Friday, October 16.1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
University strikes $1.1 million deal for Smith Hall
By Pallavi Agarwal Kanson staff writer
Smith Hall is now part and parcel of the University of Kansas.
The building, which houses the Religious Studies Department, was bought by the University Wednesday for $1.1 million from the Kansas Bible Chair, an agency of the Christian Church of Kansas.
It was token amount, given with the understanding that the building would be used only for religious studies, said Rose Marino, Associate General Counsel of the University.
The agency has been leasing the building to the University for one dollar per year since the 1970s.
She said the deal made sense because the land was contiguous to the University, and it would not to lose it to an outside agency.
It was the last University building housing classrooms that had been leased by the University, said Jim Modig, director of Design & Construction Management.
"We hope that with the change of ownership, long-term maintenance issues can be solved," said Tim Miller, chairperson of the religious studies department.
Miller said heating and cooling was a problem with the building, and a leaky roof sometimes caused water to pour into the library, the reading room and a classroom.
Under the lease agreement, the University was in charge of indoor maintenance while the owner managed all outside maintenance work, said Rich Givens, assistant provost.
The University embarked upon outside maintenance work this summer when the stained glass window and protective windows installed around it were repaired. Glens said.
"It became difficult for the owner to maintain it, so we decided to buy it." he said.
Maintenance work under the University's "Crumbling Classroom" program has given the library in the building a new carpet with maintenance work in some of the classrooms, Givens said.
Marino said payments would be done in installments of $55,000 every year for the next 20 years.
The funds will be acquired from the operating budget of the University, she said.
A farmhouse resided in the place where the building now stands. The farmhouse, called Myers Hall, was torn down in 1967, to make way for the building. Miller said.
The building acquired the name from Irma Smith, who is believed to have donated money for its construction. Marino said.
Givens said that the actual cost of the building was twice the amount paid, but the owners took into account the maintenance costs that the University would have to undertake.
Victims' lives will be remembered used for petitioning better legislation
By Kelli Raybern
Kansan staff writer
Campus and Lawrence groups are remembering victims of alleged hate crimes and fighting the hatred that caused their deaths.
The KU Student Development Center, in cooperation with five other campus groups, today will commemorate the lives of Matthew Shepard, a University of Wyoming student who was beaten to death in Wyoming, and James Byrd, who was dragged to death in Jasper, Texas, this summer.
Mary Ann Rasnak, director of the Student Development Center, said the commemoration, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. in front of Wescoe Hall, was needed, because the deaths had shaken people on campus.
"I think that it has reminded us that hatred like this is not as far below the surface as we would like to think," she said. "This particular incident didn't happen in Lawrence, but it certainly
"This particular incident didn't happen in Lawrence,but it certainly could if we are not aware of the fact that hatred exists everywhere."
Mary Ann Rasnak
Director of the Student Development Center
sould if we are not aware of the fact that hatred exists everywhere."
Rasnak said she hoped the commemoration would help people to work through their grief about the recent events.
The service will include an informational display about the lives and deaths of Shepard and Byrd, and tables will be set up for students to write messages of support and condolences to their families. Petitions for national hate crime legislation also will be available.
Also, at 1:30 p.m. m. Albert Gerken, professor of music and dance, will toll 21 chimes, one for each year of Shepard's life, Rosak said.
The Freedom Coalition, a Lawrence civil rights group, will hold a Candlelight Vigil Against Hate at 7 tonight in front of Lawrence City Hall, at Sixth and Massachusetts streets.
The vigil will honor Shepard, Byrd and all victims of hate crimes, and also will call for state and national hate crimes prevention legislation.
Speakers from the University and Lawrence organizations will address the vigil, and local and state politicians will be invited to speak.
Hate crimes happen often in Lawrence, said Chris Robinson, a member of the Gay and Lesbian Academic and Staff Advocates and of the Freedom Coalition, a Lawrence civil rights group.
"I know people personally who have been harassed. It happens all the time," she said. "People are afraid to report it."
There are two events commemorating the deaths of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd today:
COMMEMORATIONS
12:30 to 2:30 p.m. in front of
Hall
7 p.m. in front of City Hall, Sixth and Manhattan
A commemoration including displays about the lives of Shepard and Byrd, petitions for national hate crime legislation and tablets to send messages to the victims' families.
and Massachusetts streets A candlelight vigil against hate, including speakers from the Lawrence and KU communities. Organizers request that those attending bring a candle and a paper cup for wax drippings.
but they must report it for anything to be done about it."
She said it was in every student's interest to speak out against hate crimes.
"Hatred affects everyone, anyone can be a target of hatred," she said.
Chancellor promotes educational alliance
Hemenway supports cooperation among Kansas institutions
By Jason Pearce
Kanson staff writer
Chancellor Robert Hemenway stood before members of the Kansas Board of Regents yesterday in Emporia and presented specific reasons why they should support the development of a coordinating body for higher education.
"We have reached a point in this process where we should focus on what needs to be accomplished," Hemenway said at the monthly meeting, which was held on the campus of Emporia State University.
dination and cooperation between universities, community colleges and vocational-technical schools.
Hemenway said that even though differences existed between state universities and community colleges, it was still a defafo system of governance.
The coordinating body, which is part of a plan designed by chancellors and presidents at the six public universities and 19 community colleges, would be a separate entity from the Regents and would focus on coor-
"Every single university and community college can show the benefits of having a system with high access, high quality and low cost." he said.
The current system is lacking coordination and state-wide master planning between the different entities, Hemenway said.
Fort Hays State University president Ed Hammond also spoke on behalf of the state universities and community colleges. Hammond said that all the efforts by the Regents and school administrators should promote a seamless system of education.
"This coordinating body would be minimally staffed, and it does not need a large bureaucracy," he said.
Hammond presented an amended version of the plan — Blueprint for the Future of Kansas Higher Education — this week to a state task force. The Governor's Task Force on Higher Education Structure for Excellence will discuss the blueprint and make recommendations to the Legislature in January on how to Kansas' system of higher education.
After hearing the presentation from Hammond and Henway and discussing its implications, board members developed a subcommittee — staffed by chairman Bill Docking, Regent Harry Craig and Kansas State University President Jon Wefald — that will put into writing the opinions on 12 issues of the blueprint.
This subcommittee will present its views on the blueprint at the Nov. 5 meeting of the Governor's task force.
Regents member Murray Lull, although he agreed with the basic premise for the blueprint, brought up the issue of funding a new coordinating body.
"If there is a finite amount of state funding from the Legislature," he said. "It may not allow everyone to get what they want."
Lull said that added Regents' expenditures, including a proposed faculty salary increase and higher operating expenses, could limit the amount of money available for one part of higher education.
IN OTHER BUSINESS:
THE REGENTS:
Approved a request by the University of Kansas to establish the Global Center for Marketing Communications and Journalism. The center will be developed by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications and funded by federal grants
Delayed a vote on a new intellectual property policy for Regents universities until the November meeting.
- Released official fall 1998 enrollment numbers. The entire Regents system had 80,361 students, or 64,864 full-time equivalent students.
"The Regents has six universities to support today," Lull said. "With a new body to fund, we will have to be very persuasive with the Legislature to get the funds we need."