Rainy days and Tuesdays
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Details, page 6
Tuesday August 25,1987 Vol.98,No.3
Published since 1889 by the students of the University of Kansas
(USPS 650-640)
Budig stresses need for funds, role of students
By MARK TILFORD
Staff writer
The University of Kansas could become mired in mediocrity if it does not receive adequate financing, Chancellor Gene A. Budig said yesterday as he welcomed students back to school at the University's 122nd convolveation.
"Excellence is built over decades, as it has been built here at the University of Kansas," Budig said. "Meditiority can be achieved much more quickly — and will be achieved quickly in Kansas if adequate funding is not forthcoming for higher education."
While about 1,500 students and faculty avoided early-morning rain by attending convocation ceremonies in Hoch Auditorium, students around campus got into the swing of things on the first day of classes.
Budig highlighted programs he said should help KU hold a leadership role in the future.
He said the Kansas Board of Regents three-year Margin of Excellence program had two goals: to bring faculty salaries to 100 percent of average salaries at KU's peer institutions and to raise operating expenses to 95 percent of the average of KU's peer institutes.
"It is quite reasonable and achievable." Budig said of the campaign.
Another fund-raising program that should help the University is the Kansas University Endowment Association's Campaign Kansas, he said. That program has a goal of $100 million over five years.
"The success of this fund drive will insure our continued competitive edge among our sister institutions," Budig said.
Budig also emphasized the important role students play in KU's future.
"We have learned over the years that students are among the most effective lobbyists for higher education," he said.
About three hours after Budig spoke, Sterling Seals, Kansas City, Mo., freshman, was standing at the back of Hoch waiting for Chemistry 184 to end so he could attend a
physics class.
He said he wasn't worried about the class, although it would be larger than any he attended in high school.
"I'm going to sit up front," Seals said. "You don't quite have the one-to-one contact like you did in high school, as long as you can hear, you're okay."
Todd Phillips, Tulsa, Okla., freshman, was part of the 184 chemistry class, which had about 1.000 students.
"I like the professor," he said. "He was pretty funny."
Other freshmen, such as Craig Allison of Jennings, La., were trying to get used to college life and a new state.
"It rains about every three days in Louisiana," Allison said while looking at the rain from a table outside in the cafeteria. "It's a lot more buried too."
His thoughts seemed to go well with the convocation speech by Jason Kelman (2016) of his
Allison said he came to KU for a change of pace. "People are a lot more broad-minded here," he said.
"The real opportunity at KU is to interact," Krakow said. "The mind is indeed like a parachute in that it only functions when opened."
Convocation ceremonies were highlighted with the awarding of the Higuchi/Endowment Research Awards to four faculty members, three from KU and one from Kansas State University.
Bergerson, a Shakespearean scholar, holds master's and doctoral degrees from Vanderbilt University in Memphis. Penn. He joined the KU staff in 1976.
David M. Bergeron, KU professor of English, was awarded the Balfour Jefferey Award for research achievement in the humanities and social sciences.
Fred Galvin, KU professor of mathematics, received the Olin Petfish Award for research achievement in the basic sciences.
Galvin was on the mathematics faculty at the University of California, Berkley, for seven years before
See BUDIG. p. 6. col. 1
Dave Niebergall/KANSAN
Todd Murphy, Leawood freshman, and Sarah Rose, Chicago freshman, share an umbrella on their way to the Kansas Union. Students were welcomed back to school yesterday with a steady rain.
Showers dampen first day
By JENNIFER ROWLAND Staff writer
Still, some students didn't seem bothered by the weather.
As the rain fell on Jayhawk Boulevard during the first day of fall classes, students not prepared for the showers scamped to nearby buildings. And the afternoon brought no relief from the dampness.
Stan Anderson, Junction City
strainman, said the rain didn't ruin his first day of classes. "I'm not too disappointed. Since it's my first day on campus, walking around and stuff, I don't want to get too tired. The cooler the weather, the better."
