4 Thursday, November 1, 1990 / University Daily Kansan Opinion THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Big Blue's success KU should be commended for recycling efforts W When the Big Blue Monster appeared on campus in August, its backers were not sure it would have a great effect on the KU campus. Phil Endacott, associate director of facilities operations, said many people thought "Big Blue," the campus 3,300-pound-capacity newspaper recycling dumpster, would serve to remind people to recycle. But they weren't sure people would do it. The University community has by far exceeded any recycling expectations. Big Blue bills up every 10 days. Last week, Big Blue was emptied for the sixth time since its August birth. KU has recycled almost 10 tons of paper in a little more than two months. Steve Hamburg, assistant professor of environmental studies, said those 10 tons of paper equaled approximately 170 average-size trees. All members of the University community should be commended for actively working to save our nation's natural resources. Members of Student Senate and Environs, facilities and operations workers, and Stan Roth, Lawrence High School instructor, also should be commended for implementing Big Blue's low-cost program. The recycling program was inexpensively implemented because all needed materials already were owned by the University. Big Blue is an old University trash dumpster that was painted by Senate and Environs members with paint donated by facilities and operations. When Big Blue needs to be emptied, it usually is taken to Lawrence High School, where Roth's biology students load the newspapers into a semi-trailer. The students later sell the newspapers and use the money to pay for projects. If the high school students are unable to fit a Big Blue dump into their schedule, the University sells Big Blue's papers to Central Fiber in Wellsville, where they are recycled. Another Big Blue's newspaper server In both cases, Big Blue's newspapers serve a worthy cause. Big Blue has been so successful that Endacott said five more campus locations for newspaper recycling dumpsters had been promised. If KU continues to recycle newspapers at its current rate, almost 45 tons of newspapers — the equivalent of about 776 average-size newspapers — have been recycled by the end of the school year. Other schools should take notice of Big Blue's success. KU's recycling efforts can serve as an example to others of organized community recycling success. Mary Neubauer for the editorial board Jail time justified Marion Barry's sentence upholds justice for all Justice has been served in the dru- ravaged city of Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion S. Barry Jr. was sentenced Saturday to six months in prison and a year on probation for his conviction on a misdemeanor charge of possessing cocaine. Barry also was fined $5,000 plus court costs. Federal District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson should be praised for his decision not to lightly slap Barry on the wrist with a community service sentence. After all, Barry already has hadhis chance to serve his community as mayor. He not only failed miserably, but betrayed the public trust. The sentence was fitting for someone who had the audacity to use cocaine while mayor of a city that has earned the infamous title of "murder capital of the world" because of a deadly scourge of drugs. Worse still, Barry deemed himself above the law and tried to inflame racial tensions for his own gain by having supporters turn the trial into a civil rights spectacle. After his sentencing, Barry said he was the victim of a double standard of justice, and he accused the predominantly White staff of the federal prosecutor's office of trying to bring down the Black mayor of a predominantly Black city. After his attempt to classify his inadequacies as part of a greater racial struggle failed to gain public sympathy, Barry had his defense lawyer, R. Kenneth Mundy, accuse the federal government of trying to blame its failed ant-drug policies on his client. Barry has been an embarrassment to the people of Washington, D.C., and the nation. Hopefully, Saturday's sentencing will be the first step in the city's long journey back to normalcy. Bryan Swan for the editorial board Pay to get way, Banks I read of Professor Elizabeth Banks' actions regarding the soap advertisement in the spring timetable with some dismay. I find it disturbing that the shrill protestations of a single faculty member are sufficient to cause the University Senate Executive Committee to recommend banning all ads from the timetable. First, it seems illogical that an institution dedicated to the expansion of knowledge based on empirical research would be so sensitive to the catch-phrases of the day. All someone like Professor Banks needs to do is show "sexism" or "racism" or "gender bias" in the course that believers in objective proof fall all over themselves in stamping out the terrible offense. truss? Second, what is "sexist" anyway? Would this add to being sexist if it featured a 200-point, ugly woman? Or a 60-year-old man wearing a I resent the Elizabeth Banks of the world setting themselves up to pass judgment on what is or isn't appropriate based on their ill-defined and politicized view of how things should be. Professor Banks' offended sensibilities also will cost $20,000 in revenue, which must be made up from some other part of the University budget. I suggest it should come from her salary. John Clark Tulsa. Okla.. graduate student 1) "The Wetlands will be enhanced by the SLT." This is a ridiculous statement derived by selective reasoning. Whether any mitigation is ever completed and whether that mitigation has any positive impact on even the 2 percent of the wetlands it will relate to is questionable. The long-term effects of increased pollution, noise, congestion and development around the Baker University Wetlands will be negative. There have been many claims that recently have been proposed about the benefits of the South Lawrence Trafficway. I would like to address Trafficway unneeded 2) "Outside financing has been secured and not be lost." This is like my giving you $1,000 but requiring you to spend it on drugs. The drug in this case is petroleum. The statistics show that this new road would do very little to reduce traffic on 23rd Street, but it certainly would our dependence upon the car and a non-renewable source, gasoline. 3) "... the trafficway would bolster the economic link between Lawrence and the rest of the county." Unless you own a business or land on the south or west side of Lawrence it is unlikely that people outside of Lawrence will benefit from it. You should be a Lawrence project instead of a Douglas County/Lawrence project. 