Some bear no regrets after tough abortion decision
Bv ANN LANGENFELD
Staff Renorter
Right to life, pro-choice, pro-life—the cuphemasons for and against abortion can be confusing. Abortion has been legal in the United States since 1973, but opposing proponents of legalized abortion must argue.
Last year 1.3 million abortions were performed in the United States. But some doctors who rhetorically claim that women have had abortions decide the decision to have an abortion. A series of indictments against doctors has had abortions implicate that the decision is not easy.
"I was almost three months pregnant before I finally said, 'Okay, you're going to have to do it.'"
The social stigma still attached to abortion led to an
Melanie, a KU student, had an abortion three years ago when she was 21. At the time, she was living with her husband and stepfather.
agreement to keep her name—and the names of others in this story—fictitious.
"I was real surprised that I put off making a decision that long," she said. "When I first started having sex when I was 18 I had decided that if I ever prenatal I would get an abortion.
"But being pregnant I had to deal with these emotions that maybe I would want this baby. What should I do about it?" she asked, a lot harder decision to make than I had anticipated. It was easier to say I would have an abortion having given birth.
MELANE SAW two options for herself—to get married or to raise the child outside of marriage.
"Those women had no life of their own," she said. "I knew I wanted to go to school and to do other things. I did not want to be stuck through with the pregnancy. I didn't want to get stuck in a dead-end job for the rest of my life because I needed it."
She said her experience working in a factory with some women who were unwed mothers made her feel at home. "I thought it was important."
Melanie said that when she began to suspect she was pregnant she asked her boyfriend what he would tell her.
"He said he didn't know but he'd probably get it," she said. "I really did that decided that was just not what I wanted to do." she said.
To me it would be much more frustrating and
1 "see abortion as preventing a life rather than taking a life, which of course, in what makes it such a terrible disease, is the unfortunate fact that your baby's life. If I ever wanted to have a baby I would want to be able to give it all the advantages of being an adult."
show a lack of responsibility to bear a baby and give it on for adoption you don't know," she said.
"If I would have gone through with the pregnancy at that time I would have resented the baby. Some would call that rationalization and a selfish action. It is a selfish act. I have defend the defile action in that I am here. This is my life and if I want to pass on someone else I want to do it on my terms."
that just goes with it without a lot of thought."
ANOTHER KU STUDENT, Allison, viewed her question a little different when she visited the law school and lived in Lawrence only a few weeks when she realized she was pregnant. The man Allison was involved with was someone had asked about his relationship.
"During those four weeks I thought about it, butortion was the only choice. There was no decision to choose."
"I really didn't think about the abortion too much," she said. "I knew within two days after sleeping with the girl that I was pregnant. I knew right away what had happened, and three weeks, it think it was, to have the pregnancy confirmed."
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
See ABORTION page seven
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Vol. 90, No. 62
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Retired KU faculty receive few benefits from old pension plan
3y DAVE LEWIS Staff Reporter
Arthur Mukt taught in the KU department of botany for 40 years, building up KU's botany program and serving as department chairman.
State of Kansas retirement benefits for his widow since his death in 1956 total $0.00--nothing;
No one in the University community has felt the crunch of inflation as hard as KU crested faculty members.
Rif worst of all, faculty members who retired before 1962 and surviving spouses of faculty members who died before 1962 say that the state of Kansas is under a severe assault.
"I'm not starving to death and I won't die in the poorhouse, but as a matter of justice, I have been stably treated by the University," Mairy Mix, Kris.
AN OUTDATED Kansas Board of Regents retirement plan affecting KU faculty members who retired before 1962 leaves retired professors with incomes near federal poverty levels.
Faculty members who retired before 1982 receive a yearly pension ranging from any amount of $2.35 (the minimum of $428).
For males and females over 65, the 1977 poverty levels were $2.936 and $2.898, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Surviving spouses of deceased faculty members who participated in the plan before 1982, which state officials refer to as the "old Regents retirement plan", receive no income from the University. No provision was ever made for them.
Albert Bloch taught in KU's department of drawing and painting before he died in 1961.
"My husband, Albert, was head of KU's drawing and painting department for almost 20 years," Anna Bloch, Albert's widow, said. "After his death, I received no pension whatsoever. I have had to live from the sale of his paintings."
