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The University Daily Kansan
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Thursday. November 30, 2000
Jayplay: KU students seek colorful ways to satisfy sexual desires. SEE PAGE 18
Inside: The director of the Kansas and Burge unions hopes to make the Burge Union more popular with students.
SEE PAGE 3A
(USPS 650-640) • VOL. 111 NO. 63 For comments, contact Nathan Willis or Chris Borniger at 864-4810 or e-mail editor @ kansan.com
WWW.KANSAS.COM
Fees could affect use of MP3s
Students say they would pay Napster to download music
Bv Travis Reed
Special to the Kansan
There still might be no such thing as a free lunch, but for almost two years wired audiophiles at the University of Kansas could download free music by using file-sharing services such as Napster and Scour Exchange.
Now the honeymoon might be finished or at least drawing to a close signaled by changes in two of the most popular MP3-downloading services.
On Nov. 16, Sourc, a file-sharing application downloaded by more than 7 million
lion Internet users, closed its doors for indemnity against a litany of lawsuits claiming copyright infringement. Just weeks before, Napster, a similar company that says it has 38 million registered users, allied with Bertelsmann's BMG music division and agreed to start charging a user fee in exchange for dismissal of pending lawsuits.
It remains to be seen how membership fees will affect Napster. In an online poll published in Newsweek this week, 44 percent of respondents said they would discontinue using Napster if they had to pay for the service, while 24 percent said they would continue to use the service in lieu of buying CDs. The poll surveyed 1,873 respondents and offered no margin for error because it was unscientific.
Student reactions to the legal wrangling and posturing have been mixed.
MP3s eat more than half of Cliff Fowles's hard drive. Fowles, Assaria freshman, has about 1,300 of the compressed music files, but doesn't begrudge Napster or Scour for their
MP3S FOR A FEE
What happened? Scour Exchange closed, and Napster became partners with a company to begin charging users who download MP3 files.
What's next: Forty-four percent of respondents in a Newsweek poll said they would stop using Napster while 24 percent said they would continue to use the service in lieu of buying CDs. KU students had mixed reactions, but several said they would continue downloading MP3s if it was less expensive than buying CDs.
What it means: Charges will likely discourage many Web surfers from downloading MP3s from Napster.
business decisions.
"It's fair for everybody," Fowles said, adding that he'd be willing to spend about $20 a year to use Napster but couldn't afford much more than that.
Julie Ostroga, Chicago sophomore, said she'd spend up to $20 a month to use Napster because it was more convenient than buying CDs.
Liz Springer, Libertyville, III., freshman, said that she had purchased only one CD since she began downloading MP3s from online services last summer, and that she would continue to use the service if it proved cost-effective.
But Springer also understands why Napster will no longer be free.
"You have to understand the point of the musicians," Springer said. "If they're charging a reasonable amount, I think it's all right."
— The Associated Press contributed to this story;
— Edited by Warisa Chulindra
Graduating seniors seek subleasing possibilities
By J. D. McKee
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Because few landlords allow six-month leases, students who know they won't be living in Lawrence next semester had to sign a full-year lease.
Students graduating at the end of the semester have more than just finals to worry about — they also have to find people they can sublease their apartments to.
"I was worried about graduating at semester because I didn't want to get stuck with a lease," said Ashley Luckey, Chesterfield, Mo., senior.
But Luckey said it was easier than she thought to find someone to sublease to. She said one person already had put down a deposit for her apartment.
"We're lucky because we found somebody," Kelly said. "Otherwise, it would be a huge hassle. We'd have to pay rent for months we're not here."
Casey Kelly, Golden, Colo., senior, said her roommate's sister would move in next semester to continue her lease. Her other roommate is graduating, too.
Joane Laurenti, Topeka junior, said she had trouble finding another roommate after one of her current roommates graduated.
Laurenti said she and her other roommate, who was not graduating, would have to split the total rent in half rather than thirds, which would add about $100 onto the rent for each of them.
Laurenti said she probably wouldn't advertise because she hadn't had much success with it.
"We're hoping to hear if someone knows someone." she said.
Judy Gilliland, manager of Tuckaway
See SUBLEASING on page 5A
Catching some rays — and some Zs
Katharine Systma, Chicago junior, takes a quick nap before the start of a metals casting class. Sleep has become a precious commodity to many students as the end of the semester approaches. Photo by Jamie Roper/KANSAN
Jaybowl to get striking new look
Brad Woss, Wichita sophomore, bowls a game at the Jaybowl in the Kansas Union. In April, the Jaybowl will begin renovations as part of the phase-three renovation plan for the Union. Photo by Ashley Marriott/KANSAN
By Cassio Furtado Special to the Kansan
$100,000 renovation to replace lanes, add sports cafe in April
The bowling alley on the first floor of the Kansas Union was spared last spring, but since then it has continued to endure difficult times — lanes that don't work, low student use and financial difficulties.
