4
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, October 24, 1968
Curb game drinking
Any condemnation of liquor on a college campus always sounds like the rehashing of the Carrie Nation legend, no matter how mildly put.
But the three letters to the Kansan, two published yesterday and one today, on the drinking and subsequent fights at the Indiana and Oklahoma State games, do point out a real problem.
One of the writers, Richard Lucas, Lakin senior, told of a student setting up a portable bar in the aisle of the senior section bleachers, then, during the fourth quarter, yelling rude comments at people who were leaving, pestering girls and finally starting a fight that ended up 16 rows down the stadium. Numerous students became involuntarily involved in the melee, with a few landing at the bottom of the pile of combatants.
Another letter reported that someone at the
Indiana game threw a bottle which shattered between two rows of seats, barely missing a girl's head.
State laws do prohibit liquor being brought into the stadium as on any University property; however, this is a law overlooked for years.
But if more fans are harassed at future games, if someone does get seriously injured (or only moderately injured), the law may be pulled out of cold storage and vigourously enforced.
However, if the students and fans themselves curb the heavy drinking and/or fighting, there probably won't be any need for the strict enforcement of the law against alcoholic beverages.
So, for serious drinking and displays of churlish temper on game days, find a bar.
Letters to the editor
KU fans harassed; distracted
To the Editor:
For the last two home football games, the students seated in the surrounding sections of my student section have been harassed and badgered by drunken students proudly displaying their bottles and yelling obscene slogans at the players on the field, the people in the stands, and anyone in general within their boisterous range. In several of these instances, at both home games, fights soon erupted when nearby students could listen to no more.
In the most recent such event at the Oklahoma State Game, the resultant fight began on row 57 and came to an end about 20 rows below with numerous innocent people becoming involved. Is this the price a football fan must pay to watch a winning team?
There is a state law prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages on state property. If the university has no intention of enforcing the law, why pretend to do so? What useful function are the ushers to serve? I would think that one of such authority would be somewhat curious when a fan strolls into the stadium carrying a portable bar the size of an overnight bag.
In nearly all instances observed by this student at the recent games, fighting ultimately erupted as a result of the drunken students sitting in and blocking the aisles. If the ushers would exert some of their delegated authority to keep the
aisles free of seated spectators, some of this mayhem could possibly be eliminated. Surely there is some regulation prohibiting the blocking of aisles at such a large gathering of spectators.
If some very necessary steps are not taken to prevent this type of irresponsible behavior, more people will undoubtedly be senselessly hurt. I truly hate to see such a potentially fine football season tarnished by the actions of a few very immature individuals.
John Huey Wamego, senior
To the Editor:
Sitting in Memorial Stadium last Saturday watching one of the greatest teams in the nation win was very gratifying to me as I am sure it was to every other KU fan. It is unfortunate, however, to have such a fine afternoon spoiled by obnoxious aircraft flying overhead during the entire game. To my knowledge at one time there were four airplaned with advertising streaming from their tail sections and one helicopter which was
performing no visible function other than to distract from the action on the playing field.
In my opinion, having so many aircraft circling in such proximity over 36,000 people in Memorial Stadium, constitutes a great threat to every person there. A collision of one or more of these planes is not entirely impossible, considering the fact that they are all vying for the most conspicuous piece of air space in order to be noticed.
I would hope that Chancellor Wescow would make an appeal to the F.A.A. to set limits as to the number of planes which could occupy the air space immediately over Memorial Stadium during game days. Or perhaps an appeal directed to the flying services which operate the planes would bring results.
In talking with others after the game, I found that I was not the only person to express concern over this potentially disasterous situation. I hope that some action may be taken before the next home game.
Dennis P. Wilbert
Pittsburg junior
Kansas Telephone Numbers
Newsroom—UN 4-3464 Business Office—UN 4-4358
A student newspaper serving the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
Published at the University of Kansas daily during the academic year except holidays and examination periods. Mail subscription rates: $6 a semester, $10 a holiday, and examination period. Mail suspension: Lawrence, Kan. 68044. Accommodations, goods, services and employment advertisements without regard to color, creed or national origin. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of Kansas or the State Board of Regents.
