TODAY'S WEATHER: Mostly clear and muggy with a high of 91. SPORTS: Basketball recruits will soon be visiting campus.SEE PAGE 1B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY 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 MONDAY AUGUST 27,2001 ISSUE 4 VOLUME 112 Newspaper boxes may eat KUIDs Some IDs cause problems in retrieving newspapers from boxes on campus By Luke Daley Kansas staff writer Students using the new student newspaper readership program—a service providing national and local newspapers on campus at low cost to students—may need to watch out for their KUID cards. In order to open the machines, which contain copies of The New York Times, USA Today, The Lawrence Journal-World and The Kansas City Star, students must insert their KUID cards into a card reader that unlocks the door to the newspapers. The problem occurs when students insert damaged or split cards, which can be jammed or broken in the machine. Ben Walker, Hutchinson senior and former student body president, spearheaded the newspaper project during his term last year in Student Senate. He said that he had worried about using the cards to activate the machines. Walker said KUIDs had to be used to ensure only students would have access to the papers. However, he said he was aware faculty would be able to pick up stray copies around campus. KU Card director Nancy Miles said that since implementing the readership program. Distribution boxes: - Temple Hill - Ellsworth Hall - Green Hall - Lewis Hall - Learned Hall - JRP - Dole Human Development Center Robinson Center Summerfield Watson Library Fraser Hall JayHawker Towers Fraser Hill The Kansas Union Gertrude Seillands Pearson- Corbin Hall Oliver Hall two students had needed cards replaced because of the machines. One of the cases involved a defective card, she said. Miles said that it was too soon to tell how many cards would need to be replaced. "I'm not anticipating a whole lot of problems," she said. Matthew Kapfer, Lawrence junior, said he didn't mind using his KUID card or paying more student fees if he could get the newspapers on campus. "I think it's a good way to learn what's going on with the rest of the world," Kapfer said. "If it wasn't free, chances are I wouldn't get one. I don't mind paying the $6.50 to keep us students up on what's going on in the world." Walker said that the readership program benefited students and their knowledge of local and national issues. "It's a better chance for students to learn about regional news, national news, and international news," Walker said. "I know that the benefits of students' involvement is empowering the generation." Contact Daley at 864-4810. By Jeremy Clarkson Kansan Staff Writer City closes fraternity Residents of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house, 1116 Indiana St., are scattered across town, living in hotels or with friends, after the city forced them to leave last week. "They are not allowed to be in the building," said Barry Walthall, Inspections Supervisor. "All they have permission to do in the building is to remove belongings and check on construction." The fraternity was renovating to the house when the city received a complaint about the house's condition, said Ben Kaplan, Alpha Epsilon Pi president. The reported problems — "They are not allowed to be in the building." Barry Walthall Inspection supervisor including electrical and structural wiring, a hole in the floor and boiler safety concerns prompted Walthall to inspect the house. "The complaints were correct and accurate," Walthall said. Last summer, sprinklers were installed in the house, and this summer, more renovations were underway to keep the house up to code, said Kaplan, St. Paul, Minn., junior. Since the inspection, the hole in the stairway was fixed, but Walthall said more problems needed to be addressed. "I guess the city's list of things were different than the list of things we have," Kaplan said. He said some of the problems the inspectors noticed were old problems that no one found until the inspectors were in the building. Kaplan is unsure how long it will take to bring the house up to code. "It is very sketchy on how long we have to wait," Kaplan said. "We have heard anywhere from tomorrow until six weeks." EVI RAMSEY/KANSAN Contact Clarkson at 864-4810 The Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at 1116 Indiana stands vacant. It needs renovations inside and out. After an inspection, the city forced residents out of the house to live somewhere else temporarily last week. OLIVIA SARI/KANSAN DEMONSTRATORS 'RECLAIM' MASSACHUSETTS STREET FOR AN EVENING Demonstrators rally on Massachusetts Street, intending to draw attention to a range of issues including the increasingly corporate nature of downtown Lawrence. The protestors used couches to block of the 600 block of the street for about an hour Friday. Protesters rally against retailers with block party By Matt Norton Kansan staff writer A group of Lawrence residents effectively closed off Massachusetts Street between 6th and 7th streets on Friday evening in an attempt to raise awareness of commercialization and to have fun. Organizers called the event "Reclaim the Streets," mirroring similar parties held in major cities around the world Lizzie Ayer, one of the participants in the event and a Lawrence resident, said two goals were to combat American consumer culture and to use public space as a meeting place for local residents to gather and discuss. The Gap, American Eagle, Eddie Bauer, and Abercrombie and Fitch are all located in the block of downtown Lawrence where the protest took place. Street chalk writings and signs targeted those businesses. Chalkings in front of the Gap read, "No slave labor," and "Destroy your capitalist mother." Ayer said she was pleased with the nature and outcome of the event. She said most of the people she talked with throughout the evening were interested in what the group was trying to communicate. "I'm new to the community," she said. "I didn't know what to expect, but it was much better than I expected." Jon Tramba, who works at Liberty Hall and was downtown Friday, said that although he enjoyed the event, a lack of organization confused him. "There wasn't enough communication to get across a singular point, and that's too bad," said Tramba, Lawrence senior. Tramba also said he feared the bombastic tone of the protestors' literature might have offended some of the people they were trying to reach. Dave Strano and Dylan Desmond, Overland Park sophomore, said the variety of issues discussed at the protest were part of its appeal. They live in a house that has parties routinely shut down by Lawrence police. SEE PROTEST ON PAGE 6A Students should do homework before buying cell phones by Laurie Harrison Kansan staff writer Despite the conveniences of owning a cell phone, students are discovering the pitfalls. It's best for consumers to do their homework before purchasing cellular phones, according to a recent study by a consumer advocacy organization. "It's very easy to run up high cell phone bills," said Sherrie Gayed, Overland Park sophomore. Consumers Union, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that publishes the magazine Consumer Reports, completed a study of 11 cellular phones and more than 1,000 cellular-service pricing plans last year. The study explained that consumers should be aware of the many costs of owning cellular phones, such as monthly fees, long distance charges and roaming fees. Customers can save money if they know what kind of user they'll be before buying a phone, according to the study. That way they don't buy minutes they won't use. INSIDETODAY For instance, customers who will use cellular phones only for emergencies should look for basic service plans. Average callers who use the phones for about 40 minutes a week should buy either basic plans that add many extra minutes or flat-rate plans. Customers that spend over 100 minutes a week on the cell phone should look for flat-rate plans. Timika Williams, Junction City junior, said she bought the basic service plan when she purchased her first cell phone this week. She and her sister bought phones to use for emergencies and to find each other on campus since they share a car. "We called several places before we found one we wanted to pay for," Williams said, noting that she didn't want to get caught paying hidden fees. Consumer Reports also warned customers to be aware of "sneaky" service plans. Williams said she was prepared when she bought the phone. WORLD NEWS...7A HILLTOPICS...8A WEATHER...6B CROSSWORD...6B COMING IN TOMORROW'S KANSAN SEE PHONES ON PAGE 6A BEER AND BALL: Learn how other Big 12 Conference schools deal with alcohol at tailgate parties. SPORTS: Find out what the Jayhawks' receivers will be doing this year. 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. II.