UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN editorials
Unsigned editors represent the opinion of the Kanan editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of the editors.
NOVEMBER 8,1978
Students need full vote
The Student Senate will have a chance tonight to take a step toward ensuring more student input into University of Kansas governance.
That chance will come in the form of a petition approved Monday by the Senate's Rights Committee that would assure full voting rights for student members of all governance committees.
Students currently are allowed to serve on faculty governance committees. In effect, they only serve to offer student input to committee discussions. They cannot vote on such non-policy matters as personnel decisions.
The petition came after a student senator was asked to leave part of a faculty Research Committee meeting in September. Mark Bernstein, a co-author of the bill, said he thought the Research Committee dealt with matters that were of importance to students.
"AND IF that student member is willing to put in the time and effort then I think he ought to be an equal member of the committee." Bernstein said.
It's great to have students serving on committees to present the "student
point of view" but it's pointless if those views cannot be backed up in votes in all phases of the committee process.
UNDER THE University Code provisions for student representation on faculty committees, student committee members are only guaranteed access to policy-making portions of committee meetings. That rule leaves students out of decisions on appointments and further undermines their value, and power, in the committee process.
Despite the new bill the University Code mandates that no more than 20 percent of" o' culty committees can be composed of students.
So clearly, the Senate bill would not mean a student takeover of faculty committees. It would simply mean that students would have the power to backup their opinions on topics that are important to students but are currently not subject to any kind of real student inout.
If the Senate passes the bill tonight, it will still face a tough battle in the University Council. Nevertheless, the petition represents an important first step in increasing student power in the University governance. It deserves the Senate's support.
Attacks on Cole review are racist and appalling
To the editor:
As fans of *Natl.* Cole who attended the concert, read the reviews and the ensuing letters and articles, we are appalled by the criticism that has resulted.
Sharron Parker was quoted as objecting to the "stereotypes about black people being very sexual" that she says the article supported. She cites quotations mentioning that Cole "stripped off" her blouse and "moved her hands across her hips seductively."
These were two different points, made in separate paragraphs. Never was the fact of Miss Cole's race made an issue. This sort of mistake was not made by the performers. Linda Ronda Stat, Stevie Nicks or Bette Middler are all known for their sexual or sexual behavior during their shows. It certainly is not restricted to black women and the review did not try to说 it that way.
Thompson also included a look at the clothing worn by concert-goers and offense has been taken to her use of the word "costumes."
It might be noted that Lawrence is not kept as a rhythm and blues town and the clothes of a university. The University of Kansas student, Satin, silk, lame and three-piece suits are not normally worn.
In fact, she was correct, according to the American Heritage Dictionary. It defines costume as "a set of clothes appropriate for a particular occasion or season." It was emphasized by Chris Gardenhire that the costumes are typical for most rhythm and blues concerts.
The attacks concerning the sound quality are unclear. no one argues that Allen Field House is acoustically perfect. Thompson attributed the fault to the sound system, saying it "at times garbled their work into mush." She is under fire for saying that, "the sound was an unnatural technician," he was unable to say any garbled or musky sounds.
We would have traded seats with him. It is a generally accepted fact that, whatever the quality of the sound system, Allen Field Station should be far more hardly disqualify Thomson as a reviewer.
Much criticism also attacks her for giving a negative review. The article was full of criticisms, but the writer crooning delivered effortlessly," "dominated the stage," "played to the audience," and the crooning paragraphs which read that Miss Cole opened by saying that she would "like to think this is a special occasion." And the positive attitude toward the performers.
The Kansas City Star picked up on the controversy and stated that the objections were to a "negative view of one non-black man" in concert while the other 11,000 persons did."
It is naïve to think that everyone attending a concert will be totally satisfied. The aca-
She also had favorable words for the fans, commenting that they were "looking good. Only a few audience members were dressed in jeans or other casual clothes."
The statement pinpoints a non-black as being unhappy. It implies that the 11,000 persons (all of whom did enjoy the show) were all from the eastern upper east balcony complained throughout Henderson and Ashford and Simpson about the sound quality and the lack of comfort. People left throughout the concert, including the group and the audience, these dissatisfied concertgoers were black.
for the concert" is an attempt to distort a
for the concert' is favorable review. The original
Thompson herself has received most of the attacks. Some are personal, calling her "inarticulate," "indiscreet," "very inep," "totally unaware" and "incompetent."
The personal criticisms are uncalled for. The attacks on her review are an excuse to attack the reviewer. The BIC weaken its own position by indulging in a pointless review on a review website.