Todd Arney, Hutchinson senor,
said: "I think it's just strange weather
for August. It's not like the first
day of classes usually are."
Some students were even enjoying the cool break
"I love it," said Holly Swayne,
Independence, Mo., sophomore. "I can't stand the heat weather. Even if it rains a little bit. I don't care."
Others, such as Shelly Hardgree. Kansas City, Kan., sophomore, realized they had to accept the rain.
"I'm for sunny days, but hey, you
can take them as they come."
Hardware
At 1 p.m. the temperature was 61 degrees. On this day last year the high was 87 degrees and the low was 60 degrees with some periods of thundershowers, according to the KU Weather Service.
The forecast for the Lawrence area today is mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain and thundershowers and a high of 75 to 80 degrees. Winds will be from the southeast at 10 to 15 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Topeka.
A freshman's view
Today's Kansan includes a special package of stories and photographs about freshmen's first days and impressions of the University of Kansas. See package on pages 7, 8 and 9.
Making it tougher
Admission rules for out-of-state students grow more string.
Staff writer
By AMBER STENGER
Because the University of Kansas continues to rise in popularity, admissions officials now can afford to be choosy.
With enrollment expected to increase again this year and the number of out-of-state applicants growing, admissions officials say they will continue to make out-of-state admissions requirements more stringent. KU is required to admit all Kansas high school graduates.
"In the past, we basically admitted out-of-state students if they had a strong 'C' average and reasonable test scores," said Bruce Lindvall, director of admissions.
But this fall KU initiated a stricter admissions policy for out-of-state students. The new policy is partially in response to the increasing pool of out-of-state applicants.
Despite the stricter requirements for non-residents, the number of non-
resident applicants increased this year. Lindvall said.
"If the out-of-state pool of applicants is really big and really good, there are going to be some people who are not going to make it in this year who would've made it last year," Lindvall said.
Compared with last year, Lindvall said the number of out-of-state freshmen admitted to KU this fall had increased by about 950 students.
Transfer students also have contributed to the rise in KU's enrollment. The number of transfer students to KU increased by 700 from last year.
"I think in most cases it's kind of a supply-and-demand relationship," Lindvall said. "Some students will see us as a rare commodity, and we will probably begin attracting a little bit stronger student."
Under the new admissions policy, non-residents must meet one of three requirements in high school:
A grade point average of 3.0 after a minimum of six semesters.
An ACT composite score of at least 23 and a cumulative high school GPA of at least 2.0.
The Kansas Board of Regents recommendations include four years of English, three years of college-preparatory math, three years of social studies, three years of science and two years of foreign language.
- Completion of the Kansas Board of Regents recommended college preparatory curriculum and at least a 2.0 cumulative high school GPA.
If non-residents meet any one of the three requirements, they are admitted.
Lindvall said that although the number of out-of-state applications was increasing, the number of new freshmen from Kansas had been fairly constant over the past 10 years — from about 2,200 to 2,400 a year. The actual number of Kansas high school graduates has declined by about
In 1978, 7.2 percent of all Kansas high school graduates came to KU as new freshmen. In the fall of 1986, 9.5 percent of all Kansas high school graduates attended KU, said Deborah Teeter, director of institutional research and planning.
8,000, but the percentage of those who attend KU has increased.
Lindvall said, "We get about 70 percent of our new, resident freshmen from five counties: Wyandotte, Johnson, Shawnee, Sedgwick and Douglas. If you look at the demographics of the state and ask which counties are growing, it will be essentially the same five counties."
Lindvall estimates that the freshman class will have from 4,500 to 4,600 students this year. Last fall, the freshman class was 4,000 students.
On the cutting room floor: SUA edits film list Number of movies reduced because of low turnout last year on weekdays
By JORN E. KAALSTAD
In case you haven't noticed, the Student Union Activities films committee has decided to give its projectionist a break this semester.
Staff writer
The films committee lost money last year, said David Wahbeh, vice president of SUA. "We had a great schedule, but too few people showed up to see the movies."
