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Monday, August 24, 1987 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Crowded housing
Eight students are bunked up in the stereo room of Ellsworth Hall; the horror story goes. The University faces a student housing crunch because of increased enrollment; the tale continues.
It's the same old scenario. This year KU officials issued the all-points bulletin to Lawrence residents asking them to open their homes to accommodate the flood of students.
But even at a university, lessons are hard to learn. Despite the yearly housing crunch, officials hardly seem prepared.
A residence hall application fee of $50 or $75 would deter a student from applying to the hall before he had committed himself to KU.
In fact, some schools share enrollment information to track down and end "double depositing," which is when students apply to several residence halls to assure themselves a home at the school of their choice.
But not KU.
Other measures, such as encouraging older students to move into off-campus housing, would allow younger students to live at a place where they could best adjust to the University.
In the meantime, students will live in the stereo room until no shows and dropouts provide them a place to live.
Put on hold
It's a hang-up.
Students without calling cards moving into the residence halls
Monday found they couldn't call home to announce a safe arrival without reaching out and sending someone else the bill.
It's a hang-up.
A new telephone system, owned and operated by the University, was installed this summer, and as a result, those living in on-campus housing cannot dial direct long-distance calls. Instead, to call long distance they must use telephone credit cards, call collect or bill a third party.
AT&T calling card applications take about two weeks to be processed, according to a spokesman. Until then, residence and scholarship hall residents without them will have to bill someone else, save those messages or invest in some stamps.
All three long-distance options for the residents are more expensive than dialing direct.
One long-distance company charges 35 cents for a calling-card call or a call billed to a third party, and for a collect call to Toneka, for example. $1.05 would be added to the tab.
With another company, the charge is 80 cents for a calling card call for distances greater than 23 miles. For collect calls and third-party billed charges, the charge is $1.55.
Officials say that the system eventually will be more cost effective for KU and that costs may be lowered if in the spring the state offers KANS-A-N, a less expensive, state operated and contained long distance service.
contained long distance service. But right now, the University is limiting the residents' choices and forcing them to pay more every month when the telephone bill comes.
A paved platform
Unfortunately, Gov. Mike Hayden has not redefined his priorities for the state since he took office. Instead, he's sticking to his campaign platform and working to achieve a glorious political victory.
At top speed, Hayden pushed his highway expansion proposal into a special session of the Kansas Legislature, which he ordered.
During the session, which begins Aug. 31, legislators will consider proposals made by the Governor's Highway Task Force and Hayden himself. The battle over Hayden's proposed $1.71 billion comprehensive highway construction and improvement proposal will begin. About 1,300 miles of new highways lie before the Legislature.
the Legislature.
Passage of the proposal could result in a 5 cent increase in the gasoline tax, from 11 cents to 16 cents, and increases in truck and passenger car registration fees.
included in the package is a much-needed $38 million Lawrence bypass, which would swing south and west of Lawrence and would reduce congestion on 23rd and Iowa streets.
Improving Kansas' highways is important. But Hayden has blown the importance out of proportion. Kansas needs top-nopthighways to attract industry and boost the state's economy. But an impressive highway network won't achieve these ends alone.
A commitment to the highway project would pump an unreasonable amount of money into one facet of economic development. The project demands too strong a commitment and too much of an investment from the state too soon.
News staff
Jennifer Benjamin ... Editor
Julie Warren ... Managing editor
John Benner ... News editor
Beth Copeland ... Editorial editor
Sally Streff ... Campus editor
Brian Kaberline ... Sports editor
Dan Fuettimann ... Photo editor
Bill Sheet ... Graphics editor
Tom Eblen ... General manager, news advisor
Business staff
Bonnie J. Hardy ... Business manager
Robert Hughes ... Advertising manager
Kelly Scherer ... Retail sales manager
Kurt Messersmith ... Campus sales manager
Greg Knipp ... Production manager
David Derfelt ... National sales manager
Angela Clark ... Classified manager
Ron Wemma ... Director of marketing
Jeanette Hines ... Sales and marketing adviser
Letters should be typed, double-spaced and less than 200 words and must include the writer's signature, name, address and telephone number. If the writer is affiliated with the University of Kansas, please include class and hometown, or faculty or staff position.
Tact shots should be typed, double-spaced and less than 700 words. The writer will be photographed.
The Kansan reserve the right to reject or edit letters and guest shots. They can be maild or brought to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall.
can be mailed or brought to the Kansan. Letters, guest shots and columns are the opinion of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University Daily Kansan. Editorials are the opinion of the Kansan editorial board.
The University Daily Kansan (USPS 505-640) is published at the University of Kansas, 118 Stauffer-Flixt Hall, Lawrence, Kan. 60045, daily during the regular school year, excluding Saturday, Sunday, holidays and finals periods, and Wednesday, excluding the summer session. Second-class postage is paid in Lawrence, Kan. 60044. Subscriptions by mail are $15 for six months and $27 a year in Douglas County and $18 for six months and $35 a year outside the university. Student subscriptions are $3 and are paid through the student activity team.
fee.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the University Daily Kansan, 118
Stauffer-Flint Hall, Lawrence, Kan. 66045.
Welcome to the fall 1887 semester at the University of Kansas. My name is Bet Copeland. I'm the editorial editor and your tour guide this morning. Feel free to ask any questions that arise during the tour. (Please keep your hands and feet inside the tram while it is moving.)
Page sanctions exchange of ideas
The first stop is the folio. Look straight up to the top of the page where it says "Opinion." Every weekday, readers can turn to page four and read the opinions and ideas of students, faculty, Lawrence residents and syndicated columnists.
columns, if written well, take the reader behind the headlines and provide insight to issues and events that news stories often reduce to "who, what, where, when and why."
