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Wednesday, October 21, 1987 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
A recent survey of drug use at KU turned up some interesting results — and KU came pretty clean.
Student body
Although 15 percent of the students who responded to the survey currently use drugs other than alcohol, the figure was significantly less than results from a similar survey conducted at the University of Virginia. Drug use there was about 27 percent of the student body.
And according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, adult drug use of cocaine in the United States is up as is drug trafficking.
Yet by no means should KU be satisfied that the use of drugs is relatively low when compared to other schools and the nation. Any drug use as high as 15 percent is something to evoke concern. The survey also indicated that more than half of the respondents had used some type of drug, and 18 percent had tried cocaine or crack.
The student affairs research committee, which conducted the drug survey, is planning to examine student alcohol use in a similar survey. The results of both surveys will be used to determine whether changes need to be made in drug and alcohol programs.
KU may not fare so well in the alcohol study. But the focus should not be to compare婴剖ation to other schools; it should be on what can be done to further reduce drug and alcohol use.
Fortunately, drug use at KU has not become uncontrollable Students should be commended.
Poor choice
The Reagan administration's insensitivity toward the poor is once again evident, this time as seen through an order of the Social Security Administration.
The order called for all aid given by churches and non-profit organizations to be assessed at market value and to be counted as income by the recipients of such donations. That income would then be deducted from their governmental welfare payments. The order was not announced to the public, or even to Congress, but simply took effect Oct. 1. The administration began investigating the income of families who received donations from non-profit charities. Only after an uproar insured from both Republicans and Democrats and from the public did the government revoke its unfair order.
With the order, the Reagan administration had essentially overridden the fundamental purpose of charitable organizations. By deducting the value of goods received by donation from welfare checks, the administration made charities costly to the poor. The administration did not rescind the order because it realized its gross error; outside groups forced it to nullify the order.
The discovery of the order comes on the heels of a cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits, the highest of its kind since 1982. Although the 4 percent Social Security increase aids many elderly — often among the most indigent — the increase is overshadowed by the Reagan administration's attempts to cut off the helping band of charitable organizations.
Once again, Reagan robs from the poor to pay the rich.
Mouths to feed
Once again, famine strikes the barren soil of arid Africa
Once again, humility is needed. Some areas have suffered total crop loss. Others are as high as a 75-percent loss. Translation: 3 to 5 million lives are at risk. Thousands have died of hunger.
In 1984, glamorous crusades raised millions to provide Ethiopian relief. But Ethiopian aid should extend beyond a 45 rpm record with Bruce Springsteen screeching, "We are the world."
Relief organizations in Africa agree that the 1984 efforts established a network to distribute food and supplies. But those involved also estimate that the flow of relief will be exhausted by the end of the year.
The famine came as no surprise to Ethiopians. Drought has rendered the land virtually barren. Food distribution has halted in the country's war-torn north. A population boom has exacerbated the hunger problem. And poor farming techniques indicate that famines might be a long-term problem.
The Ethiopian Relief and Rehabilitation Commission issued a plea for 500,000 tons of relief food. And countries that enjoy bountiful harvests, such as the United States, should heed Ethiopia's appeal.
But hungry people reside outside the borders of Ethiopia as well. World Food Day, observed Friday, called attention to the world's 500 million hungry residents.
And hungry people live in the United States, too
Editorials in this column are the opinions of the editorial board.
News staff
Jennifer Benjamin ... Editor
Juli Warren ... Managing editor
John Benner ... News editor
Beth Copeland ... Editorial editor
Sally Streff ... Campus editor
Brian Kablerine ... Sports editor
Dan Riutemann ... Photo editor
Bill Sket ... Graphics editor
Tom Eblen ... General manager, news advisor
Business staff
Bonnie J. Hardy...Business manager
Robughes Hughes...Advertising manager
Kelly Scherer...Retail sales manager
Kurt Messersmith...Campus sales manager
Greg Kniph...Production manager
David Derritt...National sales manager
Angela Clark...Classified manager
Ron Weems...Director of marketing
Jeanna Hines...Sales and marketing adviser
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MAYFLOW Chicago Tribune
Senate fraught with elite leaders
Student Senate no longer represents the students at the University of Kansas. It has become a group controlled by selfish people who fear any outsider gaining power. These are facts with which Kevin Prichard and his leaders" have a new obsession: the elimination of Kevin Prichard from the Student Senate.
