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University Daily Kansan
Opinion
Tuesday, Nov. 19, 1985
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
McMurry's unpaid bills
The state of Kansas has had a couple of accounting problems with Steve McMurry.
Through creative bookkeeping, he embezzled more than $257,000 from KU on Wheels as its coordinator from 1978 until his arrest in September 1982. University officials acknowledged that budget controls were less than tight.
The University may have been lax in accounting for its money, but the parole system must account for this sorry payment record.
That's not the only flawed system McMurry has benefited from.
After serving 17 months of a possible 20-year prison sentence, McMurray was paroled in December. His agreement with the Kansas Adult Paroling Authority required that he make a "reasonable effort" to repay KU. Reasonable was defined as about $275 a month.
In 11 months he has repaid $60.
McMurry's parole officer was supposed to supervise his payments. McMurry told his latest parole officer that no one
ever confronted him with what would happen if he failed to keep his end of the deal.
But if he didn't know before,
he knows now. This month he
was told that if he didn't start
paying at least $200 a month by
January, it might be goodbye
parole, hello cell block.
The KU Transportation Board plans to recommend this change of scenery if McMurry doesn't begin paying before his next parole review. The question is: Why wasn't McMurry called on the carpet sooner?
Luckily, the University didn't rely on the parole authority's effectiveness and McMurry's promise. In the fall of 1984, KU received a civil judgment against McMurray. KU plans to collect the money by garnisheeing his wages after his parole agreement expires in 1988.
KU has done what it can to recover its money, even though it's obvious that McMurry will never be able to settle the debt. Now parole officials must see to it that he at least tries.
Two views of education
Two recent studies seek to tell America about the state of the teaching profession, but only one examines relevant concerns.
One federally financed survey conducted by the National Center for Education Information attempts to pry into the after-hours lives of teachers.
That study asks such questions as how many times a week a teacher engages in sex or whether they pray regularly. It tries to predict the future of American education from the extracurricular activities of today's teachers.
The correlation between teachers' private lives and their professional standards is questionable. What is even more questionable is how that information could be used constructively.
The other study is a Carnegie Foundation report
This study recommends stricter standards, higher salaries and government teaching scholarships to encourage good students to enter teaching.
that reviews relevant statistics — such as teacher salaries and their SAT scores — to forecast the future of the teaching profession.
The Carnegie Foundation report says teacher pay and recruitment has improved in the last few years. The Washington study simply seeks a few titillating details but furnishes no valid insight into the profession.
In trying to fill the estimated need for 1.65 million additional schoolteachers by 1993, we are better served by studies that focus on salaries and test scores than those that tell us how many days a week teachers spend tending their gardens.
Less toxic solution
Some called it "Black Friday."
At first, it seems a good idea that the EPA encourages less dumping and more burning. After all, toxic chemicals deposited in landfills and lagoons may drift through layers of soil and pollute underground water supplies.
On Nov. 8, tougher Environmental Protection Agency standards for almost 1,600 toxic waste dumps went into effect. The new standards are likely to encourage less dumping on the ground and in water and more burning of toxic wastes.
But those new standards may have another effect they may shut down more than 500 ponds, pits, landfills, lagoons and deep injection wells used to dispose of hazardous wastes.
But the tougher standards for toxic waste dumps are not enough. Encouraging more incineration of waste is not enough.
Burning waste is not a cureall. The EPA has managed to classify about 60,000 of about 66,000 chemicals used in the United States; some will break down into non-toxic components when burned.
Other alternatives exist, such as the use of bacteria to break down toxic substances into their less toxic components. But that is not the point.
The EPA must solve one problem and try to prevent another. Tougher standards and encouraging waste burning may help clean up the mess that exists.
But the agency also needs to encourage recycling and it needs to have tougher standards for the type of materials used in production — to help cut down on the creation of toxic wastes.
Rob Karwath
Editor
Duncan Calhoun Business manager
John Hanna Michael Totty
Managing editor Editorial editor
Lauretta McMillen
Campus editor
Susanne Shaw
General manager, news adviser
Brett McCabe Sue Johnson Retail sales Campus sales
Megan Burke
National/Co-op sales
John Oberzan
Sales and marketing adviser
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Senate elections Candidates rely on Common Sense
"We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore!" It's time for a revolutionary approach to student government at the University of Kansas.
Common Sense Coalition candidates Amy Brown and David Epstein.
In the last few years, Student Senate has lost sight of its role as a provider of student services and has become a debating society plagued by political infighting. In response, Common Sense offers a chance to revitalize Senate by providing new services for students.
We resisted the temptation of offering you tantalizing campaign promises we could never fulfill once in office. Instead, we initially asked students what they wanted Senate to do for them. Based on this information, we began researching programs to meet these needs.
For more than three weeks, we have examined current resources at KU and investigated programs at universities across the nation. From what we determined what could be successfully sponsored by our Senate.
Instead of presenting vague proposals, the Common Sense platform consists of service-oriented programs that can be implemented with our term. Here's a summary of the "big four" issues of our platform.
Statistics. They don't lie. Last year in Lawrence alone, there were 125 alcohol-related automobile accidents, and six resulting deaths. We are working towards ending this tragedy.
One of the issues that we've researched is drunk driving. Based on an extremely successful program at Iowa State University, we want to bring Night Ride to the KU campus.
We think this would help you make better decisions about your class schedule and reduce the long add-ons at the start of each semester.
Parking. Every year we hear about it, but nothing ever seems to change. We want to try a Common Sense approach — communication. Parking Services is willing to work with students, but they don't know what you want. We want to work with Parking Services to reduce the cost
of permits and to increase the services provided to the students.
Common Sense is tired of reading about who spoke at Kansas State University. K-State? Why not KU? KU has attracted quality speakers, but we can have even more. The system already exists, it only needs to be tapped.
