THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.100,NO.47 (USPS 650-640)
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
TUESDAY OCT.31,1989
NEWS:864-4810
Budig testifies at hearing Chancellor supports call for Willner dismissal
By Angela Baughman Kansan staff writer
Chancellor Gene A. Budig, testifying before a Faculty Senate committee last night, said the University of Kansas had acted responsibly by calling for the dismissal of Dorothy Willner, professor of anthropology.
Budig told the Committee for Tenure and Related Problems in a prepared statement, "These are serious charges. We in the administration have responded to the request of most of the members in Professor Willner's department to resolve problems that have continued for at least a decade.
"This University has acted responsibly. It has taken the only reasonable course of action available to it."
This begins the third week of dismissal hearings for Wilner, who was relieved of all duties and kept on the University payroll in August 1888.
Budig continued, "More than a
M
More than a decade of correspondence and actions have left no doubt about her inability to work within the academic community. A University can tolerate diversity in scholarly opinions. However, it cannot be under siege by one of its own members so that its academic mission is made more difficult.
Gene A. Budig
- Gene A. Budig Chancellor
decade of correspondence and actions have left no doubt about her inability to work within the academic community. A University can tolerate diversity in scholarly opinions.
however, it cannot be under siege by one of its own members so that its academic mission is made more difficult."
In cross-examination, Donald Koster, representative for Willner during the hearings, asked Budig if he had personally done any research into the matter. Budig said that he had not and that such responsibilities were delegated to other administrators.
Budig said he had dedicated a significant amount of time consulting with his colleagues, whom he had total confidence in.
"I respect their judgment," he said. "I'm comfortable with what they did."
In his statement, Budig said, "In my position, I often must delegate to my administrators the review of an internal situation, and I rely upon their recommendations."
After Rose Marino, associate general counsel, objected to Koster's line of questioning on several points,
Koster appealed to the committee that he had not seen "such a flagrant example of stonewailing as we have before us this evening."
Marino then objected to this appeal and Koster said, "You can object all you want. I want some answers to my questions."
Committee chairman Frances Ingemann instructed Koster to ask Budig his questions without adding comments.
Also during yesterday's hearings, Alfred Johnson, professor of anthropology, completed his testimony. Michael Doudoroff, associate professor of Spanish and Portuguese, and Anta Monet-White, professor of anthropology, also testified.
Blast scatters explosives in Great Bend
The Associated Press
GREAT BEND — A series of explosions ripped through an oil-field service company yesterday, injuring two workers and damaging at least 25 mobile homes, authorities said.
1.
I thought something had hit the back of my house — a truck or something.'
"It was just like mortar rounds shot out in all directions," Great Bend Police Chief Dean Akins said.
Dorothy Juergensen
Officers from the Great Bend police and fire departments, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Ft. Riley bomb squad were searching the area yesterday evening for "shaped charges" and blasting caps scattered by the explosion.
Great Bend resident and plant neighbor
Residents were being warned to call authorities if they spotted any of the explosive devices, which Akings could be set off by high heat or pressure. Most of the explosives were
"There were over 1,000 of those projectiles inside the business," Aikings said. "They all went somewhere. We've had some of those projectiles located up to three-quarters of a mile away."
"A lot of the rounds that we're finding out there now are spent rounds, but some of them are still live," he said.
being found in the southeast area of the city.
The first explosion occurred at about 7:50 a.m. at Wire Tech Service Inc. on the eastern edge of the city, Great Bend Fire Chief Dick Meisinger said.
The blast was caused by "shaped charges," which are explosives used in the oil industry. Meisinger said.
About six more explosions and a fire followed the first blast. Firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 20 minutes without entering the building, Meisinger said.
"I wasn't going to send people in,"
Meisinger said. "I don't want to expose firefighters to being killed by another explosion."
Wire Tech services establishes oil wells. It does not manufacture explosives.
