Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Thursday, September 21, 1989
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Legislator wants research review
By Doug Fishback Kansan staff writer
As the phrase "legislative oversight" finds its way into the conversations of state lawmakers, State Sen. Ross Doyen is telling colleagues that legislative review of university research is lacking.
"My concern is that it think we just don't track it very well," he said. "I have felt that it has been sort of loosely managed."
Doyen, R-Concordia, said that he thought researchers at Board of Regents universities should submit annual reports to the Legislature to demonstrate satisfactory progress.
"I just don't want to hamper the universities, but I think we need some accountability." he said.
Kim Moreland, associate director of research support and grants administration at the University of Kansas, said that in the past few years, the federal government had been encouraging universities to assume a watchdog role in reviewing and managing their own research in accordance with government guidelines.
The Office of Management and Budget publishes two documents used to guide research expenses, Moreland said. The documents prescribe methods for determining whether project support is reasonable and consistent with other financing practices, she said.
"Federal regulations are a major part of our life," she said.
Of the $30.2 million awarded to KU researchers by outside sponsors last year, $21 million was federal money, and $2.4 million came from the state, Moreland said. About half of the $2.4 million was money passed on from federal programs, and the rest of the $30.2 million came from sponsors such as foundations and non-profit organizations, she said.
Research money was spent on nearly 800 projects at KU, which
were monitored by research support and grants administration, Moreland said. She said making sure researchers followed spending guidelines was no small task.
Researchers must submit itemized budgets to the comptroller's office, Moreland said, and any deviation from spending plans must be approved by the research support and grants administration.
The office of sponsored program accounting also reviews purchases made under research programs, Moreland said.
Besides reviewing the financing of research programs, the University monitors program content through a variety of methods. The mental safety and quality the said.
The University committees on human experimentation, biohazards and radiation sources are among the groups keeping tabs on KU research, Moreland said.
There are additional University restrictions, she said, such as a rule that the research results must not be classified information, except in the case of pending patents. Moreland said the rule had been self-imposed by university officials who did not want KU to be used for weapons research.
State Rep. Betty Jo Charlton, D-Lawrence, said she thought the Legislature had no business overseeing programs at Regents universities.
She said that federal, state, sponsor and University guidelines combined to create a thorough system of research review.
"I just don't think the Legislature has knowledge or the expertise to do that."
State Rep. Rochelle Chronister, R-Nedesha and vice chairman of the Special Committee on Ways and Means/Appropriations, said she did not perceive oversight of university research as a looming issue in the Legislature.
Keith Thorper/Special to the KANSAN
Wyatt Waterproofing Co. employee Doug Oakson of Tonganoxie works on the fourth floor brickwork of the Kansas Union. Replacement of the mortar continued yesterday with a process called "tuck pointing." which will extend the life of the brickwork.
Window work
Official forgets update
Investigation checks conflict of interest
By Dave Wakefield Kansan staff writer
An updated statement filed yesterday with the county clerk corrects that error, she said.
Douglas County Commissioner Nancy Hiebert said yesterday that she inadvertently failed to update a form required by Kansas law that revealed possible conflicts of interest of elected officials.
Paul Justus, 119 Tennessee St., asked Attorney General Bob Stephan in a letter dated Sept. 8 if Hiebert had sent his complaint to file an updated statement.
He also asked if Hiebert, who was the executive director of Kansas International in 1988 and 1989, could be in violation of state conflict-of-law laws if she participated in a county district vote taken last night.
The conflict-of-interest question arose because the sewer district was proposed by a group led by developer Bob Billings, who contributed financial support to and is a member of the board of Kansas International.
Kansas International is a non-profit group that attracts foreign firms to the county and assists local companies interested in exporting
Mary Horsch, a representative for the attorney general's office, said the matter was referred to Douglas County District Attorney Jim Flows.
But Patti Hackney, assistant county counselor, said an updated statement should by law be filed within 10 days.
Flory said yesterday that he had not received any word from Stephan's office.
Speech of American Blacks to be subject of course
Kansan staff writer
By Cory S. Anderson
Next semester's course selection will include a new class on Black English.
