Thursday inside
Inside 'Jayplay'
Homecooked dinner and a rental movie is a cheap, easy solution for a great date.
Depression makes everyday activities seem unbearable. JAYPLAY
Event links students
Homecoming events continued yesterday on Wescoe Beach as student groups constructed campus monuments out of cans. PAGE 3A
Senior senior
Dorothy Resco is the oldest student at the University of
Kansas, but that hasn't stopped the one-time retiree from returning to the workforce, while pursuing her degree. PAGE 5A
'Ray's Boys'
Students calling themselves Ray's Boys support the Kansas
volleyball team by creating cheers and attending home and away games. PAGE 12A
Price is right
Kansas golfer Andrew Price is ranked No. 8 in the country and was named Big 12 Conference
player of the month .PAGE 12A
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Talk to us
Tell us your news. Contact Michelle Burhenn, Lindsay Hanson or Leah Shaffer at 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com
index
Briefs 2A
Opinion 4A
Sports 12A
Sports briefs 9A
Horoscopes 10A
Comic 10A
Vol.114 Issue No.41
KANSAN
Thursday, October 16,2003
The Student Newspaper of the University of Kansas
Worker vote gets 'yes'
Classified staff changes employer to the University instead of the state
By Robert Perkins
rperkins@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
After six months of debate, some employees at the University of Kansas have voted to pursue a plan that will let them work for the University instead of for the state.
for the state.
Now, Facilities Operations workers, custodians, some secretaries and other school support staff, called classified employees.
work for the state as civil servants. As a result, the Kansas Legislature controls their pay rates and listens to their grievances.
pay rates and insists on their given But ballot counters announced this morning that voters chose an alternative proposal to the previous civil service system with a required simple majority, garnering 54 percent of the votes.
The vote was the first step toward classified employees leaving state employment and moving to employment under the University.
Those who favor the plan said the University would give them higher salaries, while those who oppose it said they would lose job security under the state.
The vote, however, is just the beginning - for supporters and opponents of the proposal alike.
Now the proposal faces review by the Provost and the Chancellor, who will present it to the Board of Regents. If the Board of Regents approves of it, they will then take it to the Kansas Legislature and
ask it to pass the proposal into law
Though nothing has yet changed after this vote, those closely involved with the proposal said they were glad to complete this step.
this step.
"I was just relieved that it wasn't a tie," said Lindy Eakin, vice provost of administration and finance and a member of the Work Group for Alternatives to Civil Service.
SEE CLASSIFIED ON PAGE 7A
Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont Gov. Howard Dead shook hands with his supporters last night at the Uptown Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. Dean touched on issues ranging from health care to the war in Iraq.
Dean: Raise the Roots
Democratic presidential candidate tours Kansas City
By Meghan Brune and
By Ingham Bailan
Zack Hemenway
mbrune@kansan.com
zhenmenway@kansan.com
Kansas staff writers
Sleeves rolled up and microphone in hand, Howard Dean stepped closer to the crowd as his voice began to rise.
"You have the power to take this country back!" he said.
The Democratic presidential candidate spoke to about 400 people at a fundraiser and rally last night at the Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway St. in Kansas City, Mo.
Dean mixed economic,political and social issues in a 30-minute speech. He outlined his plan to stimulate the economy and bring health care to all Americans using his own state of Vermont as an example. Dean showed no fear in attacking the current administration.
tration. "A president has got to have guts," he told the cheering crowd.
and the cheering crowd. Dean, the governor of Vermont, is leading in polls and contributions among the nine candidates in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Dean has been courting a younger generation of voters as part of his aggressive campaign strategy. Last week, he finished the "Raise the Roots Tour," a four-day, seven-city trek aimed at college-age voters. KU Young Democrats member, Madelaine Marchin, who organized a KU for Dean group, said the governor's focus on young voters was a welcome change.
SEE DEAN ON PAGE 7A
change. "Usually candidates are wary of young people because they don't get out and
Don't blame beer for big belly
By Danielle Hillix
hillix@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
"There is a common notion that beer drinkers are more obese than nondrinkers or drinkers of wine or spirits," wrote Martin Bobak, lead author of a study about the effects of drinking and professor at the University College London, in the study. "We wished to rebuke this conventional wisdom."
Don't blame beer for that extra weight. Researchers have concluded that the "beer gut" is in fact a myth.
This comes as welcome news to beer-drinking University of Kansas students. But those raising a glass to the research might want to hold off, said Peter Kimble, Lawrence nutritionist.
Kimble said that, even if beer wasn't the sole cause, abdominal fat could still show up because of a number of factors from genetics to a poor diet.
from genetics to a po-
Michael Stoecker, Jetmore senior, said he never really worried about getting a beer gut from the six to 14 beers he consumed a week. He said he was glad to have research to support his lack of concern.
"Students shouldn't use this as an excuse to go out and get bombed every night." Kimble said.
"This is good news for students," he said. "It definitely can't hurt."
"Beer is a diuretic," Kimble said. "The more you drink the more dehydrated you get."
Senate votes for Moore
By Paul Kramer
pkramer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Student Senate eliminated one of the biggest hurdles in securing Michael Moore by committing $15,000 for his fee.
With the commitment to the Center for Community Outreach, which sponsors Into the Streets Week,the overall fee for Moore is now nearly 90 percent accounted for.
Amanda Flott, co-coordinator for Into the Streets Week, said contact had been made with Moore's talent agency. Now a contract must be made and sent to Moore.
"We talked with the company and Michael is available for the dates we want." Flott said.
Flott remained optimistic that Moore would come in the spring because his fall tour is dotted with college visits.
The only opposition in the ratification process came from Kyle Johnson, student executive chairman, and Ryan Faulconer, finance committee chairman.
"His fall tour is already full," Flott said.
Among others Moore will speak at the University of New Mexico, Washington State University, Portland State University and Eastern Michigan University.
Moore
Johnson and Faulconer pointed out a rule in Senate that prohibits using money from the Senate's reserve account to fund special programs of University groups.
The reserve account is designed for projects that leave a lasting impression on the University or significantly impact students.
However, proponents of taking money from the reserve account said Moore could leave a lasting impression and that the $15,000 would have constituted more than 13 percent of the unallocated budget. The unallocated budget represents the Senate's yearly operating budget.
The rule was momentarily suspended by vote, the bill was passed, and the rule was consequently put back into effect much to the dismay of Faulconer.
"This is that exact reason for this rule," Paulconer said.
Faulconer's argument found no support as his motion to have the money for the bill taken from the unallocated account garnered only a few votes. In other Senate news:
An advertising bill that would have changed the way Senate allocates money for The University Daily Kansan advertisements, found new life last night after it failed in committee last week. Kyle Johnson, bill author, said a committee would look at possibilities, starting with a mixture of Kansan and Senate members.
A bill to fund the KU National Organization of Minority Architecture Students was motioned off the consent agenda by Leo Khayet, junior/senior CLAS senator. The consent agenda features legislation that asks for less than $1,000 and is deemed uncontroversial by the student body vice-president. It is passes as a whole unless a single motion to remove anything is made. Khayet said the bill was good so that a group could address racial injustices in the architecture field, but could divide minority and non-minority students.
— Edited by Abby Sidesinger