Students May Soon Benefit from Consumer Agency
A Consumer Relations Board, similar to boards in operation at least three other Kansas colleges and universities, may open its doors to consider student consumer problems this month if the Student Senate approves funding of the project at its September 13 meeting.
The board, developed this summer by members of the Senate and several students from the School of Business, conducted a consumer protection agencies in Lawrence, according to Kathy Allen, Topека junior and student.
The board was created to help resolve student consumer problems and to make students aware of the need for consumer protection. Allen said at the meeting (Executus Exe)会议 Wednesday night.
IF A STUDENT has a complaint, such as a llandard contract violation, he could bring his complaint to the board for action or mediation or be placed in a county office or on the Douglas County Sheriff. Allen said.
In the future, students might be able to receive academic credit for working on the board, she said.
Sponsors of the board are requesting $4,825 from the Senate to set up the office.
Allen said the city of Lawrence did not have a
Better Business Bureau (BBB). She said the closest BBB was in Toekee.
Although the BBB in Topaice is available for Lawrence residents, Allen said many people either could not or would not travel that far to register a complaint.
EMILY CAMERON, second year law student from COLUMBIA, Neb., noted that many of the attorneys for the company were able to handle the small fee cases of consumers registering complaints because the compensation was lower.
Cameron said the consumer, therefore, was really without an alternative in Lawrence if he had been in Texas.
Cameron also noted the effect that a consumer relations board would have on the businesses in
She said a consumer relations board would prevent people from misrepresenting facts about businesses because the board could confirm or disavow any claims against a company.
BOB LANDMAN, second year law student from Lawrence, said people in Lawrence who did not qualify for Legal Aid and who had legitimate complaints actually had no course to follow.
Investigation has shown that at least three other
According to Ed Retrum, director of the Consumer Protection Board at Kansas State University, K.State was this area's originator of a consumer relations board.
schools in Kanaan but put into effect consumer relations boards or their equivalents and have been forced to accept these.
The K-State board has been in operation for about one year. In that time, Retrum said, it had heard more than 500 cases and had proved itself 88 per cent of the cases. The board had saved the students about $50,000 so far.
As soon as the board started operation at Manhattan, Retrum said, the wage price rent freeze went into effect. Consequently, most of the initial equipment board were in connection with violations of the freeze.
RETRUM SAID several students at KState got together and worked out the details for the organization of the board. Richard Morris, a board member, played a key role in the organization of the board.
K-State's board comprises about 30 students. Students at K-State can receive one hour credit for working on the board. The credit is given as a homework assignment. The board recognizes some of the board's workers were receiving credit
THE BOARD at K-State meets once a week to review complaints that it had received and to plan procedures for pursuing the complaints.
for their efforts, many volunteers also were active in consumer protection through the board.
Right now, only students enrolled at K-State can participate on the board and only students are offered the services of the board. Retrum said, "Everyone being made to increase the range of the board."
Retrum said efforts were being made to persuade the local Chamber of Commerce to open a branch office of the board in downtown Manhattan. This would allow citizens of Manhattan as well as the students to take advantage of the services of the board.
At Kansas State Teacher College at Pittsburg,
at Consumer Relations Board exists as a com-
munity of educators.
THE INITIAL violations handled by the committee after organization also concerned visitation,
John Jeter, vice president of the Student Senate at Pittsburg, said most of the cases handled by the board were a result of conflicts between student tenants and their landlords, concerning contract
disputes and enforcement of maintenance promises made by landlords.
The Pittsburgh Consumer Relations Board is directed by a chairman who is appointed by the Senate. The board comprises interested students and Senate members.
Jeter said the board was attempting to expand. One of its immediate goals is to encourage landlords in Pittsburgh to adopt a standard contract for housing;
THE STANDARDIZED contracts, Jeter said, would eliminate many of the questions students have about their obligations and would also imare general housing upkeep by the landlords.
A Consumer Protection Board also has been established at the University of Missouri.
Rich Gross, a MU student and chairman of its administration department under which the board has been developed, said the board investigated and researched complaints received by students.
Several committees were established on the board, Gross said. One committee is responsible for research of the individual complaints and another committee is responsible for hearing and filling the cases. When necessary, Gross said, the complaints are submitted to a lawyer for legal advice.
RAIN
The University of Kansas—Lawrence. Kansas
MAX BICKFORD, executive officer of the Board of Regents, has said that the procedure for selecting a new chancellor would "depend entirely" on the board's decisions at its September 16 meeting in Hays.
David Dillon, student body president and Douglass Hoonen, senior said that students of the board are most attentive to that students' needs.
"The chancellor doesn't exert great power and influence over the Regents but he does exert great power and influence over the University community," he said. "people whose lives the chancellor affects should have the right to select him."
Thursday, September 7. 1972
Schools Close In Kansas City
See story page 2.
"Our position is that it is the responsibility of all members of the community to become informed on this issue and other issues and to vote." Bahn said.
