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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
TALK TO US: Contact
Kursten Phelps or Leita
Schultes at (785) 864-4810
or editor@kansan.com
WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 29,2001
ISSUE 6 VOLUME 112
University pay phones could be removed from campus
Southwestern Bell considers canceling University's pay phone privileges
By Luke Daley Kansan staff writer
Students could soon have trouble finding pay phones on campus.
Southwestern Bell — the company that provides pay phones to the University of Kansas — is considering removing many or all of them, because of a lack of profit from the phones.
John Lewis, Director of Networking and Telecommunications at the University, said Southwestern Bell came to the University about removing the pay phones last semester, but hasn't followed up with any actions.
"Which pay phones they are going to move and when they are going to be moved has not been determined," Lewis said. "Nothing has happened yet. Sometimes this year, we will find out from them."
Adam Obley, Campus Safety Advisory Board chairman, said the decision to eliminate most pay phones was made at the end of last semester. He said action by the board, a part of Student Senate, would be taken soon to correct the problem.
Pay phones may go
"First of all, we were pretty shocked it was happening," Obley said. "Our second response was to put a plan in place to put new technology on campus. It's possible, if we do decided to switch
- What does it mean:
  - Students will be without pay phones until a temporary system can be established with the blue phones.
- What's next:
  - Networking and Telecommunications and Campus Safety
  - Advisory will work together to bring in a new company to provide pay phones
What happened:
Southwest ern Bell plans on removing almost all pay phones from
the blue phones to students access phones."
"It'd probably cause a lot of problems for people who don't have cell phones," Ditolla said. "I think there should be some (pay phones) available."
Southwestern Bell could not be reached for comment.
The blue phones — which are scattered around campus — are used to contact campus police or 911. Obley said converting the blue phones was essential to give students access to campus numbers, because there would be only a few pay phones left on campus.
Katie Bartlett, liberal arts and sciences senator, said she was disappointed with the company and the message it sent to students.
"I am pretty out of搔 that (Southwestern Bell) would put profit above student safety," Bartlett said. "They're not making enough money, so they assume that students all have cell phones and that they don't need nav phones. I think it's ridiculous."
"They were going to leave a couple in the residence halls," Obley said. "They talked about leaving four telephones on campus."
James Ditolla, Amesbury, Mass. senior, said he didn't like the idea of not having pay phones on campus.
Law increases MIP penalties
Minimum fines raised students could face license suspensions for underage drinking
By Courtney Craigmile Kansan staff writer
Underage drinkers beware: The penalty for a minor in possession of alcohol has increased.
Those convicted of an MIP will now lose their driver's licenses for 30 days as the result of a bill passed this summer by the Legislature. The driver's license suspension may also lead to increased auto insurance premiums or the inability to obtain auto insurance.
MIPs will carry a fine ranging from $300 to $500. The fines were originally $250, said Shannon Mlynar, Chief
He said those convicted also had to pay court costs and might have to pay legal fees. The final total could become expensive.
Grant Jones, Prairie Village senior, knows this to be true.
Enforcement Officer of the Alcoholic Beverage Control.
"The fine itself was probably like $200. Then with lawyer fees it probably added up to $400 to $500." Jones said.
Jones received an MIP in May 1998.
Contact Daley at 864-4810
This was before the fines increased to a $300 minimum.
Jones and three friends were driving to Sandstone Amphitheater to a Dave Mathews Band concert. Jones said the driver of his car wasn't drinking, but she was pulled over because she had been speeding.
Jones said he had never been pulled over before.
"I was definitely scared and mainly worried because it was my car we were in, and I didn't know what was going to happen," he said.
Facing the police was difficult, Jones said, but facing his parents was also hard.
"I stayed at the concert, and I think that is what made them the most upset," he said. "It was rough because it was the night before graduation, and they didn't want to ruin my whole day. But they were mad."
The Alcoholic Beverage Control, based in Topeka, assists the Lawrence Police Department in finding minors in possession.
