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University Daily Kansan, October 28, 1981
Increase in off-campus ballot boxes still
By MICHAEL ROBINSON Staff Reporter
Student Senate's defeat of Bill 022 last week emphasized the division among members of an organization that has for years been charged with being Greek in orientation and cliquish in nature.
The Senate defeated the bill last Wednesday at a special meeting hurriedly called by Student Body Vice
Analysis
President Bren Abbott--against the wishes of Student Body President Bert Coleman.
And after the Senate dumped Bill 022, which would have required an equal number of ballot boxes on- and off-campus during Senate elections; complaints of Greek domination resurfaced.
BUT OPPONENTS of the bill, not all of whom were members of fraternities
and sororites, said that forcing the Elections Subcommittee to place boxes all over the city, as well as on campus, would have been too heavy a burden.
"What the bill would have ended up doing was spinning the wheels of the Elections Subcommittee." David executive committee chairman, said.
Adkins, Coleman and other opponents of the bill said that the Elections Subcommittee already had a difficult time staffing the ballot boxes and that the additional boxes would bog down the process further.
But two important points brought that explanation of Bill 022's defeat into question.
First, exactly one week before defeating Bill 022, the Senate also voted down another ballot box bill by the same authors.
That bill, Bill 021, would have taken ballot boxes out of all living groups. During elections, boxes have been placed in fraternities, sororites, scholarship halls and residence halls at night.
THE AUTHORS OF the bills purposely wrote two different versions hoping that one of them would be acceptable to the Senate.
"The reason for both these bills is to give Student Senate and the Rights Committee a chance to decide," said Loren Buben, Finance and Auditing committee chairman, when the bills were submitted.
"What I would like to see happen is for us to endore the bill that says ballot boxes should only be on the campus proper," Peter Gray, graduate student senator, said at the Rights Committee meeting.
The Rights Committee sent both bills on to the Senate, but endorsed only Bill 021.
"You don't maintain an inequity (living group boxes) in order to counterbalance widespread apathy."
Gray said, and the committee agreed, that Bill 021 would equalize access to ballot boxes by removing the living group issue altogether.
BUT THE SENATE defeated Bill 821 on Tuesday, which would have restricted the ability to vote
Opponents of the bill said that every effort should be made to make boxes available to as many students as possible.
"Right now 10 percent of the student body elects our student leaders," Chris Schneider, Association of University Residence Hall senator, said at the event. "Anything that's going to get them (voters) out is better than nothing."
Another point that made the defeat even more controversial was the fact that nearly half of the Senate is made up of students who either live in fraternities and sororites or did when they were elected.
BUT WHETHER the defeat of the bill was Greek-based or not, the issue of where the ballot boxes would be placed is not dead vet.
That attitude would have seemed to make Bill 022 a good alternative for equaling access, because it increased the number of people in the city of the Senate did not view it that way.
Even as Wednesday's meeting was being adjourned, David Zimmerman, off-campus student senator, said he would keep the issue alive.
He said yesterday that he intended to work with the Elections Subcommittee on the issue.
Zimmerman appears to be succeeding.
And after initial talks with Gail Abbott, Elections co-chairman, Zimmerman is encouraged, he said.
Gail Abbott (no relation to Bren) said she thought that if more off-campus schools became involved in the Election, the number of children of the boxes would be more equitable.
"Right now, we have about 25 people on our committee," she said.
"I think if the off-campus people are really concerned about getting represented, they ought to get more people on the committee."
She said that she supported Bill 021 because it would have simplified the elections, but that regardless of the defeat of both bills, the issue would have an effect on the placement of the vote during the Nov. 18 and 19 elections.
OCTAVIO VIVEROS, a former chairman of the Elections Subcommittee and now a Liberal Arts and Sciences senator, had opposed Bill 021 but said that the committee now has a committee to accommodate the off-campus voters.
"It'll affect where we put them during the day," she said.
possible
"Given that some of the Senate has expressed some concern or desire, I think the Elections Subcommittee has a duty to try," he said.
"I think Student Senate would be showing people off-campus that they're concerned."
Viveros said he didn't believe the number of off-campus voters would increase, but he said, "I really believe it's worth the effort."
