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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7,2009
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VOLUME 121 ISSUE 35
SHARING THE WEALTH
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
Jennifer Weber, assistant professor of history, donates the royalties from the textbook she authored to the Civil War Battlefield Trust. Weber has required her textbook, "Copperheads: The Rise and Fall of Lincoln's Opponents in the North," in her history class since last spring. She said she felt uncomfortable about profiting from sales of her book to her students and was glad to hear that the University had a policy about professor's textbook royalties.
Professors donate book royalties
BY ALY VAN DYKE avandyke@kansan.com
David Holmes, psychology professor, requires two textbooks he authored in two of his classes.
About 1,400 students purchase these books each semester, earning Holmes as much as $6,500, according to standard textbook royalty contracts. Holmes would not disclose the royalties he made per new book, and does not receive payment for used books.
Holmes is one of about 35 University professors who require their own books in classes. But
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Holmes, or any other professor for that matter, isn't allowed to pocket that money — a University policy prohibits it. Instead, professors are expected to donate the money to their department or a non-profit organization.
However, with no reporting requirement and no one to enforce
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See a list of University professors who have published textbooks.
the policy, few professors, including Holmes, even know the policy exists.
"I think that it's more of an academic honors system," said Jeannette Johnson, assistant to the provost.
Johnson said she wasn't aware of any concerns with the policy, but said problems would most likely be dealt with at the department or school level.
Lisa Wolf-Wendel, president of Faculty Senate, said the policy was good in principle, but was too expensive to enforce and nearly impossible to track.
"So we have to rely on the good-will of the faculty to do the right thing," she said, "and most faculty probably do."
the greater Kansas City Fund, a public charity.
Holmes said he was not aware of the policy, but each year donates a percentage of book royalties to
THE POLICY
The Faculty Council adopted the policy in 1998, and it states that professors who receive royalties on materials they require in courses must donate the proceeds to "their departments, schools, scholarship funds or other non-profit entities." The professors can collect royalties on their books required by other professors at the University and
SEE TEXTBOOKS ON PAGE 6A
SCIENCE
Doctoral student discovers fanged frog species
BY RAY SEGEBRECHT
rsegbrecht@kansan.com
For David McLeod, fame came unexpectedly through an overnight excursion deep into the Mekong Delta area of northeast Thailand.
One was typical for the region and came from a small and well-documented species. The other, however, was of the bird-eating, fanged variety, which more than doubled the first in size and had never before been recorded. Its discovery has earned McLeod recognition this fall by major news networks, such as CNN, after the World Wildlife Fund released a major report two weeks ago.
McLeod, Kitchener, Ontario, doctoral student in ecology and evolutionary biology, had hiked with local rangers to a remote stream in the jungle to conduct fieldwork for his dissertation, but the excitement started when he found two specimens of frogs.
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The species, called limonectes megastomias or the Khorat big misted frog, which measures 12 to 15 centimeters long, isn't the only fanged amphibian whose discovery has given a University affiliate newfound notoriety this fall. Rafe Brown, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, also released an article he co-authored on a separate
it was described from a location that has been a well-studied area for the last 40 or more years," McLeod said. "We've had researchers at this site since the 1960s. There's still indescribable diversity right underneath our noses."
"I think the significance was that
SEE FROGS ON PAGE 6A
This Khorat big-mouthed frog specimen was captured by University graduate student David McLeod. The frog, scientifically known as limnectines megastomiasis, has fangs and measures between 12 and 15 centimeters long.
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
ADMINISTRATION
Student athletes' discipline in question
BY DANIEL JOHNSON djohnson@kansan.com
Endless questions have been raised in the two weeks since KU basketball and football players came to blows on multiple occasions. But of all the questions, one will remain unanswered: Did the University punish the students involved?
Marlesa Roney, vice provost of student success, said her office was investigating potential violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
"The University is really committed to making sure that due process is followed, that the rules and regulations are followed and that there is continuing work being invested to investigating all of the details," Roney said. "That's really where we are right now."
The University lays out clear guidelines for student conduct in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Code. Article 22, section A1 of the code says a violation occurs when a student "threatens the physical health, welfare, or safety of another person," or "uses physical force in a manner that endangers the health, welfare or safety of another person."
As reported by several sources, the incidents included multiple physical altercations between student athletes. Tyshawn Taylor admitted on a Facebook update that he injured his hand throwing a punch in the fight and one eye witness reported seeing one of the Morris twins push a football player down a set of stairs.
Tom Cox, Shawnee graduate student and chair of the Student Senate's student rights committee, said he thought the incidents were obvious violations of the code.
"If what the media has reported is true, I think the first altercation at the Burge Union violates the student code." Cox said. "I don't know the exact details of the altercation on Wescoe, but it was definitely a full disruption for the campus."
According to a report from the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success, 12 cases violating the 22:A1 code were heard from 2005-2009. Of the 12, 11 were found responsible and the following sanctions resulted: one expulsion, two suspensions, six probations and one warning. One case remained pending.
Violations of the conduct code are subject to University investigations by appointed authorities. Punishments can include written warnings, probation, community service, suspension and expulsion.
"When I look at what we have done to judge conduct issues in the past, it seems like there is a good track record in terms of
Roney said sanctions were determined on a case-by-case basis.
SEE POLICY ON PAGE 3A
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Letterman scandal leads to ratings increase for show
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"Late Show" host's disclosure of affairs with female staffers gives him an edge over "Tonight" host Conan O'Brien. ENTERTAINMENT | 4A
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