Some officials wary about new open records act
Administration Reporter
Several University of Kansas administrators are apprehensive about a new federal law that allows college students access to any academic or medical records about themselves.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, passed last summer by Congress after it was introduced by Sen. James Buckley, R-N.Y., states students access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be denied federal access to their records will be den
After a 45-day period beginning this week, higher education institutions will be required by law to offer a degree.
Many KU officials said they thought this presented a major problem to colleges and universities.
student access to records that might contain confidential letters of recommendation, financial information parents might wish to keep confidential when enlisted and psychiatric and psychological records.
To resolve the problem, colleges and universities will have to choose between violating pledges of confidentiality they made when they accepted letters of recommendation, defying the new law or destroying all confidential papers. Some officials are hoping for a deferred implementation of the law so that there could be open meetings to discuss the possible effects of the law.
An amendment may be introduced to exclude all confidential records made before the law went into effect.
However, some educational institutions aren't
"The major problem is that the University of Kansas is caught in a very difficult situation." Chancellor Archie R. Dykes said yesterday. "On the one hand it wants to comply with the law and on the other it wants to uphold its promise of confidentiality."
going to wait for the amendment to be introduced and passed. They are removing all confidential documents before the 45-day compliance period begins.
Most people in higher education agree that certain portions should be kept confidential, such as records concerning health, mental deviations, financial standings of students' parents and contact information. Some schools, like the University opened these letters of recommendation to students, it would be breaking its
pledge of confidentiality. The University would then be open to libel suits, he said.
There isn't enough personnel to accommodate opening records to all students, Dykes said.
Each student has several records that are kept at the University, William Arginger, vice chancellor and graduate studies, said yesterday. Besides the records, he keeps on a student, there are records at the health service, the registrar's office, the office of the Dean of Students, and the school the student is enrolled in, he said.
Argersinger said he thought the bill was one of the biggest pieces of legislation he had read. The bill did not make much sense to him.
The bill didn't define what was meant by student records. It was drawn up in consideration of junior
high systems where all confidential and academic records are ked on one card. Arrestees said
Buckley's legislation passed with practically no debate in the Senate and wasn't debated at all in the House, John Conard, assistant to the chancellor, said yesterday. There seems to be a strong impatience to delay implementation of the law to allow for colleges to hold hearings on the issue, he said.
Congressman may take action within the next two weeks, Conard said. Confidential information may be separated from some records pending legislation or judicial interpretation of the act, he said. Until then, Congress must have to wait for the decision to be challenged or for clarification of the law by the legislature, he said.
See OFFICIALS Page 10
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
Vol. 85—No.62 Thursday, November 21, 1974 The University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
- visit tooth reigns supreme in Lawrence, for in spite of the rising costs of candy, dinners and doubles local residents haven't changed their buying habits. Business has even become more important to parents.
Soaring sweets
SenEx acts on bias charge
BY BETTY HAEGELIN Administration Reporter
The University of Kansas has failed to apply Affirmative Action regulations to the University Committee on Promotion and Mentoring, who charged at a SenEx meeting yesterday.
that it's morally right but not tremendous
important. "Wright said, 'I suggest that it is
not so important."
Responding to a request for action on the matter from John Wright and Barbara Etzel, professors of human development, SenEx passed a resolution recommending to Ambrose Saricis, vice chancellor for academic affairs, that UCPT be increased from nine to 12 members. Although not noted by SenEx, the letter was noted by a SenEx member that one of the new appointments should be female and another should be from a minority group
"The attitude of SenEx has seemed to be one of annoyance with Affirmative Action,
However, members of SenEx said that their role was to recommend and that they didn't make many of the actual appointments. Even so, some members said with Wright's appraisal of SenEx's concern for Affirmative Action at the University.
"I think the comments suggest that we have taken the Affirmative Action guidelines lightly, when we have actually done what we wanted," Joel Gold, professor of English said.
The composition of UCPT now includes no minority members and only two women. Wright said in a letter to SenEx that this group was underrepresented in the representation. Since UCPT has an ultimate
effect on a faculty member's career, it should have representative membership, eighty-five percent.
