KANSAN
University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
Thursday, April 28, 1983 Vol.93, No.144 USPS 650-640
American support in El Salvador crucial, Reagan says
By United Press International
WASHINGTON — President Reagan warned Congress yesterday that communist subversion was a threat to the "security of all the Americas" and urged approval of the military aid El Salvador needs to "hold off the guerrillas."
"I do not believe there is a majority in the Congress or the country that counsels passivity, resignation, defeatism in the face of this challenge to freedom and security in our country."
nethispere, Reagan said.
A standing ovation, one of three the president received during the toughly worded speech, greeted his declaration.
THE PRESIDENT, APPEARING before a rare joint session of Congress, outlined a four-part policy on Central America - support for human rights and freedom, economic assistance, military aid, and fresh diplomatic initiatives.
But Reagan said dire consequences lay ahead if the United States failed to stop Soviet-backed rebels in the region.
rebels in the region, and an assume that nothing short of an actual attack on the United States will provoke an American response, which ally, which friend will trust us then" he asked.
when Freiburg was primarily televised address, billed by White House aides as primarily educational, was fraught with references to a global struggle between Washington and Moscow. Reagan
pointedly noted a Soviet "threat to station nuclear missiles in this hemisphere – five minutes from the United States."
The president's remarks were interrupted 10 times by applause, with the greatest sustained ovation greeting his declaration that the struggle in Central America would not become another
NO APPLAUSE CAME. HOWEVER, when Reagan announced he was standing firm in his request for nearly $200 million in additional military aid for El Salvador this year and next.
Reagan spoke from the podium of the House, with Vice President George Bush and House Speaker Thomas O'Neill, D-Mass., seated behind him.
semifun The chamber was packed with lawmakers, the
Cabinet and members of the diplomatic corps. First lady Nancy Reagan, wearing a bright red dress, was in the gallery.
The president, after making his way up the aisle crowded by well-wishers, left the high-ceilinged room with a thumbs-up sign. Immediately afterward, Democratic lawmakers took the floor to comment on the president's remarks. In his 34-minute address, Reagan reminded Congress it "shares both the power and the responsibility for our foreign policy," and underlined his view of the threat to the United States.
"The goal of the professional guerrilla movements in Central America is as simple as it is sinister — to destabilize the entire region from the Panama Canal to Mexico," he said.
REAGAN NOTED EL SALVADOR is closer to Texas than Texas is to Massachusetts, and reminded his audience of Nazi attacks on Allied shipping around the Panama Canal during World War II.
Many Americans "have thought of Central America as a place way down below Mexico that cannot possibly constitute a threat to our well-being," he said.
"I say to you tonight there can be no question: the national security of all the Americas is at stake in Central America. If we cannot defend ourselves there, we cannot expect to prevail."
Our credibility would collapse, our alliance BE READAGAN page 5
Carlin OKs mineral tax; $104 million expected
From staff and wire reports
TOPEKA — Flanked by a KU graduate student, a factory worker and an elementary school student in the Capitol rotunda, Gov John Carlin used nine pennies yesterday to sign into law a projected $104 million minerals waiver tax.
The 17-minute ceremony culminated Carlin's three-year battle for a minerals tax against a Republican-controlled Legislature and the oil and natural gas industries.
"Three legislative sessions ago, I began my fight for a severance tax in Kansas," Carlin told more than 100 people.
some onlookers leaned over the circular third-floor railing to see the second-floor formalities.
"The quest for a severance tax was not without difficulty, not without strife, and not without sacrifice." Carlin said. "But the achievement of worthy goals is never easy."
IN A SYMBOLIC GESTURE, Carlin was joined at the long, wooden signing table by
Patrick, also a fourth grade teacher at Brookwood Elementary School in Mission, signed a copy of the severance tax bill, along with Meagan Lang, a 10-year-old Topeka elementary school student, and Darred Fries, a worker for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in
Dariene Patrick, Prairie Village graduate student in educational administration.
Mike Swenson, Carlin's assistant press secretary, said the three Kansans represented citizens across the state.
"The signing ceremony was of course a major achievement of the governor," and it was our decision to do something a little out of the ordinary," he said. "They were, in effect, signing the bill for the people."
Carlin autographed the three participants' severance tax copies.
