Opinion
Kansan
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
Published daily since 1912
Spencer Duncan, Editor
Lindsey Henry, Managing editor
Andrea Albright, Managing editor
Tom Eblen, General manager, news adviser
4A
Sarah Scherwinski, Business manager
Brian杨, Retail sales manager
Dan Simon, Sales and marketing adviser
Justin Knupp, Technology coordinator
Thursday, September 11, 1997
Clay McCuistion / KANSAN
Examining
University emphasizing athletics lacking recognition for scholars
This University is an academic institution. But some administrators seem to have perceived that we are an athletic institution.
Student-athletes attend the University to get an education first and play their sport second. Unfortunately, the University of Kansas Athletic Corporation does not consistently give priority to academics rather than athletics.
The story by the numbers is clear: Athletes are a hot commodity at the University. They are so integral to the KU community that student-athletes have their own scholarship fund, the Williams Educational Fund, which is part of KUAC.
Scott McMichael, director of the Williams Fund, said that the mission of the fund was to provide annual scholarship assistance to the 540 student-athletes on campus. This scholarship assistance is heftier than the average academic award.
THE NUMBERS
According to the year-end financial summary for the Williams Fund, $3,986,147.03 was raised during the fiscal year which ended in June. This translates to $7,381.75 per student-athlete. This more than triples the average award from the Kansas University Endowment Association of $1,873.07.
The Williams Fund pays for student-athletes to get an education, but many are here just to play sports. For example, Paul Buskirk, associate director of intercollegiate athletics, recently verified that the KU football team's graduation rate among students who entered the University in 1990 and were given six years to graduate, ranks ninth
Athletics outscoring academics at the University makes for some skewed priorities.
in the Big 12. This is despite the presence of the Hale Achievement Center, an athletes-only educational center with technological capabilities exceeding the academic resources elsewhere on campus.
If it takes a student-athlete more than four years to complete a degree, the Williams Fund will continue to supplement that student's academic expense until graduation. This again is in contrast to the scholarship assistance provided to nonathletic students. The Endowment Association tends to cover only four-year scholarships.
Yes, there are some athletes who exceed the averages. The athletic corporation tries to pinpoint the academic excellence of star pupils to bolster the perception of academic integrity within KU athletics. But standouts such as Jerod Haase and Jacque Vaughn are the exceptions, not the rule. In the meantime, successful pupils who lack athletic ability often go unnoticed by University administration, though their academic accomplishments exceed those of athletes.
NEEDED CHANGES
More recognition should be given to students who excel in the classroom. These students work just as hard (or harder), without the benefit of free tutors, accessible high-technology resources and constant advising to make sure they are keeping up with their classwork.
Athletics should work in conjunction with academics on a University-wide scale. Students support the athletics corporation with boisterous enthusiasm, yet KUAC barely acknowledges the importance of such backing. While students do receive tickets at reduced rates, the athletics corporation continues to reserve the best seats for contributors of more than $10,000 annually to the Williams Fund. Students often have to stand in long lines for days just to get into the game. But ESPN visits Allen Field House for the "Big Monday" game to film the rowdy antics of students, not to see baby boomers sitting center court with a fat checkbook.
Because students do unequivocally and vocally pledge their allegiance to the athletic corporation, KUAC should return the favor and sponsor more University endeavors. This can be accomplished by stressing the importance of academics, graduating and fostering the image of the University as an academic, not athletic, institution.
Athletics are an important and fun aspect of the University experience. But they are not the most important aspect, and should not be represented as such.
The purpose of a university is to afford all students an equal opportunity to obtain an education. But when athletics precede academics, the university becomes nothing more than a stepping stone to professional sports. This is a danger all universities face, but the University of Kansas should not underplay its role in the fight to prevent student-athletes from becoming athlete-students.
Ann Marchand and Nick Zaller for the editorial board
Kansan staff
News editors
Bradley Brooks ... Editorial
Jason Strait ... Editorial
Jodie Chester ... Neus
Jen Smith ... Neus
Adam Darby ... Neus
Charity Jeffries ... Online
Kristine Blasi ... Sports
Tommy Gallagher ... Associate Sports
Dave Morantz ... Campus
Eric Weslander ... Campus
Ashleigh Roberts ... Features
Steve Puppe ... Photo
Bryan Volk ... Design, graphics
Mitch Lucas ... Illustrations
Mark McMaster ... Wire
Ann Marchand ... Special sections
Lachelle Rhodes ... Neus clerk
Matt Fisher . . . Assistant retail
Michael Soifer . . . Campus
Colleen Eager . . . Regional
Anthony Migliarzzo . . National
Jeff Auslander . Marketing
Chris Haghirian . Internet
Brian LeFevre . Production
Jen Wallace . Production
Dustin Skidgel . Promotions
Tyler Cook . Creative
Annette Hoover . Public relations
Rachel O'Neill . Classified
Jaime Mann . Assistant classified
Marc Harrell . Senior account executive
Scott Swedish . Senior account executive
Advertising managers
Broaden your mind: Today's quote
"We're all gonna be just dirt in the ground."
