4A Wednesday, September 11, 1996 OPINION UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN VIEWPOINT Colleges should punish players who break law Tom Osborne, head football coach at the University of Nebraska, wants his players to act like adults. Tom Osborne, head football coach at the University of Nebraska, wants his players to act like adults. He tries to set an example for his players. He doesn't drink and has yet to face an NCAA sanction, even after 23 years of coaching. He won't even tolerate swearing at practice. Yet when Nebraska linebacker Terrell Farley was arrested recently for driving under the influence of alcohol in Lincoln, he was given a slap on the wrist. Farley, a candidate for the prestigious Butkus award, was suspended for only two games. Osborne's lightweight penalty doesn't make sense. Apparently the Nebraska athletics program, like many across the nation, lacks a strict code of decorum. Coaches attempt to use oratory to keep players in line, but they need stringent penalties to add power to those words. When coaches step out of line, they are punished severely. The Citadel football players lost their head coach after he was accused of driving drunk. Such action should trickle down to the athlete's level as well. The NCAA ought to build on the policy of the University of Maine's hockey team, which states that any violation of the student code of conduct which includes any criminal action - results in a mandatory five-game suspension, as does any public drunkenness or underage alcohol consumption. Any vehicular operation while under the influence of alcohol results in suspension for at least 10 games. Colleges and universities across the country should follow the lead from Maine and impose their own codes of conduct, both on and off the playing field, with penalties if those codes are broken. The NCAA also should address this issue by taking an active role in addressing these problems nationwide. Doing so would prevent further harm to the players, their families, their friends and countless future victims. ANN MARCHAND FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD Replacing student senators is undemocratic, wasteful Individuals running for a Student Senate seat should weigh their commitments and priorities against the demands of office before they are elected. Four student senators didn't, and they left the remaining senators to name replacements. The Senate's efforts now are diverted to soliciting applications, naming a selection committee, screening candidates and voting individually on each position after receiving the recommendations of the selection committee. Kevin Lafferty, chairman of the Student Senate Executive Committee, said that the process was time-consuming and that he didn't know when it would be finished. Two of the four senators who resigned said reviewing for the Law School Admissions Test and family concerns were the reasons for their resignations. Both are worthy explanations for stepping down. Still, the issue is not whether they have legitimate concerns that would warrant leaving Student Senate, even before their term began. The concern is that these conflicts could have been anticipated. If they had been, student government could focus its efforts on more worthwhile endeavors. Students also should be concerned about the selection of replacements. Had the individuals vacating the seats anticipated their conflicts and decided not to run, the student body could have elected individuals whom they found to be worthy candidates. Instead we defer the opportunity to select our representatives in student government to a selection committee. Student senators will spend weeks placing new senators in vacated seats. It is unfortunate that their time is wasted because of poor planning. LEWIS GALLOWAY FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD KANSAN STAFF AMANDA TRAUGHBER Editor CRAG LANG Managing editor MATT HOOD Associate managing editor for design KIMBERLY CRABTREE CHARITY JEFFRIES News editors DARCI L McLAIN SARAH ROSE Public relations directors Editors Campus Suamma Lóf Jason Strait Amy McVey Editorial John Colvair Nicole Hammond Features Adam Ward Points Bill Petula Associate sports Caryn Foster On-line editor David L Teaskin Photo Rich Dovkinwil Graphics Moise Musser Andy Rohrback Special sections Amy McVey Wire Debbie Staine KAREN GERSCH Business manager HEALY SMART Retail sales manager TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser JAY STEINER Sales and marketing adviser JUSTIN KNUPP Technology coordinator Business Staff Campus mgr ... Mark Ozdem Regional mgr ... Donnie Haupt Assistant Retail mgr ... Dena Centero Director ... Michael Bauer Special Sections mgr ... Heather Valler Production mgr ... Dan Kopep Marketing director ... Lloyd Brown Marketing director ... Eric Johnson Creative director ... Deanam Lavelle Classified mgr ... Shelly Wachter Jeff Victor/ KANSAN Residence hall policies leave students in crunch Milan Shah is a lucky man. For the first two weeks of the semester, the Nakuru, Kenya, sophomore had the opportunity to have a place to stay, in the words of Fred McElhene, associate director of student housing If Shah had been living on campus for free, it would have been an opportunity, but this hardly is the situation. Because of a lack of space, Shah and 44 other unfortunate residents of McCollum, Hashinger and Oliver halls started the school year bunking in sink rooms. McElhene said summer contracts were returned at a faster pace than normal, which forced the housing department to place some students in the so-called end-rooms temporarily. As some students move out of the residence halls, the sink-room inhabitants are being given regular rooms. However, the process is gradual and depends on other residents' departures. As of Sept. 6, all but 14 of the sink-room students either had left the residence halls or had been given rooms. Until rooms are available, the last 14 will pay the price for the housing department's miscalculations—the full price. These rooms are smaller than the average residence hall room and contain large sinks for dish washing. Most of the students have had to live without phone jacks and many without full sets of furniture. McElenhie said in an Aug. 29 interview that the housing department did not view the situation as a problem and that they would not offer the students discounts for their days spent in the sink rooms. But he said in a Sept. 6 interview that the department would consider giving them discounts. Although McEhlenie said the students were notified of their room situations before STAFF COLUMNIST After two weeks of paying full price for a room furnished only with a bed and lacking a telephone jack, Shah decided he had had enough. He moved out of