PATRICK SAID MEMBERS OF THE Kansas National Education Association called her Tuesday and asked her to represent the organization in yesterday's signing ceremony.
KNEA strongly endorsed Carlin in his 1982
see TAX page 5
Abuse threatens to restrict independent-student status
By SUSAN STANLEY Staff Reporter
The independent status program is now in some danger, however, because some students have been misusing it.
Dense Werniment is one of 2,004 students applying for independent student status for next fall with KU's office of financial aid, so she can possibly get more money for college expenses.
Wernimont, a sophomore originally from Omaha, Neb., works at Watson Library and receives various loans and grants to pay for her education.
TO GET INDEPENDENT STATUS. Wernimhad to certify with the financial aid office that, in the past two years, her parents have not claimed her as a deduction on their income tax, that she has not lived with them more than six weeks a year and that they have not contributed more than $750 a year to her support.
Because of this, she is able to list her own income — instead of her parents' income — when applying for aid. The average income for independent students is $3,960 and the average income for a dependent student's family is $26,973.
Wernimont will be eligible for more aid because her income is lower — but that does not mean affording college is any easier.
"It is still hard to make ends meet when you are an independent student." she said.
However, the independent status program has been jeopardized by misuse, which might make it more difficult for students with legitimate
needs to qualify, a financial aid official said yesterday.
JERRY ROGERS, DIRECTOR of the office of financial aid, said, "We hope they don't just file to get the status. Sometimes, they file things that aren't always factual."
Werminton does not like the possibility that she might lose her independent student status because some students are misusing the program.
Rogers said within the next year the Department of Education would seriously consider changing the qualifications for independent status.
"The government is really concerned about the number of students who file for independent status, without actually fitting those requirements," Rogers said.
money. Increase is already planned for next fall in the amount of money a student must supply before he is eligible for any loans or grants, Rogers said.
their education.
Of the almost 7,500 students who have so far filed American College Testing forms, 2,004 have requested independent student status, which may or may not be granted. The remaining 5,465 are dependent students whose aid amounts will be determined by a need qualification based on their parent's income.
rogers said.
NEXT FALL THAT AMOUNT will increase from $1,500 to $1,800 for state residents and from $2,000 to $2,300 for non-residents.
The number of aid applications has increased by 5) from last year, Rogers said.
"If these students are claiming that they are independent, they should be depending entirely on their own income and aid package to pay for their education," Rengers said.
Harold Simon, 77, stops traffic for a student at Centennial Elementary School, 2145 Louisiana St.
Rain, hail hit Kansas as temperatures drop
By ANNE FITZGERALD Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
Yesterday's gust-driven rains dashed dreams for blue skies, and punished people who defied the day's stormy forecast.
Dressed in shorts, sandals, and T-shirts, many of the hurried hurried across the KU campus and grimaced as the cold rain soaked through their summer attire. Some fashioned rain hats out of newspapers and tried to shield themselves from the driving rains. Most failed.
BUT EVEN SOME PEOPLE who heeded the ominous skies and donned duck shoes; rain capes and umbrellas could not escape the rains that pelted much of eastern Kansas throughout
The rains were the latest in a series that have made this April wetter than usual, a spokesman for the National Weather Service in Topeka said yesterday.
Topeka said yesterday, Meteorologist Larry Schultz, the spokesman, said that Topeka, for instance, had already had more than twice its usual April rainfall.
That statistic is true for much of the eastern third of the state, he said.
During April, temperatures also have been abnormal, Schultz said. Generally, they have ranged from five to 10 degrees lower than usual.
usual.
HAIL, AS WELL AS RAIN, pounded eastern Kansas yesterday. Tennis ball-sized hail was reported near Emporia, and many other communities reported half to three-quarter-inch hail, said Rich McNulty, deputy meteorologist with the weather service in Topeka.
Lawrence received some hail, but it was too small to cause any great damage.
small to about a gritty surface.
Robert Porter, KU associate director of physical plant maintenance, said neither the rains nor the hail had caused excessive problems at the University, aside from recurring leaks in some buildings.
But he also said that if the hail had been any larger, it could have stripped budding leaves off trees and possibly damaged some buildings' roofs.
The Lawrence Department was no busier than usual yesterday because of the federal shutdown.
