4
Tuesday, March 4, 1975
University Daily Kansan
KANSAN
Editorials, columns and letters published on this page reflect only the opinions of the writers.
Election expensive
Spending reports are in from the recent student body presidential race. About $1,375 was spent by the four candidates in the race, or about 50 cents for each person who voted. The dollar amount isn't astronomical, but it's too much to spend in a University election.
the campaign of the new student body president, Ed Rolfs, and Mary Lou Reece, the new vice president, cost the most—about $85. This campaign will support 85 contenders for each of the 1,220 votes Rolfs and Reece received.
The runner-up, Lewis Gregory,
spent about $430 in his campaign
that attracted 800 votes. Barbars
was also the top candidate for
campaign and received 294 votes.
The most interesting figure in the race is the amount spent by Paul Sherbo, the third-place finisher in the race, and the second-place finisher in the Long. Spent only $1.50 in their campaign, this for photocopying filing petition forms.
Despite spending nothing to earn the prize, Sherbron got 310 votes. Unless these
people happened to vote for Sherbo by chance, he reached people and persuaded them to vote for him without the benefit of posters, buttons or newspaper advertising. How refreshing!
I don't think spending money on student body elections should be outlawed. But should be severely outlawed so that money doesn't attract voters.
The two major candidates proved, I think, that spending money for promotion does little or nothing to reduce rating. Less than 15 per cent of those elected to vote did so.
Ed Rofs has said that he thinks the spending limit could be lowered to $500 without hurting campaigns. I suspect it could be lowered still further. Although $500 might not seem a great deal in terms of “big-time politics,” it represents a big chunk of money to most students.
A lower spending limit would place more emphasis on a candidate's potential and less on his bankroll as a requisite for winning.
Craig Stock
Reagan no prophet
With the Republican party still in a state of shock because of the Watergate affair and a messed-up economy, there is an increasing speculation that President RR may not be the Republican presidential candidate in 1976.
Among those waiting for a chance to win the nomination is former Gov. Ronald Reagan of California. Reagan has been making his name better known to Americans through his columns, lectures and radio spots. Reported earlier, Obviously, he is a better political commentator than he was an actor. Or is he a better actor than political commentator?
Reagan is the darling of many conservatives. Many rumors about the beginnings of a third party with Reagan as its presidential candidate have been circulating. Conservative Sen. James Buckley, whose greatest accomplishment has been authoring the ridiculous Buckley amendment that interferes with communication on college campuses, declares that Reagan will be the salivation of conservatism.
For a while it appeared that Reagan would attempt a third party bid. However, he recently said that the conservative element of the Republican party should stay within traditional bounds and try to persuade other Republicans that the conservative way is the best way.
Whether other Republicans will make the mistake of listening to him is another matter.
As for Reagan, it appears that he is taking himself very seriously. He recently said that he is "St. John the Divine," preaching in the Wilderness."
In that case, perhaps the Republican party should wait before seriously considering Reagan as a potential 1976 presidential candidate. After all, if Reagan is John the Baptist, someone should be given a prophet who is better a prophet. Not that the Republican party should wait. Almost anybody would be a better prophet than Reagan.
—Kenn Louden
By STEVEN LEWIS
Contributing Writer
'B'average now average
Grade inflation continues at the University of Kansas. Last semester the grade point average (GPA) for undergraduates at the Lawrence campus was 2.95. One year earlier the undergraduate GPA was 2.93.
THE UNDERGRADUATE GPA the past 10 semesters has averaged 2.88. From the fall 1962 semester through the spring 1967 semester, the overall GPA was 2.49.
The dramatic rise in GPA at KU began in the spring of 1970.
CLEARLY, THE AVERAGE KU student today is a "B" student. This phenomenon isn't unique to UK. There is a trend toward higher GPA's at many major universities. Meanwhile, the national average on the BAC level of the Educational Testing Service has been declining since the mid '60s.
when many students were
protesting American in-
terior policy in Iraq.
Final exams were disrupted
that semester and the Kansas
Union was burned. The GPA
was 2.91. From 2.62 a year earlier.
remained relatively high since the spring of 1970. It has peaked at 2.55 on three occasions—the fall of 1974 and the spring of 1974 and last semester.
Grade inflation at KU almost certainly doesn't mean that students are performing better in the judgment of their professors. Instead, a relaxation of academic standards seems to be the principal cause of grade inflation.
for the grade inflation of the 70s.
-The credit-no credit option began in the fall of 1968. This program permits students to take difficult courses and not receive a letter grade, "Do" and "Fs" are recorded as "no credit" and aren't figured into GPA statistics.