About 200 residents of Great Bend, a city 90 miles northwest of Wichita, were evacuated in an area a quarter-mile around the plant. Akings said. Everyone except the residents of 25 mobile homes damaged in the blast had returned to their homes by yesterday evening.
A woman who lives near the plant, Dorothy Juergensen, said she was leaving her house when the first blast occurred.
"I was heading out the door when it hit," she said. "We waited for every
thing to quit flying around.
"Seriously, I thought something had hit the back of my house — a truck or something. It shook everything and everybody."
Initial concerns that radioactive materials may have been released were dismissed after authorities inspected the plant. Officials had been concerned about radioactive material that was contained in some magazines in the plant.
Two Great Bend men were inside the building when the explosions occurred.
Brent Curtis, 27, suffered cuts and was in stable condition at the Central Kansas Medical Center. George Reed, 35, was treated and released, said Mary Doherty, a nursing supervisor.
Joyce Lindholm, who works at Semco Machine Shop across the street from Wire Tech, said at least four or five vehicles parked in front of her building sustained major damage.
Lobbyists question ethics of legislator Whittaker's donation to KU under fire
By Jennifer Reynolds Kansan staff writer
Congressman Bob Whitkaker may be trying to buy a job at the University of Kansas, says the executive director of Common Cause of Kansas, a political watchdog and lobbying group.
Michael Woolf, the executive director, said that Whittaker's plan to donate the remainder of his campaign treasury, nearly $500,000, to the Kansas University Endowment association created an ethical problem.
"There is nothing legally wrong with what he is doing," Woolf said. "But there is a big difference between being legal and being ethical."
Someone at the University is going to have a difficult decision to make, he said.
"They'll think, 'Should we hire this guy who just gave us $500,000?' It's hard to say no to, and that is where the problem occurs."
Whittaker, R-5th District, announced Oct. 21 that he would step down at the end of his term in January 1991. The sixth-term congressman also announced that he would be involved in a teaching position at KU as early as Spring 1991.
"KU is my alma mater, and I love the campus and enjoy the faculty that I know," he said. "It has always been a dream of mine to come back and teach.
Whittaker said he had spoken with a number of individuals at the University and that the conversations thus far had been encouraging. He hopes to discuss the possibility further in the next six months.
"I think 12 years of federal government experience and three years of state government experience would qualify me to teach on practical politics at any university. There is no linkage whatsoever between the donation and my desire to teach there."
Whittaker, who attended KU from 1957 to 1959, could keep the unused funds for personal use, according to current law.
"I had hoped Common Cause
would praise my action because legally I could have kept the money." Whittaker said. "But instead of praise, I'm at the end of their barb." Woolf said the problem was not
Woolf said the problem was not solely by Whittaker.
"Our problem is that the public sees this thing as just another instance of a public official using his office for private gain," he said. "That is what Common Cause is trying to stop."
As of June 30, Whittaker's campaignd fund had $492,619, the largest fund of any Kansas congressman.
Whitaker said the amount was probably a little higher now because it was invested and gaining interest.
"To my knowledge, this is the largest of unused campaign funds donated by an elected official," Whittaker said.
Woolf said the contributors to Whitaker's campaign also suffered from the donation.
"I have no problem with him giving the money to KU. But maybe some of the contributors are strong K-State fans. They didn't give their money to support the University of Kansas; they gave it to further the political ideology of Whittaker."
Because of this, Common Cause supports two alternative routes for dealing with unused campaign funds; giving the money back to the contributors or donating it to the Republican party.
Del Brinkman, vice chancellor for academic affairs, said he was unaware of any discussions with Whittaker about a possible job.
"I have been reading with interest his desire to be associated with the University," he said. "A lot of people are flattered that he is interested in
Todd Seymour, president of the Endowment Association, said there were no specific plans for the money vet.
"I'm sure the congressman will give us some purpose for the money at that time," he said.
WASHINGTON — A U.S. warplane accidently dropped a 500-pound bomb on the Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Reeves during maneuvers in the Indian Ocean yesterday, slightly injuring five sailors and leaving a five-foot hole in the ship's main deck, the Navy reported.