"By the record and the number count of committee membership, this is the weakest SenEx (with regard to Affirmative Action) in the last three years." Wright would should do something, because it works best on behalf of not when it's back is against the wall.
Francis Heller, professor of law, said SenEx could only make recommendations on the membership, since "it's the clamourer's committee." He opposed including the recommendation that these new members must be women or of a minority group.
i. $^{1}$ *树脂本* we nont do this, as lf for oeine
i. $^{2}$ *树脂本* we nont do this, as lf for oeine
The committee also proposed that UCPT should study its own composition and make recommendations to Saricks on what its composition should be.
SenEx also passed a resolution to send a recommendation before today's University-Senate meeting asking that the Board of Regents re-evaluate their proposed faculty pay increase because of double-digit incomes and had committed itself to a 30 per cent increase in years, but this year's 12 per cent inflation would effectively eliminate the increase.
we remiss in our duties." Heller said. "I think we have acted in good will."
Sufi dancers sway, chant
SenEx said that if a 10 per cent increase was allotted this year, it was merely an inflationary aid, and not part of this merit increase.
By MARK EKLUND
Reporter
Have you ever tried Sufi dancing?
"Suffiancing is a beautiful experience," gruber said yesterday. "There's a real demonstration."
It's an astonishing feeling and a great way to relax, according to Charlie Gruber, 1235 Connecticut St., and Nancy Abuza, Lawrence special student. They have been teaching Sufi dancing for 9 years at the United Ministries Center. 1294 Oread
Abuza said Sufi dancing involved simple repetitive movements and the singing of sacred phrases. She said the aim of the performance was to heighten the higher consciousness and devotional feeling.
The dancers siged sacred Hebrew,
and dusthist prayers during their ritual. Abbas
prided themselves with the grace of
"Skii dancing isn't an ancient practice," she said. "Most of its forms have evolved."
She said the spiritual dancing was fun, easy to learn and enjoyable for all ages.
A group of about 30 students and local residents regularly attend the Sufi舞 sessions, Abuza said. The dancers meet at a Sunday at the United Ministries Center.
“It's kind of a social activity, but it's also a good group feeling.” Molly Van Hee. 1934 Louisiana St., said. “It's a nice way to get high with other people."
Sufi dancing is only one aspect of Sufism. Sufism is an ancient mystical offshoot of the
Islamic religion. Sufism developed in Persia and the Arab countries and spread to other parts of the world.
Abuza said Sufism wasn't a religion, but a philosophy and a way of life. A Sufi can be a Christian, Hindu, Buddhist or a member of any other religion, she said.
"I the idea of having a commitment in your own life," Abiza said. "Your life is 'to me.'"
Sufism was brought to the Western world in 1910 by Hazrat Inayat, author of the 12 volume "Sufi Message." Abuzaed said Inayat's disciples, Pir Vilajat Inayat Khan and the late Samuel L. Lewis, would appear in the documentary film, "Sanseed," which will be shown at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow and discount price is $1. She said the film was about the new spiritual consciousness among today's youth.
Suff danced will be performed after the film, Abuza said, and the public is invited to participate.
Otto Zing, a campus minister at the center, said he became interested in spiritual dancing as a kind of meditation and as a means of expressing his own faith. He has introduced Sufi dance to Catholic and Islamic masses, past, he said, and it has been well received.
Gruber said Sufi dancing appealed to almost everyone. Once a person is exposed to it, he said, he usually wants to learn more about it.
Children especially enjoy Sifi dancing, Gruber said.
Beisner to study parking policy
Eve Baldwin, 8-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Doin Baldwin, 18 Wai 24th Marr.
"It's kind of weird." she said, "but it's fun, too."
"It generates nice feelings of being energized and alive," Brook Shawne, a graduate student at UW.
Brook, who experienced Sufi dancing for the first time yesterday, said that he might incorporate the dance in an interpersonal awareness class that he taught at KU.
Greg Issett, Abilene senior, said that spiritual dancing was a mellow experience for him. "It was very calming," he said.
Abuza said Sufi practices included various walking, spinning and breathing techniques.
"Safiim has many practical aspects"
"said some 'Some people might get the impress-
ment'".
