Tomorrow's weather
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PO BOX 3585
TOPEKA, KS 6601-3585
Lansan
Thursday
October 30,1997
Section:
A
Vol. 108 • No. 51
Balmy temperatures and partly clear skies for trick-or-treating
We've updated the KU Basketball Web site! No browser crashes this time, we promise. Visit today for an update on a change in our address...
Online today
http://www.kubasketball.com
Sports today
Christy Clark, left, is the Kansas women's soccer team's leading scorer. Because of an injury, Clark was redshirted during the 1996 season.
SEE PAGE 1B
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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Senate approves fee increase
Two dollar hike to aid Safe Ride
By Tim Harrington tharrington@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Student Senate approved a $2 increase in the student transportation fee last night, increasing it from $14 to $16 per semester.
The finance fee-review subcommittee proposed the increase and presented it to Senate.
The committee decided the $2 increase was needed to maintain the service level of Safe Ride and KU On Wheels until the next fee review in three years.
(USPS 650-640)
"We discovered that Safe Ride, while its intent is good, the service is not that great," said Nicole Skalla, fee review subcommittee chair. "We're trying to cover Safe Ride for the next three years and maybe even a little bit into the future."
That, coupled with the lack of public transportation in Lawrence, especially at night, led the subcommittee to decide that the $2 increase was the best solution.
The subcommittee cited as one of the problems long waits for Safe Ride passengers waiting for cars to arrive. The wait is longer on the weekends, the subcommittee said, which is the primary problem with the service.
Skalla said that although the money primarily was for Safe Ride improvements, such as
more active vehicles during the summer semesters, some of the $90,000 in expected revenues from the increase could be applied to adding bus routes.
Skalla said that without the increase, KU On Wheels might have to start cutting routes as early as next year.
Dion Jones, holdover senator, objected to the raise; warning Senate that the fee increases could be financially burdening to students and that other options should be explored.
"Some people that go to KU
don't have phones. They don't have cable. They know where every single dollar they spend goes," Jones said. "We should at least have student input before we make a decision."
Whitney Black, Nunemaker senator, noted that as elected representatives of the students, Senate had the right to decide on the bill.
If significant opposition to the fee increase developed among the students, the decision still could be reversed with a student initiative petition, Black said.
Rollin' along
Mike Wexler, Buffalo Grove sophomore, flips his skateboard while doing a trick. Wexler skated at the ramps in Burcham Park, Second and Indiana streets, yesterday afternoon. The park is the only official skating venue in Lawrence and one of the few legal places where skaters can skate. It is illegal to skateboard on or near Massachusetts Street or the University of Kansas campus. Photo by Pam Dishman/KANSAN
Tuberculosis eludes discovery by taking two possible forms
By Corrie Moore
By Corrie Moore
cmore@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
A brick in a display case on the second floor of Watkins Health Center reads "Don't spit on the sidewalk." These bricks were used in the early 1900s to prevent the spread of tuberculosis, commonly called TB.
There are two types of tuberculosis. A person can either be infected with tuberculosis or have active tuberculosis disease, said Randall Rock, Watkins Memorial Health Center chief of staff.
"It's something that's been around for a long time," he said. "It's in the community."
He said that there was a major difference between the two. A person who is infected with the disease may or may not have any symptoms. Someone who is infected only with tuberculosis cannot spread it to anyone else.
Of all those who become infected with tuberculosis, only 10 percent actually contact active tuberculosis disease. Rock said.
Symptoms of active tuberculosis disease include feeling weak or sick, fever, long-term cough, chest pains or night sweats.
Many KU students must be tested for the disease depending on their field of study, Teachers, Watkins' staff and students working in daycares, the School of Pharmacy, School of Nursing and at the University of Kansas Medical Center all must be tested for tuberculosis because they are exposed to it more often, Rock said.
Also, international students must be tested before enrolling at the University because the disease is more common in some
Active tuberculosis disease usually attacks the lungs, but it can attack almost any part of the body. It is an infectious disease spread through the air. It is not easy to become infected with tuberculosis because a person must be in contact with someone who has the active disease for a long time.
Tuberculosis
Facts about tuberculosis:
There are two types of tuberculosis: TB infection or active TB disease.
A person who has only the infection may or may not have any symptoms and cannot spread it to anyone else.
Of all the people who become infected with TB, only 10 percent actually contract active TB disease.
Symptoms of active TB disease include feeling weak or sick, fever, long-term cough, chest pain or night sweats.
Eight million new cases of TB disease occur each year throughout the world.
22,000 new TB disease cases are reported annually in the United States.