MARTIN JONES, associate director of business affairs at KU, said the maximum yearly pension a faculty member received under the old Regents retirement plan was $2,500. But that amount was reduced to $2,100 when University employees began receiving Social Security checks in 1981. In recent years, retires have received pension increases in proportion to faculty positions, and the increase has not increased weren't significant because of the low base of retiree pensions.
The money comes from KU's operating budget, and the retirement funds must be requested from the 1$ residence each year.
Jones said he did not think that the Social Security checks substantially boosted a retired faculty member's income.
" Their social security is very modest." Jones said. " It would be impossible to live on these payments unless there were other some sources of income. I can't tell you."
"This year at the budget hearings we requested an 8 percent increase in faculty salaries. The state recommended a 6 percent increase.
See RETIREMENT page six
KU Iranians criticize status check, photos
By JUDY WOODBURN
Staff Reporter
Two KU Iranian students who refused to let U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service officials photograph them yesterday will be given a second chance in front of the camera, A.J. Nutis, immigration investigator, said yesterday.
"If the students refuse to be photographed the second time." Nutis said, "then we will start demotion proceedings."
Nutsis said the photographs were a required part of the INS checks on the status of all Iranian post-secondary students. Three immigration investigators came to KU yesterday to begin three days of interviews with KU Iranian students.
Also required are proof of enrollment and residence, visas, and up-to-date arrival and departure records.
Students found to be out-of-status will face deportation.
AN IRANIAN student, who asked not to be identified, said several Iranian students thought that taking the photographs violated their rights and that it was unacceptable.
The student said that during a scheduled interview, an Iranian student had challenged the officials' authority to take the photographs. He said the student was told by an immigration investigator that the photographs were authorized by IMS officials in Washington, D.C.
"We can find no legal basis for the means they are using to conduct these investigations," the student said. "This morning they told students that if they refused to have their pictures taken, they would be labeled as uncooperative. I asked one of the witnesses if it would have any effect on their photographs." The dkhn was
NUTS SAIT he had received a decision from INS officials in Washington later yesterday stating that the photographs could be justified as "other information" required under section 214.5 (4) of the Rules and Regulations in the Federal Register.
"Each student must have in his or her possession at the time of reporting;
... (4) Evidence of current address in the United States. Students must provide such other information as INS may request in order to verify maintenance of status and residence."
The section read
Natis said, "When the students ask us for justification of the photographs, we had nothing to show them at that time. We made a mistake in our photography."
See IRAN page three
"We'll continue with the interviews and photographs until we're told to stop."
Hareaf Kofaidh, a glassworker in the KU chemistry department, peers through one of his glass creations. Fakhouri, who learned the craft of glass working in his native country of Egypt, ensembles the chemistry department's glass-making workshop.
Bubble blower
U.N. meeting on Iran canceled in dispute over council speaker
UNITED NATIONS (AP)—The U.N. Security Council decided to hold a formal meeting on the U.S.-Iranian crisis this afternoon but failed to get formal agreement.
U. N. Secretary-General Kurt Waldmith told reporters after a private meeting that lasted until almost midnight last night that the council would hold informal consultations again at 11 a.m. EST and then meet at 3 p.m. in response to Waldmith's request for an urgent debate on the crisis.
U. N. sources said Iran, seeking to delay the debate until the arrival next week of its acting foreign minister, Abbasian Bami Sadi, would agree to a withdrawal from the United Nations until next week. But the sources said the United States insisted on also addressing the session to emphasize its concern for the 49 Americans held there.
The council members hoped to resolve this conflict in the morning consultations. U.N. sources said the members felt that despite the Iranian request for delay, they had to hold at least one public meeting since the secretary general requested urgent consideration of the crisis.
Waldheim took the unusual step Sunday, saying the conflict touched off by the seizure of the American Embassy in Tehran threatened world peace.
International special envoy Saeed Sanjabi told a news conference that the next few days are “of high political and religious significance” in Iran and “we need to be more concerned with the safety of our people.”
"At that time our foreign minister will be coming here to New York to participate in the meeting of the council and to explain the demands of our government."
Abolhassan Bam Sadr had said Sunday he would fly to New York yesterday, but the country's revolutionary government announced later he had postponed his trip a week because of Ashura, the most important holiday for the Shiite Mosque sect, and the Dec. 2 referendum on the new Islamic state.
Although Palacios de Vizcero met with reporters before Sanjah held his news conference, he said he was aware Iran 'requested a postponement' but was not prepared to answer.
