Tomorrow's weather
KU
Hot again tomorrow with hazy sunshine.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
Kansan
HIGH LOW 94 72
Monday
August 25, 1998
Section:
A
Vol. 109 • No. 05
Use this opportunity to take a peek at exotic places all over the globe. Remember, it's only seven months until Spring Break!
Online today
Vol. 109 · No. 05
http://www.earthcam.com
Sports today
The Kansas women's soccer team is hopeful to better its record from last season which was 7-12-1.
SEE PAGE 1B
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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Paraguayan scholar comes to Lawrence
(USPS 650-640)
By Steph Brower
Kansan staff writer
Victor Jacinto Flecha has an impressive resume; political analyst and columnist, professor and consultant to a project on the decentralization of Paraguay's government.
Since Aug.15, he has been traveling around
tesy of the U.S. Information Agency, and studying the American government, education and way of life. Paraguay has been a democracy since a coup in 1989, but it still struggles with economic problems.
His latest stop, Lawrence, is by far the smallest city on his tour. Other cities include Washington, San Francisco, Pittsburgh and New York.
Jacinto: Visiting Lawrence on his tour of U.S. cities.
"I think that Lawrence
is a University town, but it's also a very special town to the history of liberty in the United States." Flecha said of his decision to stop here.
There also is the Kansas-Paraguay connection. Kansas and Paraguay are partners in the Americas Program, said Melissa Birch, section chairwoman for Paraguayan studies in the Latin American Studies Association and associate professor of business at the University.
The program, established by the U.S. government in the 1960s, paired states with Latin American countries in an effort to connect citizens.
As a result, Flecha said, the University has a large number of Paraguayan students compared to other universities in the nation. Flecha met with some of these students last night at the Kansas Union.
Sebastian Peña, Asuncion, Paraguay, graduate student, said the students wanted to discuss the political situation in Paraguay. He said he would like to see total state reform in his country, especially in the education system.
"Democracy cannot sustain itself with people who can read and write," he said.
He said that although most Paraguayans are literate, that was not enough.
He said that the education system in the United States was better than the Latin American standard.
But while Flecha is in the United States to study the way of life. He said the trip is to look and compare the U.S. system to that of Paraguay.
"This is the first time that the Paraguayans are trying to have a democracy," he said.
First times often have problems, and Paraguay has not been an exception.
"Paraguay is the weakest democracy in Latin America," Flecha said. "There aren't any democratic traditions."
Today, Flecha will meet with John Nalbandian, professor of public administration and government and Lawrence city commissioner, and will attend a city commission meeting.
Lawrence has been, so far, an interesting experience for Flecha. He said that in small towns in Paraguay, the streets were made of dirt and people worked with their hands more. One thing he said, is the same, though.
"It's the same sun," he said. "It's very hot."
Fire update
Above: This house at 1605 Tennessee St. caught fire last Sunday night. Fire department personnel were surveying the damage yesterday morning. Photo by Graham K. Johnson/KANSAN Below: The blaze erupts shortly after 11:00 Sunday night, as flames shoot out the windows. Bv-standers said it took less than 10 minutes for flames to envelop the building. Photo by Roger Nomer/KANSAN
Arson suspected in fire
Damage figured to be $150,000
Keith Burner
Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
The fire that burned a two-story, partially remodeled house late Sunday night at 1605 Tennessee St. caused about $150,000 in damage and may have been intentional, Lawrence Fire Marshal Richard Barr said.
Barr said that no utilities were connected to the house, so gas or electrical problems were not the cause and that the fire could not have been started by natural causes because there were no storms that night.
He also said that the building had been secured by First Management, the company that was renovating the property, and was supposed to have been empty for more than a week, indicating that the fire likely was not caused by workers.
"The fact that the fire was apparently caused by none of these things leads us to suspect that there are really very few things it could be," Barr said.
"Obviously, there was someone in there that night, and someone obviously started this fire." Compton
Doug Compton, owner of First Management, said that he thought the fire may have been caused by arson.
The official cause of the fire has not yet been released.
Kristi Elliott / KANSAN
said. "I just hope that whoever started it realizes what kind of mess they've made."
The house was insured, but Compton said that anyone who thought First Management was responsible for the fire was wrong.
"We've been renovating this house for two months," he said. "We had designed the rest of the complex around that house, and this hurts us. If people want to start pointing fingers, they should look at the kids who've been gone all summer."
Dennis Enslinger of the Lawrence Planning and Zoning Department said that the house was to be converted into four one-bedroom apartments. Four buildings, yet to be constructed, were to make up the rest of the five-building complex.
Compton said that he planned to start rebuilding and continue with the project.
The fire began at about 11 p.m. and was put out an hour later, said Lawrence Battalion Chief Jerry Karr.
KU student Chris Bergerson, Cape Girardeau, Mo., freshman, was across the street when the fire started.
