University Daily Kansan, April 26, 1983
Page 5
Burns
From page 1
In his paper, Burns plans to examine time-of-the-century techniques among some large of the firms in the industry. The smaller firms could not absorb the losses they suffered after cutting prices to be competitive.
THE PRICE-SLASHING method is referred to as predatory price control.
By studying such historical business tactics of American capitalism, Burns said, he hopes to determine whether regulations against the price-cutting tactics that were glorified by some captains of industry should be weakened in modern society.
In the early 1900s, many leading industries advocated predatory price cutting as an efficient way of squelching competition, he said.
Running the competition out of business was seen as more economical than a friendly merger, in which a large company buys the interests in a smaller company, he said.
Burns said modern anti-trust laws might be regulating large industries too strictly.
BECAUSE SOME LARGER industries fear antitrust action for predatory price control, Burns said, they could be reluctant sell goods as cheaply as they can.
The result, he said, is that customers end up paying higher prices than they might have to in a more open market.
"It's no secret. I'm sympathetic to those views," he said. "But I don't think it bad, because it's honest."
The Hoover Institute has a reputation for a conservative economic viewpoint, Burns said, which advocates little government intervention in a free market.
While doing his research, Burns will be able to bounce his ideas off several internationally respected economists, including Milton Friedman, a former Nobel Prize winner in economics.
WHEN HE APPLIED for the fellowship, Burns received a recommendation from George Stigler, a respected economics professor from the University of Chicago.
"He had to write some letter that says 'This kid's pretty good.'" Bursa said.
Following Stigler's recommendation, members of the Hoover Institute were enthusiastic about Burns' research and extended a fellowship invitation.
"I am appreciative that the department and the University have let me do this," he said.
Librarv
Burns said he wrote the first draft of the paper before he graduated from the KU School of Law in 1980. But because of teaching and other reasons, he was not able to continue his research.
He smiled, and tried to relight the tobacco that had quit burning while he had been speaking.
From page 1
outhouse door traditionally has a crescent-moon carved on it (they already knew).
But all this costs money.
Mayo said that in recent years, tax income had failed to keep up with rising library costs, including those of books, postage, utilities and salaries.
THE LIBRARY BUDGET is part of the total city operating budget. By law, it is limited to a four-mill ley, which is equal to $4 per $1,000 of property valuation. The levy has been raised twice in recent years to allow for increased expenses.
Mayo said that about three-fourths of the budget came from tax revenues. Funds also come from charges on overdue books and from contributions to the library last year, he said.
Mavo said that the 1983 budget allowed for
about 3.1 mills, or $87,000. Of that money,
$325,498 will go to salaries for the 35-member staff and $6,000 will go for the purchase of new books.
He said the 1982 budget was $526,650.
"WE'RE JUST ABOUT holding, even," he said. "We can't really add new services and staff, because we don't want to ask for our maximum mill levy yet. But we haven't had the horrible things happen here that have happened in other areas, such as cutting back on staff and hours."
The New York Public Library, for example, was forced to reduce its branch library staff by a third and cut salaries in half, after the city's bankruptcy and budget cuts in the mid-1970s.
But Pati Armbrister, circulation head, said that while the number of employees had remained about the same, library usage and demands on librarians' time had gone up.
number of books borrowed went up by 42.8 percent
There are no longer slow periods, she said,
even in summer when the library had a
dwarf.
She said that between 1970 and 1980, the
"ANYTIME YOU HAVE increased circulation but no new staff, you're working close to the edge," she said. "we're in a holding pattern, but if this keeps up, we're something will have to give."
She said, for example, that if there weren't enough librarians to get overdue notices out quickly, money coming in for overdue fines was late and patrons had to wait for books, contributing to a general delay in library services.
Alonzo Howard, fully awake and seated still on a sofa, went back to reading his book, "The Little Book of the World."
"There are days when I'd really rather be fishing," he said. "But this is definitely the next-best place."
Government still urges aid applicants to register despite recent court order
that requires students applying for government aid to register for the draft,
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Civil Liberties Union yesterday charged that the government was still encouraging men to register for the draft when applying for student aid, despite a court order against requiring it.
The MCLU filed a contempt motion against U.S. Secretary of Education Terrell Bell, accusing the government of ignoring a restraining order against enforcing a federal law
By United Press International
U. S. District Judge Donald Alsp issued the restraining order March 9. He gave the Department of Education until May 2 to file a response.
The MCLU is asking Alsop to stop the Department of Education from enforcing the law.