—Tom Waits
LeHors: Should be double-spaced typed and fewer than 200 words. Letters must include the author's signature, name, address and telephone number plus class and home-town if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
Guest columnists Should be double-
spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
How to submit letters and guest columns
All letter and guest columns should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Staufer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Bradley Brooks (brooks@kansan.com) or Jason Strait (jstrait@kansan.com) at 864-4810. If you have generic questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call 864-4810.
Feedback
'Kansan' losing sight of its purpose
The "University Daily Kansan" seems to have forgotten its main purpose: To inform KU students about the campus and its activities.
The "Kansan" wants to be a combination of a college newspaper, "Pitch Weekly" and "Time" magazine. Its new weekend edition bears a striking resemblance to the local music and art publication, "Pitch Weekly," with it new front page layout telling of all the inside stories, its reviews of movies and music, and its section that announces "this weekend's area events." And anyone who has read "Time" magazine will recognize the "News in Brief" section filled with small sound bites about news from everywhere. "The Spin," which gives an up or down arrow rating to topics, and the winner and loser of the week (which may end up just being a realm for personal vengeance). The "Kansan" does not have the circulation of Pitch or Time. Its readers are KU students who want information about KU from the "Kansan."
I thought it was the "Kansan's" job to keep KU students informed of local issues and events, not the hottest compact disc out right now. In previous years, student organizations had free access to "On Campus," a calendar of upcoming events on campus. That section has been moved to the classified section, which very few people read, and the organization must pay for the publicity. Compared to the past listings of 20 or more activities a day, the "On Campus" section in the classified is lucky to have three. As for actual coverage of student events, the "Kansan" could improve. Instead of, or in addition to, doing movie reviews, the "Kansan" could start covering a campus organization every week. Of the more than 350 organizations registered with the Organizations and Activities Center last year, Student Senate is the only one that gets any type of regular coverage.
Finally, how about the issues on campus? I will give the opinion page its credit for discussing on-campus issues, but those are opinion columns. How many well-researched, well-presented, informational articles have there been about the $4 million jet the University is acquiring or what the official Coke contract actually says?
I do appreciate many of the "Kansan's" efforts. Its new weekly page dedicated to computer information and its new interactive web page show that the "Kansan" is keeping up with the times. I am glad that the "Kansan" give students a voice on the opinion page, and I like the weather update for the next day.
If the "Kansan" is trying to be a more hip, flashier newspaper, that's great. It might attract attention and encourage more students to read it. But it shouldn't forget its place on campus. It should be actively involved in publicizing the issues, organizations and activities on campus.
Editorial was off its mark, facts
Holly Krebs
Oskaloosa sophomore
What a strange editorial. Megan Jordan (for the editorial board) starts with the assertion "The prices at the Kansas Union are ridiculous. Books, clothes and the various Jayhawk paraphernalia are all at monopoly prices." But then she proceeds to demonstrate that food prices at the Union (unmentioned in her initial list) are not unreasonable and concludes by saying, basically, "quit yer bitchin.'" Fair enough.
But I take exception to the initial statement at least in regard to book prices. (Books and food services are different than clothing or paraphernia - you have to eat and buy books. If you spend your hard-earned bucks on high-priced Jayhawk stuff, it's your own free choice.)
Some indisputable facts about books and book prices:
1) Books are very expensive.
Welcome to life.
2) Book prices are established by the publishers, not by bookstores. Standard markup on textbooks is 20 or 25 percent.
For comparison, industry standard mark-up on clothing is 100 to 150 percent.
3) Mark-up is not profit. The store must pay its expenses out of mark-up.
4) Bookstores do not select which books to order; professors do. Professors are also the one who use or don't use the books they have ordered in class.
(5) The Union is not a monopoly. There are two private, for-profit bookstores close to campus. (Who charge the same amount. See point 2.) While it is not practical to leave campus everyday to buy lunch, it's not impractical to go down to 23rd St. st. two or three times a semester to buy books.
6) The Union bookstore is a not-for-profit operation. "Profits" are used to subsidize other Union activities and some are returned to students in the rebate program. (Ask the store.)
So to students I say, "quit yer bitchin'." To the editorial board I say, "you are in the information business. Please inform us, don't just pass on 'common knowledge' unverified."