That's when a $100,000 renovation plan will replace all 12 lanes and ball returns, change the decoration and add a sports cafe to the Jaybowl. The renovation is part of the phase-three renovation plan for the Kansas Union, which also will change other parts of
The Jaybowl is waiting.
But all that could change as soon as April.
the Union.
"The renovations will increase traffic and turn the first floor into a recreation destination," said Michael Fine, KU bowling coach and recreation coordinator for the Kansas and Burge unions
Fine said that more people were starting to use the Jaybowl and that enrollment in bowling classes was up.
Currently, the Jaybow! has 40 games per lane each day, he said.
Marlon Marshall, St. Louis senior and student body vice president, said more people would go to the Jaybowl after the renovations.
"It will be more appealing," he said. "But it will stay the way it is now until April."
David Mucci, director of the Kansas and Burge unions, said the Jaybowl had two problems — space and financial issues.
"Iis the Jaybowl a good use of space?" Mucci said. "Besides, when you something like the Jaybowl, you have to at least break it even. The Jaybowl
lost $25,000 last year."
Fine said the Jaybowl lost some money because it had reasonable prices but said it was almost breaking even this year.
"We keep students' budgets in mind," Fine said. "Our only reason for existing is the KU community."
KU students pay $1.50 per game. Non-KU students pay $2.
Last winter, Mucci proposed a plan to have the Jaybowl replaced with a lounge area, stage, copy center, computer lab and food and convenience stores.
After Mucci's plan was publicized, students circulated a petition to save the Jaybowl. The petition later was endorsed by Student Senate, which also passed a resolution to spare the Jaybowl. Mucci's plan failed by an 11-10 vote by the Memorial Corp. Board, the organization responsible for the Kansas and Burge unions, on Feb. 13.
Kansan sues highway patrol to gain access to crash record
By Meghan Bainum
writer @kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The University Daily Kansan filed a lawsuit yesterday against the Kansas Highway Patrol in order to obtain a report about a fatality accident that occurred in September.
Nathan Willis, Kansan editor, said the lawsuit, filed in Shawnee County District Court, was necessary because initial requests for the report made under the Kansas Open Records Act had been denied. The act states that public records, such as accident reports, are open to inspection unless the agency withholding the record can cite a specific exemption.
"We believe the report has information that is important to the KU community." Willis said. "The community has a right to know."
The highway patrol has closed the record, citing an exemption to the Open Records Act that allows for some criminal investigation records to be closed.
The report was requested as part of the Kansan's research into a Sept. 16 car accident on Kansas Highway 10 near Olathe. The two-car collision involved Sean Michael Scott, 16, and Felicia Bland, 39. Bland was killed in the accident.
Mike Merriam, the lawyer representing the Kansan, agreed.
Willis said he believed the highway patrol was unlawfully withholding information about the accident. He said the highway patrol was violating the section of the Open Records Act that reads "public policy of the state that public records shall be open for inspection by any person unless otherwise provided by this act, and this act shall be liberally construed and applied to promote such policy."
"We believe that the KHP is withholding an open record that must be disclosed by law, and their reasons for doing it are insufficient," Merriam said.
Kansan reporter Lauren Brandenburg had attempted to get a copy of the accident report from the Highway Patrol since Oct. 3. Brandenburg said that initially, the Highway Patrol said that the Kansan would be able to have a copy of the entire accident report for $2.
On Oct. 13, Brandenburg was told that she might not be able to obtain a copy of the accident report because a minor was involved. On Oct. 16, Brandenburg was informed that the report would not be released, either because Scott was a juvenile or because criminal activity may have been involved in the accident.
In an Oct. 25 letter to the Kansan, Brian Leininger, legal counsel and records officer for the highway patrol, wrote that the record was closed "so that any future prosecution would not be jeopardized by the release of sensitive information."
Alylis Christman, legal counsel for the Kansas Highway Patrol, said that she had no comment because she had not yet received the lawsuit. Willis said he hoped that the Kansan would be able to obtain a copy of the accident report.
"We think the law supports us on this issue, and we hope that the court's decision will confirm that," Willis said.
- Edited by Kimberly Thompson
HIGHWAY PATROL LAWSUIT
What happened? The University Daily Kansas filed a lawsuit in Shawnee County District Court against the Kansas Highway Patrol to gain access to an accident report under the Kansas Open Records Act.
What it means: The Kansan wants the accident report to research a fatality accident that occurred Sept. 16 on Kansas Highway 10 near Olathe. The highway patrol has refused to release the report because it says it is part of a criminal investigation.
What's next: The Kanson is waiting for the highway patrol's response to the lawsuit.
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