UNDER THE LAW, men eligible for the draft who apply for federal student financial aid must certify on their applications that they have registered.
The MCLU and the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group challenged the law on constitutional grounds in two federal suits on behalf of six anonymous defendants. Alsp's temporary restraining order blocks enforcement of the law until the cases can be tried.
The MCLU counsel said Bell sent a letter to college financial aid administrators dropping the requirement to fill out the compliance section on the student aid report. But she said Bell's letter says students should be encouraged to comply voluntarily or face processing delays.
Student, faculty views about English 101 differ
By BETH WALLACE Staff Reporter
Some say it's stupid. Others say it's helpful.
Still others say it’s a waste of time.
Staff Reporter
Opinions on the value of the English 101 requirement at the University of Kansas vary widely among faculty and students.
Every student, no matter what his major,
must take the writing course, unless he quizzes
him.
He said the goal of English 101 was to help students increase their command of basic writing skills.
"You cannot take care of all students or make a good writer out of a student in only one semester," said Michael Johnson, director of freshman-sophomore English at KU.
"I THINK THE course does as good a job at accomplishing this goal as you could expect," Johnson said.
Gerhard Zuther, chairman of the KU English department, agreed, "feel that students reach a level at which they can meet."
Many students, however, remain unconvinced that English 101 is good for them. One of the most common student complaints is that the course is too elementary.
I matted every minute of it," said Annette Travalen, Buraville, Minn., sophomore. She said that too much emphasis was placed on her subjects as a topic sentences, and not enough on content.
"One time we had to write a whole theme describing a 'creature,'" said Travalent. "It took me 10 minutes to think of a creature to describe, but I didn't see it, and I don't feel that I made any progress."
Tim Barbour, Overland Park freshman, said,
"I did not learn anything more than I did in high school."
MONIQUE RAMOS, Bowie, Md., freshman,
said she did not learn anything because her
101 class covered grammar and "other stuff taught
in seventh grade."
But instructors say students do learn to write in the course.
"I think most student do improve," said Ann Ross, English instructor. "They emerge from school."
However, she said, a student who passes English 101 is not necessarily ready to write in upper-level courses.
"I think every university needs to extend writing requirements. Perhaps 20 years ago one or two semesters was sufficient, but not now," she said.
Johnson, Zuther, and Ross agreed that the degree of improvement in writing ability depended largely on a student's attitude and background. Students who failed were of unusually poor backgrounds.
"SOME WHO KNOW that they don't have a good background resent the class because it is an insecure class."
thinking that they don't need the training and most find out they are wrong."
Aaron Doulth, Ottawa sophomore, said that English 10 taught him the basics for writing
"I thought it would be an easy class, but I found it not it was," and that I had a lot to learn."
Micah Goldstein, Prairie Village sophomore,
said that he had written writing until he took
English 050 is a remedial English course.
"On the second day of class, my teacher told me to take English 06. It broke my confidence."
Zuther said one of the goals of English 101 was to try to ensure correctness in the basic elements of composition, such as continuity and organization.
"We don't get very far on the finer points of composition," he said.
Mike Stinman, Salina junior, said English 101 was a good requirement.
"IVE DONE TYPING for people who are seniors and their spelling, punctuation and grammar are abominable. It's quite surprising." Stinenman said.
Mike Wentworth, English instructor, said that improvement centered on the individual, and that commitment on the student's part was essential in English 101.
"It's like riding a bicycle — you fall, get back up, and try again," he said. "Some students have negative attitudes about writing already, but I am very confident with these negative impressions." Wentworth said.
Johnson said many rumors floated around about English 101, but he said he had yet to find
"Many students go to 101 believing we fail half of our students. What you hear is not true."
"AS FOR ENGLISH 101 being the flunk-out course — it isn't true," he said.
Zuther said that 13.7 percent of students failed 101 last semester, a slightly higher percentage than average.
Zuther said that 5.9 percent of students in English 101 received 'A's last semester. Students who do well on the ACT or in-class writing samples are usually placed in higher level English courses at the beginning of the semester, he said.
"There are fewer 'A's because the cream has been skimmed off of the 101 classes," Zuther said.
Ron Morrison, English graduate teaching assistant, said that he did not think the English department had a very good reputation among students.
"We HAVE GREAT expectations, but I think our grading is right where it should be:" Morrison said. Instructors determine grades during a training through a training program. Zuther said.
"We have one of the most thorough training programs in the country," he said.
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