SPORTS: The Kansas baseball team enters the heart of the Big Eight Conference season. Page 11.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.103,NO.126
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
KANSAS STATE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66612
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1994
(USPS 650-640)
School of architecture selects dean
NEWS:864-4810
Former chief executive, teacher brings experience in Minnesota firm to KU
By Jamie Munn
Kansan staff writer
The chief executive from one of the nation's leading architecture firms will have a new home beginning this summer.
John Gaunt, formerly of Ellerbe Becket Inc., Minneapolis, was selected yesterday as KU's new dean of architecture and urban design.
David Shulenburger, vice chancellor for academic affairs, said Gaunt would become the school's new dean on July 1. Gaunt will fill the vacancy left by Max Lucas, who served as the school's dean for 12 years.
Gaunt, who joined Ellerbe Becket in 1975, became the firm's chairman and chief executive officer in 1988. The firm was ranked by the journal "Building Design and Construction" as the largest firm in the country in 1993.
John Gaunt
Gaunt said he left the firm in January to pursue his career as a teacher.
"I'm really delighted with the position," Gaunt said. "It just feels right to me."
Although Gaunt also had considered a position at Iowa State University, he said his personal feelings had led him to Lawrence.
Gaunt said he was impressed with the scholarly environment at the architecture school and at the University as a whole.
From his recent visits to KU, Gaunt said he also had admired the campus and its architecture.
"I really liked what I saw," he said.
Prior to joining the firm, Gaunt was an associate professor in the Graduate School of Architecture and Planning
for Columbia University, New York. He also has lectured on architecture throughout the United States.
I've always felt there needed to be a good balance between the world of practice and the world of education," he said.
And the combination of teaching and business experience may be one of Gaunt's strengths for KU.
"Especially in this day and age, the practicality in knowledge is important." Gaunt said.
Chancellor Gene Budig said in a statement that Gaunt's unique credentials would serve the school of architecture and urban design well in the future.
"John Gaunt is a nationally known architect and business leader who clearly understands and appreciates the instructional process," Budig said.
Gaunt achieved his master's in architecture from the University of Pennsylvania in 1967 and a bachelor's in architecture from the University of Minnesota in 1964. He also received a bachelor of arts from the University of Minnesota in 1962.
Gaunt's project experience includes several buildings at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana University and the UCLA Center for Health Sciences.
African-Awareness Week in Lawrence
Today
Movie: "Saaraba"
7 p.m., 2092 Dole
Free.
Wednesdav
Wednesday
Panel Discussion: "African and African-American Relations"
7 p.m., Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave.
Free.
Thursday
Forum: "Female Circumcision;
Mutilation or Culture"
7 p.m., Ecumenical Christian
Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave.
Free.
Saturday, April 2
Cultural fashion show and dinner
4 p.m., First Christian Church Fellowship Hall, 1000 Kentucky St. Tickets purchased in advance: 1:2 and under; $3; students: $6; adults: $8.
9p.m.to2a.m.
The School House, 1510 N. Third St.
Admission is $5.
KANSAN
Brian Vandervliet/ KANSAN
Out of Africa
Death bill stalled in Legislature
By Stephen Martino Kansan staff writer
House, Senate differences jeopardize new crime laws
TOPEKA — The death penalty, once thought certain to become law, has become less of a sure thing.
Capital punishment was expected to become law given the Legislature's general approval and Gov. Joan Finney's assurance that she would allow the legislation to become law without her signature. However, the bill has been language in a joint House/Senate conference committee, preventing it from going to the governor.
The House passed a broad death penalty bill on Feb. 11. The Senate passed a much narrower version on March 1. Under the rules of the Legislature, when the two bodies pass similar but not exact bills, a conference committee — with representatives from both bodies — is created to work out differences.
try to avoid using the term 'take it or leave it,' said State Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Hays and member of the conference committee. "But when I go back to the Senate with a compromise, there aren't 21 votes to support it."
On March 17, State Rep. Clyde Graeber, R-Leavenworth and committee chair, said that the Senate would not budge and suggested that the House accept the Senate version. He said he was confident the measure would pass.
However, that idea was dealt a crushing defeat when many death penalty supporters joined opponents in rejecting the bill 69-54.
Graeber said yesterday that he was surprised the action was defeated so soundly. But he said supporters, especially younger members, needed to realize that passing some kind of pill was more important than passing nothing at all.
"This is absolutely the weakest thing I've ever seen," Graeber said. "But we have to realize that to get a chicken, you have to crack through the egg first."
Supporters of a strong death penalty wrote a letter to the Senate last week stating that they would vote for the bill if one provision was changed. They argued for the death penalty to apply to all instances where first-degree murder occurs during a kidnapping. The Senate version limited kidnapping murders to those where ransom was involved.
