OPINION
The University Daily KANSAN
February 29.1984 Page 4
The University Daily KANSAN
Published since 1889 by students of the University of Kansas
The University Daykan Kaisan (USPS 650-640) is published at the University of Kansas. 118 Stauffer Flint Hall, Lawrence, KS 69043, daily during the regular school year and Monday and Thursday during the summer session, excludes holidays, and final periods; second class postage paid at Lawerns. Kumu 650-640 is published by mail for $16 per student. Subscription fees are $1 a semester through the student activity fee. POSTMASTER. Send address changes to
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Broken promises
President Reagan may well go into the history books as the president who confirmed to the Arab world that the United States does not keep its promises.
Reagan made the mistake of supporting a government that never had a chance of unifying Lebanon by sending Marines to keep a peace that could not be kept.
Of greater concern are the future effects of Reagan's Lebanon losses upon the leaders of Arab countries. Those leaders may well decide that America's trust is transparent and that its willingness to initiate plausible policy in a troubled area is suspect.
Because of his ambivalence in making policy that he was not prepared to back up, he has given political ammunition to every rebel group in the region.
When Reagan announced Feb. 7 that all Marines would be departing from Beirut, he assured the Lebanese government that he was committed to supporting the government of President Amin Gemavel.
He said that the United States
intended to "vigorously accelerate the training, equipping and support of the Lebanese armed forces on whom the primary responsibility rests for maintaining stability in Lebanon."
Over the weekend, the Reagan administration decided not to continue supporting the Lebanese government. It refused to grant just under $300 million in new military aid to Lebanon and to send additional U.S. military advisers and trainers to Lebanon.
Undoubtedly, by his actions President Reagan has saved the United States almost $300 million. However, in the process he has once again shown the Arab world that what he says is not necessarily what he will do.
Today, the Lebanese armed forces are still responsible for maintaining stability in Lebanon. America still supports them in spirit.
But without aid they shall soon become losers, partly because of the impotent and ambivalent policies of the Reagan administration.
And it will be quite some time before the Arab world forgets.
Admitting his mistake
The Rev. Jesse Jackson has proven himself to be one of the most astute politicians around. His trip to Syria in an attempt to free a captured American flier was one indication of this.
Most recently, the presidential candidate admitted to a Jewish audience Sunday evening that he had made an off-color remark about Jews.
Off-color remarks, ethnic jokes and similar improprieties have been the downfall of numerous politicians and Washington leaders. Earl Butz and James Watt are two who come readily to mind.
Jackson found himself in their shoes over the past two weeks. His campaign was hounded by allegations that he had referred to Jews as "Hymies" and to New York City as "Hymietown." The terms are variations of the name Hyman and are considered offensive by many Jews.
Sunday, Jackson took the initiative. He provided further proof of his political instincts by saying that a leader must be "sure enough to know error, strong enough to admit it."
Several Jewish leaders around the nation lauded Jackson for his forthrightness in clearing up the situation. Still, they pointed out their continuing disagreement with him over his Mideast policies.
One is tempted to wonder whether perhaps Jackson is getting off easy, perhaps easier than others have. After all, Watt and Butz both lost their jobs. And the praise about Jackson's honesty should not cover up his repeated statements that he could not recall using the terms.
His action, however, is commendable.
Far too often, politicians are unwilling to call something by its name. Jackson realized he made a mistake and he admitted it.
Setting a bad example
No wonder all eight fraternities at Amherst College in Massachusetts have been banned by college officials.
The immature antics displayed by disgruntled fraternity members protesting the planned dismantling of their houses have merely substantiated claims of excessively rowdy behavior.
Food fights, shouted obscenities, effigy hangings and hunger strikes that occurred after the decision to abolish the fraternity system perpetuate the immature image of the school's fraternity men.
The National Interfraternity
Council claims that the fraternities are being used as scapegoats. But the college has a right to outlaw such blatant irresponsibility.
David Skaggs, the 20-year-old president-elect of Amherst's Interfraternity Council, said of the college president, "A lot of people are thinking of throwing tomatoes and stuff. He's not very popular right now."
Such comments are unwarranted. A fraternity, like any group with a common interest, can be a positive influence on people within the group and on the community with which it interacts.
The University Daily Kansan welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be typewritten, double-spaced and should not exceed 300 words. They should include the writer's name, address and phone number. If the writer is affiliated with the University, the letter should include his class and home town or faculty or staff position. The Kansan also invites individuals and groups to submit guest columns. Columns and letters can be mailed or brought to the Kansan office, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit or reject letters and columns.