Ten to 15 million people in the United States are infected with TB and are at risk of contracting TB disease.
Students can be tested at Watkins Health Center for free and with no appointment.
countries, he said.
Young does not have any symptoms and is not contagious. Her roommates tested negative after she became infected.
Sunny Young, Dodge City senior, had to be tested for tuberculosis because she is in the School of Pharmacy. After being tested, she found out that she had the tuberculosis infection.
"It's really important that students get tested," she said.
Students can be tested at Watkins for free and with no appointment. To be tested, students must get a skin test. Tuberculin, a testing material, is injected in the arm, and in two or three days the arm is tested to see if there is a reaction.
If there is a certain-sized bump, the person probably has a TB infection. A chest X-ray checks for the active tuberculosis disease.
Alpha Tau Omega's charter suspended
Alleged hazing report prompts investigation
By Sarah McWilliams smcwilliams@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
National leaders of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity suspended the University of Kansas chapter of the fraternity Tuesday after investigating a pcissible hazing incident.
Wynn Smiley, interim executive
Smiley would not comment about the details that led to the suspension. He said the house would be suspended for the next 45 days unless the national fraternity cleared the chapter of charges or gave it sanctions.
director of the national fraternity in Indianapolis, and Aaron Shelby, national director of expansion, said they responded Monday to a complaint of hazing.
Under the suspension, the chapter cannot participate in any activities as a chapter. Smiley said. The fraternity
also is forbidden to sponsor any philanthropies, with the exception of one philanthropy sponsored by the fraternity's pledge class, he said.
Smiley said it was too soon to decide if the chapter's charter would be revoked. He said there were no definite guidelines as to what sanctions would be.
Chris Starke, president of the KU chapter of Alpha Tau Omega and St. Louis senior, said he was uncertain of the details of the alleged hazing incident.
"We're still under investigation, and I don't know much more than that."
Starke said. "We, as a house, are doing our best to cooperate with the investigation." Starke said.
"We are still in the process of gathering more information before we will have a response." Nelson said.
The Interfraternity Council and Bill Nelson, coordinator of greek programs for the Student Organizations and Leadership Development Center, are involved in the investigation by helping the national fraternity interview house members.
Hidden cost of diversion places burden on pocketbook
The chapter may also face sanctions from the University.
Agreement popular in Douglas County
By Mary Corcoran
mcorcoran@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
First-time offenders for possession of marijuana have three choices once charged with the crime: plead not guilty and go to trial, plead guilty and serve probation or time in jail or apply for diversion and keep a conviction off their record.
Diversion is available to firsttime offenders charged with nonviolent crimes, said Christine Tonkovich, Douglas County district attorney.
"It is a contract between the state and the defendant," she said. "The defendant agrees to admit to the crime and do certain things, and the state agrees not to pursue the charges."
Despite the appeal, diversion agreements can cost more than a guilty plea.
Completion of a diversion program leaves a person with a clear record. The record only will show a charge and a completed diversion.
Under most diversion agreements, the defendant might have to do community service, complete a treatment program, pay restitution to the victim or keep the court notified of the defendant's whereabouts and activities, typically for one year.
In Douglas County, offenders choose diversion more than any other form of punishment.
In fiscal 1996, there were 409 diversion and other minor punishments for misdemeanors and 61 for felonies in Douglas County, said Amy Muddle, Office of Judicial Administration representative. There were 298 misdemeanor guilty pleas and 241 felony guilty pleas the same year.
The State of Kansas keeps records of criminal punishments. Muddle said diversions were not specifically tallied but were included in an "other" category.
"It's mostly diversions with a very small percentage of other more unusual types of dispositions," she said.
Also, if a defendant chooses diversion and is arrested on the same charge, he or she cannot apply for diversion again. First-time diversion applications may be rejected, depending on the frequency and severity of charges.
In both cases, a person must pay court costs ranging from $102 to $120. Diversion carries an additional fee of $75 for a misdemeanor and $100 for a felony. Tonkovich said. Defendants also must pay attorney fees if they do not represent themselves.
It sounds like a great way to erase a one-time mistake. But diversion also has drawbacks.
A diversion program can cost more than fines resulting from a guilty plea, Tonkovich said.
Tonkovich said diversion was appropriate for certain individuals.
"I think it would look better to have a diversion on a record instead of a conviction," she said. "It shows some degree of maturity that the person admitted what they did and chose to make a lifestyle change."
Only if a person has made a true lifestyle change will a diversion work. Tonkovich said.
"It's an opportunity for people to make some type of change and pay a debt to society," she said.