Hashinger and into an apartment and plans never to return to the residence halls. This is perfectly understandable. Why should these people, who only learned of their altered living arrangements upon arriving at school, have to pay full price for what really is half a room? They should be grateful they have a place to live at all, according to the housing department. "At least they have a roof over their head," McElhene said. lars a year for housing and actually are given a room with a bed instead of being tossed a blanket and a cardboard box? Maybe I'm just being naive, but I thought we were supposed to get something in return for the checks we sent the University. move-in day, Shah said he did not know until he arrived on campus that he would be living in a sink room. As opposed to what? Being thrown out in the street? Should the students consider themselves lucky because they pay thousands of dol- The most pathetic part of this whole situation is what housing is doing to alleviate it; absolutely nothing. But then why should they? It's not as if it's their job to ensure that students receive the rooms they are promised. And what if this situation should arise next year? The housing department hasn't really come up with any alternate solutions. Maybe people could live in the bathrooms. Think of how convenient that would be. Not many college residence halls offer students their very own bathrooms. There isn't much room for beds, but that doesn't matter; they'll have that all-important roof over their heads. Who could ask for anything more? Students such as Shah could and are. All they want is the rooms for which they paid. It is inconceivable to me that housing does not see this as a problem. A good number of the sink-room residents are foreign exchange students. What kind of first impression is the University trying to give them? I always read in college guides that big universities tend to treat students as numbers rather than human beings. I would say KU is fitting that stereotype quite nicely. Stephanie Brewer is a Chester, Conn., sophomore in Journalism and French. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Paycheck policy is poor reward for instructors I was not the only faculty member surprised when I opened my pay stub Friday to find that it showed half the amount expected — that is, one week of salary. I was rather tired when I got this surprise; the past week I had been arriving at school at 8 a.m. and leaving between 6 and 7 p.m. I wager that a great majority of faculty had that same schedule during the first weeks of school. Friday, my lunch hour was taken up by a faculty meeting in which we were Last year, the administration at least informed faculty that their raises awarded by the Board of Regents would be withheld until January to cover a University shortfall. This year it was the state that decided that our raises could wait until January; but what is the reason that one week of faculty members' salaries are being held in the University coffers until June 1997? that we will get more money in our last paycheck. After a long, dry, summer without pay, the faculty has earned and needs that money now. The shift to a two-week pay period, a disastrous and costly mistake in the eyes of many, was supposed an effort to bring all state employees into lock step. Why is it that Kansas State University faculty, whose first day of classes was Aug. 26 rather than Aug. 22, received a two-week salary check last Friday? Judith K. Major associate professor, School of Architecture and Urban Design asked to volunteer for a number of committees. I suggest that our time would be better spent organizing the faculty to challenge certain University policies. The argument will no doubt be Early T-Birds get the worm when locating parking space It is 2 a.m., and a KU student has decided to get ready for bed. He showers, brushes his teeth, prepares clothes for the next day and takes his blanket and pillow out to the car. From there, he drives to campus and goes to bed — in his car. And it seems he was just on time because at 2:30 a.m. he has just snagged the last available parking STAFF COLUMNIST At 9 a.m., when I arrive half an hour early so I am certain to reach my class on time, I am not a happy camper. First, invariably have been disrupted from my pleasant dreams to go to class. And second, there is no place to park — anywhere. I drive and drive and finally find a space just inside the yellow zone as far away from campus as humanly possible while remaining within the zone. spot in a yellow zone. It seems that other KU students who are tired of the perils of parking (that is, everyone else who has a parking pass) arrived at 1:30 a.m. for noon classes. This leaves people like me, who sleep at home, to fend for ourselves at 9 a.m. when we get to campus. - Walk. I think this is the best option for several reasons. First, it is good exercise. I walk more than two miles each way three times a week, mainly for exercise. Second, it is good for the environment. It does not burn any gas. Third, it helps to decongest traffic, which is bad enough in Lawrence. And of course, it means completely avoiding the yellow zones. Unfortunately, the parking problem does not show signs of improving for a long time. Until it does, it may seem that the only answer is packing up the teddy bear and sleeping in your car. But do not worry; you're safe. The rest of campus will be there with you. Stacy Nagy is a Topека junior in women's studies and Russian. Two weeks into classes, I have found this situation to be so frustrating that I have devised several ways to avoid the parking problem. Some of these solutions are for the parking department, which I am absolutely certain will ignore them, but here they are. The others are for anyone who wants to read because you are tired of sleeping in your car. THE AVENGING VARMINT The parking department should institute a new rule, effective next year, that freshmen cannot park on campus. This rule would exclude residence hall passes, which should not matter that much because the applicable passes are different from the yellow zone passes. It would leave the space available for upper-classmen who deserve the space. There is a really good bus system that freshmen can take. Speaking of the bus system, it is great. I realize that there are problems with any program, but as bus systems go, it is not bad. And as far as off-campus traffic, it is underutilized. It is better than parking for several reasons, not the least of which is that the bus will drop you off at the appropriate building, eliminating the mile walk from your car, which is parked in a yellow zone. Car pool. Go with friends. If a lot of people did, it would mean more parking spaces for everyone. By Lili Barrientos