On the Mark
Kansan Photo by CLYDE LOBB
Kansas dignitaries of past and present pose for photographers at groundbreak ceremonies for the Lake Clinton Conference construction project four miles south of Lawrence. About 150 persons attended. Marksmen included former Sen. Frank Carlson, far left; Gov. Robert Docking, fourth from left, and Mrs. Georgia Neea, former U.S. treasurer. The project is slated for completion in 1976.
New Group Seeks Student Voice On Chancellor Search Committee
All-University referendum, in which students, faculty and staff would vote, would follow. The winner's name would be held on the floor of the Board of Regents for approval, Rahm said.
By BOB SIMISON Kansan Staff Writer
SUCH A committee would seek and interview candidates for the position recently vacated by E. Laurence who could recommend four names, Bahn said.
A plan to select a new University of Kansas chancellor by submitting recommendations. University recommendation being prepared by a newly formed student organization.
The group plans to call for a search committee comprising 50 per cent students, 20 per cent faculty members, 20 per cent university staff members and 10 administrators including the Board of Advisory, David Bahn, Lawrence senior, said.
The organization, the New Democratic Movement, will meet at 9 tonight in the Wesley Foundation to plan its strategy. The group will sponsor a spokesman for the group, said Wednesday.
"I would guess that the Regents would have the search committee well set
would be represented on the search committee. He said the assurances came before and after he mailed a letter to each student who had been enrolled, they include students on the committee.
Tackman said the New Democratic Movement would determine tonight a way to put its proposal behind the Regents. An agreement will be made in a rally next week, he said.
"it probably wouldn't be 50 per cent students," Dillon said. "They plan to include faculty, students and alumn, so it would make you like one third-one third-one."
"The New Democratic Movement is not as such the same people that were in the Haiphong Coalition, "Bahn said. "But it is more the name of the people who were involved in it."
Dillon said that the Senate possibly would pass such a resolution at its first meeting next Wednesday but that by then he would too late for consideration by the Regents.
BAHN SAID the proposal might be submitted to the Student Senate with a request that a resolution favoring the plan be forwarded to the Reeents.
He said the New Democratic Movement would deal with a broader range of issues than did the Haiphong Coalition, which formed to protest the war.
"I would see no reason why the Senate wouldn't consider a resolution. I would vote for 50 per cent students on the committee." he said.
up informally before they meet." Dillon said. "They would then probably admit
Bahn said the movement was a successor to the Haphong Coalition of last
A nucleus of a half-dozen students attracted more than 30 members with an initial distribution of more than 2,000 information sheets last week. he said.
The New Democratic Movement will distribute a statement of purpose Friday on Tuesday.
U.S., Israel Confer On Olympic Tragedy
WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State William P. Rogers met Wednesday with Israeli Ambassador Vilhak Rabin in an attempt to find ways to prevent terrorism of the kind that struck the Olympic Games in Munich.
Meanwhile, other U.S. State Department officials discussed U.S. proposals with 40
Rogers has been ordered by President Nixon to seek cooperation by other governments "on an urgent basis" on wavs to halt terrorism.
U. S. State Department spokesman Charles W. Bray said the meetings Wednesday were called "to convey the President's interest in broad international consultations and in eliciting other governments' opinions."
IN THE MEETING with Rabin, Bray said Rogers expressed the Americans' "deep sense of horror" over the terrorist attack by arab guerrillas that ended in the deaths of 11 Israel athletes as well as six other persons in Munich.
Rabin told reporters that he and Rogers had reached an understanding that Arab governments who supported such groups had to bear responsibility.
Rabin provided no理由 but he said the Araks had many ways to make clear the Arab rift.
It was understood, however, that U.S. officials were reluctant to take a barristine or to assess any blame at this time, preferring to obtain a clearer picture.
Earlier in the day, Rogers met briefly with a 17-nation delegation on the ground of the new United States' "prepared to take the most firm, severe action that the international community is prepared to join in, in ending all forms of political conflict."
THERE WAS some confusion concerning a report that Israel had asked the United States to withdraw from the Munich Games because of the Munich incident.
But, he said, "I am firmly convinced that we have to take decisive action—
When asked about Roger's response, Rabin quoted the secretary as saying "the United States government has to think about it."
Rabin had indicated to reporters that he expressed Israel's feelings "that the Israeli people should be protected."
Bray, however, said there was no request for the United States to leave the region.
IN HIS statement at the air pracy
treatment, it would not outline
specification of exposure.
Germans Order Probe of Shootout
MUNICH (AP)—With the Olympics resumed, the West German government has ordered a full-scale investigation of the terrorism and police action that combined to kill 11 members of the Israeli team and five Arab guerrillas.
Officials insisted Wednesday that the airport shootout which resulted in 15 deaths was necessary in an effort to save the Israeli hostages. The plan failed—and all nine hostages died along with five terrorists and a German policeman.
Two Israelis died earlier when the terrorists first invaded their quarters at the Olympic Village. Then, late Tuesday, two Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack Israel was taken to an airport in an
ROGERS MADE his unscheduled and brief appearance at the ICAO meeting following a 75-minute meeting with the National security advisor Henry A. Kissner.