We want to establish a student-advised lecture series that would attract nationally prominent speakers from all areas of interest. We can do this by drawing on the University's vast system of financial and alumni support and contacts.
Common Sense. Two small words with one powerful message. You've seen the posters in your classrooms, you see the platform ideas from your friends.
The coalition, made up of 50 dedicated students, has worked hard
over the past three months to prove ourselves worthy — now we're asking you for your support. We're not awe-inspiring gods, ready to revise every existing policy and procedure at KU.
Instead, we're concerned, to novative people ready to take your concerns, your problems, your ideas, and put them to use for the sole purpose of benefiting all students. Our style is flexible — it's just Common Sense.
We're here for you. We've worked hard to spread our ideas. Ideas that originated with students just like you. We care, and we hope you do too! Vote Nov. 20 and 21 at your respective schools and remember to use Common Sense. Thanks for your support.
Chrysalis promises student growth
A chrysalis, according to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, is "a state of being or growth." We of the Chrysalis Coalition are dedicated to helping the Student Senate grow to its full potential. We believe the Senate is capable of being a strong, effective student service organization — and we have the knowledge and the enthusiasm necessary to reach that goal.
Our candidates come from diverse backgrounds, but we have several shared ideas. We know, for instance,
that KU students cannot be lumped into categories and are individuals with individual concerns.
We are good listeners. We know how to listen to people and to learn from them. We can then put this learning into action. We have participated in helping people in the past and wish to continue to do so.
We appreciate the unique position the Student Senate holds as "the voice of the students" and we will make that voice work to your benefit.
Last and perhaps most important.
we believe that if you wish to be involved in student government, you should be able to do so. But if you choose to ignore the Senate, it should still be working to serve you.
Chrysalis is unique. We have a flexible platform that allows room for growth. Our issues are not limited to four or five ideas.
In fact, we have moved past issues that have already been solved and we have added issues that have been brought to our attention. Thus our platform is in a state of growth.
We are also practical. Local research shows that both the Transportation Board and the bus company think a drunk bus was too expensive in extra maintenance, insurance and wages to be feasible.
We propose (and first brought it app to the Union administration last April) to support a non-alcoholic nightclub on campus. In three years, three-quarters of the student population will not be able to legally drink. We think that entertainment alternatives are needed now and in the future.
We also propose publishing a guide to financial aid for students, publishing a list of who your senators are and how to reach them and publishing teacher evaluations or profiles. Our research shows that such evaluations used to be published here, but were discontinued because of the cost. Our idea would be both voluntary and cost effective.
Chrysalis Coalition candidates Ruth Lichtwardt and Milton Scott
We also support the posting of routes and scheduling information by the bus stops.
Chrysalis has the experience to get things done and the willingness to do so. Chrysalis wants your ideas and your opinions. Chrysalis stands for taking Student Senate back to its original purpose. And Chrysalis stands for growth.
In investigating other ideas, we discovered that some proposals that have been brought up are already in place. Two specific examples are a campus escort service and having campus policemen walk a beat. Services such as these need to be publicized, and we will do so.
Above all, Chrysalis stands for you
Mailbox
On Wednesday, Nov. 13, a resident of McCollum Hall was nearly shot and killed by a KU police officer with a shotgun. This incident could have been avoided if KUPD would have used little composeur and common sense.
Dangerous actions
As with many other organizations on campus, some of McColburn Hall residents were engaged in playing the "assassin" game, in which residents try to assassinate each other with plastic dart guns.
KU police stormed McCollum Hall, burst into the hallway where she was sitting and nearly shot Kim Bayer because they thought the gun was real.
On Wednesday night, Kim Buyer was sitting outside her room talking on the phone and holding her dart gun, which resembled a sawed-off shotgun, while seeing the shotgun, called Kim police and said that a woman had a gun.
It would seem that if the girl actually would have had a gun, it would have been more prudent to remain behind the protection of the doorway at the end of the hall, then call to the girl to drop the gun from their protected position. If she fired, then the officers would have been protected.
Instead of doing this, the officers came face to face with the girl. The officer later admitted that he nearly fired. If out of shock KIM did not lower the gun, the officer may have fired. With a shotgun at that range, it would be unlikely that she would have survived.
Why were such cowboy tactics used? Did the situation dictate charging the hall with shotguns? Why did these officers charge down the hall fully exposed?
Why didn't the officers give any attempt to explain what was going on to hall security before rushing up the stairway to her floor? It seems that the officers gave no thought to the situation.
I am not questioning the need for the officers to protect themselves, or to protect others, but I am questioning these types of tactics and the danger they present to innocent people.
In addition, one officer was using a shotgun, which instead of firing a single bullet, fires several lead pellets. The hallways in McColum are very narrow. If a resident would have come out of a room behind Kirk, the resident would also have been killed by the blast.
Pocatello, Idaho, senior
No talking to terrorists
I think an investigation should be made into the procedures used by KUPD in order to avoid a similar incident from happening in the future.
Before writing about the political situation of a country, you might as well be informed about the history of
those minor events that lead to major ones. In other words, saying that Colombia's government shouldn't have ruled out a reasoned response to the guerrilla's demands shows a lack of empathy in this group in particular operates.
M-19 is a movement known, unfortunately, for breaking peace treaties. The same situation, in which the government has had to negotiate peace to save lives, has been common to many other occurrences. The purpose of M-19 is not to retaliate. M-19 has not, and lives have been lost just the same.
Do you think making peace treaties with a guerrilla group that laughs in the government's face is going to fix things?
"Volatile situations should be defused, not detonated," agreed. But sometimes it is better to cut the disease from the root.
Angela Posuda Rockwood Bogota, Colombia graduate student
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graduate student
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