4A
Monday, August 24,1992
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
IN OUR OPINION
Fee waiver recognizes GTAs hard work at KU
The combined efforts of the University Administration, Association of Employed Graduate Students and the Starting Committee for College
dents, and the Steering Committee for Collective Bargaining have at last succeeded in securing a100 percent fee waiver for graduate teaching assistants. However, this phrase may be misleading; GTAs still pay the student activity fee and the student health fee.
This accomplishment is to be applauded, as it signals the growing recognition of the essential role played by the GTAs. In fact, many GTAs are not really assistants at all, but have full instructor responsibilities for their courses' development, including text selection, classroom instruction and grading. By the University's own statistics, GTAs account for 25 to 30 percent of classroom roles, but this excludes other GTAs such as those assisting instructors in larger lecture sections or working as lab monitors.
Given the vital role that GTAs play in meeting the University's goals of teaching and research, it seems obvious that actions on behalf of the GTAs reinforce the larger goals of the University. Therefore, the drive to more fully recognize and reward their contributions should not stop here. While the fee waiver is a welcomed step in the right direction, larger issues such as health care, competitive salaries, and multi-year renewable contracts—benefits afforded GTAs at comparable universities—still wait to be secured for GTAs here.
As the University is committed to providing the environment and opportunities for sound education and research, we must all be committed to helping those accountable for more than one fourth of these objectives.
ANN JURCYK FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
New procedures make fee payment less tedious
Everyone will always have something to gripe about, and the new mail-in fee payment is an easy target right now. All you have to do is ask a student whose enrollment got dropped or a student whose financial aid did not get credited to their bill. But University Registrar Richard Morrell also admits that some things need to be irradiated out
"We want to make this as convenient as possible for the student." Morrell said.
And for thousands of students, the new mail-in fee payment was just that — convenient. The process saved time and meant one less line to stand in. Though some students still had to go through the old hassle, the wait was practically eliminated.
Morrell said that the committee responsible for mail-in fee payment will continue to meet weekly to evaluate and improve upon the process to make it easier for students.
Top priorities include getting financial aid electronically credited to a student's fees and evaluating the effectiveness of the $100 down payment to save a student's enrollment. Also considered will be the effectiveness of the three-day payment period.
The administration deserves praise for this new move despite its few problems. It has added more work onto its shoulders while easing the burden of the student.
And no, the university is not making a profit by receiving our money one month in advance. The money must go into a non-interest bearing account with the state, Morrell said.
JANET RORHOLM FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Chancellor implores university community to overcome bigotry
On August 18, Chancellor Gene Budig delivered the opening address in KU's 127th Convocation. In his 11th address as chancellor, Budig spoke plainly且 hopefully of a university community which works to embrace the differences and diversity of its own members. His remarks couldn't have been more timely or have set a better tone for the beginning of classes.
EDITORIAL EDITOR
The University seems to have been caught in a vicious downward spiral of racial and sexual bigotry for the past several years. Race slurs uttered by a fraternity member in Spring 1990 poured gasoline on an already incendiary situation. The result was campus protests, demonstrations and sit-ins. Protestors sought to force the administration to reconfirm the University's commitment to minorities and their place on this campus — as if such a ludicrous notion needed reconfirmation.
The following year brought protests by campus gays and lesbians over the place ROTC should have on a campus that stresses and endorses equal
STEPHEN MARTINO
opportunity and access regardless of sexual orientation. Protests and marches led to inspired slogans like "No faggots in myfoxhole" and vandalism of a GLOSK display on Jayhawk Boulevard. This second go-around of bigotry splintered the University and brought into question the strength of KU's commitment to the integration of all peoples and perspectives.
Then last year saw the greatest controversy of them all, the ouster of Student Body President Darren Fulcher. To some, it was just restitution for a social wrong, to others, a witch-hunt.
to bring down KU's first African-American student president. Whichever view people took, hardly anyone was left without a perspective or an opinion. The loosely sewn fabric of racial harmony was once again pulled apart at its seams.
And as the University begins its 127th year, some might expect that sometime this academic year, KU is destined to experience yet another conflict due to intolerance or bigotry. Budig, however, described a community of faculty and students of racial, religious and sexual differences that can learn from and benefit from each other in a positive manner.
There can be no doubt that with a university population approaching 30,000 that the actions, views and differences of some may offend, and in fact, deeply disturb others. Yet, as President John F. Kennedy once remarked, "We all inhabit the same small planet and breathe the same air," no matter what our physical or personal differences might be.
Budig said, "The (University)s diversity offers you a once-in-a-life
time opportunity to expand your horizons, to learn about other cultures. No matter how cosmopolitan your life till now, it cannot begin to equal what lies before you." Faculty and students should heed Budig's advice. If we as a community spend our time trying to focus on each other's differences, we will have no time to learn about our similarities as human beings and as students at this great university.
This university is home to youth, vigor and intelligence. It is such a shame that the efforts of so many are spent on destroying others instead of seeking solutions to the societal ills that create prejudices. Budig remarked, "We cannot afford, as a nation, to mortgage our future to outmoded prejudices. To do so would be to incur the wrath of generations to come."
Our university cannot afford to mortgage its future, either.
Stephen Martino is an Olathe junior majoring in political science.
Kansan's technological advances provide steps for a new look and more useful news source
As I prepare for what will be my final semester at the University of Kansas, I've spent some time reflecting on the changes I have witnessed during the past four years.
But less noticeable changes also
There are, of course, the noticeable construction changes around campus. During my time at KU, the Anschutz Science Library, the Dole Human Development Center and the Lied Center have risen to join the ever-changing campus skyline. On the other hand, historic Hoch Audiotrium was reduced to rubble.
The faces also have changed. I couldn't help but feel old when I arrived on campus two weeks ago. A new batch of freshman moved to Lawrence as many of my friends left to begin either professional careers or graduate school.
ERIC NELSON
have occurred, especially at the University Dalu Kansan.
In the past year, the Kansan has advanced to the full use of a McIntosh pagination system that allows us to do everything on the computer screen. This process includes everything from inputting stories to laying out pages and final editing.
Now that we have somewhat mastered the first wave of technology, we are about to embark on the final step of pagination — the inputting of photos.
This semester, the Kansan has purchased two scanners for electronic imaging of photos and an image setter to output full-page negatives of the newspaper. This will allow us to fully paginate the Kansan, including all text, advertising, photos and graphics. This in-house process will improve the look and quality of the newspaper and could sharpen reproduction.
The look of the Kansan also has been altered. The first design changes were made to the Kansan during the summer. We have decided to keep some of the changes and add a few new ones as well. We hope they will
make the Kansan a more useful tool for our primary audience — you.
The Kansan is your paper. It belongs to the students, faculty and staff at the University. And our goal is to make the Kansan your primary news source.
This week, the Kansan will publish a User's Guide inside a daily issue. It will elaborate on and explain how the news and advertising sides of the Kansan operate. It also will explain why users are used as a campus information outlet.
I am excited about the prospect of a new staff, a new year and a fresh start. This semester shows a lot of promise, and I hope the Kansan will keep the campus informed as the University continues to change.
Eric Nelson is an Omaha, Neb., senior majoring in journalism.
Loco Locals
by Tom Michaud