Thursday
October 10, 2002
Vol. 113, Issue No. 36
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
Hip-hop puts new spin on
Lawrence music scene. Jayplay
Sex column creating career?
Maybe not but columnist Meghan Bainum is turning ing heads
By Aaron Passman
apassman@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Meghan Bainum never thought that a little sex would take her this far.
Bainum's weekly sex column in The University Daily Kansan has garnered her unexpected attention from media outlets such as Inside Edition, Playboy.com and The New York Times.
The column, which started in the fall of 2001, grew out of a journalism class project on fetishes and turn-ons. The Topeka senior said she had to "beg" Kansan editors for an entire semester before they finally caved and gave her the column.
"The University needed more sex in the paper," Bainum said."It shouldn't just be a once in a while thing."
Bainum's media exposure bloomed last semester with an article by the Kansas bureau of The Associated Press, followed by a Chronicle of Higher
"After that it just kind of exploded," Bainum said.
Within the last month The New York Times, Fox News, Inside Edition, Playboy.com, Esquire Magazine, radio stations in Mexico and Spain and student papers nation-wide have all done stories on her.
"It's crazy because I'm really kind of a shy person in real life," Bainum said. "I prefer to be behind the media rather than being the focus of it."
But Bainum was in front of the cameras Tuesday when Inside Edition came to KU to film an interview with her for an upcoming segment on their program.
Education story in June and another Associated Press article in September.
Alanna Stack, Inside Edition story coordinator, said the idea for the segment came from a recent New York Times story featuring Bainum, but his show had been planning a program on college sex columnists for a while.
"We found it representative of a growing trend towards more open discussions of sexuality," Stack said. "Obviously college has always been a very sexual place, but what's interesting here is that it's basically a University sponsored discussion."
Bainum said she wanted to help people become more comfortable with their sexuality and end discrimination against those that didn't have
The Associated Press
The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Kansan's resident sex columnist, Meghan Bainum, has been featured in a variety of publications and media outlets.Here are a few:
ALMOST FAMOUS
Esquire
SEE BAINUM ON
PAGE 6A
Playboy.com
Meghan Bainum
Photo by Aaron Showalter/Kansan
The South End, the student newspaper of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan
The New York Times
Washington Square News, the student newspaper of New York University
Campaign stresses importance of one vote
By Caleb Nothwehr
cnothwehr@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
It's tough to save Johnson when he's already dead.
President Andrew Johnson, that is.
Through the Save Johnson campaign, Student Senate is stressing the importance of voting. The campaign refers to the 1868 impeachment trial of President Johnson, who was saved from impeachment by only one vote. Senate is using that vote as the inspiration for its voter registration drive.
Jeff Allmon, Student Senate community affairs director, said the campaign focused on the difference one vote could make.
"It's not so much that voting is important, but that your vote is important," the Wichita senior said.
Allmon said some of the inspiration for the campaign came from the Save Ferris slogan in the movie Ferris Beutler's Day Off.
The idea also takes cues from the I Agree With Lee campaign that took place on the KU campus last spring. During the
See page 3A for details on the voter registration competition between KU and K-State
week-long campaign, members of campus Christian organizations wore T-shirts that read I Agree with Lee, referring to Lee Bickerstaff. Bickerstaff, an Emporia junior, published his beliefs about Jesus Christ in the University Daily Kansan.
Allimon said the I Agree with Lee cam-
SEE JOHNSON ON PAGE 6A
Softball field without restrooms, amenities
By Kelly McNearney
kmcnearney@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas softball team found itself stuck in the mud last weekend.
Jayhawk Field did not have a tarp on it when a storm hit Lawrence at 4:30 a.m. Sunday. The 9:30 a.m. softball game was delayed for two hours because softball coaches and staff had to fix the damages.
Tracy Bunge, softball coach, said softball and baseball coaches and staff maintained their own fields because so much work had to be done daily.
