4 Tuesday, October 30, 1990/ University Daily Kansan Opinion THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Newly formed committee is definitely qualified but a gay or lesbian should have been included The University administration should be commended for joining other education leaders in a growing battle against a Department of Defense policy that persecutes gays and lesbians. A recently formed committee directed by Interim Executive Vice Chancellor Del Shankler will formulate during the next two months a strategy that the committee hopes will convince U.S. Congress members and Defense leaders to allow gays and lesbians to receive ROTC scholarships and become military officers. Joining Shankel on the committee are Frances Ingemann, executive chairperson of University Senate Executive Committee; Seifried Lindenbaum, professor of pharmacy; Donald McCoy, distinguished professor of history; Robert Jerry, dean of law; and Pat Warren, Student Senate Executive Committee chairperson. The quality of the group and the dedication of its members to the cause at question has not been doubted by Gay and Lesbian Students of Kansas leaders, said Chris Craig, the group's peer counseling advisor. Curious and shameful, however, is the absence of a University official or student from the openly gay and lesbian community, he said. A gay or lesbian would have offered insight into the attitude changes necessary to make a department change work. Shankel said last week that he and Chancellor Gene A. Budig had chosen committee members from a list of seven or eight campus leaders who had been nominated for the committee during a SenEx meeting. None of the nominees was openly gay or lesbian. Sexual orientation was not considered relevant by Shankel and Budig when they formed the committee, Shankel said. Ingemann, McCoy and Warren agreed with Shankel's and Budig's judgment. They said that because discrimination was the issue rather than homosexuality, a gay or lesbian might not offer anything those chosen could not. At any rate, Shankel and Budig simply chose a responsible and thoughtful group from SenEx's list. The committee is strong. Shankel brings to the group sincerity and openness, which he snowed Gay and Lesbian Students of Kansas members by listening to their concerns during a GLSOK meeting last month. Ingemann's strength lies in her ability to serve as a liaison between government and University officials. Lindenbaum's enthusiasm is evident; he suggested the group's formation. Jerry provides a strong understanding of law. McCoy, with a broad historical background, can focus on the larger perspective within which rests the contradiction between the Defense Department and University policies. And Warren is considered a strong advocate by GLSOK leaders. Committee members need no help in their intellectual assault upon an outdated Defense policy. But the exclusion of gays and lesbians, whose exclusion from ROTC brought about the need for the committee in the first place, is soaked in irony. An openly gay or lesbian University or GLSOK official would have contributed the perspective of those who would benefit most from department reform. Inclusion also would have served as more proof of the administration's support for the advancement of gays and lesbians. Appointing a gay or lesbian to the committee would not mean the gay or lesbian would represent the group in Washington in January. Only two or three from the group are scheduled to make that trip. Shankel said. The others are to work here. sending a gay or lesbian along would be of questionable value. Among the U.S. Congressional delegation from Kansas, House member Jim Slattery alone is considered a friend of gays and lesbians, said Liz Tolbert, GLSOK member. Neither Nancy Kassebaum nor Bob Dole of the Senate has shown interest in helping GLSOK representatives in the past. That explains why the administration might refuse to send a gay or lesbian to Washington. But it lends nothing to the experience of gay and lesbian perspective is unnecessary. In failing to include a gay or lesbian in the committee, the administration missed an opportunity to offer substantive and symbolic support to gays and lesbians. Rich Cornell for the editorial board Budget at last Players share blame,but new process is needed Finally. It took five months, but Congress hammered out a budget plan last week that looks as though it will survive. The plan includes some hefty tax increases that both the affluent and middle class will feel. Official Washington says that the brunt of the new taxes will be felt by those earning more than $80,000 a year, something the Republicans opposed. But, the budget doesn't include a surtax on incomes over $1 million, something the Democrats wanted. It appears that after a short period of self-interest politics, the art of the deal is alive and well in Washington. The question still remains what Congress and the Bush administration could have done to avoid the equivalent of a 50-car pile-up on the fiscal highway. The chaos and carnage has left a bad taste in the mouths of the onlookers, the U.S. public. President Bush should have spent less time blaming the Democrats and more time trying to get his own position straight on taxes. The multiple flip-flops the president managed to complete not only confused the public and Democratic members of Congress but lawmakers in his own party as well. Once he decided to support some new taxes, he could have, and should have, proposed his own plan, incorporating some of the demands of the Democrats while listening to the concerns of his own party. Instead, he sat back and watched the mess grow larger. How much money and time did the Congress waste passing, printing and talking about the Gramm-Rudman legislation, only to have its effectiveness destroyed by the indecision it was created to battle? The cost of printing the Congressional Records and copies of the bill as well as time wasted on the floor of the House and in numerous television studios wasn't enough to make the members of Congress remember why they passed the law. Bush, however, isn't the only one to blame in the Capitol City. Congress celebrated Christmas in October every time it extended the time limits of the Gramm-Rudman deficit reduction bill. The law set a date after which, if no deficit-reducing budget had been passed, automatic across-the-board cuts took effect. Now that the fiasco is over, our elected officials in Washington should not spend all of their time placing blame. They should spend it trying to come up with ways to reform the budget process. MAXMAN University Daily