LETTERS POLICY
Student involvement needed
EDITOR'S NOTE: This column was originally published in the University Daily Kansan March 20, 1978, as part of a special section on student government. David Amber, vice chancellor for student affairs, recently resubmitted the column to the Konson.
The headlines last week carried the news that the students at the University of Texas had voted overwhelmingly to abolish their student government.
The news came as no great surprise, for it is just another number on the growing list of universities across the country at which students have taken such action.
But it does raise the question once again of the future viability of student involvement in university governance and self-governance.
Let me state my bias at the outset. Many changes occurred in universities during the 1960s that revolutionized relationships between institutions and students. Many changes have not endured, probably for good reasons.
But most of them had a profound and positive effect on improving the quality of higher education. The freedom and responsibility that came with the demise of "in loco parentis" have fostered greater maturity and self-discipline among students.
Most of these gains have been accomplished through organized student government, and I, for one, would not want to see these hard-won involvements diminished because of apathy or the shortcoming of our present system. In short, let's not "throw the baby out with the water."
among students. The students' ability to influence decisions on academic programs and student life has enriched all of us in the academic community.
To be sure, there are troubles in the River City of student politics. The vast majority of students here and elsewhere annually elect not to vote in these elections, but you can tell who you is president of their student body.
frequently branded as "sandboxes for infant politicians, "do-not-hook, and worse yet,"
Student politicians frequently neglect them homework, fail to achieve their lofty campaign promises or speak without proper qualifications on complex issues of academic or University life. And, like most politicians, they want to vote for every appropriation and against all taxation.
Student governments and their leaders are
I suspect that on any campus there is an element of truth to some of these charges, but can any of us believe that?
DAVID AMBLER
Guest Columnist
frequently in describing some of our state and national political leaders?
Can the adult society boast of a better voting record than that of the student body? Are we not all guilty of failing to keep ourselves informed and involved with the issues of the day?
Don't we all expect more from our government without increasing our commitment — or taxes — to it? And do we not react with pious amazement when leaders seemingly fail to reflect our best interests?
It should be no shock that we occasionally have our Watergates, but, by and large, it is my assessment that we usually get a better government than we deserve.
Such, I think, is true with student government at KU. In my short tenure here, I have been well-educated with the maturity, quality and accomplishment of the students who serve in leadership positions.
I have had the opportunity to know three student body presidents, and each has a distinguished record of representation of your interests, as best they have been able to ascertain them.
The same kind of dedication and achievement can be attributed to many students who serve on the Student Senate. University committees and other governmental bodies. Unfortunately, all of them can legitimately ask, "Does anybody care?" I hope you do!
I hope you do because what your student leaders do can make a difference in your academic life and your pocketbook. Those of us involved with University administration take them seriously and have no other choice but to accept them as your bona fide representative.
They do affect our thinking and decisions. Additionally they allocate more than $400,000 of your fee money each year for services and programs that they think you want. They represent students not only in Strong Hall but also in Topeka. They work to improve everything from your academic advising to your health service to your parking lots.
The system is not perfect, but it has served you well. It probably needs to work harder at communicating with you, but the loner's share of responsibility is yours as a student and a citizen.
You exercise that responsibility not only with your ballot, but with your involvement in the campaign.
I end where I began — with a note of optimism. While the students at the University of Texas were abolishing their student government, Dartmouth was establishing theirs after an eight-year absence.
As in so many other aspects of KU, we have had a long tradition of high quality in our student work.
Perfect? No, but the baby is healthy and just needs your constant care and concern. Does your baby have a fever?
Women still lack rights that men get
In a world where the women's movement is well under way, there seems to be little use for Sadie Hawkins's Day.
On this day, which comes only once every four years when leap year gives us 29 days, tradition dictates that men should to propose to unmarried men.
In the United States, Sadie Hawkin's Day has become a tradition but one not taken seriously. Celebrations are usu-
MARGARET
SAFRANEK
Staff Columnist
any no more than girl-ask-boy events, as accepted as the high school prom.
But the leap year tradition does recall that life for women and men is still not equal. The more idea that there is one specific time when it is appropriate for women to propose marriage points to persistent stereotypical perceptions about women.
The reason for the inequality can be traced to both sexes. The double standard is as healthy as being the same in many ways, less threatened.