There are several recent innovations that help account
THE CURRICULUM AND Instruction Survey, better known as Feedback, began in the fall of 1970. Although Feedback has never been mandatory, 1,588 courses were by students in the fall of 73. The faculty on student opinion may have had an effect on professors and grades.
The over-all GPA has
—A liberalized drop policy began in the fall of 1973. The new policy permitted a student to drop a course at any time before its final exam and receive a "W" on his records.
sity has affected grading standards, raft avoiders, underprivileged minorities and others have flocked to the University of Georgia's computer programs that de-emphasize grades have grown.
—THE POPULARIZATION of the undergraduate Univer-
For example, the social welfare department became a full-fledged school in 1969. The school has grown into the department of human development and family life. Minority studies have been given increasing emphasis. The LAAS program, carefully set up by nearly 50 student-taught courses, was accredited in 1969.
STATISTICS COMPILED BY the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences show that grades averaged 3.44 in the fall of 1971. The GPA of the human development and family life sciences is GPA of the African studies department was 2.91. These
grade point averages exceed the over-all undergraduate GPA that semester, which was 2.83.
CLEARLY, WHATEVEN grades used to mean, they mean less today. But before anyone sheds a tear for the "good old days," consider the good that grade inflation may promote. As grades become more meaningless, maybe graduate students will appreciate others will look increasingly toward the human being behind the convenient symbols.
THERE IS MUCH THAT neither grades nor standardized tests tell about that elusive quality of intelligence. Their are infinite contexts. Their academic performances may differ significantly in different environments. The human potential defies more than a hundred systems as derived from a limited and artificial environment.
Reaction to oil money arrogant
It is probably impossible to find anything in this society that is as arrogant, racist, immoral or stupid as the recurring talk about seizing Arab oil militarily.
But coming very close is the sudden hysteria over foreigners investing in this country's industries and institutions.
A Saudi Arabian purchases
And then there's Pan American Airlines. Pan Am. Flag carrier. The name bespeaks America. What a degrading shock for U.S. citizens to read that the Shah of
Gave god man a free will, the right to choose. This is clearly recorded in Genesis 2:17. Man fell, Sickness, sin and death ... murder, forication, mention a few, mention a few, were part of the choice that man made when he turned against God.
By Carl Rowan
Copyright 1975 Field Enterprises, Inc
protest became inevitable when it was revealed that a Lebanese banker was about to buy voting funds, financially troubled company.
"Before I formed the tree in the belly I knew the tree; and before you coumet最外出 of the nation, whom ordained the prophet unto the nations." —Jeremiah 1.5. We have doubled heart much on abortion, but have we heard who, has created all of life?
God created man and woman.
We were created for His pleasure. (See Revelation 4:11).
Furthermore, "all things were created by Him, and for Him:
And He is before all things, and
by Him all things consist."—I
Colossians 1:16, 17. God
However, God had a plan to restore fellowship with man. This plan is embodied in His Son, Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, we can have new life and really come to know God personally. Then perhaps we will be able to understand why God
in us, His creation (see Proverbs 8:31).
Reader cites Bible on abortion
creates what He creates: "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct them, to Christ." 1- Corinthians 2:9.
the controlling interest in a Michigan bank and hordes of people scream that hereafter they'll put their money in their mattresses—if they ever get any more money.
WORD GOES AROUND that Kuwait is buying up resort areas and Hispaniola areas of Americans are seized with the horrible thought that a 20-foot pit or a topspin tomb will never be the same if they get hit.
That California firm, Vinnell Corp., might have been excused for accepting a $77 million package from the military forces. But a storm of
To the Editor:
When man lives for God rather than for himself, abortions will stop.
Letters Policy
Letters to the editor should be typewritten, double-spaced and should not exceed 500 words. All letters are subject to editing and condensation, according to space limitations and the editor's judgment. Students must provide their names, class designations and home faculty; and staff must provide their names and positions; others must provide their names and addresses.
"YOU SAY YOUR DOCTOR IS AFRAID TO DO IT? SURE, COME ON OVER. ID BE GAD TO TERMINATE YOUR PREGNANCY"
Loretta Flanagan
people's cultures and institutions, for almost a century—and in a most dramatic way since World War II.
Kansas City, Kan., Junior
Now we've run into some economic and political problems. Do we panic because some foreigners are doing here what we've long done in other countries? Or do we play it cool while we reorder and restabilize our institutions?
I guarantee you that if we panic, or fly into an arrogant rage of chauvinism, we shall only compound our problems. And in that case the "buying of America" could become something perilously close to a closing out sale.
