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The University Daily Kansan
Today: Rain with a high of
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a high of 74 and a low of 53.
Sunday: Partly cloudy with
a high of 68 and a low of 48.
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Friday, October 13, 2000
Sports: The Kansas men's and women's basketball seasons will kick off tonight at Allen Fieldhouse during Late Night with Roy Williams.
(USPS 650-640) • VOL.111 NO.34 For comments, contact Nathan Willis or Chris Borniger at 864-4810 or e-mail editor@kansan.com
Inside: The Indigo Girls' Amy Ray, who will perform tomorrow night in Lawrence, answers the Kansan's questions.
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Sigma Nu ready for a ghostly visit
David Fitterling, Joplin, Mo. freshman, right, and Vince Dean Jr., Leawood sophomore, stand in the hallway where Virginia, the Sigma Nu ghost, hanged herself. Members of Sigma Nu attribute strange happenings in the house to the ghost. Photo by Nick Krug/KANSAN
By Meghan Bainum writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
University of Kansas students living in the Sigma Nu fraternity house aren't worried about Friday the 13th bringing them bad luck—they're worried about it bringing out the house's ghost. Virginia.
Mike Sharp, Overland Park freshman, said the ghost stories he had heard from long-time residents of the house told that Friday the 13th was a particularly gruesome anniversary.
"A lot of guys in the house say that's the anniversary of the day she killed herself," he said.
Though the story of Virginia has never been confirmed, the legend has been passed down by members of Sigma Nu for about 60 years.
Virginia was Virginia Rackham-Stubbs, the adopted daughter and personal assistant of then-Kansas Governor George Roscoe Stubbs.
Virginia, died in the house about 1911. Gov. Stubbs found her hanging from a third-floor balcony.
Sigma Nu legends say that Virginia was buried above the main fireplace of the house. Her burial place was marked by a plaque bearing the words: "The world of strife shut out, the world of love shut in."
But many in the house say Virginia doesn't always stay shut in — and that the ghostly activity could increase today.
Vince Dean Jr., Leawood sophomore, said he was going to wait and see what happened.
"I think it'll be interesting," he said.
"People will just freak out a little bit and stay away from the room."
"The room" is the room closest to the place where Virginia died. Although staying away from the room might be an option for some in the house, David Fitterling, Joplin, Mo., freshman, lives there.
Though he said he has had a couple of minor incidents involving his phone ringing when it was off the hook, he has not seen the famous ghost. Still, he said it's a bit strange living in the room.
"I didn't know anything about it until everyone told me that that's the room she hung herself in," Fitterling said. "Then I got scared."
He said that while he believed in ghosts, he thought some of the "haunt-
ings" were all in peoples' imaginations. But when asked if he would stay alone in the house today, Fitterling took a less lighthearted tone.
"I would never be in this house alone — I don't care if it's the middle of the day." he said. "It's a really big house with a lady that hung herself here."
Still, Fitterling said that Virginia — despite doing things like slamming doors and turning on appliances — has never hurt anyone in the house.
This has made some people in the house a little less worried about a possible Friday the 13th Virginia sighting.
Andrew Crouse, Sigma Nu president and Waterloo, Iowa, senior, said the day might be better if Virginia showed up.
"It's more funny for most people here," he said. "I think it would be more entertaining if something did happen."
— Edited by Kathryn Moore
Art supplies stolen from building
By Rob Pazell
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The Art and Design Building's open door policy to students could mean free stuff for others.
Four blank, framed painting canvases were stolen between 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Tuesday from the painting room in the Art and Design Building, which is open all night.
Joel Pfannenstiel, Wichita junior, said he has had canvases stolen on two different occasions. He said that the painting room was open at all hours so students could access their materials but that the 24-hour room had caused theft problems.
"It's kind of a trust issue," Pfannenstiel said. "We trust each other with our supplies."
But he said the Art and Design Building's open doors may have attracted the thief.
"We try to think of how this is happening." Pfannenstiel said. "Some think it might be a former student who might treat it as their own store."
Pfannenthel said his canvass, which was stolen in September, was worth $60. Other smaller canvasses can cost between $10 and $40, depending on size.
Because Pfannenstiel didn't have enough money for new ones, he made the canvases with the help of his father who drove in from Wichita.
"It really sucks for me because I'm poor," Pfannenstiel said. "I really don't know what to do."
Sgt. Troy Mailen of the KU Public Safety Office said there were officers on foot patrol at night and noncommissioned
security officers who did building checks. Security officers lock the other buildings on campus at night, but the Art and Design building is open all night.
"Because it is open 24 hours, they're not going to lock anything down," Mailen said. "It up to the student or Art and Design to lock up or do personal checks."
"A lot of people work late because they run out of time to finish projects," he said. "If I'm up there late, it's so I can get something done fast."
Mailen said it was difficult to find thieves in 24-hour buildings because officers didn't know exactly what to look for unless the crime was taking place.
But for many art students, such as Joel Carlson, Lenexa senior, keeping the building open all night is beneficial.
"When you have students there around
the-clock, it's hard to detect somebody," he said.
Mailen urged students to put a marking or engraving on their property.