A woman can make a man feel special by phoning him with a specific invitation, but try having that be the regular way of doing things and it doesn't seem to work.
When the man is on the receiving end too often, he is
The woman feels uncomfortable. She doesn't mind calling occasionally, but if she usually has to initiate the date, something tells her that perhaps she should reconsider.
uncomfortable also. The occasional phone call from a woman has its place, but the regular phone calls bears a hint of inappropriateness.
Many men will discuss how proud they are of their wife or girlfriend — her education, her accomplishments. But after a hard day's work, they still expect the served a nice home-cooked meal.
Anyone who has considered the responsibilities of a career and the wife/mother role knows 'the conflicts.
Perhaps women and men of future generations will not have to deal with such problems. Women of today, in the transitional generation between woman-as-servant and woman-as-teammate, are challenged by simply trying to maintain some sort of same medium between the two.
Education is encouraged by family, friends, partners and
colleagues. The thought is exciting and a real possibility.
Several years later, a woman has a master's degree qualifying her as a professional, but only after considerable expense. Financing school through part-time jobs and loans on a house is another furniture for years on end has only been part of the equation.
Hours have been spent studying when friends were off taking vacations or spending their evenings reading novels, fixing up an apartment or visiting other friends.
And along with the struggles of a university education was the stimulus from fellow students and professors. Encouraging words, completed projects and courses and a finished thesis
In the meantime, the only thing the student hoped for was to find a clean pair of underwear so they could be safe and dry until midterms were over.
were all stepping stones to a career. With these accomplishments behind her, the idea of a career was not so terrifying.
Once on the job, the demands of the profession grew. The challenges made the work attractive and fulfilling.
But what of all the other needs in life? How was the career to be balanced with a personal life? How concerned are we not hers alone.
The challenges of a profession grow more attractive with additional education and exposure to host of opportunities available.
learns to achieve equality have created many of these challenges. It is a trying time for women seeking to find the careful balance between career and family life.
Leap year is but one reminder that choices for most women come with some sort of strings attached.
Strong women unite to combat sexism
The East Asian Studies building no longer stands at 1332 Louisiana St., but the memories of its finest night remain.
This month marks the 12th anniversary of the unforgettable actions of 20 women who saw injustice and made taking their reputations for a cause.
In just one night, those 20 people accomplished what women who worked within the constraints of the law had failed to attain in three years.
In February 1972, 20 "Jane Doe"
occupied the University of Kansas
East Asian Studies building to
protest discrimination against
ethnic groups in the building at
6:30 p.m. Feb. 4 and left
at 9 a.m. the next morning.
Thanks to the February Sisters, the all-male Senate Executive Committee drafted a resolution that night. The resolution supported a bill to provide day care center and agreed to start a health care program for women.
want to damage anything, and they were careful not to." Marilyn Stokstad, professor of art history, who acted as a liaison between the February Sisters and the administration, told a reporter then.
"I'm proud of them. They didn't
KIESA HARRIS
"I realize that it's an illegal action, but we've been working within the system and have gotten
no results. You can't help admiring people who do it as long as they don't damage anything."
The February Sisters demanded that the University appoint a woman as vice chancellor for academic affairs, establish a free day care center, create an affirmative action office led by a woman, improve
for academic affairs, Hilltop Child Development Center, a private, nonprofit child care center, is open from 7:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. daily.
women's health services, and create a women's studies department.
If their demands were not met, they vowed to take their children to work and to every class until they got what they wanted.
The hospital started a special clinic for women almost immediately, and today, it's flourishing. KU has a women's studies department, and a woman leads the office of affirmative action.
That night, SenEx agreed to two demands. Within a week, the Student Senate had formed a committee to study child care services. By the end of the year, the University had acted on every one of the recommendations of the February Sisters.
A woman acts as vice chancellor
Women who had gone to the Student Health Services before the February Sisters instigated changes said that physicians knew little about modern birth control methods and gave tedious lectures on morality.
The KU administration and Student Senate had taken a few steps to provide some of these benefits, but the Sisters' takeover of the East End building provided the push necessary to expand these preliminary efforts.
"They finally brought these things to the very sharp attention of the administration." Stokstad said. "I would still support them. The things they accomplished were badly needed. They're taken for granted now."
The February Sisters, unraffraid to make quick work of the red tape and bureaucracy that chokes the flow of American dollars, brought the best of American society.
Their strength and foresight quickly led to the correction of inequity, and they demonstrated that women engaged women united to combat sexism