10
Wednesday. November 8, 1972
University Daily Kansan
Buver Protection Scanty
By JEANNETTE HARTMAN
Kansan Staff Write
Various Lawrence businessmen have been responsive to the University of Kansas Consumer Protection Association (CPA), but their consumer needs are not being answered locally.
The Better Business Bureau of Northeast Kansas, Inc., Topka, answers about 20 bounce-back cases in the office of samers, said Marllyn White, bureau office manager. Usually these inquiries are from consumers who want information before they make a decision to hire firm or an out of state firm, she said.
The office handles about one or two complaints each week from Lawrence and other users.
THE CONSUMER protection division of the attorney general's office handles 400 consumer complaints each month, said Joseph Gillespie, an attorney in the office handled a number from Lawrence.
The CPA, which serves only KU students, faculty and employees, receives about 10 inquiries a day for information about Lawrence businesses and itself, and it!
handles about 10 complaints a week, Berman said.
"We ARE AWARE of our responsibilities and aware that we aren't 100 per cent effective because we are only serving 25,000 people," Berman said. "It's been in our minds since the 1980s that we must be careful. But for financial reasons we just can't prep ourselves that thin."
The CPA handles landlord-tenant problems, automobile and motorcycle thefts, and the unauthorized soliciting in residence halls and complaints of mail order merchandise that was never received.
"The largest segment of the business community has been responsive to us," Berman said. "Two large segments, the Downtown Retail Merchants Assoc, and the Lawrence Apartment Owners Assoc, are actively on our arbitration committee.
"This means they are concerned and they realize we're here to stay."
THE TWO GROUPS have agreed to supply information about the most frequent consumer problems they meet, how to get a good buy on merchandise and what to look for in housing and contracts, said Pat O'Meara of research and education coordinator for the CPA.
Bill Spencer, president of the Lawrence
Committee to Submit New Dorm Contracts
The Contract Coordinating Committee of the University of Kansas residence halls will meet at 3 p.m. today in the dean of men's office to finish drafting preliminary hall contracts for use in the next school year.
By BARBARA PADGET Kansan Staff Writer
The committee, composed of one representative from each residence hall, has been reviewing the hall contracts used this semester to draft new contracts which will be submitted to the Administrative Housing Committee (AHC) for approval.
Last spring, after the AHC changed the Ellsworth Hall contract for this year without consulting Ellsworth residents, was the first time students were allowed to take part in drawing up the contracts, according to a professor and former Student Senate treasurer.
In a public meeting Oct. 26 on city commission reorganization, one Lawrence resident suggested to Mayor John Einick that he support a consumer protection association.
The AHC members are Emily Taylor, dean of women; Donald Alderson, dean of men; William Balfour, vice chancellor for education and J. J. Wilson, director of residence walls.
ARTICLE 20 of the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct, which states that hall contracts should be reviewed annually by a body that was at least 50 per cent students, was brought to Felsworth College's AHC by a group of ELSworth students.
Automobile Association, said he would ask the association members whether they, as a group, would like to contribute information to the CPA.
EMICK SAID he didn't recall seeing complaints about the lack of such an
Odd Williams, president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, said, "The Chamber of Commerce to my knowledge always has fielded complaints. There have been consumer protection agencies before but nothing as specific as the CPA.
In an interview later, Emick said the city of Lawrence had no consumer protection agency. He said he thought that most consumers were handled by the Chamber of Commerce.
"We told the KU CPA we would cooperate and supply some representation, but we really don't have a hand or role in this CPA."
BURR SAID THAT every county attorney had the same powers as the attorney general to form consumer protection divisions of his office. Only the Sedwick jail has done this, Burr said, because many counties attorneys are limited by time and funds.
The AHC met with these students and
Additional funding to expand the scope of the CPA would be another alternative. The University Senate appropriated $4,659 for the CPA for the fall semester.
Linda Biles, co-manager of the CPA, called this a "she-string" budget. More than half the money goes to pay the two **calaries** salaries she said, and the rest pays for an attorney on retainer, rent, office supplies, telephone and publicity.
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PEACE CORPS/VISTA
We need seniors and grad students for volunteer assignments in the program.
If the CPA were funded outside the University it could extend its services to the city of Lawrence, she said. Whether it gets this additional funding, and where funds come from will be instrumental in deciding whether or not Lawrence will have a CPA.
they agreed to establish a Contract Review Committee (CRC) and to place a representative of the residence halls on the committee. The council called Ellsworth Hassle: Take 72.
Alex Thomas, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia senior and president of the Association of University Residence Halls (AURH) was representative from the residence halls.
RECRUITERS IN THE UNION AND STRONG HALL. Nov. 8-10
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THE HLE in the WALL
DELICATESEN & SANDWICH SHOP
Open until 2 a.m. - Phone Order
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RISK Laundry
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Pickens Auto Parts
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Wkdays 8-5-10
Sunday 10-3
Parts at a discount
Alexander's
—Wide selection of gifts
—Cash & carry flowers every day.
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Tony's Service
Be Prepared!
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YARN—PATTERNS
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Dukla
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Hoch Auditorium 8:20 p.m. Thursday, November 9
RMS ELECTRONICS
10-6 Monday-Saturday
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Quality Products & Stereo Discounts
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Reserved Seats Sold Out!
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