Sanjah, reading from a prepared statement, noted Iran had asked on Nov. 12 that the Security Council meet, and was glad that request had come to an agreement with the United States in meeting, but then announced it would support Wadheim's request, on grounds the session would focus on a call for an immediate release of the
Sanjad said "threats by the U.S. and its propaganda campaign have created a dangerous atmosphere for the region and entire world." He added Iran贸 disposed Mohammad Rahm Pahlavi and other members of his regime returned to Iran to赴 trial and that "the wealth stolen by these
The shah is undergoing treatment in a New York City hospital for callites and cancer.
A prominent radiologist is traveling from Canada to gallstone from the shah in the next few days, medical sources said last night.
Dr. H. Joachim Burhene was to arrive here yesterday after a flight from B.C., where he be the department of radiology at Vancouver Gorge Hospital.
There were reports the procedure could be performed on the former bed, but no such report was made. The case and advised that the soonest the stone should be removed was
Other doctors familiar with the procedure have said the shah should be able to travel and could have the United States once the gallstone is removed.
The gallstone was left in the shah's body after surgery to remove his gallbladder and other callosites on Oct. 24.
Diplomatic states here familiar with the U.S. position said the United States believed the council "should focus on the hostages." They also said that while the United States might not mind some delay, it did not want a delay until next week.
waimuimu the second secretary general to use his chartered power to bring to the council's attention 'any matter which in his opinion may threaten the health of us' (Waimuimu, 1984).
The first, Dag Hammarskjoeld, convened a council meeting in 1980 because of trouble in the newly independent Congo, a former Belgian colony.
CAC files complaints despite end of AMS contract
By PAMELA LANDON
Staff Reporter
The Custodians Action Committee will pursue legal actions against American Management Services and the University of Kansas despite the fact that the AMS contract will not be renewed, a CAC support group member said yesterday.
University officials announced last week that the University would manage its own housekeeping department when the AMS
"We feel that if AMS and the University violated the law, they should be enraged irrespective of whether AMS is on campus or
Gary Howe, professor of sociology and a support group member, said the CAC would not withdraw any of the students.
Mike Davis, University general counsel, said he had no comment on the CA's CACs regulation of legal action against Mr. Davis.
The TAC has filed a complaint with the Kansas Commission on Civil Rights in Topka alleging a pattern of discrimination of women at a Missouri high school.
The CAC also has filed a complaint with the state legal panel of the American Civil Liberties Union alleging that AMS and the University have denied custodians the rights to freedom of soech and peaceful assembly.
The panel, which comprises six attorneys who decide which
cases the ACLI takes to court, asked two local attorneys to investigate the complaints for possible legal action.
The attorneys recommended to the panel that the ACLU file a civil suit on behalf of KU custodians.
civil suit on behalf of KO candidates.
The name has not yet decided what the ACLU will do.
Daniel Wildet, vice-president of the Lawrence chapter of the ACLU, said he thought the ACLU would fight suit against AMS
"What happened was that custodians civil liberties were clearly violated by AMS," he said. "I think a suit will be filed so they can get back."
WILDCAT SAID legal action against AMS and the University should be pursued to prevent this kind of situation from hap-
He said the University had seven days to respond to the complaint. After he receives the response he will decide if he
Howe said that the CAC had also filed a 216 complaint with the Kansas Public Employees Relations (PEER) Board in connection with the CAC's failure to pay.
Jerry Powell, director of the PERB said he had received the complaint from the CAC last Tuesday and that he had sent the
He said that the complaint charged AMS with harassment of individual custodians and the CAC as a group. Howe said the complaint also charged the University with failure to take corrective action against AMS.
needs to hold a hearing to determine if any laws have been violated by the University or AMS.
Irving VanDyne, CAC co-chaired and KU custodian, said he thought the CAC was responsible for the University's decision to remove him.
Norman Forer, associate professor of social welfare and a CAC support group member, said he thought the decision not to allow the program to continue was a bad idea.
RODGER ORKE, University director of support services,
sad CAC allegations against AMS did not affect the non-revenue-
able.
He said he thought CAC legal actions, a CAC protest rally, calls from private citizens to the University about the matter and concern about the situation expressed by the governor's office and several state legislators had contributed to the non-
Oruke said the University decided not to renew the AMS contract because AMS had not properly trained custodians, had sent inexperienced supervisors to the campus and generally had not cleaned the University as it should have.
Howe said the entire aim of the group was to get AMS off of the campus.
AMS is a private custodial management firm based in Eagle, Coleo, that the University hired two years ago to manage its data.