The course will be taught by Mer-
laine, the Langton Hughes
vibilism.
Alleyne said the course would look at popular speech among American Blacks in three ways.
First, he said, the class would take a linguistic view of the subject by looking at the constant changes the language undergoes.
Second, Alleyne said, the class would look at the language as the primary means of expression for Black culture. He said that in doing this, the class would try to define what extent Blacks actually had a distinct culture and language.
Third, the effect the dialect has had on the social development of Blacks would be considered. Allevne said.
The idea to teach the class came from research that he already had done on Blacks in the United States and the Caribbean, Alleyne said. He has written a book called, "Comparative Afro-American," which he said
partially dealt with Black English and how it related to Black language throughout the West and in Africa.
Alleyne said that there ad been some debate as to whether Blacks had a distinct dialect of English.
But he said his course would not deal with the question of whether it was a dialect, but in what ways it could be a dialect from a linguistic point of view.
"We have many ways in linguistics of examining the subject in a scientific rather than political aspect," Alleyne said.
Ben Larry, Jackson, Miss., graduate student, said he did not think the class was necessary.
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We have many ways in linguistics of examining the subject in a scientific rather than political aspect.
— Mervyn Alleyne Langston Hughes visiting professor
"I think that is a stereotype that has been put upon the way we (Blacks) speak," Larry said. "English is English. It's just that the way
we present it is different from the way the majority perceives it should be presented."
Larry said he would like to see other types of classes instead.
"On a campus like this I wouldn't want to see a class called Black English, "Larry said. "I would like to learn about cultures and cultures and how to diminish racism."
Deide Wilkinson, Oklahoma City sophomore, said she agreed that there was a separate dialect that Black people spoke.
Wilkinson has both whites and Blacks in her family and said there
was a distinct difference in the way she spoke to them.
"I talk different on campus than I do when I talk to my grandmother," she said. "Also I talk differently to my Black grandmother then I do to my other grandmother, who is white."
But, Wilkinson said, she was concerned about how the class would be perceived.
"It's OK for them to study it so people will understand it," she said. "I hope that they don't go into the class thinking they are going to learn to speak it."
Some student senators worry that money is flowing too fast
By Lara Weber Kansan staff writer
The Student Senate Finance Committee has recommended allocating more than $7,000 to campus organizations this semester, and some senators are concerned that Senate is spending too much too fast.
"We're not going to be able to keep Warren, finance committee chairman
Carl Damon, Senate treasurer,
said Senate started the semester with
about $150,000 in the unallocated fund to spend on organizations requesting money throughout the year. At the beginning of Fall 1988, there was approximately $250,000.
About $45,000 of this year's fund already has been allocated for Secure Cab, a free taxi service for KU students.
Senate has about $95,000 remaining in the unallocated fund to use for the school year.
"If we spend too much, we may find ourselves in a sticky situation."
He said that it was not a serious problem now but that it was something Senate should be aware of. Efforts have been made to inform Senate and the finance committee of the need for caution in allocating funds, Damon said.
Damon said.
He said it was unclear how much money Senate would have to work with next year. He said there would be a windfall of $235,000 from Recreation Services because the organization would become a restriced fee group. It will no longer receive Senate funds after this school year.
He also said it would depend on the amount students paid for their activity fee. Senate receives $28 of each student's activity fee each semester.
"If we're not responsible this year," Damon said, "Senate can find itself in an extremely tight situation in the next few years."
Warren said he believed the finance committee was making good
spending decisions but was worried about how long the money would last.
"We're so pressed for money," he said. "Organizations that come to us now will have an easier time than those that come to us for money in the spring."
He illustrated his point by saying that it was much easier for the committee to justify allocating $1,000 to a group when there was $100,000 in the fund, but it became more difficult to justify allocating the same amount
when there was much less in the fund.
Damon said he worried that too many people considered Senate a financing mechanism to carry their organizations rather than as a catalyst to get them started. He said it was important, that groups seek several options for financing.
"We have a responsibility to see that money is spent wisely," he said. "We have to help the University get the best value for the dollar."
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