KU researchers study myriad of unusual subjects
This story is the first of a series on research activities at the University of Kansas.
By JACK McNEELY
By JACK McNEELY Administration Reporter
The teeth of Mexicans, the effects of male hormones on rat fetuses, and a pioneer system to stabilize small airplanes are among the myriad of studies studied by researchers at the University of Kansas.
Chancellor Archie R. Dykes said during this semester's opening convoitation that no university could provide a high quality of education without encouraging research.
And KU is big on research.
KU received about $20.5 million in federal funds
for research in fiscal 1973. It ranks 45th in the nation in research support and third in the Big Eight, behind only the Universities of Colorado and Missouri.
But . . . the teeth of Mexicans?
Michael Crawford, associate professor of anthropology, has been studying the descendants of the Aymara people in southern Peru.
The Tlassaca tribe once lived in a single valley in the southern part of Mexico.
When Hernando Cortez, a Spanish soldier, inflicted Mexico, the Tlaacala helped him conquer the city.
As a result the Tlascala were scattered all over Mexico.
Crafford is swaying their descendants' tethers to
The dental study is one of eight studies that examine variations in the people's body processes. Its practical application is to determine to what extent the physical characteristics of orthodontists and changes in diet, Crawford said.
learn how much genetic and environmental factors caused changes in the people
Crawford's research team offers medical services to the Mexicans in return for their help. He has gathered all the data he needs and has applied that information, which would enable him to analyze the data.
David Quadagno, associate professor in physiology and cell biology, has been studying the effects of male hormones on infant and fetal rats and mice for about five years.
He said that nature or doctors sometimes make a mistake so that human fetuses are exposed to a large amount of male hormone.
Research indicates some parallels between rats and people exposed to extra male hormone, he said, with the qualification that the effects in humans can be masked or overridden by cultural influences.
The purpose of Quadaganda's research is to make a
number of inferences can 'be drawn from rats
to people'.
"The work won't be to correction of human anomalies, just to an understanding of them," he
Jan Roskam, professor of aerospace engineering.
has developed a stabilizing system for turboprop airplanes.
A two-engine, 19-passenger airplane is being equipped now to test the stabilization system in NEMS.
If the system is successful it will be a bonanza because it will be the first inexpensive, complete stabilization system for small airplanes, Roskam workhord and the Boeing 737's workload during difficult flying conditions.
"We're pretty confident it will work," Roskam said.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
Ruskam will report to his sponsor, NASA, by the end of next year. By then the administration will be reviewing its budget and plans.
KANSAN
Vol. 85-No.5 Friday, August 30,1974 The University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
Math enrollments jump unexpectedly
By AL HURLBUT
Reporter
The department of mathematics has experienced an increase in enrollment that has far exceeded expectations. And nobody yet can explain wav.
The department scheduling officer, Russell N. Bradt, said Wednesday that this faculty student in math course was about 28 per cent. The preliminary figures released by the Office of Admissions and Records showed total university enrollment to be up only 7.6 per cent.
The department's preliminary figures showed the largest increase in lower-division courses, where approximately 15,000 student-hours have been scheduled. 12,500 fall the department scheduled about 1,500 freshman and sophomore students-hours.
"In recent years," Bradt said, "I've been able to predict fairly accurately what our enrollment would be. I wouldn't miss any one class by more than 10 per cent."
When asked whether he could explain the sudden upsurge in math enrollments, Bradt said that he didn't know why it had happened and that he hoped the admissions office would be able to give him some data to explain it.
This year was different.
Bradt said it was evident on the first day of enrollment that far more people were wanting to take math courses than had been expected.
"Nobody could believe what happened Wednesday afternoon," he said.
For the department the increase meant that it had to find the equivalent of 14.5 fulltime instructors to teach the additional 22 sections that had been formed. It did this.
by hiring 12 more part-time graduate assistants and by eliminating three upper-level classes in which the enrollment was relatively small.
Also, Bradt said, the department had increased the average class load by about 15ppl.
For the students the increase meant that normally routine procedures such as changing sections or dropping or adding a seat to a classroom would be ideal.
Delays of several hours were common.
Bradt said that although very few courses had been completely closed, students were still able to attend classes.
difficulty scheduling it at the time they wanted.
The biggest problem facing both students and faculty was the textbook situation. One class for which 450 texts had been ordered now had 600 students enrolled, he said, and supplemental orders weren't expected to arrive for 7 to 10 days.
Despite the congestion and apparent confusion around the department office, the unexpected increase didn't create any unusual problems for his staff. Bradt said
"We haven't had any additional problems," he said, "just a lot more of the repairs."
Opinions of deans differ on merits of pre-enrollment
BY ALAN MANSAGER Senate Reporter
Deans of the various schools at the University differ considerably with one another over the question of early enrollment.
"it's a chicken and egg situation," butley a chicken and dean of the School of Law said yesterday.
Clark said the law school would have to determine courses in the spring during early enrollment and then schedule classes accordingly. But some students wouldn't enroll in courses unless they had the schedules at enrollment.
Clark said another problem with early enrollment that was many law students had.
Edward Bassett, dean of the School of Journalism, said problems resulting from online harassment have grown.