If the Elections Subcommittee follows through with those suggestions, the Senate Rules and Regulations will remain bereft of specific ballot box placement rules, but the off-campus may gain anyway.
At the very least, off-campus students will probably have more input in the placement of the boxes, and voter turnout, an issue that the authors of the bills said they were trying to sidestep, may increase.
on campus
TODAY
THE UNIVERSITY FORUM will feature Nancy Shontz, city commissioner, speaking on "Downtown Development" at 11:45 a.m. in the Ecumenical Christian Ministries Center, 1204 Oread.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE MEDICAL, TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM at the University of Kansas College of Health Sciences will present slides of technologists at work and answer questions about the program at 1 p.m. in 610 Haworth Hall
LE CERCLE FRANCAIS will meet at 3:30 p.m. in the department lounges in Wescosce Hall
As Viveros said, "The only way you can find out is if they try it."
THE KU GERMAN CLUB will hold a Bierstunde at 4:30 p.m. in the Satellite Union Cafeteria.
THE KU SAILING CLUB will meet at 7 p.m. in the Union Parlors.
THE DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS CLUB will meet at 7 p.m. in the Trail Room of the Kansas Union.
THE KU SCRABBLE CLUB will meet at 7 p.m. in the Trail Room lounge of the Union.
THE NEW LIFE STUDENT FELLOWSHIP will meet at 7p.m. in the Forum Room of the Union.
MECHA will hold an
organizational meeting at 7 p.m. in the Oread Room of the Union.
THE WESTERN CIVILIZATION PROGRAM ACADEMIC FILM FESTIVAL will present two films, "The Light of Experience" and "The Circulation of the Blood," at 7:30 p.m. in Dauithe Auditorium.
THE KU CONCERT CHOIR will perform at 8 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall.
THE ART DEPARTMENT
VISITING ARTISTS SERIES will present Kimberly Arp, print-
er of the m. in the Forum Room of the Union.
CHARLES H. LEVINE, Edwin O.
Stene distinguished professor of
public administration, will speak on
Cutting Back the Public Sector:
The Trends in the Records of Retrieve-
ment at 8 p.m. in the Jawhayk
Room of the Union.
ROBERT AUDI, University of Nebraska professor of philosophy, will speak on "The Culture Structure of Nationalism" in the International Room of the Union.
TOMORROW
THE PANHELLENIC ASSOCIATION will hold a rush orientation meeting at 7 p.m. in the Union Ballroom.
Reggae Halloween Weekend with the
BLUE RIDDIM BAND!
Fri - Pallet Night-Bever
specials & prizes
Saturday with prizes
Opening act Carlie
Fri, Sat, Sun - Lymn McBeer
No - Papa John Grisha
4—Clocks
6—Thorogood at Hoch
6 & 7—Son Seals
Grinder Switch has appeared in Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam for 6 consecutive years.
Where the stars are 7th & Maas. 842-6930
Jawrence Opera House
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL—Call Beatriz Faz Your $UPS FAR
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ROUNDTRIP FAINTS
ATLANTA $398 $332 $236 $204
BOSTON $796 $490 $258 $274
CHICAGO $388 $266 $138 $138
DALLAS $414 $298 $209 $130
DENVER $428 $306 $208 $178
HONOLULU $1,210 $754 $530 $530
HOUSTON $382 $306 $214 $130
LAS VEGAS $714 $496 $258 $230
LOS ANGELES $800 $568 $341 $300
MIAMI $606 $488 $342 $232
NEW ORLEANS $998 $300 $224 $192
NEW YORK $729 $444 $218 $218
ORLANDO $544 $436 $305 $208
PHOENIX $628 $450 $216 $216
RENO $794 $568 $257 $300
SAN DIEGO $810 $578 $462 $280
SAN FRANCISCO $862 $616 $352 $418
SEATTLE $862 $616 $493 $432
ST. LOUIS $300 $190 $114 $60
WASHINGTON, D.C. $552 $394 $276 $318
WE'LL CLEAR THE AIR FOR YOU!
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Rush Information Meeting Thursday, Oct. 29 7:00 p.m.
Kansas Union Ballroom
—Find out what K.U. sororities are like
—Learn about becoming a member
—Pick up Rush Registration Packets
Have your questions answered by active sorority members.
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