The emergency action carries the same authority as if the petition had been passed by the legislature.
SenEx also received a report from the University Senate Human Relations Committee that stated that current Affirmative Action procedures were unworkable.
SenEx also decided to see how recent revisions of the options for ticketing appeals would affect the case load of the University Code and could have a temporary approval of an addition of three justices due to increased appeals, and wanted to be assured the case load would not change in the pending permanent adoption of the increase through a change in the University Code.
The Student Executive Committee (StudEx) last night authorized John Beinser, student body president, to investigate inequalities in the University's traffic ticketing policy and file suit if he wants to bring about a change in the policy.
The meeting was closed twice, once for a 18-minute discussion of administrative procedures, and again for a 30-minute orientation of committee appointments to UCPT.
Beisner told the committee parking and traffic violation policy discriminated against students. If a student ignores a ticket his records are withheld and he can't enroll the next semester, Beisner said. But if a faculty member doesn't pay a fine there is no definite action taken against him, he said.
See DANCERS Page 10
Beisner said he wasn't necessarily endorsing this practice, but he said he did want to see equality in the enforcement policy at KU. If no action is taken to adjust
"At Kansas State, the university is empowered with withdrawal salary transfers if they are not needed."
the situation, Beiser said he would take the case to the University Judiciary.
"The way it is right now, faculty don't have to pay tickets until they pile up quite a few, while students are hounded to pay them." The director of blatant discrimination, "Heiseran said."
Beisner said that no figures were available for last year, but that two years ago there were more than $30,000 in unpaid faculty fines.
StudEx also gave emergency approval to a petition concerning the funding of an addition to Robinson Gymnasium. The petition urges the Board of Regents to move ahead with an accelerated two-year plan for funding of the proposed addition.
When Robinson was built in 1966 plans were drawn for a future addition to the gym, according to Casselman. If the present schedule is followed the project won't be completed until a specialized proposal is accepted the building will be ready for use by fall 1978, he said.
Casselman said the chancellor had recommended the two-year plan to the Board of Regents because $50,000 in planning money and undetermined costs from infiation would be saved by completing the project a year earlier than planned.
Beisner said he was meeting with several of the Regents today. He wanted emergency approval of the measure so that he could take university's case for the accelerated plan.
Dierck Casselman, chairman of the Senate Sports Committee, said that KU was far behind most of the other Big Eight schools in its recreational programs and that much of this problem was due to a lack of facilities.
Long charged in murder, kidnapings in Lawrence
Police Reporter
By STEVE FRY
County Court Judge Mike Elwell ordered
Long to appear at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 27 for
a hearing on the County Court Board.
Don Long, a 28-year Topeka man, was arranged in Douglas County Court yesterday afternoon on charges of 12 felonies, including the killing of a University of Kansas student and the kidnaping of four Lawrence residents.
Long was brought to Lawrence yesterday after being sentenced earlier day and Tuesday. He was released from Long was scheduled to be sent back to Shawneu County Jail in Topeka last night.
The charges Long was arraigned on yesterday were: first-degree murder in connection with the death of Todd Storkeback, Winfield McCarthy, and robbery of an undetermined amount of
money from the Sanctuary Club; three counts of aggravated robbery from three customers; the kidnapping of two female employees from the Sanctuary Club; the kidnapping of two male construction workers; the theft of a 1963 Plymouth Belvedere belonging to one of the concession workers; the aggravated sodomy with one female hostage, and one count of attempted rape of the other female hostage.
Earlier yesterday, Long was sentenced to two terms of one to five years for two burglaries committed before the Storbec killing last week. The sentences will run consecutively to the prison term given Tuesday.
See LONG Page 10
District Court Judge Adrian Allen in Topeka sentenced长 on Tuesday to a prison term.
Soaking it in
Chanting "Yhail, Yhuk," Greg Iastt, Abilene senior, yesterday raised his hands to absorb energy from the sun, and then by lowering his arms brought it into his body. "Yhail, Yhuk" (O life, O truth) is part of a chank for an Islamic dance, one of several types of Sufi dancing practiced by a group of local students and residents.