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TALK TO US: Contact Kursten Phelps or Leita Schultes at (785) 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com
KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 24,2001
ISSUE 41 VOLUME 112
Fire officials city dispute roundabouts in Lawrence
By Brett Wiard and Brooke Wehner Special to the Kansan
Conflict concerning the city's roundabouts and their disputed function persists between the Lawrence Fire and Medical Departments and city planners.
Roundabouts are designed to maintain steady traffic flow, but the fire department is concerned because fire trucks have trouble maneuvering through the roundabouts.
"Fire trucks can't go with the flow of traffic," said Lawrence Fire Chief Jim McSwain. "They have to go the opposite way, which poses safety problems for the firemen and the public."
The fire department and city planners have discussed alternate routes, but city officials said they were unnecessary.
City engineer David Woosley said fire trucks could get through the roundabouts without a problem.
"The trucks can go with the flow of traffic at the two newly built roundabouts, and at the old one, there is one vehicle, the ladder truck, that has to go against the traffic flow," Woosley said.
Lawrence has three roundabouts. A new one is being built at 24th Terrace and Crossgate Drive and another one will be built this summer at 19th Street and Barker Avenue.
But McSwain said more non-visible issues existed, such as the comfort of patients being transported in ambulances.
"The roundabout causes them more pain and discomfort because of the swerving motion," McSwain said.
Lawrence resident Lindsey Frye said she saw a fire truck maneuvering through the roundabout at Monterey Way and Harvard Road. She said the truck had to go against the flow of traffic, causing a hazard for drivers trying to get through the roundabout.
roundabout Resident Nathan Haley said the roundabout at Eighth and Michigan streets wasn't well lit.
"People have crashed into it and there are marks to prove it," he said.
Haley also questions the cost-effectiveness of the roundabouts, which can range from $100,000 to $150,000.
"They are a waste of resources," he said.
But Woolsey said a roundabout cost the same as a traffic signal.
He also defended the effectiveness of the roundabouts, especially in comparison with traffic lights.
"They are safer and they can handle more traffic than a traffic signal," he said. "There are substantially less accidents, and the accidents that do occur are usually non-fatal and even non-injury."
non-injury Some Lawrence residents agree that roundabouts are safe alternatives to traffic lights.
to traffic rights. Kell Sturgis, Fayetteville, Ark., senior, said he approved of the roundabouts and thought they were good for traffic flow.
"I like the roundabouts because they make people slow down, especially the one on Harvard and Monterey Way," Sturgis said. "I also think they look nice and add to the community."
Contact Wehner or Wiard at 864-4810
Harassment policy in question
A revised student code would reflect standards of Supreme Court ruling
By Eve Lamborn
Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas policy on racial and ethnic harassment is being revised to avoid challenges about its constitutionality.
University officials and an expert on constitutional law agreed that the policy needed to be revised so it would pass constitutional scrutiny in light of a 1992 Supreme Court decision.
violence or lawless action, "fighting words" intended to incite an immediate breach of peace, and obscenity are not protected. This type of speech can be restricted, said Richard Levy, a professor of law and an expert on constitutional law.
Not all types of speech are protected by the First Amendment. Speech that incites
Levy said the University's current policy against racial and ethnic harassment defined harassment in terms of speech not protected by the First Amendment.
The University made discriminatory or harassing speech directed at minorities a violation — but now it wants to revise the student code so that harassment is redefined to mirror what the courts would say passes constitutional scrutiny.
futuring The 1992 Supreme Court decision
R. A.V. v. the City of St. Paul, Minn., involved a city ordinance that banned the display of symbols that aroused anger in people based on race, color, creed, religion or gender. A teen-ager who allegedly burned a cross in the yard of an African-American family was charged under the ordinance.
under the ordinance. The Supreme Court ruled the ordinance violated the First Amendment because it punished speech based on specific messages directed at minority groups. The Supreme Court struck down the ordinance because it restricted speech from one point of view.
Levy said the theory of free speech was one of the most important ideas in government.
"The government can't come down on
one side of the truth and exclude other views," he said. "All ideas should be statable."
