Voter Guide
Opponents come from contrasting backgrounds
By Lew Ferguson
Associated Press Writer
TOPEKA - Michael Tom Sawyer has risen above family struggles and become the Democratic nominee for governor of Kansas.
His life offers a sharp contrast to incumbent Gov. Bill Graves', the Republican seeking re-election, life of relative ease.
Sawyer's father could not work for an long period of time because of injuries, plunging the family into poverty. As a first grader in Omaha, Neb., Sawyer took mayonnaise sandwiches to school.
"I think they were supposed to be cheese sandwiches, but we were too poor for the cheese," he said. "I still don't like mayonnaise to this day."
The tough times taught him frugality and a work ethic, Sawyer said. At age 5, he opened his own store in his room at home.
"I started with Halloween candy, then bought candy bars and resold them," he said.
Sawyer, 40, was born in Wichita but attended high school in Omaha. He attended Wichita State University, earning a business degree in 1984. Sawyer worked for the Sedgwick County clerk's office while going to college.
That experience got Sawyer into politics. He lost a race for county treasurer in 1984, but was appointed county clerk the next year. He was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1986 and has been re-elected five times.
Graves spent his childhood in Salina. His father co-founded the state's biggest independent trucking company, Graves Truck Lines. Graves went through school in Salina and graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University in 1975 with a business degree.
Graves was in graduate school at the University of Kansas, working toward an MBA and headed toward a career running the truck company when it was sold by the family in 1979.
A wealthy young man without a job at 26. Graves turned to politics by working in the secretary of state's office. He was elected to the office in 1986 and held it for two terms. He was elected governor in 1994.
Graves considers his background very middle class.
"The Graves family success probably was not realized until the late 1960s or early '70s," he said.
On the cover:
The cover of the Voter Guide is a photo illustration combining features of some candidates. Those pictured are: Sam Brownback, Jim Clark, Paul Feleciano, Bill Graves, Dennis Moore, Tom Oyler, Jim Ryun, Tom Sawyer, and Vince Snowbarger.
These are a few of the offices up for election Nov.3.
Vote'98
U. S. Representatives
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Insurance Commissioner
State Treasurer
County Commissioner
State Representatives
District Court Judges
CAMPAIGN ISSUES
Some issues that affect the University of Kansas:
Allocation of money to University financed research.
Increasing or decreasing the amount of money appropriated for Pell Grants.
Easing restrictions placed on international students and teachers who want to come to Kansas universities.
Convincing the University to participate in a national database for campus crime reporting.
- Stepping up to renew efforts to recruit minorities and continue affirmative action programs.
- Look into a combined city and University busing system
FUNDING
Increase University salaries by 7.6 percent in each of the next three years.
Receive an increase of 3.4 percent for other operating expenses, primarily for the library.
Get the state of Kansas to stop placing the burden of higher education funding on students by continually raising tuition.
Consider a state sponsored savings plan that would encourage families to save for college.
Boost spending for capital improvements.
Making available more work visas for international students
INTERNATIONAL
Making the state stop increasing non-resident tuition, which can make it more difficult to attract foreign students.
Election to affect special interests of the University
By Chad Bettes
Kansan staff writer
Despite forecasts of low voter turnout, the Nov. 3 election will give Lawrence and the University of Kansas another opportunity to affect public policy
Kyle Ramsey Campaigns are intensifying as the mid-term election approaches.
the mid-term election approaches, with candidates trying to convey their positions on issues ranging from education funding to social issues. The University has a special interest in several issues on the state and federal level.
Education Funding
Jon Josserand, government liaison for the University, said budget issues were monitored closely. Dramatic shifts in Congress or the State Legislature, which are not expected this year, can change the amount of funding the University will receive.
The University recently sent its budget request for fiscal year 2000 to Gov. Bill Graves for review. The governor examines the University's request and presents his comprehensive budget proposal to the Legislature in January. Graves is running for re-election this year against Democratic challenger Rep. Tom Sawyer.
The key element of this year's KU budget request is a faculty salary initiative that would increase salaries by 7.6 percent in each of the next three years. Josserand said it was important to bring KU salaries up to par with those at peer universities.
The Board of Regents also has emphasized the importance of this initiative as a way of preventing teachers from leaving Kansas universities for higher salaries elsewhere. Salaries at the University are at 89.1 percent of the level of salaries at peer universities, Josserand said.
The University has requested an increase of 3.4 percent for the portion of the budget not related to salaries, called "other operating expenses." One percent of the increase would be dedicated to the KU libraries.
Bill Crowe, vice chancellor of information services, said increased library funding was a basic issue of investment in the state's future. He said people were in an information age where the costs of information have risen far faster than increases in available funds.
Research Funding
Josserand said the University was seeking to improve its research infrastructure and obtain additional federal grants for research.
Bob Barnhill, vice chancellor for research, said he would try to educate legislators about important research at the University to increase its share of grants.
"In the past, we didn't get as much funding for research as other states, but we're seeing that turn around," Barnhill said.
He said additional funding would allow the University to provide more undergraduate participation in research as well.
International Issues
Political policies have a big impact on foreign students and faculty at the University. Work visa rules, monetary policy and tuition changes made an impact on the University and state in a big way, said Joe Potts, director of international student services.
He said Congress had recently made some beneficial changes that he hoped would continue.
For instance, Congress almost doubled the number of work visas available for nonimmigrants to 115,000. Potts said this helped fill a need in scientific, technical and business areas where there were not enough qualified workers for academic positions.
Potts said he wanted the state to hold the line on increases for non-resident tuition to make study at the University less prohibitive for foreign students. He said the economic impact and cultural benefits of having foreign students at the University should be considered.
Financial Aid
Korb Maxwell, president of the student legislative awareness board, said candidates should address their plans for financial aid.
He said recent federal legislation that lowered the interest rate on student loans and increased the limit on grants was important and helpful.
Maxwell said students would be watching to see that the money for the authorized grant increases was appropriated.
Christine Crenshaw, director of student financial aid for the Board of Regents,said she had proposed a $1 million increase in state grants for students in need.She said it was good public policy to give lower income students who met admissions standards a chance at higher education.
Gov. Graves and the Legislature would decide on Crenshaw's request and generally had been supportive, she said. Other In
Other Issues
The student legislative awareness board is advocating other issues such as improved University participation in a national database for campus crime reporting and continued affirmative action programs.
On the state level, Maxwell said Kansas should stop placing more education expenses on students through tuition hikes.
He said students at Regents universities were paying about 38 percent of the cost of higher education. Traditionally,the state paid 75 percent of the cost,with students paying 25 percent.
With skyrocketing costs for capital improvements and libraries, Maxwell said the state needed to boost spending at a faster rate.
"To maintain educational quality, the increases haven't been enough." Maxwell said.
In other state issues, Maxwell said he agreed with the increases in grants proposed by Crenshaw. He said the student legislative awareness board also was pushing for a citywide bus system and a state-sponsored savings plan that would provide tax incentives for families to save for college.
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The University Daily Kansan/ SLAB
Thursday, October 29, 1998