Jumping
Weather
Kansan
Today: Partly cloudy with a high of 79 and a low of 55.
Saturday: Partly cloudy with a high of 75 and a low of 52.
Sunday: Showers with a high of 66 and a low of 51.
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Friday, October 20, 2000
of 66 and a low of 51.
Homecoming: David Winbush will try to repeat his performance from two years ago at tomorrow's game.
SEE PAGE 1B
Inside: Students' fears of public speaking can be overcome with practice. SEE PAGE 3A
For comments, contact Nathan Willis or Chris Borniger at 864-4810 or e-mail editor@kansan.com
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Professor, KU disagree about guest lecturer
By Leita Schultes
writer@kanson.com
Kanson staff writer
Ray Pierotti sat down in his Biology 414 class yesterday, giving lecture responsibilities to his wife. She's qualified, and she's a good teacher, Pierotti said — but the University of Kansas is not happy with the arrangement.
Only a few moments before class started, Rob Weaver, associate dean of liberal arts and sciences, and Ed Wiley, associate chairman of the ecology and evolutionary biology department, had entered Pierotti's classroom. A brief, but heated, conversation ensued.
"I would prefer if he left the room," said Pierotti, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, pointing at Wiley. "If one of my students complains to you that I am not
covering my classes, then you have a right to intercede."
Pierotti had surgery on a detached retina two weeks ago and a second surgery Tuesday. As a result, he has a hard time see
Annett
ing and can become dizzy. His wife, Cynthia Annett, has given four guest lectures in the past two weeks.
Annett is a former KU instructor who taught Biology 414 when she worked at the University from 1992 to 1999. She left the University after she was denied tenure, but not before she and her husband filed a lawsuit against KU for discrimination.
Pierotti, who is Native American, claimed the University discriminated against him because of his race by not giving him equal resources. Annett said the University denied her tenure because of her gender. The University won the lawsuit in March.
Pierotti said the University's objection to Annett teaching was based on resentment from the lawsuit.
"I believe they're retaliating against Dr. Annett and for filing lawsuits and complaints against them," Pierotti said.
He said Annett's rejection Wednesday morning of mediation with the University about some of those complaints could have instigated the investigation into who was teaching his class.
There was no other reason for the University to care, he said. Pierotti had not heard any complaints from his students. They are having a good time in class and earning good
See UNIVERSITY on page 5A
University buys vacant homes
By Matt Merkel-Hess writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
The Kansas University Endowment Association has purchased one property and has contracted for five more on the 1300 block of Ohio Street.
The purchase was made at the request of the chancellor's office, said Daryl Beene, senior vice president for property with the Endowment Association. The amount of purchase was not disclosed.
This property at 1323 Ohio, along with four other houses soon will be purchased by KU Endowment Center for future use by the University. The buildings currently are vacant and will be demolished once all properties are purchased by the Endowment Center. Photo by Nick Krug/KANSAN
"Our mission is to serve the University and, in this particular case, the chancellor requested that we purchase these properties for future use by the University." Beene said.
The properties purchased are at 101, 1321, 1323, 1329 and 1333 Ohio St. A vacant lot between two of those properties also was purchased. The buildings on Ohio Street are vacant and will be demolished once all properties are purchased by the Endowment Association.
Warren Corman, university architect, said definite plans had not been set for the properties.
"Whenever property that close to campus comes for sale, the endowment tries to purchase it," Corman said. "It seems like we always need more space."
Corman said the campus master plan announced in the fall of 1997 showed possible areas for expansion but any construction would depend on private gifts to the Endowment Association and what the gifts specified.
"Almost every building on the campus has some needs for renovation, expansion or improvement," Corman said.
Josh Boots, president of the All Scholarship Hall Council, said he thought the area could be used to expand the scholarship hall system.
"There's definitely room for more scholarship halls," said Boots, Plano, Texas, junior. "We always have more applicants than we can take."
Boots also said he would like to see the scholarship halls become more involved in the Oread neighborhood and with the neighborhood association.
"We are part of that community and we want to be part of the neighborhood," he said. "We want to see positive interactions with the community."
Janet Gerstner, president Oread Neighborhood Association, said she was sad to see the neighborhood lose the character of old homes and she was
worried about the purchase of old, blighted homes by the Endowment Association and the message it would send to other landlords.
"Does this encourage surrounding landlords to not maintain their property and let it get rundown, and then someday sell it to the University for the large profit?" she said.
Gerstner said she understood the University's changing needs, but she would like to see the neighborhood,
city and University work together to counter blight, make the area around campus attractive and safe.
She said the recent purchases were met with concern by the neighborhood association.
"We're wondering how much further they're going to come," she said. "With KU encroaching there's a powerless feeling, and there's nothing we can do to stop it."