How do they plan to do this? Their dastardly ploy is an attendance policy that would force Kevin either to miss basketball games or be kicked off the Senate. They are taking advantage of the fact that Kevin has no control over when he has to be at a basketball game. Kevin Pritchard is about to be an unknowing victim of their hatred. Could anything be more unfair?
Moreover, Kevin decided not to attend this spring's Senate retreat to Topeka because of an athletic conflict and because he considered it wasteful of student money. Even after he notified the student body vice president that he would be absent, two absences were counted against him. So another example of how student leaders use the absence policy as a political weapon.
I know Kevin because he is one of my closest friends. You know Kevin from watching him as a player on the men's basketball team. His outside shot may get us into the Final Four. You also may be aware that Kevin was elected to be a student athlete. He received far more votes than anyone else. Even after an exhausting basketball practice, he will spend hours working on Student Senate. And senators who received only a fraction of the votes you gave Kevin are saying he is unfit to serve you.
For example, Roger Templin, the Student Executive Committee chairman, has gone on record saying that basketball players have too many other commitments to be senators. Other members of this board who agree with Roger include Jane Hutchinson, who will be the Associated Students of Kansas director next semester, and Stephanie Quince, student body vice president.
During last year's election, Quincy led her friends in a plot to revoke Kevin's Alcibiades' eligibility.
I voted for Kevin Pritchard because of his proven leadership record. He has volunteered hundreds of hours working with disabled and sick children. He was an outstanding student leader in school. He was a strong advocate outstanding academic athlete, and he has also demonstrated leadership skills in basketball.
He is destined to follow in the footsteps of Bill Bradley, a Rhodes scholar, professional basketball star and presently U.S. senator. The U.S. Senate has no such discriminatory absence policy. Kevin has also been compared to Larry Brown, who served as a leader in student govern-
mature in college. It's fortunate that North Carolina could accommodate its athletes.
I did not vote for Kevin just because he plays basketball. I voted for him because he is by far the most able student leader this school has ever been. I was the principal and principal of the University of Kansas some day.
These leaders have warned against going to the press and have urged that all problems be solved within the "system." Frank Partnow, the last student who wrote against Student Senate, became the target of vandals, and his life was threatened. But as the chairman of the Student Rights Committee, and hence a member of the Student Executive Committee, I feel a responsibility to expose this discriminatory policy no matter what harm may come to me.
I've considered resigning, but that would be exactly what they want; the systematic termination of all political opponents. Instead, I am going to become their "system's" worst nightmare. I am going to declare my allegiance to a discrimination. And that is exactly what this plan is: blatant discrimination against athletes.
Although I was the only member of the Student Senate Executive Committee who stood up for Kevin, I am confident that the student body will side with me. And perhaps most of all, we should urge Kevin to run for president this spring and give our support to him. If so, make our next chant at Allen Field House "Pritchach for President."
Brian Kramer is a Northbrook, III., sophomore double majoring in political science and sociology.
My choice
K·A·N·S·A·N
MAILBOX
After reading Dan Houston's column "Students pick drinking styles," on Friday, I was thoroughly disgusted by his generalizations of drinkers, and non drinkers, into five distinct groups.
According to Houston's descriptions, I fit into his "Never on Sunday" group. True, I don't drink, but I do attend parties, go to bars and I actually have a good time. What I don't do is preach to others the perils of alcohol or get a kick out of it. The truth is that who does drink is going to hell. Contrary to Houston's beliefs, I really don't mind others drinking around me; it is their own choice.
After a few years of drinking, I realized that it was not one of my more productive activities, so I decided to try something different. I for me to resume drinking at any pace ever again. I don't, however, judge others by their
drinking, condone others for their drinking or think that it is bad for everyone who does drink. I also happen to know scores of others who choose not to drink and who don't preach their philosophy to those who do, nor do they wish them a long stay in hell for their drinking.
I only hope that next time, before Dan generalizes all the population into five concise groups, he will spend a little bit more time researching and interviewing his subjects.
Bruce K. Rowley, Wichita sophomore
MR. BADGER by A.D. Long WALL $ STREET WEER
This is Louis Rukeyser.
Welcome back!
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed
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