The MIP process
Tougher Kansas MIP law
SEE MIP PAGE 3A
What happened: The Kansas Legislature passed a new law this summer that toughens the penalties for minors in possession of alcohol.
What does it mean: Those convicted of an MIP will lose their driver's license for 30 days, which may lead to increased auto insurance premiums or the inability to obtain auto insurance. The minimum fine for an MIP has been increased to $300, and it can go as high as $500.
What's next: Those cited with an MIP and a notice to appear in court may file for a diversion, which can cost more than $400 when courts cost and legal fees are added.
Students decide who makes the grade
Web sites give students another way to evaluate university professors
By Eve Lamborn Kansan staff writer
Web sites such as teacherreviews.com; profwatch.org; collegelfauna.com; and myprofessorsucks.com allow students from any college or university to evaluate their professors for the sake of fellow students.
Although the University of Kansas does not make end-of-semester professor evaluations available to students, several Web sites allow University students to post professor evaluations online.
Teacherreviews.com—the only site with reviews of instructors from KU—allows students to anonymously assign a grade to any professor or class. The reviewers also have the option of writing comments about individual professors. The site contained reviews of 19 professors and 21 classes from KU, with a B average overall.
Suzanne Hilleary, St. Louis junior, said she definitely would visit a Web site that contained evaluations of KU professors.
Illustration by Kyle Ramsey
"I think it's a great idea," Hilleary said. She said evaluations would be useful in helping students choose which class
Hilleary said stu-
Web sites where students post comments and evaluate their professors and classes:
http://www.Teacherreviews.com
http://www.MyprofessorSucks.com
http://www.Profwatch.org
http://collegelifesusa.com
dents potentially could abuse an anonymous evaluation system.
Tatibha Plummer, DeSto sophomore, also agreed with the Web site idea.
"The downfall I see is if people go there just to rip on professors and not offer anything helpful," she said.
"Students pay good money and they should at least be able to voice their opinions." Plummer said.
"I think public information is a good thing," he said. "Students ought to be free to say what they want to about their experiences with faculty members."
John Gauch, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science, also said he thought such Web sites were a good idea, as long as students who had the particular class or professor were the only students allowed to post evaluations.
Contact Lamborn at 864-4810
Lawrence writer spins tales of Kansas ghosts
Gauch received an A-review on teacherreviews.com.
By Ryan Malashock Kansan staff writer
Ghosts have always been a very real part of Gil Bavel's life.
Now Bavel, along with his wife Alison Dishinger, will write a series of books about the history of supernatural activity in Kansas.
As a child, Bavel was swept away by books that described the supernatural. As he got older, the Lawrence resident's curiosity increased.
"I first got the idea for the books ten years ago," Bavel said. "I've been interested in the supernatural since I was little. The book is something that's just calling my name."
The first book in the series,
Kansas Ghosts: The Dead Walk
Bavel and Dishinger have researched and interviewed witnesses for the book during parts of the last decade.
in Kansas, will contain detailed first-hand accounts of supernatural activity in Kansas, as well as several surrounding states.
Bavel said writing the books would be easy and enjoyable because of the strong feelings he had for the supernatural. He also wants to open the eyes of
Dishinger, who is the photographer for the book, said illustrating a supernatural book was obviously challenging.
"Catching ghosts on film is difficult." Dishinger said. "They don't just come out for you, so I have to take pictures of other things."
"People tend to not believe in the supernatural because it's not socially acceptable," Bavel said. "Supernatural things happen that can't be denied."
One area Bavel still hopes to investigate before he finishes his book is the Oread neighborhood between 13th and 14th streets on Ohio. Bavel wants to search the homes on that street for supernatural activity before that area is torn down and replaced by University housing.
supernatural disbelievers.
Bavel said they were still searching for a publisher, but that the book would be finished sometime in the fall of 2002.
Contact Maleschock at 864-4810
CHRIS BURKET/KANSAN
Gil Bavel and wife Alison Dishinger will produce a series of books on supernatural activity in Kansas. The two have researched supernatural occurrences and have interviewed witnesses during the last decade.
INSIDETODAY
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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.