Sports: The Kansas women's basketball team faces Kansas State Sunday in Allen Field House. Page 11.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.103,NO.89
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
KANSAS STATE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66612
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
FRIDAY. JANUARY 28,1994
(USPS USA)
Haskell Regents reject trafficway proposals
County, state will now consider options
The Associated Press
The Board of Regents at Haskell Indian Nations University has rejected proposed design alternatives for a highway it believes would hurt the school.
Douglas County commissioners presented the board with the list of 12 options to address the school's concerns on Wednesday.
The $62 million South Lawrence
Trafficway, which has been planned for decades, is designed to connect Kansas 10 to Interstate 70 and relieve traffic congestion in Lawrence.
Haskell officials contend the proposed route — adjacent to Haskell's south campus along 31st Street — would disturb ground the school uses for sacred purposes and harm a wetlands area students use for study.
The dispute involves about 3,000 feet of the 14-mile highway.
Since the Regents rejected the proposals, the county now will meet with state and federal officials to determine the next step. Buhler said.
The 15-member board heard comments from students, faculty and concerned members of the community following the county's presentation.
building ways to control water and improve drainage near the wetlands, and offering the school a $160,000 grant for science study.
Mark Buhler, Douglas County commissioner, said the alternatives included such things as lowering the proposed height of the trafficway, screening the area with native trees,
The Regents unanimously approved a resolution yesterday that said the school wanted to work with county officials to identify alternatives to the trafficway.
The estimated costs of all 12 alternatives would be between $735,000 and $12 million. Buhler said.
they have basically said the 31st Street alignment will not work, unequivocally," Buhler said. "All our efforts have been associated with that alignment, so we're not sure what our choices are now."
"We would like to hold on to the land we currently have left," Stacy James, head of the Haskell Save the Wetlands committee, said at the meeting. "The dominant society should be thankful that they own 97 percent of our land currently."
Hannes Combest, educational assistant to Haskell president Bob Martin said Haskell was not sure of its next step either.
"We don't have a plan," she said. "We just stated our position."
James said students were pleased with the board's decision. She said the committee would continue working with the county to try to get the alignment of the trafficway changed.
"I'm not sure what the plan is," she said. "It will be interesting to see what happens."
Kansan staff writer Denise Neil contributed information to this story.
Council approves relationship policy
Doug Hesse / KANSAN
Content and wording spark heated debate
NEWS:864-4810
By Stephen Martino Kansan staff writer
P. Srinivasan, head of SenEx, opens the floor for discussion on the consensual relations policy during the University Council meeting
After about an hour and a half of spirited and contentious debate, University Council approved a SenEx-recommended amendment to the consensual relations policy.
The policy is all but assured of going into effect because the amendment was based on an administration recommendation, David Shuilenburg, vice chancellor for academics affairs, said last week that the administration was willing to accept the SenEx version.
The meeting included a heated discussion between Emil Tonkovich, former professor of law, and Robert Friauf, head of Council, and resulted in Tonkovich being able to address Council.
For about 30 minutes, the Council discussed the definitions of words in the amendment.
Don Marquis, Council member and professor of philosophy, questioned whether the words "should not" equaled "ought not" or were closer to defining proscribed conduct. "Should not" was used to describe faculty involving themselves in relationships with students. Proscribed conduct was described as conduct that could result in disciplinary action against faculty members.
Two motions were brought to change the wording of the amendment but both failed.
As debate continued, speakers often strayed from designated points of discussion and expanded on their views of the policy.
"I can believe we are considering voting on a policy when a crucial aspect of the policy is unclear." Marquis said.
Many of her colleagues nodded their heads in agreement.
Sandra Zindars-Swartz, professor of religious studies, said she had never been in favor of the administration's ban, which was imposed on Aug. 20, 1993, but said it was clear what the policy intended.
"I don't mean to be crude, but the policy has the three f's in it," she said. "You f- your students, you're found out, you're fired."
She said that if amendments were passed, they could blur the intent of the overall policy.
couldburthe intentionof the T.P.Srinivasan,head ofSenEx,said that Council should not be tinkeringwith the policy becauseif it did the administration might not accent it.
Marquis said that there was good reason to tinker with it if there were varying interpretations.
About this time, Tonkovich, who had been sitting in the corner of the room since the beginning of the meeting, stood and started to address the Council.
Immediately, Friauf said that Tonkovich had no right to speak because he was not a member of Council. Friauf had said at the beginning of the meeting he would not recognize nonmembers, a departure from past precedent within Council.
"This kind of action is indicative of the totalitarianism in the way this University operates," Tonkovich said. "I would ask that a Council member make a motion that will allow me to speak."
Friauf was clearly agitated by Tonkovich's outburst, moving closer to him and warning Tonkovich that although the Council did not have a sergeant-at-arms, he could be removed. Friauf then said that he would require a unaniof appointed members from special-interest groups. Considers policy that directly affects students and appropriates money collected from student fees.
Frauf then said that he would require a unanimous vote to allow Tonkovik to speak.
His statement brought a chorus of disapproval from his colleagues.
It was decided that a simple majority would be enough for Tonkovich to speak, and the motion easily passed.
Tonkovich proceeded to criticize the University for the handling of his termination, saying it was based on no policy violation.
"I was fired for allegedly violating a rule that you are voting on today," he said. "This is typical of the disregard for the law that permeates at this University."
He said that he was fired for having sex with a student, a charge he denies, and not sexual harassment or moral turpitude.
"I'm not here to argue the merits of the policy you are considering," he said, "but to point out the real power differential is between the administration and faculty governance, who knuckle-under every time there is conflict."