Class guide
Students have every right to demand greater participation in decisions of curriculum. Unfortunately, KU students have no way of influencing the planning of classes and the tenure of instructors. For example, if a tenured faculty member gives the same boring class every semester, during which 75 per cent of the students fall asleep, the obvious conclusion is that he should stop teaching that particular class. But this rarely happens.
Every semester KU students must figure out their class schedules. Most of the time this is a big-and-miss procedure, with classes and instructors chosen by course title and time of day. This results in many disappointed students who find, too late, that they chose a dull lecture class or a too-deep seminar group.
What they need is a reference guide, listing all teachers and classes at KU to check before deciding on class schedules.
There is nothing new or unique about this idea. Many universities now have such publications, researched and written by students themselves. These booklets provide detailed descriptions of each course, its content, structure, scope, depth, level of advancement. More important, they give ratings of each faculty member by the students in the classes, plus representative comments about the instructor and his teaching methods.
In order for KU to publish such a guide book, a committee must be formed to decide upon the criteria to be used in grading the teachers. This "criteria committee" should be composed of undergraduates, graduate students and faculty members. One recognized group of responsible undergraduates is the College Intermediary Board, which could undertake the project as one of its long-range studies on the University.
The faculty members on the committee could be those who have been recognized for their contributions to progressive education—Hillteachers, HOPE award recipients, and teachers recognized by the Fink and Standard Oil awards. The sociology department has collected much data on student rating procedures, and could give advice and information to the committee. The criteria established should be as objective as possible, although some subjective comments could be included in each teacher's write-up. Teachers could be rated on knowledge of field, being prepared, ability to lecture, humor, fairness in grading, interest in subject, willingness to help students, and many other factors. One write-up, for example, may state that "85 per cent of his students felt that Dr. X was an outstanding teacher, but 5 per cent thought his lectures were too difficult to understand."
One university rates all faculty members, but includes write-ups on only the teachers who rate outstanding or good-to-fair. All others are excluded from the book. Thus, no completely negative comment is printed about a faculty member, which, in the case of direct quotes from individual students, could result in libel. Any faculty member appearing in the publication is considered a good teacher by most of his students; the guide book itself gives a more detailed sketch of the teacher and his classes.
After the criteria committee decides upon definite factors to be rated, another group must implement the rating. The sociology department, which has conducted many similar surveys, or perhaps the Council on Student Affairs, or even a student branch of Peoples Voice could give each student in each class a rating paper and thencollect them. If certain teachers object to class time being used for this survey, papers could be handed out as students leave after class.
Computers could average the ratings for each teacher, and the Kansan could devote a special issue to printing the results. Copies could be sold to the students to cover printing costs.
This plan would not only aid students in selecting courses which are structured and conducted to their individual needs, it would also give recognition to outstanding faculty members. It would make more fair the selection of faculty members for awards, such as the Jayhawker Magazine Yearbook's Hillteachers and the senior class's HOPE award.
Many teachers would undoubtedly be surprised and disappointed to receive low ratings from their students But recognizing a problem is the first step in correcting it. This project would require much research and planning, but it would be worth the trouble. In the long run, such a rating book would benefit both students and faculty and improve the quality of this university.
THE FIRST MAN WENT INTO THE VOTING BOOTH AND WELLED AT THE MACHINE FOR THREE MINUTES..
THE FIFTH MAN WENT INTO THE VOTING BOOTH AND KICKED THE MACHINE TO PIECES.
THE SECOND MAN WENT INTO THE VOTING BOOTH AND FELL ASLEEP FOR THREE MINUTES...
THE THIRD MAN WENT INTO
THE VOTING BOOTH AND
BECAME ILL FOR THREE
MINUTES..
"I ACCEPT THE MANDATE OF THE PEOPLE," SAD THE PRESIDENT- ELECT.
THE FOURTH MAN WENT INTO THE VOTING BOOTH AND SORATCHED OUT ALL THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES NAMES IN THREE MINUTES..
AND BUOYED BY THE CHEER OF HIS SUPPORTER MADE PLANS TO UNIFY THE COUNTRY.