However, State Sen. Dick Rock, D-Akansas City, said the House's request was more than it led people to believe. He is a key member of a fragile 22-member coalition supporting the death penalty in the 40-member Senate.
"Kidnapping is deprivation of liberty," he said. "Without ransom, almost everyone committing murder would be eligible for the death penalty because almost every situation involves kidnapping."
State Rep. Greg Packer, R-Topeka and a signer of the letter, said the Senate's refusal to act on the letter's suggestion was disappointing but not a surprise.
The $1.9 million renovation of Allen Field House came as a result of a 1991 State Fire Marshall report that deemed the field house unsafe when fully occupied.
Source: Board of Regents
Regents approve sprinklers for field house
By Jamie Munn Kansan staff writer.
A new sprinkler system for KU's Allen Field House may cool some heated complaints about the building's safety.
During its March meeting, the Board of Regents approved the $1.9 million necessary for the new system. Money for the project is financed by the Regents' capital improvement fund for fiscal years 1994 and 1995.
The sprinklers and other improvements, such as extra stairs, were recently accepted by the University in response to a December 1991 fire and life safety evaluation conducted by the State Fire Marshall's office.
"Allen Field House presents one of
Lawrence Fire Marshall Rich Barr, who worked on the safety recommendations, said the large number of people who attended games was the biggest concern.
the most significant life-loss potentials in Kansas when fully occupied," the State Fire Marshall's report said.
An automatic smoke detection system will be installed in the field house, even though the system originally was not part of the Regent's budget.
"Allen Field House will be substantially safer for the occupants from a fire should one occur." Barr said.
As of the December 1991 report, no alarm or automatic smoke detection
Barr said another complaint, a limited water supply, soon would be corrected by a new water supply system at the University. The new system would provide the field house with a better water supply.
Barr said in response to the original fire safety concerns during this basketball season, eight fire fighters, with emergency equipment, had been positioned at every home game. The Lawrence fire department also will continue to train event ushers for crowd control to ensure faster exit times for spectators and athletes.
systems were in place in Allen.
University Architect Allen Wiechert said the renovation plans still were being reviewed. Construction bids for the project should be taken soon.
Wiechert said the improvements would begin as soon as possible and should be completed by the first basketball game of the 1994-95 season.
"This is one of the University's high-
priority improvements," he said.
The revised plan also provides for new interior stairs from the four upper corners of seating, also known as the "crow's nest," Wiechert said.
The revised seating plans would provide about 200 new seats in the field house.
Wiechert said the Lawrence designing and architectural firm Gould Evans and Associates had designed the renovations plans, which also include a bridge corridor on the west side of the building to the Parrott Athletic Center.
A revival of religion
Many KU students say religion is still an important part of their lives.
Page 9.
Students prepare to move, or maybe not
Juniors, seniors are tired of the hassles
By Heather Moore Kansan staff writer
Summer is almost here and that means students usually need to find an apartment for next year.
Most juniors and seniors seem to be sick of moving or have found the perfect place to live. Freshman, especially those in residence halls, seem to be ready to move out.
Lisa Voth, Wichita senior, said she does not plan to move out of her apartment this year.
“This is my third apartment,” she said. “The main problem with moving is time and deciding whose stuff is whose when I move away from my roommates. It's also
Like many students, Voth usually moves her belongings herself or has friends help. She said the reason she didn't want to move was that she was happy with her roommate and that the rent was reasonable.
expensive to set up new utilities."
"I don't like moving around a lot," she said.
Samantha Christy, Uniontown senior, said she thought moving would be a hassle because of the bad experiences she had had in the past.
"One big problem is when you need to be out one apartment on July 31 and can't get into another until August 1," she said. "Of course, summer is hot, and it's not fun to move in the heat."
Even though she didn't plan to move this year, Voth said moving offered a change for her, which was good.
"We live in small apartment and get tired of it quickly," she said.
Wendy Davis, Wichita freshman, said that she was ready to move out of her residence hall.
Davis also said that the apartment search process was time consuming for her.
Christine Echelmeyer, St. Louis freshman, said she also was looking forward to moving out of the residence hall.
Echelmeyer said her family probably would help her move in.
"It is way too noisy past quiet hours," she said. "People are inconsiderate."
"I'd like more privacy and a year-round residency," she said.
Many students find that it is easier to move with the help of a moving company, which costs an average of $50 per hour.
Pat Steffens, who works for one of the local moving companies, said students
were often unprepared for moving.
"They wait too long to make arrangements, and it takes them longer than they think to get it done," she said. "If you are moving, talk to someone about packing properly."
Robert Norris, general manager for another local moving company, said most of its business did not rely on students.
"Ninety percent of students self-move," he said. "About 5 to 10 percent of them need help."
But Norris said students often made mistakes in moving their belongings themselves.
"One problem is not allowing enough padding for furniture," he said. "You also need to leave time to pack, about one room per day."
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