Once Tonkovich concluded his statement, the Council continued its discussion but only shortly.
The motion was passed an hour and 23 minutes after they started debating, with only a handful of opposing votes.
What's what at KU
ADMINISTRATION: Chancellor, executive vice chancellor, the three vice chancellors and the subordinates within their offices. Executes the policies and procedures of the University.
Several University organizations have been involved in the process of developing and passing the the consensual relations policy. These are the major organizations and their functions.
FACULTY SENATE: Composed of administration, all deans, tenured faculty and other professors and directors of University offices. Considers policy that directly affects faculty.
POLICY: Student's opinions. Page 3.
GOVERNANCE: The umbrella name for all representative bodies at the University.
STUDENT SENATE: Composed of students (elected directly) and also a number
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL: Composed of 12 student senators and 39 faculty members. Acts on behalf of Student Senate and Faculty Senate to consider policy that affects all members of the University community.
SENEX: Executive group of University Council, six of whom are faculty members and three of whom are student senators. One student senator must be a graduate student. Meets weekly to enforce and carry out code in an expeditious manner.
JUDICIAL BOARD: Composed of three law professors with tenure and many other members from all aspects of the University community, including students, classified staff and administrators. Acts to resolve conflicts, grievances and complaints coming out of the University community.
Graduate students get senate
By Heather Moore Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
The hopes of the former graduate student council were answered on Dec. 19, when Student Senate granted it the right to separate from the main body.
The final decision on the split still will have to go through administrative channels, said Chris O'Brian, former graduate student council president.
The newly formed Graduate Senate will be changing in prestige more than in organization, making it equal to Senate. Graduate Senate plans to keep amicable relations with Senate.
Nancy Scott, communications director for the Graduate Senate, said one of the things that the group would be working on was a graduate student experience survey.
"We hope to let the grad school know what issues graps are facing," she said. "They are decentralized, older, support families, worry about child-care and financial support."
Another one of the issues that the group is working on is a centralized job search network.
Lynette Sharp Penya, executive director of Graduate Senate, said that this would allow the graduate students to find out about jobs before they came to campus.
"We'll have a telephone number that students can call to find what jobs they are interested in," she said. "People are so busy. This way they can call up and find on-campus jobs."
Penya said that although the service was aimed at graduate students, it would be available to all students.
After the separation is finalized, graduate student fees will be sent to the Graduate Senate and the undergraduate fees will be sent to the Senate. There will be a joint account that will handle the common services and work the way the Senate Finance Committee works now.
Of the graduate fees, 20 percent will be used for graduate needs and 80 percent will be used for the joint interests. Graduate student council received $83,700 this year from Senate, and it expects to receive approximately that amount next year as Graduate Senate.
O'Brien said that the other 80 percent of the fees had to go to Senate because the graduates still needed to take advantage of services that the Senate provides, such as health care, busing and child care.
"The percentage can flex and compensate for a rise in graduate enrollment," he said.
The Graduate Senate will retain the same structure as the graduate student council. Academic departments that do not currently have representatives in the graduate student council have an opportunity to elect representatives to the Graduate Senate. The Graduate Senate will meet once a month and the Graduate Senate Executive Committee will set the agenda for the Graduate Senate.
The Graduate Senate will be phased in over one year.
O'Brien said that this would protect the people who are in positions this year and that it would give time to work out the financial bugs.
Some senators from each organization will attend meetings in both Senate and Graduate Senate. A joint affairs committee will be established of the executive officers in both senates to ensure that legislation has been brought before both bodies.
Take Two
KU alumnus Antonio Shepherd will direct his play "Color Doesn't Matter" at 8 tonight in the Lied Center. Page 5.
Court restricts student fees from lobbyists
The University of Kansas withdrew from the League of Kansas Students on Dec. 26 because of a decision made by Attorney General Bob Stephan.
By Heather Moore
Kansan staff writer
Kansas college groups unsure about future
The decision, which was handed down a month ago, said that student lobbying groups cannot use student fees for lobbying.
The reasoning for Stephan's decision is based on a California Supreme Court case in which a student group was using student
fees to lobby for pro-choice causes. The Supreme Court said that student fees could
not be used for lobbying because lobbyists' views may not represent all students' views.
Because of this ruling, lobbying efforts have been restricted to on-campus activities.
Alan Tikwart,
Westwood Hills
"The separation
can still represent the school to the Legislature, Tkwart said.
is ashame."
Benjy Schwartz Co-director of KU's student lobbying group
senior and co-director of KU's student lobby group, said student representation at the statehouse would be hurt.
"We can't go to Topela because student fees can't fund these trips," he said.
"Our schools have litte in common because of geography and size," he said. "Our views are so different. We have different outlooks on all issues."
Student Body President John Shoemaker
Tikwart said KU lobbyists also encountered problems agreeing with other schools in the league, which was formed just last semester. Those schools are Kansas State University, Wichita State University and Washburn University.
Tikwart said that KU's lobbyists would concentrate their efforts on letter-writing campaigns.
"We have rules to ensure that lobbying is non-partisan and for the budget," he said.
Shoemaker said the ruling also would hinder the free speech of lobbyists.
non-partisan and for the budget," he said. Shoemaker said that KU was not a professional lobbying group.
we provide legislative information," he said. "We let them know about student thoughts on tuition."
Benly Schwartz, Northbrook, Ill., senior and co-director of KU's student lobby group, said the lobbyists still were deciding what actions they will take.
4.
Schwartz said they would make the best out of a bad situation.
"Alan and I will make a joint effort to let students know what's going on," he said. Schwartz said they would make the best
"The separation is a shame," he said. "The constitution was OK'd by Senate and it all fell apart."