"The international community must take firm and prompt action to effectively combat terrorist attacks. We will have denied to terrorists and would be terrorists one of their most effective weapons and will have taken a major step to subdue international lawlessness and unlawfulness."
Rogers told the ICAO that the White House Wednesday sent to the U.S. Senate the Montreal sabotage convention with an urgent request for its ratification.
ostensible program to fly them all to the Middle East.
German authorities had become convinced that "a flight out of this country would have meant certain death for the nation," said a statement led to the abortive plan to save them.
Three surviving terrorists face multiple charges of murder, a Bavarian court of justice.
They were wounded as police tried unsuccessfully to free the hostages. The court has 48 hours to issue a formal warrant of arrest.
The Montreal convention was signed nearly a year ago and is aimed at outlawing efforts to sabotage airlines and airports.
According to Ronald Ziegler, Nixon's press secretary, the President told Rogers "to consult with other governments on an urgent basis as to what collective measures by the international community might be to bear on the problem of terrorism."
The survivors' wounds were described as not serious
ON CAPITOL Hill, the Senate gave 82-4 passage to a resolution endorsing economic sanctions against nations that barb such terrorists as the Black September group which is held responsible for the violence at the Olympic Games.
severe action, if you will—to make it clear throughout the world that criminal action against innocent people certainly is not an option of solving any of the world's problems.
The U.S. House of Representatives recessed for 30 minutes in tribute to the sham Israeli and then adopted a resolution condemning their death and condemned the terrorist.
"We need to remember that threats and acts against international air travel are one aspect—a very important aspect of the international terrorism that threatens the lives of innocent people, regardless of nationality.
"AT THIS conference," the secretary stated, "we need to remember that the Munich attackers sought to commit acts of terror will-an aircraft to make their escape.
Bray told reporters the next step
"These murders by extremist terrorists are more than crimes against the citizens of one country," Rogers told delegates to the Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
If the three were charged and convicted
He cited the Munich deaths in indicating he sees aircraft blacking and just one plane crashing.
of premeditated murder, they would face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. There is no death penalty in West Germany.
Germany's conscience, long tortured in all its dealings with Jews, was again stricken with assertions that the attempt to save the Israelis had been botched. West German commentators spoke of postwar Germany's darkest hour.
The Olympic competition, halted 12 hours after the first Israeli was killed in the Olympic Village, resumed late Wednesday.
An Olympic Stadium crowd of 80,000,
called to a memorial service, broke into
a hysteria.
See GERMANS page 2
dage, president of the International
Games, was tree, declared "The
Games must go on."
The circumstances of the shootout at Fuerstenfeldbruck, a military airfield, were still imprecise and will come under the government's inquiry.
Munich police shot out insisting that the first shots were fired by an Arab who reacted hysterically when he saw police in readiness at the airport. The police later retracted this. They said further investigation showed that police sharpened shooters' aim and they shot themselves in what was described as especially favorable position. The
following Rogers's statement would consist primarily of efforts to outline and define the role of managers.
HE SAID specific proposals would be coming shortly, although he indicated it may be several weeks before they are made public.
The U.S. State Department simultaneously is coordinating a drive to increase the protection of Israeli, Arab and German diplomats throughout the country as well as Israeli citizens traveling in the United States.
Bray said some threats against diplomatic posts had been reported but he declined to say by whom and against what specific targets.
Bray said measures being taken included stepped-up security patrols around embassies and other diplomatic properties in Washington.
The United Nations in New York, as well as the American ambassador to the world agency, George Bush, asked for and got assurances from New York officials of increased police protection for Israeli and Arab diplomats.
The Finance Committee to Re-Elect the President maintained, however, that it did not have to release the names because it was not a committee as defined in the law.
Suit Brought To Disclose GOP Funds
WASHINGTON (AP) — Common Cause filed suit Wednesday to require disclosure of the contributors who gave more than $10 million to president Nikon's campaign before April 7.
Common Cause said the finance committee violated the Federal Corrupt Practices Act of 1925, which was repealed April 7 when the new Federal Election Code made it more effective. The new act requires disclosure of all contributions of more than $100.
John W. Gardner, Common Cause chairman, said the old law required that committees which accepts contributions or makes expenditures for the purpose of influencing the election of candidates or presiding over presidential electors or more staff.
Stanley Ebner, counsel to the finance committee, said in a letter to Gardner Tuesday night that the organization was "not a committee within the law because it . . . was organized solely for his (Nixon's) renomination, not his election."
Of the 1925 law, Ebner said: "It was precisely this failure of former law to require reporting in many cases which led to a rise in the federal Election Campaign Act."
Gardner, a former secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, said Common Cause brought the U.S. District Court suit itself on grounds the Justice Department, which is supposed to enforce the act, is too political.
"It must be emphasized that we are not dealing only with past events," Gardner said at a news conference. "The $10 million raised before April 7 may profoundly influence events between now and November."