Opinion
Kansan
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Jodie Chester, *Editor* Marc Harrell, *Business manager*
Gerry Doyle, *Manager editing* Jamie Holman, *Retail sales manager*
Ryan Koerner, *Manager editing* Dan Simon, *Sales and marketing adviser*
Tom Eblen, *General manager, news adviser* Justin Knupp, *Technology coordinator*
Thursday, September 17, 1998
Brant Henderson/ KANSAN
Editorials
Bus pass remedies were deceptive
A recent proposal by the KU on Wheels transportation coordinator that included duping students was the type of behavior the campus detests from officials. It should not have happened and must never happen again.
Nicole Skala, transportation coordinator, said in a written proposal to the Transportation Board that the bus system could take a "hush-hush" approach concerning the failed KUID as bus passes. Although KU on Wheels awaits separate bus passes for students, there is no way to check who purchased a pass and who did not. For now, any student can ride for free simply by showing a KUID.
At the board meeting, Skalla brought up a proposal that included an option in which the transportation board would charge $1 to students who did not purchase a pass and have those that did run their KUIDs through broken machines.
This was the second option Skalla provided. Her first suggestion was to
Three options were given to help the troubling situation, two were not forthright.
be open with students and let people ride for free until the new bus passes arrive. That was a fair suggestion, but it should have been the only one of the three that was offered.
It was improper for Skalla to offer in writing the idea that it would be acceptable to not be honest with students.
She suggested that the transportation board could pretend nothing was wrong, despite the bus pass system being shut down.
This was a ridiculous idea and should not have been included at all among the proposal Skalla submitted, Skalla should be embarrassed for suggesting it.
Skalla is supposed to represent students. She must advocate being forright at all times. Students need to trust student officials, but incidents
like this make it difficult
Skalla has done good things as transportation coordinator, but those are overshadowed by the types of suggestions she made to deal with this situation.
The bus pass situation has been a fiasco, and none of it is Skalla's fault. She has been burdened with the glitches of a system the University administration promised would be a success.
But when Skalla suggests hints that it might be acceptable to pull a fast one on students, then she becomes part of the problem, not part of the solution.
Skalla's proposal was considered and then turned down by the board, witch oversees the bus system. But that doesn't make it any better.
In the future, Skalla should think twice before making these suggestions. If she doesn't, she will lose the trust and support of the students for whom she is supposed to stand up.
Spencer Duncan for the editorial board
KUID options put forth by the transportation coordinator
Smart card options as presented Sept.9, to the Campus Transportation Board:
1. Allow students to board the bus for "free" until we can implement the new system. As Karl suggested, give specific details in a press release to media outlets indicating that students can board for free until the new passes are ready, with the understanding that they must pay or show an ID after a specified date. We could pass this off as a publicity stunt for KU on Wheels, showing our good will toward our current users and impressing non-users into buying bus passes with the efficiency of our service.
Problem: Those students who already have a bus pass may decide that they want a refund for this two week period if we allow anyone to ride the bus. I believe that this problem could be solved with a very carefully worded press release. However, we need to be prepared for all situations.
quickly that the drivers are not checking and will board for free anyway. In my biased opinion, we reap no benefits here because we look underhanded and are unfair, plus we don't get the publicity benefits of appearing magnanimous.
2. Allow student to board the bus without using their smart card, but maintain a "hush, hush" mentality so that non-bus pass holders will continue to pay for the service.
Problem: This still creates the problem that some students will realize what is going on and demand a full refund. Also any intelligent student should catch on
3. Make students continue to use the readers in the misbegotten hope that they do not figure out that the readers are not actually working.
Problem: Even if we demand that the drivers continue to check cards, the reality is that many of them will not do so. In addition, this does not help our credibility problem immediately because drivers and students will continue to be frustrated.
Kansan staff
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broaden your mind: Toduy's quote
“Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong.” — Daniel O'Connel
How to submit letters and guest columns
Letters: 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.
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spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
All letters and guest columns should be submitted to the Kansen newsroom, 111 Staufer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserve the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Ann Premer (premer@kansan.com) or Tim Harrington (tharrington@kansan.com) at 846-4810. If you have general questions or comments, email the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call 846-4810.
Get Clinton out of news and focus on big issues
Perspective
It is starting to look like anyone with a television or a radio had better get used to hearing about President Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky every day, all day. But if
you are sick of all this coverage as I am, tough. There is too much vital information out there that you need to know about.
Last week, the headlines blared the news that Clinton's approval ratings dropped a few percentage points. Tomorrow's headlines probably will say that Clinton got those points back despite having changed his story again for the third or fourth time.
David
Perico
opinion@kansan.com
I hate to admit it, but all of this coverage is starting to
have an effect on my thinking. I actually have read some of the testimony from the Starr Report. If that is not bad enough, I understand some of the issues involved in this case.
It seems that the whole affair revolves around the fact that Monica Lewinsky got a job at the White House and started fooling around with the president. When word of the affair got out, Clinton denied it and even testified in the Paula Jones case that he did not have a sexual affair, sexual relations or a sexual relationship with Lewinskv. Oops.
You almost have to admire Clinton's appreciation of the narrow definition of sexual relations that were set forth by the judge in the Jones case. That judge defined sexual relations as "contact with the genitalia...(or) breast... of any person with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person."