See ENROLLMENT Page 3
By Kanan Photographer JOYCE MENDELSOHN
Harold Laue, an employee of the Topka Pump Co., installs a new unleaded pump at the Joybayh Oil Co. 23rd and Alabama. The pump is
Laying the groundwork
stations to have unleaded pumps. Lane said his company's business was "too good" as the demand grew with the ap-
Reaching new heights
Brian Hunter, Lawrence junior, reaches to deflect a ball during yesterday's scrummage. The practice was in preparation for the team's season against Alabama.
their minds about classes in the fall. He said
proud would result if they had already
problefed.
Deadline for unleaded gas nears
By DAVID OLSON
Reporter
Motorists may notice increased activity around Lawrence area service stations as more operators face a Sept. 1 deadline to offer unleaded gas to customers.
No-lead gas will be a must for 1954 model cars. Gasoline tank specifications have been altered to accept only the smaller nozzle of the no-lead gas pumps, and owners of 1975 cars will be forced to use only lead-free gas.
The original deadline for service station operators to offer no-lead gas was July 1, according to a spokesman for the Enforcement Agency (EPA) in Kansas City, Mo.
Jim Kelly, who heads the EPA's unleaded gas program, said a gentleman's agreement had been reached between the EPA and the oil refiners not to fine stations that weren't in compliance until after Sept. 1.
"We haven't gotten too far out into the region," said Kelly, whose jurisdiction included Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Arkansas. "We have a couple of contaminated samples."
Kelly said the EPA would warn stations not in compliance until the Sep. 1 deadline. Then, he said, all stations selling more than $20 million of gas must offer no load gas to customers.
Investigators for the EPA are checking whether lead-free gas and an aqueous base lend-free gas and are available.
In some cases, distributors are undertaking the job of installing the necessary equipment for their stations. Bob McRidle, president of M & M Oil Co., said all the stations he served would offer unleaded gas by the end of next week.
Reaction by local service station operators was varied. Some owners said they didn't know what was required of them by the EPA. Leon Sawyer, operator of Bayer's Texaco Service, 2301 Barker St., instructed no needles or instructions for use.
"I don't know where I'm at, I have no idea," he said.
*“Guidelines have been changed so fast, you do it as soon as you can get it,” said Danny.
Volume of business is the major determining factor in deciding whether to lay a new tank underground for the no-lead gas or phasing out premium gas, according to McBride. He said it cost between $12,000 and $37,000 per year for the gas. Some stations, he said, don't have the volume to offset the high cost, so they must phase out premium gas.
Most customers who come into the station are specifically looking for premium gas, he
M & M Oil Co. is the distributor for parts of Johnson County and part of Johnston County.
He said the major problem in providing no-lead gas was buying a tank to lay in the ground or converting an existing tank being used for heating, and that finding someone to do the job, he said.
Jack Panchot, operator of Clark Oil & Refinery Co., 511 W. 9th St., said his station was forced to drop premium gas for the no-lead variety. Since the no-lead gas was offered beginning July 1, Panchot said, sales have dropped 10 per cent.
Clark's had been known as "The Premium People," with a large billboard at each station. Panchot said that since the no-lead gas requirement had forced an end to Clark's premium gasoline, the company now referred to itself as "The Gasoline Specialists." Panchot said his billboard was changed immediately.
Work bids low for Med Center
The low bid for the latest phase of construction at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., is more than $400,000 below the engineer's estimate.
Casson Construction Company, Topeka, was the low bidder for construction of concrete footings and foundations for the new clinical facility at the center. The bids were opened yesterday in Topeka in the offices of the state purchasing director.
Casson's bid was for $1,319,340. The engineer for the project had estimated the cost to be $1,700,000. Bids of $1,855,000 and $1,642,000 were also received.
Bernis said the Herman Oil Co. which owned the station, had mobilized her that an engine would run if needed.
"I've been offering this for three weeks now, and so far as I know one has come in."
One service station offers a different solution to the problem of finding premium gas in Lawrence. Mary Bennis, operator of Vicker's North Side, 1001 N. 3rd St., is asking premium customers whether they prefer to use natural gas, mixed with a half tank of regular.
Most station operators said that within two years the market for premium gas would be virtually nonexistent because all new gas is sold as gas, and cars of recent years use regular.
give an equivalent octane rating of premium.
Eleven fraternities are fighting inflation with a food co-op. The co-op's first two weeks of operation have run smoothly. One house president said that the co-op had resulted in less footwork for the housemother. Area merchants, on the other hand, are somewhat hostile to the idea. The co-op can provide food more cheaply than a store because it buys in bulk, has a low overhead and is non-profit. See page 5.
Food for frats
Warning for women
Women are less worried about getting raped than they used to be, according to local rape counselors. The arrest early this summer of a man in connection with several Lawrence rapes had led some women to the conclusion that rape is no longer a problem in Lawrence. Rape counselors are trying to increase women's awareness of the problem and promoting the Whistlestop program. See page 3.
Inside the KANSAN
Maybe
Yesterday the National Weather Service said there was a 30 per cent chance of rain, and the sun shined. Today the prediction is for variable cloudiness with widely scattered showers or storms, so it's anybody's guess what the weather will be. The high should be in the low 80s, unless, of course, it rains all day . . .