— Edited by J. R. Mendoza
Stephenson Hall float removed from parade
Officials say entry was not sponsored by hall's residents
By Chris Borniger editor@kansan.com
Kansas managing editor
was a Stephenson resident.
Organizers booted the third annual Stephenson Hall "Float of Doom" from the Homecoming Parade lineup yesterday, claiming the float failed to meet parade guidelines.
Chandra Dunbark, program adviser for the Kansas and Burge Unions and homecoming co-chairwoman, said the float was not sponsored by Stephenson Hall and the student who registered the float no longer
But that student, Isley Unruh, Valley Center junior, said the float was removed because officials from the Department of Student Housing objected to the float's content. Plans for the Float of Doom depicted a car with a giant penis attached to the rear of the car, a buffalo head at the front that converted into a vagina and a sign aloft the car with the words "penis" and "vagina" on opposite sides.
"It might not be appropriate, but that depends on your point of view," said Unruh, who planned the float with seven other current and former Stephenson residents. "It's more of a statement about obscenity."
Jennifer Wamellink, assistant director of student housing, said some Stephenson residents had complained to her about the float. She then notified Dunbar, who decided that the float's planers' application to be in the parade was invalid.
"We were most concerned about the possible misrepresentation of students living in Stephenson Hall," "Jamelink said." "Content was a secondary concern."
This is the second year the Float of Doom has been removed from the parade. Last year, Student Union Activities coordinators deemed the float in poor taste. It consisted of a truck covered with signs with such messages as "Damn the Man." It also featured a large fist attached to the top of the cab, with the fist's middle finger out stretched.
In 1998, the Float of Doom was in the parade. On the outside, the float featured spirited pro-Jayhawk messages. While traveling down Jayhawk Boulevard, hall residents ripped off the outer layer, raised a pirate flag and put on masks.
The decision to remove this year's float was based only on eligibility rules, Dunbar
said. But had the group been eligible, she said, the float would have had to meet the goals of homecoming. She said those goals included sticking to the homecoming theme, "Passport to the World," and making a positive impact on the University.
"Content had nothing to do with this. If they could have justified how the float met the goals of homecoming, it would have been OK," Dunbar said. "But I assume it would have been difficult to justify that."
Jon Breeding, Springfield, Mo., sophomore and one of the Float of Doom's planners, said he thought that homecoming organizers overstepped their bounds.
"What better venue than homecoming, this all-American, wholesome venue, to challenge people's notions of obscurity?" he said. "We weren't even given a chance." Today's parade will be at 2:30 p.m. on Jayhawk Boulevard.
- Edited by Shawn Hutchinson
Fans upset with relocation of Marching Jayhawks at stadium
By Kursten Phelps
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
While students wave the wheat at tomorrow's Homecoming football game, they might have to strain their ears a little
"It's absolutely ridiculous because my freshman and sophomore years, the band was right next to the student section," said Nate Stange, Wichita senior. "I've never heard a reason why they moved them."
to hear the marching band's music. The Marching Jayhawks last year were moved from seats adjacent to the student section of Memorial Stadium to the curved area of the stadium, and some students say that's a problem.
-
Darren Cook, director of facilities for the Athletics Department, said the band was moved because the current location provided the loudest effect for the majority of the stadium, but some students still complain that the band is harder to hear in its current location.
"It's a tough situation," Cook said. "Where I sat at the K-State game, the K-State band was louder, but then again, I sat right across from them. It's all relative to where you're sitting in the stadium."
Timothy Oliver, director of the marching band, said that the Athletics Department controlled where the band sat, but that he wanted the band to be located in a spot that best met everyone's needs.
"We want to be located where we can provide the maximum amount of impact for all the fans and the football team." Oliver said. But Brian Heinen, a DeSoto junior who plays altoxophone for the band, said he didn't like the move.
"In years past we've been very visible, but now it's like we're tucked away and ignored," Heinen said. "During the K-State game, it was as if we were playing to the K-State fana."
"The band can take the team in one direction or another. It can boost the team's spirit and get the fans going." Heinen said. "I
Heinen said the band was an important component to football games and that its influence was better when it was located next to the students.
More information
KU alumni will play with the marching band at tomorrow's game.
See page 4B
think we did that best when we were in the student section."
Ben Walker, student body president, said he had-received complaints from students about the current situation and had contacted Pat Warren, associate athletics director, to discuss moving the hand back to the student section.
"I think it's actually a big issue, not only for the marching band but for students," Walker said. "It seems kind of strange that the K-State band was closer to us than the KU band."
Cook said the Athletics Department would be willing to discuss the situation, and Stange said he hoped the band would be moved back.
“It's hard to get pumped up for the fight song when they're down at the other end of the stadium and hard to hear,” Stange said.
— Edited by Kathryn Moore
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