Based on Supreme Court precedent, the University's policy against racial and ethnic harassment could present a constitutional problem, Levy said.
He said public debate would determine the validity of ideas, but only if all ideas were allowed to be debated.
national problem, DeVyn said. "It's crafted carefully, but the potential difficulty is still there," he said. "If the University were to discipline someone using these categories, the person might have a constitutional claim. If someone wanted to say something, but felt chilled or discouraged, they might have a constitutional claim."
SEE POLICY PAGE 5A
COLORS OF KU
Autumn colors throughout campus brighten the walk home for students along West Campus Road. Conditions were mild yesterday, with a high in the upper-70s, but are expected to cool down today,with a high of 59.
Message of men power falls on absent ears
By J. R. Mendoza Kansan staff writer
Dennis Dailey said it was easy to figure out why no one attended his discussion on men's misuse of power in relationships last night in Wescoe Hall
power in relationships has taught
"It wasn't because they were overwhelmed or couldn't find the room," said Dailey, professor of social welfare. "It's because I think a lot of men knew intuitively what exactly the meeting would be about. They were too frightened, too confused, too defended to take the risk. I understand that."
too defended to take the task. The event was part of the University of Kansas' Sexual Violence Awareness Week program. Kathy Rose-Mockry, program director for the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center, one of the event's sponsors, said she was pleased organizers tried to have the program even though no one attended.
program even though Rose-Mockry said about 20 people attended a workshop on sexual violence and body image earlier in the day, but she wasn't sure how many people attended last night's silent candlelight vigil at the Campanile.
the Campainie. Dailey suggested last night's topic to program organizers because he said many men struggled with how to be in a relationship where power and dominance were not an issue.
"Men have difficulty living in a relationship with women where power is equitably distributed because, historically, men have been told to be in charge," Dailey said.
He also said a variety of decent, honorable, caring and religious young men had pushed women to be sexual against their will.
"I believe both deserve equally to heal their wounds," Dailley said. "If 20 men had showed up, one of the questions I would have asked was if anyone had forced a woman to be sexual against their will. It's an extraordinarily tough question most want to run from."
Dailey said if there were 1,000 male faculty members at the University, a minimum of 200 had forced a woman to be sexual against her will.
Contact Mendoza at 864-4810
Students fast, learn about Afghan plight
Daniel Breslauer, professor of religious studies, talks to a group of students fasting in the Kansas Union about the economics of two types of religious wars as Mary Lawhon, Topeka junior, listens intently. The students were fasting for 36 hours in support of Afghan refugees in need of food and medical aid.
By Lauren Brandenburg
Kansan senior staff
writer
Sara Zafar hopes that she will better understand the situation of people who are starving and the situation of war victims by 7 tonight
Zafar, Wichita freshman, is participating in the 36-hour fast and teach-in organized by KU Greens.
INSIDETODAY
The event, which began at 7 a.m. yesterday in the South lobby of the Kansas Union and continued with students spending the night in the
Union, includes professors speaking on topics related to Sept. 11. It's designed to raise awareness of the situation of Afghans, said Sarah Hoskinson, KU Greens co-coordinator. The event is open to anyone.
"You don't have to fast," Hoskinson said. "We encourage people to come and listen to the speakers."
William Justice, events coordinator for the KU Greens, said the group chose fasting as part of the event because of its historical significance. He said
fasting was intended to "promote a deeper and more detailed understanding of the complex nature of the problems facing humanity today and in the days to come."
Yesterday at 12:30 p.m.,
19 people were at the event as Lorraine Bayard de Volo, assistant professor of political science and women's studies, spoke about women and war.
Bayard de Volo said she was encouraging students to look at how Afghan women's organizations were formulating
SEE FAST PAGE 5A
COMING IN TOMORROW'S KANSAN
WORLD NEWS ... 8A
HILLTOPICS ... 10A
WEATHER ... 8B
CROSSWORD ... 8B
JAYPLAY: Students share their ideas of what makes a great Halloween costume.
NEWS: The Commission on the Status of Women is planning a survey of 400 KU women.
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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