Truth in packaging: I have worked for the Union Bookstores for several years but I don't anymore.
J. Stanley Haehl Asst. professor of theatre and film
Brewery review lacking in fairness
Regarding your review of Brown Bear Brewery in your Sept. 5 edition, we understand that reviews go with the territory of this business.
We strongly take exception, however, to the contents of this review. Any fair, unbiased restaurant review is done only after more than one visit to the establishment, especially when it has been open less than 10 days, as was the case with Mr. Duncan's visit. Our chef has been a fixture at on one of downtown Lawrence's best restaurants for the last four years. He and his staff have been and will continue to put out quality food at good prices.
That is not to say we're perfect. Neither, I might add, is the "Kansan," with the following references in the article: "entrees with chicken as it's staple" (it is stapley?) and "put on our taule (table)?
We've been open just two weeks, and we're off to a great start. I'm confident the "Kansan's" readers will give us a try and form their own opinions.
Shawn Schlegel Manager, Brown Bear Brewery
Brewery not such a bad place after all
For those of you who enjoy good beer, live dance music and a great crowd, The Brown Bear Brewing Co. should be part of your Friday night. The Brewery, located at 729 Mass St., had its official grand opening on Saturday, Sept. 6, and is a welcome addition to the Lawrence bar scene.
We were angered, to say the least, after reading the article in last Friday's paper that ridiculed the Brewery for poor food and service. The irony is that Mr. Duncan expressed various complaints in the article and then proceeded to say, "I don't want to infer the place is all bad." Quite frankly, the damage has been done.
In addition, the article clearly violated journalistic protocol in two instances. First, restaurants should not be evaluated unless they have been in business for at least three months. You may have noticed the article was published before the grand opening. Second, critiques of a restaurant should not be published unless the critic has visited the establishment three times.
Our experiences with The Brown Bear Brewing Co. have been more than satisfactory. Live music fills the cozy bar, unique and high quality beer flows freely and the service is
prompt.
Clearly, Brown Bear has the potential to be one of the more popular bars in Lawrence. To those of you who read Spencer Duncan's bitter review of the restaurant, please do not judge a bar by its review.
Jaime Mann
Naperville, IL. senior
and classified salesperson
for the "Kansan."
Colleen Eager
Albuquerque, NM junior
and regional salesperson
for the "Kansan."
Dissection needed at University
This letter represents my curiosity regarding one of the local student groups, PAL, advocating the ethical treatment of animals (a concept I most egregiously support), and the self-imposed limitation they suffer due to a complete lack of foresight.
The University campus provides ideas in a panorama, formatted in 8.5 by 11 inch blocks, where one can hardly turn one's head without a barrage of concepts assaulting one from behind tape and staple restraints. PAL provides such an affront, decrying the insensitivity and inhumanity of a situation in which students must dissect animals as a requirement of certain biology classes.
It becomes apparent that PAL suffers definitive myopia with regard to the purpose and function of such an education. The idea that while those individuals with 'real feelings of love for animals' and 'true respect for all life' anguish, scalpel in hand, poised above fellow animal to rend him of organ, the halls of the department of biology resound in sadistic peals of human laughter from behind two-way mirrors in rooms unseen, is ludicrous.
Without such courses that require an intimate knowledge of the working beneath the skin, there could not exist any method through which abnormalities or disfunctions among members could be examined, let alone remedied.
Sad as it is, support, not opposition, must be given to such endeavors that will allow a familiarity with the inner workings of animals, both for the benefit of animals ill, and for our own benefit (as we ourselves may succumb to a similar malady) as well. Does the salvation of the many justify the sacrifice of the few? Those Christians, of whom I am not a part, will say yes. I believe that until they start passing out magic wands to doctors and veterinarians, it does.
Tim Donohue Lawrence senior
Phillips 66 column just out to gripe
I am not really sure what can be said about Matt Caldwell's column except that it is exactly what Mr. Caldwell said it was not to be, an extremist's point of view.
I am in no way saying that genocide is something that everyone should be doing. I feel that it is wrong and that there is no place for it. The trouble I have with this article is that the author wants people to focus on a company that has no way of changing the politics of that country. How will the boycott of Phillips change that government? What if Phillips pulls off of the island? What will happen next? I would guess that another company would just buy up the oil rights and things would not be any different.
But of course then Mr. Caldwell would have the increase in gas prices to gripe about, wouldn't he? If people really want something done about the problem, focus on a group that can make a major change in the situation—the United Nations. Of course, maybe we could get all of the Phillips employees to assemble a strike force to deal with the situation. How would that be, Mr. Caldwell?
Find something better to gripe about or at least an effective solution.
William Dietz
Bartlesville, Okla.. junior