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KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
THURSDAY
OCTOBER 25,2001
ISSUE 42 VOLUME 112
Organization serves cake as students try to fast
By J. R. Mendoza Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas Objectivists provided students with free cake yesterday on the fourth floor of the Kansas Union just feet away from students who were fasting to raise awareness about the problems in Afghanistan.
KU Objectivists is a 2-month-old student organization that is based on the teachings of philosopher Ayn Rand.
teaching of philosophy in America. Rachelle Cauthon, Overland Park junior and president of the Objectivists, said objectivism supported capitalism and was a philosophy that held that the world existed outside of one's life, which was the highest value one had.
Cauthon said the organization called the free cake a Pro-Self Defense Feast to support military defense for the United States. She also said the organization didn't believe that fasting helped to solve problems.
"Being hungry does not further that goal," Cauthon said. "There's no need for it."
The Objectivists' table was next to the KU Greens', whose 36-hour fast continued in the lobby. Cauthon said about 30 people took slices of cake.
She said the organization wasn't trying to make light of the situation.
But Joe Jarvis, Lenene senior and Greens member, said he found it curious that the Objectivists handed out cake during the Greens' fast.
"They have a right to do whatever they want," Jarvis said. "It seems rather strange and insensitive. They're defining their group by opposing others rather than explaining their own views."
He said although the Greens and Objectivists disagreed on some issues, they did agree on a few.
"I think we have some common ground," Jarvis said. "We're both adversarial and friendly."
Jarvis said about 20 people attended each lecture during the KU Greens teach-in sessions and 20 people fasted. He said about 15 people stayed overnight in the Union.
"We've gotten some pretty positive feedback." Jarvis said.
I. M. Lowe, Scottsdale, Ariz., senior, grabbed a piece of cake from the table because he said he liked free food, but he didn't agree with the Objectivists' view.
"The ideology behind it is completely obnoxious," Lowe said. "But they have a right to free speech."
Anthrax scare in Lawrence
Suspicious substance found in county office yesterday morning
By Paul Smith Kansan staff writer
The clerk of the District Court Office was temporarily closed yesterday after two employees discovered a suspicious powder in the records room at about 8 a.m., said Douglas A. Hamilton, a representative for the office.
Employees in the office were stopped at the door until the Lawrence Douglas
County Fire & Medical's Hazardous Materials team had packaged the substance and cleansed the area.
The substance was packaged and sent to the Department of Health in Topeka for testing. Hamilton said.
The office opened about an hour late, at 9:15 a.m.
Despite the scare, no one from the Clerk of the District Court Office was sent home.
Contact Mendoza at 864-4810
"People are obviously a little concerned about what the substance was and how it came to be there," Hamilton said. "But other than that, it's business as normal."
Lt. Kathy Tate of the Douglas County
Sheriff's Department emphasized that there was no cause for concern.
"The substance on its face did not appear consistent with what we would expect of anthrax." Tate said.
The hazardous materials team came to the same conclusion, she said.
"We've got everything in the world floating through the air here," Tate said, referring to the construction taking place in the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center. "We're treating it seriously to ensure public safety."
Contact Smith at 864-4810
"People are obviously a little concerned about what the substance was and how it came to be there." Douglas A. Hamilton Representative for the clerk of the District Court Office
BREAKING THE SILENCE
Tammara Durham, associate director of the Freshman-Sophmore Advising Center, takes a few minutes out of her day to look at a T-shirt display depicting victims of violence. The display, which was in the lobby of Strong Hall, was part of Sexual Violence Awareness Week sponsored by the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center.
ANTHONY REYES/KANSAN
Students optimistic about design program
By Luke Daley Kansan staff writer
Sarah Bray said that she felt much better about the future of the visual communications program since last week's meeting between the dean of Fine Arts and students about problems within the program.
Last week's meeting between Toni-Marie Montgomery, dean of fine arts, Lois Greene, design department chairwoman and about 75 visual communications students outlined several improvements that students felt must be made.
Some concerns included a lack of full-time professors, conflicts with overlapping class schedules, problems with
In response to the meeting, Greene said in a written statement that class scheduling problems were unavoidable because of two vacancies in the department. She said that those conflicts shouldn't happen next semester.
"I really have a lot of faith in this program," Bray, St. Louis senior, said. "I don't think all of a sudden, the next day, we are going to see a new department and a new faculty."
computers in the labs and not enough desks in classrooms.
She said that adding more full-time professors would take longer than some of the
Bray said students should be optimistic that the administration would produce results.
other improvements.
According to her statement, damaged tables and chairs needed to be reported to the administration by the faculty.
Kurt Saberi, Overland Park senior, said that he had not seen any changes in the week since the meeting.
"I want them to know that they have the support of faculty and administrators, who can assure them that the Department of Design maintains its national standing and level of respect," she said.
In a statement, Montgomery wrote she would try to regain the program's national recognition.
JOHN NOWAK/KANSAN
Desks inside the classrooms in the Art and Design building are deeply scarred and damaged. Students have been complaining to the administration that equipment and the facility are not suitable for use.
Contact Daley at 864-4810
Spring survey to investigate women's issues
By Courtney Craigmile Kansan staff writer
Four hundred female students at the University of Kansas will be asked to participate in a phone survey next semester so the Commission on the Status of Women can understand the issues women worry about.
"Our hope is to get as much input as possible," said Betsy Blake, co-president of the commission and Lake Quivira senior.
The study, the second of its kind at the University, will ask women questions on issues such as health care, safety, discrimination and where they see themselves in the future.
"It's good for women to know what other women think," Crowther said.
Lisa Crowther, Wichita freshman, could be selected to take the survey. She said she thought it was a good idea.
Blake said once the survey had been conducted, the results would be collected and used to provide programs that address concerns of female students.
The Policy Research Institute at KU is responsible for administering the 30- question phone survey.
"We want to get the most representative sample," she said. "That is why the PRI was handling participant selection, which includes both undergraduate and graduate female students.
Chad Kniss, manager of the Survey Research Center at the Policy Research Institute, said he didn't know how long it would take to conduct the survey or interpret the data. He said it would depend on how extensive the questions were.
The commission is in the process of developing the 30 questions that will be asked. It had a forum last night for women to express areas of concern they thought the survey should address. The commission will have another forum at 5 p.m. today in Alcove D in the Kansas Union. Those who cannot attend tonight's meeting, but who are interested in expressing ideas, should contact Blake at 843-9691 or madhaters@hotmail.com.
Blake said the commission needed $8,000 to cover the expenses of administering the survey and sending letters to undergraduate and graduate female students on campus to partake in the survey.
She said the commission only had $6,000 so far, which it received through a grant from Student Senate.
The Commission on the Status of Women was created by Emily Taylor about 40 years ago, said Katherine Rose- Mockry, director of the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center and faculty adviser for the commission.
"The charge of the group is to examine issues that are important to women on campus," she said.
It is the first student-based organization of its kind. Rose-Mockry said.
Contact Craigmile at 864-4810
INSIDETODAY
COMING IN TOMORROW'S KANSAN
WORLD NEWS...XX
HOROSCOPES...2B
WEATHER...4B
CROSSWORD...4B
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KU-KSU FOOTBALL: Kansan and Collegian columnists do battle on the sports page.
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at 119 Stauffer-Flint Hall.
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