SPORTS: The Kansas men's and women's tennis teams capture Big Eight Conference tournament titles. Page 11.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.103.NO.145
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
KANSAS STATE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66612
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
MONDAY, APRIL 25, 1994
(USPS 650-640)
Student dies at University residence hall
NEWS:864-4810
Police investigating fall from fourth floor
By Stephen Martino and David Wilson Kansan staff writers
A 19-year-old KU student died yesterday morning after falling out of a fourth-floor window at Gertrude Sellards Pearson-Corbin Hall.
Scott McWhorter, Dallas freshman, was pronounced dead at 7:23 a.m. at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Sgt. Randy Kern of the KU police said that McWhorter had fallen through an open win-
dow's screen on the residence hall's east side a little before 5:30 a.m. He said that McWhorter had fallen onto a driveway below the window.
An ambulance took McWhorter to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for head injuries. He was flown by Life Flight to the Med Center at about 7 a.m.
Scott McWhorter
Kern said that two other people had been sleeping in the room at the time of the accident and that at least one was a resident of the room.
There was no evidence that McWhorter was pushed or that he was trying to climb out of the window, Kern said. However, he said, it was possible that alcohol played a role in the accident. Kern said that he expected the investigation into McWhorter's death to be concluded today.
Ken Stoner, director of student housing, said that male visitors were allowed in rooms of GSP-Corbin, an all-female residence hall, from 6 p.m. on Fridays to midnight on Sundays.
McWhorter was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, and yesterday his fraternity brothers were dealing with their shock and remembering him as a compassionate person and good friend.
"He really cared about other people." said
Weston Hyter, Hutchinson junior and president of the fraternity. "He was a great kid who was really well liked by everyone."
McWhorter was planning a career in physical therapy, continuing his belief in helping others, Hyter said.
"He had just been elected philanthropy chairman for next year and was planning on doing a lot of new things with fraternity resources," Hyter said. "Right now, we are all in just a state of shock."
The fraternity has arranged a memorial service for 8 p.m. tomorrow at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center. Funeral arrangements were incomplete, said Jeff Pitts, Aurora, Colo., freshman and a member of the fraternity.
Athletes show off talents in Relays
Kansas meet draws athletes spectators from across nation
Andrew Gilman
Kansan sportswriter
Damon Ruiz couldn't believe what he had just done.
Pushing his hair back and adjusting his glasses, Ruiz, a Shawnee Mission North senior, said he was more surprised than anyone with his performance.
In last place of 17 jumpers going into his final attempt in the high school long jump, he jumped nearly two feet better than he ever had, 21 feet and 8 inches, good enough for sixth place.
But regardless of the outcome, Ruiz said, he was happy just to be at the Kansas Relays.
"Major competition like this is something I've never had," he said. "Competing at high school isn't anything like this."
The relays, which began Wednesday and finished Saturday, resulted in what Kansas coach and meet coordinator Gary Schwartz called a success.
Ruiz was just one of more than 2,000 athletes who came from high schools, colleges and universities across the country to compete at the 69th Annual Kansas Relays.
"This meet has kept a true track and field flavor," Schwartz said. "Basically, I've been super happy with the meet."
That flavor was seen by a scattering of people on the hill as well as the athletes walking, talking and sprawled out across the carpet of Memorial Stadium. Fans in the stands watched the runners, jumpers and throwers competing.
"I've always wanted to come out here and watch the relays, but I've just never gotten around to it." said Tom Sheely, who made the drive from Emporia with his 13-year-old daughter, Kristi. "I'd like
RELAYS: Kansas finished first in nine events. Page 11.
to come back next year."
The relays also meant more than just another meet to the athletes.
"I think just being an athlete for KU says it all," senior shot put and discus thrower Teresa Reichert said. "This is a prestigious school and a great event."
Schwartz, who was in charge of coordinating the relays, said that he regretted not being able to be closer to his athletes during the weekend but that he had confidence that they would perform well.
"For these days, I'm a coordinator, not a coach," he said. "If I had to do this every weekend, it would be difficult, but my kids are pretty self-sufficient."
Schwartz said that although he had to put it all together, the job wasn't as bad as it appeared.
"I'm the guy who can sit here and not afford to scramble," he said. "Harry Lewald, the relays manager and my assistant do quite a bit."
Another person who helped Schwartz keep the meet running smoothly was 14-year-old, Jacy Hurst.
Hurst, who was taking a break from her job setting up hurdles and running results to the press box, said she had volunteered because she enjoyed being close to the athletes.
"This is a really big meet, 'Scheid said. 'The coaches and everyone went out of their way to make it a big deal."
"I've come here and watched before," she said. "But I like to help because I run track in junior high."
A Kansas athlete, freshman jumper Marcus Scheid, said that the relays had turned out well.
Brian Vandervliet / KANSAN
Mike Bailey, Nebraska decathlete, left, and Michael Evers, Merrionette Park, Ill., sophomore, congratulate each other after finishing the 1,500 meter race at the Kansas Relays. Evers finished second to Bailey with a time of 440.76 seconds and finished third overall in the decathlon on Thursday.