Kansas Brett Brenner and Sally Gibbs for the editorial board What should be the role of the U.S. House in higher education during the next two years? Education crucial to U.S. citizens An investment in education today is critical to our country's future. I believe the government should make sure every young U.S. citizen has the financial resources necessary to obtain an education and thereby be the most productive citizen he or she can be. We cannot compete with other economic superpowers if we refuse to take responsibility for the education of our youth. We need a more skilled force work if we are to compete internationally. And we need to compete globally if U.S. citizens are to maintain our standard of living. If the United States is going to continue to be a competitive nation, we must recognize that education is the key to our future and the federal government must be willing to do quality education in the United States. Since my early days in the Kansas Legislature, I've been a strong supporter of education. During my time on the U.S. House Budget Committee, I vigorously opposed education budget cuts proposed by President Reagan. Only 3 percent of the federal budget is spent on education, and that is woefully inadequate. I always have supported and will continue to support all federal student financial assistance programs. I needed a student loan to attend college, and I have never forgotten that. I believe funding for all student financial assistance programs should be increased to a level necessary to meet student need. The Higher Education Act of 1965, authorizing federal postsecondary education programs, will expire in 1991. Of primary concern is Title IV of the act, which currently provides about $18 billion in student aid to help financially needy students attend their schools and trade and technical schools. In addition, the Guaranteed Student Loan program must be reformed. The Department of Education must do a better job of qualifying institutions for the GSL program to place the default rate on student loans. Finally, the government can encourage families to save money for education through Independent Retirement Accounts The federal government may increase the amount for maternity women and non-traditional students. It is both an honor and a challenge to represent the University of Kansas in Congress. I hope that northeastern continue to award me that privilege. Jim Slattery is the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2nd District. Problem in Congress is incumbents The federal role in education should be to learn to live within its means. I realize I am supposed to use this space to write about all the wonderful federal programs I favor so that you will know I support higher education. Well, I do support higher education. Anyone with even a half a wit can understand how much richer and fuller all our lives are because of higher education. The University of Kansas has an incredibly important place in my life. I spent seven years at KU and have two degrees. This University is important to me and I realize the importance of the best investments government can and should make. The problem is that I got into this race for the simple reason that our government is out of control; and after eight years, the incumbent is very much part of the problem. he says ne he wants to fight violent crime; yet he votes against a seven-day waiting program for the purchase of a handgun and is against banning 14 semi-automatic assault weapons. I support both measures. A $3 trillion debt is a tragedy. It has grown to its obscene size because Congress members love to play "happy" politics. This is the art of appearing to be all things to all people. I believe our incumbent is as guilty as any in Congress of creating a perception of action while in reality doing little to make a difference. The shortcomings of Congress and our current representative are best illustrated in the student-loan fiasco. In 1987, a small bank in Horton decided to get into the student loan business in a big way. Late that year, it ran This "perception versus reality" is seen in the issues. In the matter of abortion, I am strongly pro-choice and believe Congress should protect this right nationwide. The incumbent says that he is pro-choice but accuses me of supporting "abortion or demand" and has twice voted against assistance to women who are victims of rape or incest. afoul of a federal regulation that prohibited any bank from having more than 50 percent of its consumer-loan portfolio in student loans. The bank turned to Rep. Jim Slattery, who introduced legislation to abolish the safeguard and arranged a meeting in his office to obtain a waiver of the rule just for the Bank of Horton. The waiver also allowed the bank to repay, without penalty or interest, $4.4 million in fees it owed the government but had forgotten to pay. The bank went on to issue $1 billion in student loans, primarily to trade schools, and now has a default rate of 40 percent. This is a potential tab to taxpayers of $400 million. Furthermore, because the government must cover these defaulted loans, less money will be students. The incumbent says it will be in the name of constituent banks with the $1,550 in contributions bank officers meant nothing. The student loan program now is leaking $2 billion a year in defaults. Higher education would be best helped if Congress took a course in reality. Within the confines of a balanced budget, I would fight hard to bring as many resources to my district and higher education as possible. But if you are looking for someone to say, "The budget be damned. I'll bring home the pork," I'm not that person. If, on the other hand, you are looking for someone willing to stand up and fight to bring the country back to fiscal sanity, then I ask your support. If you want to change Congress, change your Congressman. Scott Morgan is the Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2nd District. KANSAN STAFF DEREK SCHMIDT Editor JKIRSTIN GABRIELSON Managing editor TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser Editors News Julie Mettenburg Editorial Mary Neubauer Planning Pam Sollin Campus Holly Lawton Sports Brent Maycoy Photo Andrew Morrison Features Stacy Smith MARGARET TOWNEND Business manager MINDY MORRIS Retail sales manager JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser business start Campus sales mgr. Christ Dool Regional sales mgr. Jackie Schmalzried National sales mgr. David Price Co-op sales mgr. Deborah Salzer Production mgr. Missy Miller Production assistant. 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