SARAH GAREY, A PRODUCTION staff member of Sunflower Cablevision, said the
She said company technicians were not sure whether the system's failure was due to the storm.
company's entire system went down for an hour yesterday afternoon, knocking out service to more than 12,000 customers.
McNulty said the hail was caused by excessive moisture being pumped into thunderstorms in a frontal system that is slowly working its way out of Kansas.
He said that the system should be to the southeast of the state by this weekend, and that temperatures, ranging from the upper 60% to the 70%, should return to normal by then.
ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM is moving across the Rocky Mountains, McNulty said, and is headed for the northern plain states. But he also said there were no guarantees that it would move.
Unusual weather is also plagging other parts of the nation. Record low temperatures chilled Florida, where Daytona Beach reported 47 degrees and Miami reported 57. And in water-locked New England, rivers retreated toward their banks, although many stayed above flood stage in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Today will be mostly cloudy with a 10 percent chance of thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service in Tupelo. Rainfall will be from the southeast at 5 to 15 mph.
Bricker eves retirement after 38 years of teaching
Tonight will be partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. The low
Tomorrow will partly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. The high will be 78.
Rv SARA KEMPIN
The man behind the desk fidgets absently with the rubber band in his fingers. As he works the rubber band back and forth in his hands, he talks about his 38 years of teaching, and about retirement.
Staff Reporter
He glances on his narrow office in Malotl Hall as he speaks. Equations are scribbled on the green chalkboard behind his desk. A chart of element hangings, and a faint striped chalk hangs in the air
sister of Chemistry.
He is Clark Bricker, professor of chemistry.
He will retire this spring after a 20-year teaching career at the University of Kansas.
BRICKER, WHO WILL BE 65 in June, won four HOPE teaching awards since he came to KU. He said he was looking forward to retiring, but would miss his students.
"One of the most rewarding experiences of a teacher is the association with students," he said. "Getting to know young people and
hopefully having some impact on them is what it's all about."
Bricker stressed how important it was to talk to students and carefully listen to their concerns.
"But you have to have the patience of Job in this job," he said. "When 'it's 5 o'clock, you're tired and you've been listening to various little complaints all day, it's difficult to listen with the same concern that you did at 8 o'clock in the morning."
morning. Bricker attributes his popularity with students to a genuine concern and interest in each person he teaches.
HE DID NOT RULE out the possibility of working again if the opportunity to teach in a different environment came up.
One of his students, Sharon Blakely, Ottawa junior, said, "He was the best teacher I ever had. He sort of made me change my major from physical therapy to chemistry.
"He's a good teacher because he really pushes you as far as you can go. He's always in a good mood. He always says 'hi' to you. He puts teaching on a personal level."
He came to KU primarily to teach, but he was also encouraged to do research, he said.
Brucker started his career at KU in 1963, after 13 years of teaching at Princeton University and two years as the dean of the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio.
also allowed to do so. Bricker said that when he arrived at KU, Naismith, Oliver and the Daisy Hill residence halls had not yet been built.
ONLY 13,000 TO 14,000 students were enrolled at the University, and what is now "fraternity row" along Stewart Street was a grassy field.
But not only KU's enrollment and appearance have changed in the 20 years he has taught at the University. The students also have changed.
"I have seen the students change almost 180 degrees in their involvement with the University." he said. "A gradual increase in the students' desire to govern the University peaked in 1971 and 1972."
"It seems to be very different today, when from what I've heard, the Student Senate often has trouble getting a quorum. The average student just doesn't seem to care as much
"It might be the economy or the times we live in. But a lot of it has to do with society and its philosophy that immediate pleasure and immediate recognition is much more important than long-term recognition.
THAT'S WHY IT'S EASY to get girls to be on the cheering squad and to get boys to be football players. But rewards for academics are much less immediate. They're more long range. An education is something only the individual can appreciate.
"I would tell students 'Don't take the easy way out.'
out.
"It may give you the most immediate satisfaction, but an education will last longer and be more satisfying in the long run."
As well as being less interested in participating in outside activities at the University, Bricker said students are less prepared academically for college now than in the past.
"I may be wrong, but I think what I have sensed over my 20 years here, and I hope it's not a sign that I'm getting older, is a lack of
See BRICKER page 5