4) The fourth claim is that the SLT will protect the County of life in Lawrence and, to a lesser extent, the rest of Douglas County. That may be true if we only measure the quality of life as any kind of growth, increased wealth, land values and numbers of people. I would ask that the residents of Douglas County vote "no" for the county road proposal. Roger L. Boyd Baldwin City resident FLAXMAN university Daily Kansan What should be the role of the state in higher education during the next four years? State can't be lax on education Horace Mann, then Secretary to the Massachusetts State Board of Education, in 1848 described schools as "the grand agent for the development of augmentation of national resources, more powerful in the production and gainful employment of the total wealth of a country than all the other books of the political economists." It is then apparent that the current interest in higher education and economic development dates back to the 19th Century. The efforts of today that are enhancing the contribution of higher education in a competitive society are based on principles of the past. We should not then be looking at just the next four years, but for the next forty and more. The need to reaffirm commitment to access — especially for the growing population of minority students. In part, this means encouraging more students to go on to post-secondary education and ensuring that they are well prepared. Just as important, however, is to ensure that those students who are admitted are retained and graduate. We need an efficient transfer of credit hours from community colleges to state universities. We are providing an outstanding higher education system because of outstanding research and graduate programs and the diversity of our institutions. The U.S. has the highest participation rate in higher education, the world, the work and the kindness as one of the highest in the United States. We need, however, to recognize that, as good as we are, expectations are rising and our competition is improving. The issues of concern The need to continue to stress the priority of good teaching in higher education. ■ The need to continue to focus on centers of excellence in research and graduate education — especially in the state's economic competitiveness. ■ The need to be concerned about costs and productivity. It is important to demonstrate to the public that institutions are well-manned, that they are focused on priorities and that performance expectations are being met. As governor, I believe I must: GOVERNMENT I AM BACK ■ Emphasize that the quality of the state's higher education system is essential for the state's competitive position in the world economy Give special attention to incen- sions and rewards for institutional and human development, move teaching and student learning. - Continue special excellence initiatives. Support higher education financing within responsible fiscal policy. The Margin of Excellence address ses many of these concerns and proposed initiatives and actions. To quote from my 1990 State of the State address, the Margin of Excellence has dramatically improved faculty and student morale and enhanced the ability of the Regents institutions to deliver high-quality academic programs. Already, the Margin has proved effective in attracting and retaining the best faculty and students. Recent years of "brain drain" have been reversed to stimulate "brain gain." I am committed to the third year of the Margin and support an increase in the cigarette tax to fund it if state revenues are not admonet. I believe Kansas higher education is one of the best in the country, and I am committed to the continuation and enhancement that excellence. Mike Hayden is the Republican Gubernatorial candidate. Education more than a slogan It is unfortunate that the issue of education has not received the attention it merits during the course of this year's campaign. I hope this column will help remedy that. Throughout my campaign, I have stated that education is our most important form of economic development. This is not just a slogan — it is a commitment to start making solid, long-term investment in higher education. Because the state is facing what could be as much as a $200 million budget shortfall, it is my fear that financing for higher education will be cut — just as it was last year. As governor, higher education will not be on the table when I consider him. But Mike Hayden, has made no such commitment, saying that everything will be on the table. For too long, financing for higher education has been a political football. Many talk about making education a priority but make it the first target for budget cuts when money gets tight. I won't do this. I have proposed that financing for the Margin of Excellence program be provided through some of the revenues we collect from the lottery. This way, the Margin will have a consistent source for financing. When I first made this proposal, my opponent complained that it would damage economic development in Kansas. Clearly, he does not see a strong university system as beneficial to our economy. I do Moreover, many of the lottery funds do not go to economic development programs — they go to pro-public schools and are concentrated through the state general fund. Another issue of importance to universities is that of selective admissions. Admissions favor standards in education, I do not favor such a program. A selective if the selective admissions bill before the Legislature earlier this year had been passed, anywhere from 25 percent to 55 percent of the students now in Regents institutions would have been denied admission. The Board of Regents could offer no proof that selective admissions would save money or improve higher education. Finally, let me speak to one more issue facing higher education today: The outbreak of racist and sexist incidents on college campuses. While I am deeply discouraged to see such incidents, I am greatly encouraged by the headstrong and thoughtful opposition that many students have faced over the years. I stand as continuing proof of the true value of higher education and is all the more reason for our state to make a stronger commitment to it. admissions policy is not real reform, it is only symbolic reform — symbolism that reflects elitism. KANSAN STAFF Joan Finney is the Democratic gubernatorial candidate. DEREK SCHMIDT Editor KJERSTI GABRIELSON Managing editor TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser Editors News Julie Mettenburg Editorial Mary Neubauer Planning Pam Solliner Campus Holly Lawton Sports Brent Maycoy Photo Andrew Morrison Features Smithy MARGARET TOWNSEND Business manager MINDY MORRIS Retail sales manager JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser Business staff Campus sales mgr. Chisal Dool Regional sales mgr. Jackie Schmalzrud National sales mgr. David Price Co-op sales mgr. Deborah Salzer Production mgr. Missy Miller Production assistant. Jolley Auland Marketing director. Audra Langford Creative director. 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