of Regents. "He brought a huge amount of class and distinction to the University."
Williams is, without a doubt, the most familiar diplomat of the University to people across the nation, and many say he is exactly what the school needs to represent it on television screens.
Williams' basketball popularity has transferred to other efforts across the state. He is co-chair of Operation Immunize, a program to vaccinate all toddlers by age 2. To many, this is symbolic of the way Roy Williams works.
"His exposure as basketball coach creates a forum for him," said Pat Warren, a third-year law school student and member of University of Kansas Athletic Corporation. "His support and his ability to influence people would be important."
People at the athletic department like to point out that campus celebrations after basketball games were a little wild before Williams stepped in and endorsed the Campus Celebration Task Force, which advises against unrilliness after big victories.
"It is an excellent example of Coach Williams taking part and being concerned about students," said Richard Konzem, associate athletic director.
The Kansan attempted to contact Williams for comment, but sports information, which handles all of Williams' media access, declined to set up a time.
"Frankly, we don't consider talking to the student newspaper to be a high priority," said Dean Buchan, sports information director.
Yet, despite his general inaccessibility, Williams popularity grows with the success of each basketball season.
"If he says jump, we reply in unison,
'How high?' said Burdett Loomis,
professor of political science.
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