"The infield has to be raked every day," she said. "The mound has to be fixed every day. The dugouts have to be fixed every day. It's not like basketball where the facilities are already set and they just have to dust the court."
Brad Nachtigal, director of facilities and events for the University of Kansas
Athletic Corporation, said insufficient public amenities were another problem with the softball fields.
"The undesirable part about Jayhawk Field is the fact that there are no permanent restrooms, concessions or ticket locations," he said.
Bunge said her field ranked at the bottom of the Big 12 Conference in regards to amenities.
She said Al Bohl, Kansas athletics director, knew the facility fell behind its competition and had made improving Jayhawk Field a priority. In order to do that, the Athletics Department and Kansas University Endowment Association must secure funds for a new facility through private donations.
Hoglund Ballpark, where the baseball team plays, was donated to the University through private funding. It has restrooms, concessions and a ticket office.
"It's going extremely well," Bohl said. Bunge said that she did not think the facility kept her from attracting new players but it made recruiting harder.
million.
Both Sandy Smith, junior infielder, and Serena Settlemier, sophomore pitcher, said they expected a Division I school to have a better field than the one at the University. They said the fields at their high schools were just as good as Iavawk Field.
Four University of Kansas faculty members spoke out yesterday against a possible war with Iraq.
"We're the only team in the Big 12 with no big stadium," Smith said.
They urged audience members to make their opposition known to Congress.
Bohl said the estimated cost of the project to improve Jayhawk Field was $4
By Molly Gise mgise@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
She said Nebraska had a heated outfield, restrooms in the stadium and even bathrooms in the dugouts.
Panel opposes war on Iraq
"We go and beat teams like Nebraska and just show them we don't need to be sprucy to be good," Settlemier said.
Both players agreed that the current field would not stop them from winning.
"We do have a voice," said Burdett.
— Edited by Katie Teske
Loomis, a political science professor. "I think we can use it."
Loomis was joined by Charles Epp, associate professor of public administration, Robert Rowland, professor of communication studies, and Carl Strikwerda, associate dean and professor of history. The four were panelists in a discussion about the United States conflict with Iraq.
Panelists spoke to about 60 people
about domestic issues related to a possible war with Iraq. Issues discussed included civil liberties, alternatives to war and the justification for war used by its supporters.
Certain policies that emerged after Sept. 11 have endangered civil liberties, Epp said. He gave examples of the indefinite detainment of citizens and non-cit-
SEE IRAQ ON PAGE 11A
North Lawrence lacks student draw
When Jennifer Beck thinks of businesses in North Lawrence, she doesn't think of much.
"I'm a freshman and it just doesn't seem like a place to hang out," she said. "It's so far out of the way," said the Wichita freshman.
By Louise Stauffer
lstauffer@kansan.com
Kansan staff winter
On the other side of the bridge that crosses the Kansas River is North Lawrence, where there are a few diamonds in what some students consider the rough.
"I go to Johnny's for their patio." said Ed Madrigal. Olathe sophomore.
Madrigal said Johnny's Tavern, 401 N. Second St., was the only place he patronized in North Lawrence because no one he knew lived on that side of town.
"Liz Claiborne's always been the
The I-70 Business Center, 1235 N. Third St., has seen many businesses come and go, including Cafe Murra, Publishers Warehouse bookstore, and Sonny Ballard's sports outlet, whose old spaces are now empty and up for rent. The Department of Motor Vehicles, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and Liz Claiborne outlet store have remained there since owners Bob Johnson, Bo Harris and Samih Staltien bought the center two years ago, Johnson said.
Anton Bubnovakiy/Kansar
The tepees at Tepee Junction at the Highway 40 junction, are sometimes used for fraternity and sorority functions. The tepees are one of North Lawrence's student attractions.
anchortenet," he said.
Johnson said he and the other coowners were planning on turning the business outlet into a neighborhood service area, which would offer stores such as a grocery store, a dry cleaning business, and possibly fast food places.
Johnson said the business center's target patrons were not students, but commuters.
SEE NORTH ON PAGE 11A