Clinton later defended his denials of sexual relations by saying that this definition of sexual relations does not apply if the "contact is not with anything on that list (of sexual contacts), but with the lips of another person." It was a pretty sly response, and it might have gotten him off the hook, but Lewinsky decided to tell all. Now Clinton has a new explanation
— that he sinned. He didn't have sexual relations with Lewinsky and he didn't inhale. He just sinned.
It really is amazing what a nice, big scandal can do to a president's political beliefs. Thirty years ago, Clinton was mourning (toking)? a joint, dodging the draft and protesting in the Soviet Union. Now, with a scandal weighing heavily on his shoulders, he ordered military strikes against terrorists, dropped his plans for a huge health-care bureaucracy and the federal government is now operating with surplus funds.
The only thing left to discuss in this neverending soap opera is what will happen in Congress now that Clinton has admitted wrongdoing. My own hope is that Congress will keep compiling evidence of Clinton's wrongdoing without impeaching him. If Congress did that, everyone would benefit.
Now that the possibility of congressional action has been raised by Republicans and Democrats, Clinton has gone so far as to admit that he did have an affair.
We could have a stable executive branch while the economies of major countries are headed in a downward spiral. We also would have government stability while we are dealing with resurgent terrorism. Most important, we would have a staunch Republican in the White House without having another presidential election.
If the Republicans in Congress can lead Clinton around by the nose for the next two years, it would be downright foolish to impeach him now. If Clinton tries to lease another military base to the Chinese government or tries to sell them any more sensitive military technology, then Congress can move forward with impeachment. But I don't think that will ever become necessary. There is one thing that I've seen Clinton do consistently during his time in office, and that is to put Bill Clinton first.
So, let's move past this crisis and get on with our lives. That sure would make the news a lot more interesting.
Perico is a Lawrence sophomore majoring in English.
Pedestrians' right of way puts them in the way
Having passed driver's education with a solid C, I vaguely remember learning that pedestrians always have the right of way. I still believe firmly in this principle.
of way I still believe firmly That is no good Lalag
That being said, I also would like to mention that, should some pedestrian decide to take on my car as it hurtles down the road at a minimum of 10 mph faster than the speed limit, the car would win.
I am not saying that I would try to hit anybody. However, when someone steps off the curb, slows their pace and gives me that I'm-too-cool-to-hurry-across-the-street look, the gas pedal tends to get just a little closer to the floorboar
H.G.
Miller
opinion@kansan.com
At any given point during the day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., about 10,000 people will cross the streets of campus and any attempt to drive through the masses of bleached hair, khaki shorts and fashionable sandals shows a serious lack of judgment.
Look, all I'm asking is that whoever crosses the street in front of me acknowledges that he or she is in my way and doesn't dawle. The hand wave is time-honored because it works.
Keep in mind, I am talking in general, citywide terms. The issues surrounding campus driving are completely different.
Campus is closed for a reason. Yes, I know the air-conditioner isn't working in your car, and you only wanted to check out the pretty landscape while short-cutting your way to the many shopping options on 23rd Street. I feel
for you I really do.
It's called Tennessee Street, though. Use it.
As with all issues, there is a flip side to campus driving. As stated earlier, cars are large, life-endangering objects, often driven by people like me — people who tend to be distracted by little squirrels running through trees.
for you. I really do.
Use some common sense when crossing the street. Look both ways, please. Not to bring you down or anything, but your specific whereabouts (i.e. on the curb or on the hood of my car) are not the top priority on my list.
I also would like to interject a rule that a friend of mine and many others follow. The five o'clock rule. Simply stated: After five, campus is open and everyone is fair game.
Finally, I'd like to comment on the whole parking thing.
Thankfully, we are finally past the dark days of no parking spaces. A small thanks from me to all the teachers who don't take attendance, which inadvertently allows for the freeing up of parking spaces.
1, and many others, no longer need to troll around endlessly, sucking up the nauseating fumes from 1,000 other cars, trying to find spots for 8:30 a.m. classes. Yes, those were desperate times.
However, old habits die hard, and there is a certain thrill to gunning down a narrow aisle of parked cars at about 70 mph. Walking up the hill is good for more than just making your legs look good. It also gives them the strength you'll need to get out of the way quickly.
Miller is a Hutchinson senior majoring in English.
Feedback
Everyone should reflect on scandal
The '60s will be remembered for another historical movement. It marks the beginning of a war between two distinct ideologies. The words liberal and conservative were used before, but these words became labels for which these two viewpoints would use as war paint for the future. Ideologies which through their infancies would grow into the adolescence of the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution and Watergate find its legs and reason for living through the Reagan years and now full maturity during one of our most politically volatile eras, the Clinton Administration.
For the last 38 years, conservatism and liberalism could keep to themselves. Oh sure, a rumble might break out every
Both ideologies are in their primes. They've been in the minor leagues, learned to hit that inside curve ball and are ready to win the moral world series. The problem is neither can rely on their wicked curve balls or their brute strength. Both will have to justify their beliefs with honesty and a rock-
once in a while, but these two budding gangs could almost stick to their own turf and not really have to fight about a piece of our moral property.
Liberals will roll out the victims and say, "Hey, everybody's doing it." How conservatives will look to sacred texts to find meaning and justification for their moral outrage. However thick the cloud of dialogue may get, we as individuals are being forced to take a side and personally justify how we feel about it. By ignoring this issue, we will be negating a justification for not impeaching him. We must look inside our own hearts to find the answer. It will affect us personally for the rest of our lives.
Christopher Sieggen
Lawrence junior