Bomb dropped inadvertently on U.S. ship
Besides KU, Whittaker plans to donate some of the remaining funds to Emporia State University, his wife's alma mater, and to Butler County Community College in Augusta, his hometown.
The bomb, which detonated upon impact, set off a small fire that was quickly extinguished, said Lt. Bruce Cole, a navy spokesman at the Pentagon. The incident occurred at 9:06 p.m. CST.
The Associated Press
The aircraft, a single-seat F-A-18 Hornet, had been dispatched from the carrier USS Midway. The plane returned to the Midway where the plot was debriefed by Navy officials. Cole said.
Although the bomb left a five-foot hole in the deck near the bow, it did no damage to the outer hull, Cole said.
The five sailors who received minor injuries did not require outside medical assistance. Cole said.
The bomb was described as about four feet long and 14 inches in diameter.
Cole said the F'A-18's pilot inadvertantly dropped the bomb during routine weapons training.
Both the Midway, which is one of the Navy's oldest aircraft carriers, and the Reeves are permanently based in Yokosuka, Japan.
He said the Navy did not plan to release the names of the injured until their families were notified.
Cole said the injuries occurred "as a result of flying glass and concussion" from the exploding bomb. The sailors were treated on board the Reeves.
The plane is a jet which can adapt to both fighter and attack roles.
The 533-foot Reeves is a Leahy class guided missile cruiser with a complement of 450 officers and sailors. It was commissioned in 1864.
Scattered volumes united in new Anschutz science library
Library desk assistant Tina McRee prepares books for transfer to the Martian and Fred Anschutz Science Library
By Stacy Smith
Signs in the science library in Malott Hall say "We're moving, at last!"
Kansan staff writer
The $13.9 million Marian and Fred Anschutz Science Library, which was recently completed, could be open in the next two weeks, librarian Kathleen Neeley said.
"We had hoped that the building would be open before the semester started, but things just didn't move along as we had," she said. "Our move is going very fast, so we're anxious to open as soon as possible."
"We're waiting on facilities planning to give us a firm date."
Neeley said that the library staff could be prepared to move as early as they can, because that she did anticipate facilities planning to be ready by that date.
More than 35 percent of the books from the science library in Malot already have been transferred to the new library between Hoch Auditorium and the Military Science Building.
Sikty KU students have been hired to work four hour shifts every day of the week to move the 225,000 books and journals from the old library. Eventually, 100,000 volumes from Watson Library and 30,000 volumes from the mathematics library in Strong Hall will be moved to the new science library. Neeley said.
However, the gradual move has caused problems for students needing books that have been moved to the unopened library. Tina McRee, library desk assistant, said request forms had to be filled out for books already moved. Students then must wait 24 hours to get the book they need.
"I think it's better in the long run for the library patrons," she said. "They'll be able to come to just one of them, and all of the collections together."
"Now that we're moving the medical books, we'll probably be paging books more often, so people will get their books faster," she said. "We knew this would happen when the move came. It's just something that people have to expect."
The old science library will close at 6 p.m. the Friday before the new one is scheduled to open. The new
science library will open the following Monday at noon, McRee said. This will enable the library staff to make final preparations for opening day.
Neeley said she thought the new library was worth the trouble of moving. The building has an additional 45,000 square feet and more study areas for students. It also will be the first library on campus
to have all records on the on-line catalog, eliminating the old card catalog.
The library has six small rooms with chalkboards for group study and two large conference rooms for larger study projects. The building is equipped for energy efficiency with lights in the stacks that stay on for only 10 minutes at a time and bathroom lights that
are activated when the doors are open.
"I'm really excited about it. It's delightful," Neeley said. "It's a beautiful facility."
The new library was formally dedicated on Oct. 7. It was named for the Anschutz family who donated $6.2 million for the Marian and Fred Anschutz Endowed Library Fund.
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