As a rule, columnists are driven by an innate desire to interpret. As people, some columnists could be considered obnoxious, some pensive, some witty. Most are opinionated.
My hope is that you agree with me. Or disagree, if you'd like. Their job as columnists is to incite some response from the reader. Indifference annoys me.
Our second stop are the house editorials — edits for short. They're found on the left-hand side of the editorial page. Although unsigned, their authors need not be cloaked in secrecy. A five-member editor board meets twice weekly to
Beth
Copeland
Editorial Editor
The board includes the Kansas editor, managing editor and editorial editor, and the remaining two positions, the associate editorial editor and a student outside the journalism school, have yet to be filled.
Board meetings can be chaotic. Members talk out of turn, argue and ask questions. In the end, there's a vote.
The edits the majority selects will run in the Kansan. Although written by only one board member, edits reflect the opinions of the majority. Ideally, edits present a concise, substantiated opinion based on arguments from both sides of an issue.
I think edits represent the lifeblood of the newspaper. In no way should the opinions of the staff taint the contents of news pages. On the editorial page, however, edits and columns
remain one of the greatest vehicles of freedom of
reason provided by the Constitution. I mean that
determine topics of edits
Readers, too, have the opportunity to present their opinions. But it will cost.
Twenty-two cents — the price of a stamp — buys the space to convey your opinion to thousands of readers.
Letters tell the campus and community what people think of a given topic. Letters laud and laugh, belittle and bemoan. They're often the most widely read section of the editorial page.
Yasir Sahin
Your final stop on the tour are the opinions depicted with pictures — the cartoons. Cartoonists face a tough task. They express themselves in one square, or four small squares, what columnists spend 500 to 750 words to express.
Two local artists, Kathryn Thorman, a student, and Allan Long, a cartographer (map maker) in Lindley Hall, will draw cartoons for the Kansan. Their work will provide a local angle to local or national issues.
This brings us to the conclusion of today's tour. If you have any questions, call me at the Kansan, 864-4810.
Kansan published to serve its readers
Or stop by.
Or write.
We're here for you.
Sometimes we may forget. When we do, remind us.
You are an important part of the newspaper. That's right, a part—the biggest part. We're here to give you top news, sports, arts and entertainment and weather coverage. We want to discuss the topics of the day with you on our opinion page. We want you to read the Kansan. But we also
what you do be aware
About 100 students on the advertising and the news staff put out the Kansan each weekday.
Some are paid staff members, while others are enrolled in classes that require them to work on the Kansan. We are all learning.
We want you to read the Kansan. But we also want you to be involved.
Kansan summer and fall staffs combined efforts to get the Back-to-School issue on the streets. Today's Kansan is the fall staff's first issue. We have blended last semester's format and some changes in format to create a product that we hope appeals to the eye and mind. You can look for your favorite feature items on the following pages:
Your comments are vital. If you have questions or comments about the newspaper, we want to know. If you have a story idea, we want to know. If you have a complaint, we want to know.
The top national and world news stories are on page two
- "Bloom County" and "Katz" are on the Opinion page, "The Far Side" is on page five.
• The weather map, which now includes a five-day forecast, is on page six. On Campus, with daily campus events, also will be on page six every day except Friday, when we will publish an events calendar for the weekend and the following week.
We will do everything we can to be fair and accurate. If you think the newspaper has been unfair or if you have a side to present on an issue, let us know. A newspaper needs to be in touch with its readers. Writing letters to the editor is one way of expressing yourself in the newspaper. Another way is through guest columns.
The Kansan will continue to bring you extra sports coverage on Mondays, a weekly arts and entertainment page on Thursdays and the Kansan Magazine once a month.
The Kansan staff came back to school last week to prepare for the Back-to-School issue. The work, the time, the energy and the late nights and early mornings have little meaning if students, faculty and staff at the University of Kansas are not reading our work, enjoying our work and judging our work.
The Kansas is incomplete without all its parts.
It cannot achieve its goals without its audience — its biggest part.
K·A·N·S·A·N
MAILBOX
Dad remembers fatal train wreck
Editor's Note: On March 27, four University of Kansas students were killed when a train struck the car in which they were riding. The following poem was written by Jared J. Granham in memory of his son, Joel, and the three other students killed: Jennifer Jones, Daniel McDevitt and Elizabeth Dunlap.
Ten thousand souls Have walked the Hill.
Spirit Of Oread
A glacial mound,
Some rain and wind,
One million years
Or two or ten,
'Til on its crown
Proud University
Towers o'er the Kaw
Through all eternity.
A century
That could not still
The love of friends
Who share as one
The Spirit's sound
In the carillon.
Who can explain,
Who could foretell
The new dimension
On that hill?
It calls a lassie
And a lad
Come, find the Spirit
Of Oread!
Outrageous youth Of flesh and sin, A life to mold, A chance to win The race against Frivolity: To taste the fruit Of Society.
So much to have
And more to give.
Against the odds,
O let them live
To spread their seed,
To futures ad
And magnify
The Spirit of Oread.
If life should end Before they've trod On down the Hill Received the nod, Will they be among The best? Will memories fade As their souls rest?
Spirit of Life!
Spirit of Truth!
Spirit of Love!
Spirit of Youth!
O blessed Hill,
Our Hearts can see
The sweet communion of
this place,
Through all eternity.
"Do not despair,
Your child is here.
We are at peace,
We know no fear.
We will enjoy
Eternal youth
Upon this Hill.
That is the truth."
Jared J. Grantham is a professor of medicine and director of the nephrology division at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.
katz
k.l. thorman
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed