4 Thursday, November 18, 1971 University Daily Kansan KANSAN comment 11 Austerity Gulch This university is under attack This university is under attack. It is under attack, not by wild-eyed bomb-throwing radicals or by hobnail-booted fascists, but by one of those slow, soul-killing seiges that make a great university a hollow institution. Our enemy is "austerity." "Austerity," at least, is what our foremost politicians like to call it. One wonders if that label is not euphremistic. the warning signals of austerity's seige are not blatantly apparent. Classrooms are more crowded; student fees are rising and the student body is now in the process of building these areas for students' today's enlightened student. Nothing worth going into the streets over, it would seem. The problem with such logic is the parity is not waiting four or [x4 y8 z8]. A report issued last month by the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges states: "The money shortage plaguing major state universities and land-grant colleges will be even more severe during the 1971-72 academic year than it was during financially hard-pressed 1970-71. Besides, the old charge that students are transients is basically true. All of us will be gone in four or five years, so if the people of Kansas don't want good universities who are we to fight them. The report shows that KU will have LESS money in the coming year than it had this year. In a list of 36 major universities with stand-still KU is at the bottom with a decrease of 4.10 percent in its budget. The result for students, the report says, is overcrowded classrooms, a smaller choice of courses, fewer teachers and a dearth of new programs. Quality goes down; costs go up. If the 35 other universities in the report are in critical condition, KU, at the bottom of Austerity Guleh, is likely in need of some intensive care. Tenight, three state officials—two legislators and the executive secretary of the Board of Regents—will be on campus for a forum on the financial crisis. At 8 p.m., in the Big Eight Room of the Union, they will present the state's case for austerity. Perhaps, too, they will explain how KU, in its usual tradition of firsts, has now become the nation's Number One casualty of austerity. Perhaps they will explain how this University can maintain the status quo with less money next year than in given in this year of status quomania. A clue: The Legislature and the Governor of this state have turned financing of higher education into a political football. Their conflicting game plans are making a shambles depleted goal of quality education. In jock terms, it is now third down and long yardage. It will take a decade to recover from the present level of the yards for the coming year is the capper. It is time for KU students to ask some hard questions of our legislative representatives and to demand some solid response. Tonight's forum in the Union would make an excellent starting place. David Bartel, Editor Fee Fracas There is an old saw often quoted about the nature of weather in Kansas. It goes, "If you don't like the weather now, wait a day." The same could be said for the Student Senate's posture on the $24 per year student activity fee. No matter what the proposal, it seems the Senate wants to change the status quo come hell or high water. David Miller thinks each student should be given a yet unspecified option or combination of options. The Finance and Auditing Com course strings of the senate, has now recommended a $ per year increase. It is the increase that the Senate is now considering. The Finance and Auditing Committee argued that since the activity fee preference poll response was in favor of the maintenance of the status quo—they could hardly lower the fee. In their burning desire to do so, they shied—they decided to raise the fee. The results of the opinion poll should be proof enough for those senators that the majority of the studentry asks only that the Senate go calmly about its business—whatever that is—and leave them alone; which doesn't include raising the fee. Perhaps if the Senate would devote the same time and energy spent on its recent anonymously funded retreat to communicating its abyssal communication gap would be greatly assuaged. —Tom Slaughter John B. Connally, U.S. secretary of the Treasury, likes the present crisis in the market. He thinks it could last almost indefinitely. British financial circles think it at least a couple more months. European governments and businessmen are unhappy. They would like to see more stable markets, not to get them. The one thing they THE CHANGES mean that U.S. goods are cheaper and more attractive to foreign customers. Foreign goods have become more expensive in the United States. If other countries buy enough, and Americans sell enough, the result would be a turnaround in the international trade deficit that the United States will face next year for the first time since 1893. AP News Special The differences vary from currency to currency. Most of the change in the mark's value came from a price increase in pound, worth $2.40, then is up to $2.50 now. In Italy the change has amounted to only 2 per cent, but it has been 7.6 per cent in Belgium and 8.3 per cent in Japan and West Germany. A West German mark now costs 30 cents instead of 28 cents, the old par value. A dollar will cost 327 Japanese yen, not 380. Foreign Currencies Floating Upward BURSELS ELL (AP)—Three montage film companies, Nixon partners with the National partners with his new economic competitor for a position on a common seat on board. The world's major currencies, except for the French franc, were all floating upward against the U.S. dollar. would virtually all like—a devaluation of the dollar in terms of gold—as something that would be administrated as strongly resisted. London commodity dealers are hesitating about future contracts. Whether they make a profit may depend on what a pound will be worth three months from now. They have no way of knowing that. Sir Frederic Seebom, deputy chairman of Barclay's Bank, recently told the American businessman James Durand: 'One of the things which terrifies international bankers is a collapse of international confidence or a heavy reduction of foreign trade. This is happening now.' FRANCE AND West Germany still are at odds over the extent to which currencies will be issued against the dollar, and the United States seems unprepared to devalue it by raising the price of gold. The U.S.'s central bank has a responsibility to devalue, especially since it started most of the world's currencies floating by pay out any more gold for dollars. Other countries' sales to the United States have also been hit by two other measures: the 10 per cent surcharge on imports and the proposal to give U.S. firms a buy at home instead of abroad. The six Common Market countries have predicted that $5. billion worth of their annual exports to the United States would be hit by the surcharge. About a billion dollars worth of materials and equipment sales they may think would be virtually eliminated. MUSKIE HAS certain advantages for Garry Wills White House Sweepstakes Shaping Up Nick the Greek is giving odds on the 1972 candidates for President and Vice-President, publishing them at intervals of a week. When he is not in course, how to make good bets, because he knows how to hedge his bets. Thus he is not predicting who will be the candidates, just giving current candidates which fluctuate from month to month. No one can predict, because the choice of candidates will in some measure depend on events still to take place. Also it is important that candidates who will wait until the Democratic state is chosen to pick the man who can best strengthen his ticket in the second spot. Also he must hold out promise to several applicants. Nikon is in order to milk the timing power of all its uses. DESPITE ALL THIS, and with one big proviso, certain men are becoming frontrunners now (though they might not appear to be that for some time still). Those with the best chances at the moment are, I believe, Nixon-Reagan for the Republicans, and Humphrey-Lindsey for the Democrats. Mr. Trump has allowed Nixon to drop Agnew, who is out of sympathy with the President's foreign policy initiatives. (Reagan has given them careful support.) Why, it can be asked, would Lindsay go with the old retread candidate? There is no cause for surprise. Ambition easily rationalizes its forward path. Humphrey's new member, must strive in the months ahead to be loyal and a regular. Besides, Humphrey will be presented as the progressive populist of old, with a strong farm and Midwest appeal, and a political voice youth and urban affairs. Humphrey's unquestionable standing in the party—he is Mr. Democrat—would provide a Humphrey's strength grows as Democratic candidates on the Left care each other up and Muskie, edging out Leftward to pick up the pieces, loses the center. That was the story of the Democratic chairman. Besides, we are entering a sprinted flat time of retrenchment, and order, and "re-authorization" of society by the handsiest means. Democrats, anxiously to get back the Middle America Nixon's party is appealing to, are inventing a Kevin Buzzard-like way to be (e.g., emphasis on "white ethics", blue color voters. Catholics, etc.). this kind of race—he is Polish Catholic, after all. But the labor party, and party regulars, are essential to such a scheme, and Muskine has been forfeiting those to Hubert. Humphrey's main disadvantage—his air of re-warmed clothes, the long-furred time and a fragmenting party. The comfort of the familiar could be much in demand around Miami next summer. Besides, his ticket could be enlivened with the very newest Democrat around, one still fresh and young, then the political juggernaut, rechristened man John Lindsay. mantle for Lindsay's dubious claims on his new label. Both have something to give the other that no one else can supply. Copyright, 1971, Universal Press Syndicate LINDSAY'S POLITICAL future does not lie with LEFT candidates, none of whose appeal would be complemented (only rival) by his presence on the ticket. Muskie, if he wins first spot, must look West (and probably to the Right) for a running mate. The aim of the Democrats is to put together blue and white liberals and newer liberals, unions and suburbs, farm and city, hardhats and blacks. That formula reads, in all its versions. Humhrew and Lindsay. I said there was one proviso: Edward Kennedy might come in. The Senator had desired to sit this one out; but the Kennedy magic is both (in the immediate terms) nudging him forward and (over the longer range) evaporating. If he waits, it may be too late in 1978. It may not be enough, then simply to be a Kennedy. Then they would make a deal in Miami that they want to beat Richard Nixon; and Kennedy is the only one who has the remotest chance of doing that. 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