"We stress that they mark it in some way," he said. "Unless they take the step to do so, it's hard to say who the owner of the property is."
Judith McCrea, chairwoman of the art department, said that she was sad the canvases were stolen and that the department would take measures to solve the problem.
"I am very concerned for the students over this loss," she said. "The department will resolve this issue."
"We are going to put up posters and fliers," he said. "Maybe then people will be less inclined to do it."
Pfannenstiel also said he would take action on campus.
-Edited by Kathryn Moore
Chancellor discusses raising funds
By Jason Krall
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Doubling the number of endowed professorships to about 120 was atop a list of objectives for the next major funding campaign for the University of Kansas.
This was one goal Chancellor Robert Hemenway outlined in a meeting with University Council yesterday. He also discussed his efforts to gain more control from the state about how tuition is allocated.
The University will seek money for the campaign from private donors through the Kansas University Endowment Center Association beginning next fall. The money will also be used for a new undergraduate science building, an addition to Learned Hall and scholarships for students.
Those goals are aimed toward making the University one of the top 25 public universities in the nation, Hemenway said.
"That's an achievable goal, considering all of the programs that we have are already in the top 25 in their fields," he said.
But Hemenway said that would be up to the private donors, some of whom insist on donating money to a particular school.
The University also needs to separate the use of its tuition dollars from the state appropriations process, he said.
1ne University forwards its tuition revenue to the state's general operating fund, and the money is allocated back to the University when the state budget is approved each year. That means the more money the University brings in through tuition, the less it gets from the state.
Instead, tuition revenue should stay within the University budget, and state funds should come through a block grant, he said.
The Kansas Board of Regents is proposing the change to the state legislature for fiscal year 2002, and so far, state legislators have been supportive. Hemenway said.
In other action, University Council approved a resolution to include student and faculty representatives on the Coke Partnership Council. The move comes after the partnership council approved an increase in the cash price of bottles of Coke products on campus from 85 cents to $1. Marlon Marshall, student body vice president, will serve as the student representative.
Edited by Warisa Chulindra
FUNDING CAMPAIGN
What happened: Chancellor Robert Hemenway outlined his goals for the University of Kansas' next major funding campaign in a meeting with University Council yesterday. He also discussed his efforts to gain more control from the state about how tuition is allocated.
What it means: The campaign is intended to make the University one of the top 25 public universities in the nation. Controlling tuition means more money from the state.
What's next? The University will launch the funding campaign publicly next fall. The state legislature will consider changes in the way tuition is handled for fiscal year 2002.
Conference to examine 1886 court case
Supreme Court decision about Native Americans to be re-enacted tomorrow
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
By Leita Schultes
When a Canadian murders another Canadian in Canada, the United States minds its own business, said Robert Porter, professor of law.
So when a Native American murders another Native American on an Indian reservation, which is independent of the U.S. government, the same principle should apply.
That's the premise behind United States v. Kagama, a Supreme Court case that will be reargued at 2 p.m. tomorrow during the Tribal Law and Governance Conference at Green Hall.
the case concerns whether the U.S. government has the power to interfere with sovereign Native-American affairs.
Unless it's 1886.
Nations Supreme Court during the retrial, which will have no immediate legal impact but will raise awareness.
rorter, a member of the Seneca tribe, will serve as presiding justice of the American Indian
He said the original decision gave Congress the power to interfere in Native-American affairs.
"Not because of anything in the Constitution, which is problematic, but because of this trust responsibility," he said.
This trust responsibility was based on the perception that Native Americans represented an inferior race, said Keith Harper, an attorney with the Native American Rights Fund. He will present the argument for Kagama.
The case utilizes the enumeration of powers concept, Harper said, which means Congress can only exercise powers outlined in the Constitution.
but in the Kagama case, the Supreme Court found that even though there was nothing in the Constitution that said Congress could interfere in Native-American affairs, its action was justified because Native Americans were a weak race dependent on the U.S. government.
"The decision is, in my opinion, without any legal support." Harer said.
Shawn McCarthy, an attorney with the Minnesota Attorney General's office who will
represent the United States in the retrial, said government interference in the sovereignty of Native-American tribes might be in those tribes' best interest.
"The United States has an obligation to look out for the better interests of Indians and Indian tribes." he said.
The case is significant because it still shapes policies on both trust responsibility and plenary powers — Congress' power to exercise full control in Indian affairs.
"I expect this will be a good opportunity to further examine the underlying theoretical issues relating to the tribal-federal relationship," McCarthy said. "It's an opportunity to revisit the rationale employed by the United States Supreme Court and to weigh its relative merits in light of recent Constitutional law developments."
All parties agreed that the trial would be a learning experience.
"The judgment is not going to have any immediate effect," Harper said.
Porter agreed.
"The short-term goal is to have an enjoyable argument," he said. "The long-term objective is to reshape thinking and maybe the law."
Edited by John Audiehain
Mexican fashion
Christina Delaserna, St.
Marys resident,
displays a traditional
Mexican dress
as she walks
down the
runway. In
Mexican culture,
a man would
often dress
plainly and
cheaply in order
to help pay for
his woman's
extravagant
dress.
Photo by Craig Bennett/KANSAN