Wahbeh said that Monday, Tuesday and Sunday films usually had the lowest turnout. On those days fewer than 50 people showed up, he said.
Woody Allen's and Alfred Hitchcock's portraits cover half of the printed movie schedule that last semester was filled with films. That's because the committee is cutting back on the number of films to break even, and Katherine Giele, a professor for programs at the Kansas Union.
Lorna Kindred, Edwardsville senior, who described herself as a regular SUA movie buff, said she was in the-in-the-week shows had been dropped.
Wahbeh said the committee decided to drop Monday, Tuesday and Sunday from its fall schedule because, he said, "We must pay attention to balancing our budget, but also, what's the point in showing films on Tuesdays if only 15 people show up?"
"It was nice to go to the Union
Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St., for example, has gained larger audiences since opening in October. A theater projectionist and clerk for the theater
Giele said the competition from video rentals and a growing number of movie theaters in Lawrence was no match to the clients' lack of interest in SUA films.
Mondays to see a movie for a couple of dollars when nothing else was going on," she said.
Liberty Hall specializes in the same kind of films as SUA, Lauer said. "We're showing art films, international films and independent films that are not released through regular production." People are catching on to her style.
Giele said SUA would continue to
feature international and classical films in addition to popular ones. "We are a university organization and we're supposed to feature a variety of films to satisfy many different people." she said.
The price SUA will pay for movie reels this fall varies a great deal, from $800 for "Platoon" to $125 for "Greed", a black-and-white silent movie from 1924. Glee said.
That means that for SUA to break even on a movie like "Platoon," the screening needs an audience of at least 400.
But, Giele said, the cost isn't as important as getting an interesting and balanced movie schedule.
Staff writer
By KIRK A. ADAMS
New credit cards for alumni of KU feature Jayhawk
Prestige is power and credit is crucial. Or so some credit card owners might sav.
So what kind of plastic money do the alumni of the University of Kansas flash nowadays? Their cards or their platinum cards?
No. Their cute little Jayhawk cards, of course.
The cards are part of a growing trend in fund-raising at colleges and universities nationwide.
This year, the Kansas University Alumni Association is offering to all alumni "school-affinity" credit cards featuring the Jayhawk mascot on Mastercard or Visa.
Fred Williams, executive director of the Alumni Association, said he suggested the program, and the board of directors approved it.
"The Jayhawk is a unique mascot from a national perspective in higher education," Williams said. "I believe that whenever an alumnus uses the card it will cause people to ask questions.
Williams said the program began as a service to alumni and would help the association raise money.
"It's just a way of identifying our University with a greater number of people."
"We do have applications avail able for all alumni" he said.
The association will receive $3 for each card issued and a small percentage of every dollar charged to each cardholder's account. The association won't receive any money from interest charged to the accounts.
Williams said he thought the association would make a minimum of $50,000 on the cards this year.
About 7,000 people now hold the KU cards. Williams said he expected at least 12,000 cards to be issued by the end of the year.
The cards are available in two rates. Dues-paying association members can qualify for a card with a $15-a-year service charge at 16.8 percent annual interest. Nondues-paying members can apply for a KU card for $18 a year at 17.88 percent annual interest. Both cards have a 25-day grace period before interest begins to accrue on charges made on those accounts.
Applications for the credit cards are subject to approval by the credit card companies.
Williams said both rates were below the national average, which is about 17.9 percent annual interest, so the program should be competitive with other credit card issuers.
"I have used the card in England, Scotland and Ireland, and I've had some very interesting conversations about it," he said.
John Sanders, treasurer of the Alummni Association, said he had recently used his Jayhawk card in Finland and had no problems with it.
"It's surprising that people do remember you, and they associate you with the picture on the card," Sanders said.
Julia Lester, a receptionist at the Alumni Center who has a Jayhawk card, said. "People think it's just really neat Thy say, 'How, where did you get the card with the Jayhawk?'"