The Kansan printed a letter from Brian Hurt stating that Thompson's closed and narrow mind resulted in a review full of "racist implications."
However, Hurt was quoted in the Kansas City Star as saying, "They let that kind of person review a predominantly black concert; that's so backward. How can you give an opinion if you don't understand what you're going on? This person is not qualified."
That kind of person? She's white. Hurt is saying that the only kind of person that could have reviewed the concert and unintentionally going on would have been another black.
Any superiority due to color or race is racism. If the black community feels that the Kansan coverage is racist and wants its own newspaper, that's fine. If its a newspaper only substitutes black racism or was done here, no one will be better off.
Leslie Rose
Lawrence junior
Philip Marcbankhs
Salina sophomore
The only parts of the original review that need apologies are the incorrect song titles, failure to recognize Rena Scott or items due to Thompson's personal lack of familiarity with the material, an ill-timed skirt intended or implied in the review. There is no need for any other apology.
How can an all-white journalism staff have a sense of awareness, experience, and perception to report on events and activities of blacks and other non-white ethnic groups without being tainted and narrow in their point of view? How can the diversity receive balanced journalism comparable to that of the white community?
What is life? For $9.55, or $2.50 in paperback, the answer awaits.
We, the Executive Committee of the Black Faculty and Staff Council, University of Kansas, are alarmed and repugned by the unbalanced journalism displayed by the University Daily Kansan in reviewing the Natalie Cole concert.
Racial homogeneity breeds Kansan bias
Life's answers available for a price
We are not surprised that a medium that has a homogeneous staff of eighty supports it, or that the same students are more numerate on blacks and other non-white without equality and perception. When, then, will the underlying racism of racist institutionalism have been eradicated and equality of medium presentation begin?
To the editor:
It can be found in one little section of the Kansas Union's Oread Bookstore or probably in another where knowing how much knowledge exists in these little sections or corners of most commercial bookstores. Books and books and books and books, for instance, offer ways for much self-help.
Assistant professor of Educational Psychology and Research
And three other faculty members
Vernon Gettone
But can they? What is immediately noticeable about such books is that most appear to offer the same solutions. They even have similar titles: "Happiness," "How to be Happy, Happier, Happiest," and "You Can Be a Wonder and You Won't Too."
And the titles, at least, suggest that behind the covers lie the answers to all, or at least most, of the problems facing the individual. What was tension becomes relaxation and what was pain becomes tension. For a price, the answers can be found.
WHAT THEY suggest is that the key to be found through self-therapy techniques.
Allen Holder
In the past few years, such books have been many. Thomas Harris’ “I’m OK, You’re OK,” was a national best seller. Another book, by Albert Vornspan, was called, “I’m OK, You’re a Pain in the Neck.”
Each book advertises its own claims. "Joy" supposedly shows its readers "how to find it, how to feel it and how to share it" by being "the book that shows you how to get more person-to-person pleasure in your life." You can search for the full human being. And a book simply called "Self Therapy" offers "techniques for personal growth."
SELF IS a four-letter word that has words in the form of the most commonly used words in the English language.
Self-therapy is only one of many self-words coined in the past few years in what has been called the "me-oriented society."<sup>1</sup> Self-therapy is a method of self-esteem, self-estimate,自我-self-image,
And along the way to its popularity, some people have become rich.
In another, "How to Be Your Own Best Friend," Mildred Newman and Bernard Berkowitz, psychanalysts, offer advice on how to get the most out of what make you feel good about yourself."
improvement, self-perception, self-
realisation, self-reliance and self-confidence
There's little doubt that positive thinking is a good thing. And certainly making yourself happy and feeling good about yourself are important.
It may be that self-improvement first was seen as an easy way to make money after the success of "The Power of Positive Thinking," a book written by the Rev. Vincent Nicole Attie in 1952. In that book, Peale attempted to demonstrate that you do have power to overcome any problem you can have peace of mind, improved health and a never-ceasing flow of energy.
And, after all, if you have those things,
What else do you need? Well, there must be
something else needed, because Paea was a
known of many books that promised the
world.
SINCE THAT time, the emphasis in those books seems to be placed on the self-care and psychological well-being of the individual. Sometimes anyone else is just out of luck. Implications are made that guilt, worry, depression and helplessness all are learned responses. As such, they can be unlearned.
But of all that self-realization only adds to the contumelation of a "a*-oriented society." The contempt for others who promote only self-centeredness, which at least in America, always does quite well by exhorting others to be self-aware.
Something is armsit when several hundred books offer methods of achieving happiness:
But who really cares? Once we all become self-fulfillment, there no longer will be a need for me.