Governor line vetoes budget
By Stephen Martino Kansan staff writer
Gov. Joan Finney vetoed Friday $12.4 million of the Board of Regents' budget, which was the money that would have increased faculty salaries.
However, while visiting the KU campus Saturday for the African American Legislative Caucus, the governor pacified the crowd, which included University and Regents officials, by saying, "You're going to get your money."
Specifically, Finney vetoed two lines from the Regents budget One line item was for a little more than $7 million. That money was for increasing faculty salaries by 2.5 percent.
The second line she vetowed was for a $5.4 million fund. The Legislature gave the Regents complete control over how this money would be spent. However, the Legislature specifically mentioned additional faculty salary increases and student financial aid in the bill as intended purposes.
It was the discretion that the Legislature gave the Regents to which Finney objected, she said.
"The governor and the Legislature have the responsibility for allocation and management of the state's financial resources," she said in her veto message. "I believe it may be inappropriate for that responsibility to be shifted to an appointed board, even though that board is made of higher quality, competent members."
Finney said Saturday that her basic political philosophy was fiscal accountability.
"I believe very strongly that public funds should be appropriated by elected officials," she said. "But I don't have a problem with the money being spent for the universities."
It had been speculated for the past week that Finney might veto the entire Regents budget in an effort to force the Legislature to reconsider the admission of Washburn University into the Regents system.
Before the legislative session began, Finney endorsed a plan, called the Partnership for Excellence, to significantly raise Regents faculty salaries if the Legislature would admit Washburn into the Regents. However, the State Senate killed the admission of Washburn by an overwhelming majority.
Finney said she would not accept salary increases without Washburn's admission or vice versa.
However, House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, said he did not think that Finney's veto was an attempt to get the Washburn measure passed by the Legislature.
"The Washburn issue is dead," he said. "The governor would have vetoed the whole budget if she thought the Washburn issue was a possibility."
However, he said he was confident the Legislature would pass another bill authorizing the spending — with specific line items.
"Nearly all money will be restored," Sawyer said. "The governor just thought the budget gave too much discretion."
Staying together
It's hard enough to get a job. It's even harder to get a job when you're with someone you love.
Page 6.
Dean Smith emphasizes role of teachers
By Stephen Martino Kansan staff writer
Dean Smith may be known for his quick thinking and coaching on the basketball court, but he is more proud of his role as a teacher to the student-athletes he also coaches.
Smith was at the University of Kansas this weekend to accept the Apple Award for Distinguished Achievement in Education from the School of Education's National Advisory Board. The award is given to recognize those people who have made contributions to the area of education.
Smith made only a few short remarks after being given the award, bouncing from jokes to observations about the contribution education has made in his life.
He said that he was concerned that less people would choose teaching if professions, such as airline attendants, continued to pay more.
"Somehow we need to get teachers on a pay pedestal with other professions," he said. "There is something wrong if you can do coffee, tea and milk for more than being a teacher."
Both of Smith's parents were teachers, and he has a degree from the School of Education.
Smith's award presentation dinner at the Museum of Natural History culminated a weekend of events to benefit the school. On Friday, the school had a golf tournament that raised $10,000 for student scholarships and faculty development. Also on Friday, Wendall Mohling, associate executive director of the National Science Teachers Association, presented a seminar to members of the advisory board.
Smith, saying he was a not a good public speaker, said he had accomplished much as a coach, but he could do better than coaching.
"If I really wanted to help people, I'd resign my position and be a junior high teacher and coach," he said.
But as a coach, some think—including his star pupil—he has done a pretty good job at touching the lives of his players.
"Coach Smith is the best teacher on the court," said Roy Williams, KU men's basketball coach. "But many of us know that he is even better off the court."
Williams, who was an assistant coach for Smith at North Carolina before he came to KU, said that he had learned a great deal from watching Smith.
"When you've been with Dean Smith, whether its as a player or an assistant coach, — one, six or 10 years later — you're still seeing things he taught you." he said.
Administrators, alumni and retired education school faculty crowded into the museum to see Smith. Among them was Karen Gallagher, the new dean of the school, set to start on July 1. She said that she was encouraged by the support she had seen for the school by the University community.
James Wilcox/ KANSAN
"I think that too often education isn't viewed as really important to the mission of a university," she said. "However, it is clear there is a strong commitment to education at the University of Kansas. I have not seen anything like it."
Some saw that commitment starting with people such as
North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith talks with Rita Haugh of Lawrence after receiving the Apple Award for Distinguished Achievement in Education from the School of Education. The award is presented annually to a KU alumnus or alumna.
Dean Smith. As he left the museum Saturday night, he draped his arm around the shoulder of his friend and former roommate at KU, Bill Bunten. As they walked down Jayhawk Boulevard towards the Kansas Union, Smith could be heard asking one question.
"We know," he said. "Why can't everyone else know? We can change the world through teachers."
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