Iran plans to use some of his surplus petrodollars to bail Pan Am out of financial distress—and wind up with Iran owning more than 10 per cent of this most-noseful petroleum. American air carrier.
Only a fool refuses to concede that U.S. domination and exploitation of copper and the other resources of Chile led to their tragedies over which many Americans agonize today.
Time magazine and Reader's Digest may be only the latest victims of Canadian resentment (even paranoid) over U.S. economic and cultural influence in that country.
Let me put it as bluntly as I know how: We've been buying up other people's properties, including dustries, influencing other
We can avoid the calamitous reactions of arrogance, racism, greed, if we simply ask ourselves one honest question:
"Didn't we in the United States create much of our unprecedented standard of living by investing in, even dominating, the vital industries of dozens of other countries?"
I CAN UNDERSTAND the shock, the dismay, the fear that envelops millions of Americans. We are all, to one degree or less, in danger with our patriots, if you prefer. We would alice prefer that we have most of the money, most of the knowhow, so that it is we who go around buying up or dominating industries of other countries.
economic, political and cultural influence in Europe.
Intelligent Americans remember how, a few years ago, the British were expressing outrage that U.S. firms and money controlled the computer industry in Britain.
Sensitive Americans are aware that the late Charles de Gaulle became a virulent terrorist. He was killed because he resented U.S.
Well, I'm telling you that times have changed. Maybe forever, maybe temporarily. How lasting the change will be will depend on how we respond to this current crisis.
A carnival to go, please
By STEPHEN BUSER Contributing Writer
Contributing Writer
By just looking at it you might think my car is an ordinary 1967 Chevelle, tan with black top and decorated with a bent antenna. Oh, but this beautiful cruise door has a chrome Hop in the front seat and let me tell you about this carnival on wheels.
Once in, you'll notice a wear looking contrapaction that is supposed to be a radio. The dlassipe glassier is missing, knobs are broken, and the shamblies. However, by some strange combination of failures, this radio has turned into a homemade science wonder. It may be the kind of KDKA in Pittsburgh to KSL in Salt Lake City, as well as
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stations in Canada and Mexico. Rather than falling asleep listening to drab Kansas City disc jockeys, I usually tune in KAAY's Beaker Street of Little Rock or my favorite call-in prowler's call-in show was "Good News Only" Night. One lady called in some excellent news—the cure for cancer!
IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN see a big black spot on the hood of the car. The gold spray paint doesn't quite hide the scars from the times the engine has caught on fire. The driver's sister was driving down a muddy slope on some backroads in the Appalachian territory of Kentucky. The engine raged in flames, the hoody flew up making an opaque mask, and the parachutist. The second experience with a flaming engine was similar to the first except that it okole place on a dry road under better weather conditions. Although I have considered the plan to use the conventional method of escaping a burning car—jumping out like a bat out of hell.
THE REASON YOUR FEET are nearly numb as we ride along is that the air conditioner works year round whether you want it to or not. The control switches for the heater are in worse shape than the radio's. When the fan is working, it like a dozen fingernails screeching across a blackboard. If I ever sell this car I'll have to include a blanket in the deal.
Looking at the 27,000 figure on the odometer you may wonder why a car with only that much mileage is in such poor com-
dition. Actually it's gone 127,000 miles. It has been driven on every kind of road imaginable under every weather condition from nearly coast to coast and from highway to highway longer any worry about getting speeding tickets because it can't go over 50 miles per hour. The Chevelle is in about the same condition as a disabled car. But she keeps on trucking and trucking and trucking.
WHEN I PICKED UP Dick Gregory, Betadnet Dale and Lois Lane for their speaking engagements at KU, I wanted to expect expecting limousines, Lincolns or Electra 225's. But they seemed to enjoy a nifty little ride from the beautiful Lawrence Municipal Airport to town in the Chevelle. They liked it, but not that unique road machine as much as I liked telling them.
THERE IS NO NEED to panic when it dies in the middle of an intersection. I've managed to learn how to throw it in neutral and start her up again in less than five seconds. I learned by spray paint around the sides to camouflage the rust. It's nearly impossible to see out the back window because of a wall of stickers blocking the view. College markers, old parking lot signs, idaho potato and AA stickers can be found on the window.
I have very little knowledge about mechanics and don't particularly care to dress up my Chevette with mag wheels, my hat, my gloves, dice hanging from the rear-window mirror. Yet I love this machine as much as my dog, Lazarus. Hope you enjoyed the ride.