Article about gays is attack on rights
To the Editor:
Once again, I am appalled at the audacity of Today's Student. However, I must applaud it for its marvelous display of sexist hypocrisy in the Nov. 1 issue. "Not So Weird"
in the beginning of the article, Royal, Mundy and colleagues cited instances where student homophile organizations denied recognition by student governments.
Julie Freeman Gay Services of Kansas
How much longer will our basic human rights continue to be developed? If they don't be addressed, this community is. It is hoped that today's students will not be intimidated by such slanderous forces.
Stating that some sex relationships are untillful and lack respect is grossly wrong, it would be inappropriate to label, degraded, and rejected by a homophobic society because of whom we were.
To the Editor:
'Not So Gay' article is labeled degrading
They fail to mention, however, that in August of this year, Gay Students Union was granted recognition by a Supreme Court ruling. There are numerous gay student organizations across the country that are advocating for their efforts in promoting human rights.
Recently a publication, Today's Student, ran an article titled "Not So Gay." As a Christian, I fail to see how such flagrant degradation of human dignity can be presented under the auspices of a Christian organization. The fact that people in this organization are still homeless homosexual rights is proof that the rights of all are endangered.
To say that gay lifestyle, "is synonymous with rejection, depression, hostility . . . and suicide," is a flagrant example of opinionated, self-righteous bigotry.
Fortunately, Gay Services of Kansas has had some cooperation with the University, and they have done it because reason we receive so little cooperation is because slanderous lies such as the Today's Student article are propagated in an effort to instil homophobia into the American society.
If the gay world has its share of problems
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN letters
perhaps a look at the support it receives is in line. From day one, gay people are called queer, perverts, faggots, fairies—all of which have negative connotations.
When peer pressure affects a child's perspective so much, it is not hard to see how a person's self-respect could suffer and a person's self-dignity diminish consequence.
If our sexuality seems to be a main preoccupation, I'm sure it is true that people tend to be preoccupied with these things they are threatened with.
Fortunately, there are those of us who have overcome the barrier of the masses. The God I believe in is a God who would not take another than cause pain among humanity.
I sincerely hope that someday we can reach a point where being different from the majority does not constitute invalidity for difference sake.
He sees a person's right to free agency, and reserves judgment for himself. I see this article as the ultimate insult to gays and christian gays who have overcome the many barriers to self-integration and to those for those who have not been fortunate.
Carl is born Independence, Mo., freshman
Chris Budd
Review board idea threatens free press To the Editor:
I think the Kansan could definitely stand to improve its reporting on of- and off-campus activities. However, I am strongly opposed to the concept of establishing a Kansan office by Pmh, Ka Kaufman during his speech of resignation as StudEx chairperson.
As reported in the Oct. 26 Kansan, Kaufman said, "This board is not designed to limit First Amendment privileges. The purpose of the board would be to recommend changes in equipment and improved reporting of campus and noncampus activities."
Perhaq Kaufman was not aware of this fact, but something similar to a "review
board" already exists—that is the Kanasan board, of which I, as chairperson of the Student Senate Communications Committee, am a member. Other members are the dean of the School of Journalism, two students in the Kanasan editor and the Kanasan business manager.
This board sets financial policy for the Kansan and selects the editor and business manager for each semester. If problems emerge that cannot be resolved by the editor, they can be taken before the Kansan board.
The function of the Kansan board, however, is not to set day-to-day editorial policy—it's a matter of debate.
I think Kaufman's two statements, "This board is not designed to limit First Amendment privileges," and "The purpose of the board would be to recommend methods for ... improved reporting of noncamp activities," are contradictory.
If the Kansan board, or any newly conceived "review board," were to take over
the editor's job of editing, we might as well throw the First Amendment out the window.
Granted, reporters and the editor of the Kansan need to be more careful in how and what they report, but, regardless, I would rather read a paper edited freely by student journalists than by what verges on being a "censorship board."
I am opposed to control over the press in any form other than readership pressure. If complaints endure news coverage do arise, I suggest that students, rather than proposing an editorial "review board" that would considerably limit the paper's First Amendment rights, directly to the editor, as demonstrated last week by the Black Student Union.
If the problem cannot be resolved there, then I suggest it be taken before the already existing Kansan board. Rarely has this ontion been exercised.
By the nature of its members, the Kansan board is well balanced in representation of interests and is open to suggestions and feedback. In addition, we offer solutions, and is here to serve the students.
Just don't, please, suggest the formation of a university to suppose our University's freedom of the press.
Student Senate Communications Committee
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KANSAN
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