"We were sitting on the porch talking, and we looked across the street and saw flames," he said.
His sister, Catherine Bergerson,
Cape Girardela, Mo., senior, said, "I
saw flames coming out of the corner
and called the police."
Chris Bergerson said, "We saw those flames and within one minute flames were shooting out all over the place."
"It was really hot. We saw the fire and, I'd say, the temperature increased 15 to 20 degrees over here within a couple of minutes. I can't imagine how hot it got across the street," he said.
Professor chosen for Regents appointment
By Jason Poarce
Kansas staff writer
Wilcox to oversee academic affairs
A University of Kansas professor began his first full week of duties yesterday as the interim director of academic affairs for the Kansas Board of Regents.
Kansan staff writer
The board, which is the governing body of the state's six public universities, selected Kim A. Wilcox, professor of speech-language-hearing, to a one-year appointment. The previous director, John Welsh, resigned this summer to become the assistant provost at the University of Kentucky.
Wilcox, who will oversee program review, curriculum review and new programs of study, has been a faculty member
One of the items on his agenda will be the implementation of a new process to review programs of study at the Regents universities. Wilcox will help to ensure that the programs' goals are accomplished.
since 1984 and the chairman of the speech language-hearing department since 1989.
"This is a great place to work," Wilcox said. "I will be working on some things of fundamental importance for state universities." he said.
Wilcox said that he also would prepare a proposal for the Legislature to increase faculty salaries to keep the University competitive with other universities across the nation.
"Hopefully, we will set up the procedures for program review that will be used for the next several years," he said.
"The Board of Regents is particularly interested in faculty salary enhancement," he said. "It is the primary issue for this fall."
Although Wilcox is on leave from the University for the next year, he will continue to work with graduate students in the speech-language-hearing department. Wilcox will resume his previous duties when he returns to the University next fall.
Provest David Shulenburger nominated Wilcox to the Regents post and appointed Diane Loeb, associate professor of speech-language-hearing, to be the interim department chairwoman when Wilcox was hired by the Regents.
Wilcox recently served as Chancellor Robert Hemenway's special counsel for strategic initiatives. In that job, he served as a liaison to the Initiative 2001 task forces that have been working to draft recommendations for a university-wide strategic plan. He served in a similar capacity for the president of Indiana University when the school was drafting its strategic plan.
In his department, Wilcox also serves as director of the Native American Training Program, co-director of the Intercampus Program in Communicative Disorders and director of the Phonetics and Speech Science Instructional Laboratory.
He received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1988 and was a finalist for the 1997 Honorable Outstanding Progressive Educator (HOPE) award given by the senior class at Kansas.
The speech-language-hearing department offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. It also provides comprehensive research and clinical training opportunities.
The department is home to the Richard L. Schiefelbusch Clinic, which serves people with speech, language and hearing disorders. The clinic provides more than 3,000 consultations each year.
Students steer clear of booths
Officials want $65 fine to put brakes on offenses
By Seth Jones Kansan Staff Writer
The parking department is out to put an end to booth running.
Previously, drivers who violated the access restrictions were not fined.
Students who ignore traffic-control booths face a $65 fine, but it is too early to tell if the new policy has decreased the number of violations, said Don Kearns, director of parking.
Drivers who disregard the stop signs and drive past the booth without on-campus parking passes between 7:45 a.m. and 5 p.m. have their license plate recorded and then receive a written warning through the mail. Any violation after the written警告 results in a $69 fine.
"I know that there have been license numbers turned in to our office," Kearns said, "but right now we are more concerned with parking permits and haven't had time to concentrate on booth runners."
Ryan Chisholm, Golden, Colo., junior, said he still planned to run the booths.
KU students who know of the parking depart ment's fine are adjusting in their own way.
"Now, I have a friend run me up to the Military Science Building and drop me off. I'm closer to my classes that way," he said.
"I've got a bunch of different ways to get past the boots," he said. "Sometimes, I'll just hold out my KUID with a 'Hey, I'm a student, let me through!' look. If I feel like stopping, I'll give them a line."
Chisholm said he had many lines, most of which he wanted to keep secret. He would share one though.
Craig Dugan, Wichita junior, used to run the booths but with the new fine takes another route.
"I tell them I've got to go pick up some tables at Wescoe. That always works." he said.
Craig Dugan, Wichita junior, used to run the
Marcel Iglesias, Newport Coast, Calif., junior, said the new fine would make him break his habit of booth running.
"Last year, I'd run them because I was driving my brother's car, and I figured the worst thing that could happen to me is that they would just yell at me," he said. "But I can spend $65 on something else, so I'll have to stop running them now that there is that big fine."
Kristi Elliott / KANSAN
Medallion clue #3:
Frasier says, "Go West to the Budding sidewalk Twenty years ago in the Center Lied a jayhawk Continue to follow the Fog as far as you Can Using an App Lab can Lead you to the Promised Land."