KANSAN
University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
Monday, October 13, 1980 Vol. 91, No. 36 USPS 650-640
KU prof named to panel to study toxic waste laws
By RAY FORMANEK Staff Renorter
A KU civil engineering professor has been named to a special panel created Friday by Gov. John Carlin. The panel will study the adequacy of Kansas' laws concerning hazardous wastes.
CHRISTODDIKansan staff
Several hours after establishing the panel, Carlin approved the nomination of Ross McKinney. N.T. Veach professor of civil engineering, to the panel, Joseph Harkins, secretary of the Department of Health and Environment, said yesterday.
BILL HOG, Carlin's press secretary, said yesterday that the governor did not think it was possible.
The governor said during his announcement that the committee would be chosen from members of the existing Advisory Commission on Environment. The Advisory Commission was established to review environmental policies and to make recommendations to the health and environment department.
"The governor decided to take an already
body and give it a specific charge,
Boehring."
Hooting for his 'Huskers, Dan Samani, a University of Nebraska sophomore, found plenty to cheer about Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The ninth-ranked Cornhuskers defeated the Jayhawks 54-0. See story back page.
McKinney, head of the School of Engineering's environmental health section, has been an Adjunct Professor at Fordham.
He said the recent publicity about hazardous waste in Johnson and Wyandotte counties and in Wichita had been the catalyst for the formation of the special committee.
"The purpose of the study will be to look at the statutes and rulings by State regulatory agencies that govern certain aspects of public
Hoch said, however, that the panel would not concentrate on one area of the state.
Hoch said that no deadline had been set for the committee's report but that the governor wanted the report ready for the Legislature when it convened in January.
“There is a sense of immediacy about the report,” he said. “The governor expects recommendations for modifying statutes and legislation bodily burden the Legislature to consider when it convenes.”
HARKINS SAID McKinney was chosen for his technical knowledge.
"The Advisory Commission is made up of a wide variety of people," he said. "They range from housewives to engineers. McKinney was for his technical expertise in the area," he said.
McKinney said members of the special panel had not yet received any schedule from Carlin.
"I just received the call on Friday. I'm going to talk to Harkins on Monday and I'll have a better idea of what we'll be doing then," McKinney said.
Hoch said the governor's request was not a reflection on the competency of the regulatory agency.
"We're dealing with an extraordinary and peculiar situation," she said. "We need the action to deal with it."
ACT scores reverse after 15-year downturn
By ELIZABETH MORGAN
Staff Reporter
Entrance test scores of college freshman nationwide have risen slightly in the last year after a decline beginning in 1984, but educators are more reasons for the decline or whether it is significant.
The national averages of the American College Test (ACT), the test required for entrance to the University of Kansas, began declining after 1964, when the national composite average hit a high scale at a scale of 1 to 38. In 1989, the composite average was 10.2 and 18.3, and in 1979 the composite average was 18.7.
The average composite score of the KU freshman is higher than the national average, but has fluctuated in the last four years. In 1976 the average was 24.1. In 1978 it was 21.1, and in 1979 21.2.
The ACT is the only entrance test required by the University. It is used primarily for placement in English and math classes and for taking students on courses that may be helpful to them.
There are no records of the average scores of KU students on the Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT), another national college entrance exam, because the test is not required by the University. However, SAT scores are continuing to decline nationally.
In 1963, on a scale of 200 to 800, students averaged 478 on the verbal section and 502 in math. During the 1979-80 school year, the average score was 424, and the average math score was 466.
"Our experience here is that they are fairly good predictors of academic success," James Gowen, director of freshman-sophomore English, said.
Students scoring between 27 and 30 in English on the ACT may test into the honors program at KU or go into English 102. Those scoring 31 and above may directly into the honors program.
Gowen said numerous reasons had been offered to explain the decline in ACT scores, such as excessive television viewing and less demanding high schools courses.
For out-of-state applicants, the test scores are factors in deciding whether a student will be admitted to the University, according to James Stinson, assistant director of admissions.
If a student scores higher than 27 on the math section, he or she may take one instead of two.
Tomorrow last day
It will be mostly clear and windy today with a high in the upper 70s, according to the National Weather Service, and the south to southeast at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow will be partly cloudy with a high of around 80.
Weather
Tonight also will be clear, with a low in the upper 40s to lower 50s.
Douglas County clerks expect a last-minute turnout that should bring the number of registered voters to 36,000, according to Douglas County Clerk Delbert Mathia.
The extended forecast calls for a chance of showers and thunder-showers Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday will be mild with a high in the 70s to low 80s and a low in the 40s or 50s. The end of the week will be cooler, with Friday's high in the 60s and the low in the 30s or 40s.
to register to vote
Tomorrow is the last day to register to vote in the general election, Nov. 4. People can register at the Douglas County Courthouse, 11th and Massachusetts streets.
Dole and Simpson clash over issues
From Kansasn staff and wire reports
OVERLAND PARK—Kansas Republican Sen. Bob Dole called for a reform of the wafref system, urging that it be "turned back to the state" rather than leaving it to be federally controlled, in a debate last night with his Democratic challenger, John Simpson.
IN THE DERATE, sponsored by the Johnson County League of Women Voters, Simpson said he should be elected over the incumbent Dole because the state "cannot afford" a senator who promised tax cuts, increased defense spending and lower taxes. The coalition could be achieved without an inflationary effect.
"We should turn it over to the state. It is the kind of program that would be better handled on a local level. The federal government just butches it." Dole said.
Dole gave up his seat on the Senate's Agricultural Committee for a seat on the Senate Friendships Committee.
As in a previous debate, Dole stressed that the state needed his seniority on the Senate Finance Committee, and his expertise with agricultural issues.
"We shouldn't eliminate any of these programs but I think we should squeeze all the resources."
The two fielded questions on a number of issues, including the separation of church and state and the future of federal assistance for low-income people.
Dole attacked his opponent, charging that Simpson could not be relied upon to represent or support farmers. Dole said that Simpson resigned from the agriculture committee when he was in the Kansas State Senate, and that Simpson "never introduced one piece of legislation to support farmers while he was in the State Senate."
Low-income energy assistance for heating and cooling, a low-income health care program, a reformed food stamp program and a continuing tax incentive program that Dole mentioned as necessary programs.
DOLE CALLED for a reform of the welfare system, but he did not advocate abolition of the system.
The incumbent said that the need for relief from high heating and cooling bills was undesirable, and that he also was in favor of condensers, but there were few others, although there were frequent abuses of the system.
"We should work to eliminate waste, unnecessary growth and abuse from the program. We should also teach them how to do it."
Dole listed several programs that low-income assistance was funding.
Simpson said it was time to make "tough accusations" in assistance programs, but he did not be able to do that.
He said proceeds from the tax could be used for public transportation. Simpson said the plan would benefit senior citizens by providing transportation, and would conserve energy.
"It would be terribly unfair to spend massive amounts on defense, then cut social programs." Simpson said. He then attacked Dole's stands on the tax on oil companies' windfall profits, and said money derived from the tax should be spent on many of the assistance programs.
SIMPSON ALSO said proceeds could be spent on programs to encourage people to build energy-efficient homes.
See DEBATE page 5
Staff Reporter
KU official one of three to question candidates
By BILL VOGRIN
OVERLAND PARK—The debate last night between Kansas Ses. Bob Dole, the Republican incumbent, and John Simpson, his Democratic challenger, featured questions from three panelists, including Deanall Tacha, associate professor of academic affairs at the University of Kansas.
Tacha was chosen, along with William Reddig Jr., a former financial writer for Forbes and Newsweek magazines, and Lew Purgison, a former research manager, on hisuests, to question Dole and Simpson at the debate.
The debate, sponsored by the Johnson County League of Women Voters, attracted reporters from media in the Kansas City metropolitan area and contained its in entirely by one local television station.
Tacha was under the spotlights for the full hour of the debate and directed four questions at
Tacha opened the questioning with an inquiry about the possibility of developing a coherent national energy policy. The candidates took turns answering the question in the allotted two minutes. Both advocated conservation and hard work.
The associate chancellor's question on low-income assistance drew varied responses from
Other than those two instances, Tacha said, the candidates answered "as expected" on the issues raised. About 12 questions dealing with a wide range of issues were directed at Dole and Simpson. Tacha said she was not coached on her experience and the candidates were not told what to expect.
the candidates. Tacha said she was surprised at the response from Dole, who explained his ideas for reform of the welfare system, and from what he had detailed his ideas on the windfall profits tax.
"I just thought about it and asked what I was interested in. In打不 know how I was chosen."
Tacha is a veteran at political debates, having questioned Dole during a debate with Democratic candidate Bill Roy during the 1974 campaign. She also moderated a debate between Roy and Republican candidate Nancy Landon Kassebaum during the 1978 election.
"I thought the candidates did a reasonably good job of sticking to the issues, and we did get some specific answers tonight," Tacha said after the debate. "My question on public assistance got a pretty good response, I was surprised at the specific answers."
"I really don't know how important these debates are, unless you are really interested and informed on the issues. It was a good chance for me to ask her questions," she said. "Course, I get to ask the big questions."
Capt. Aimin Svauins and firefighter Jimi Wise, right, hose down a burning pile of logs and brush last night near Ridgeview E mobile home park,
BEN BIGLEN/Kensen staf.
1909 E. 19th S. The firefighters were able to contain the fire, but it continued to smolder over the night.