NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
3A
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2004
year-
m.
pos-
pher-
ation
license.
atted to
had
at at
e 1100
esti
-year
a.m.
th pos
ties,
versity
ed pre-
ansas
m
at the
ationight at
d by the
Survival
tin
by pro-
the
at the
n will be
1818
can print
open to the
available in
fluffier-Flint
voes in days
on date.
ISSN 0746- the school fall break, during the holidays. Lawrence, KS mail are f $2.11 are fee.
is the stu-
dent of Kansas.
the student
the Kansan
in be pur-
charge, 119
awkk Bldl.
ages to The Flint Hall,1435
Your
"Panel
Welcome!
Cindy Yeo/KANSAM
Braving
ES
BY ANDY HYLAND
ahyland.com/kansan.com
KANSAN STAKE WRITER
10
18
fits!!
1979-7978.
ng the ethical business jungle
Jim Haines implored his audience to act ethically or be prepared to conduct business in an unethical jungle where everyone pursues self-interest.
"Ethical behavior is not an accident," Haines, CEO of Westar Energy, said. "It requires vigilance."
Haines spoke to about 600 people last night at the eighth annual Anderson Chandler Lecture at the Lied Center, which was sponsored by the School of Business. He said ethical behavior should be pursued in its own right, not because it may produce better economic gains in the long run.
Westar CEO Jim Haines took over the company in December 2002. He spoke yesterday at the Lied Center about his experience with business ethics.
"If we pursue ethical behavior out of a calculated belief that it will produce good results in the long term, what will we do when it doesn't?" he asked.
Haines framed ethics simply: Be ethical or "it would be a jungle out there." He's not the only one who thinks so.
"If you don't have a personal code of ethics, you get lost," said Joseph Reitz, professor of business and co-director of the International Center for Ethics in Business.
He said Westar was troubled before Haines' arrival and that leaders of the company advanced the interest of the executives more than the shareholders.
In November 2002, Westar's
CEO, David Wittig, was indicted on charges of money laundering and federal fraud and resigned. At the time of his resignation, Westar was $3.6 billion in debt. Haines took over the position in December 2002 and has since reduced the company's debt by almost half, according to a Business School press release. People like Haines can help others understand the importance of ethical behavior, Reitz said.
"He can paint a picture for us that will help us understand how a good company, like Westar was, can go wrong," he said.
Haines helped illuminate part of that problem by outlining 10 forces that could lead people down the path to unethical behavior. Those ranged from businesses' necessity to act without complete information to the nature of shareholder ownership.
al codes of ethical conduct, Reitz said, to prevent future problems in companies such as Enron.
The nature of shareholder relationships with companies can also tempt executives to behave unethical, Haines said.
ly business," he said. "The most important point he made was that it's hard to make a guideline for every situation."
The first, he said, is a simple fact of business: Executives often have to make a quick decision without all the best information available, and that can lead to poor ethical decision-making.
Haines stressed that good corporate governance, business ethics and individual responsibility can check those influences to act unethically. A.J. Van Slyke, St. Louis senior, attended the lecture for a business class.
It's not just that there were a few bad people." Reitz said. "There were a lot of good people that did nothing."
Van Slyke said he personally had a code of ethics stemming from his religious faith and business experience.
"I think ethics are important in all aspects of life, but especial-
— Edited by Paige Worthy
All people should have person-
Artist proposes bison sculpture for interstate
TOPEKA — A Lawrence artist trying to gussy up the aesthetically challenged ribbon of Interstate 70 that slices like a canyon through the middle of this city is taking some whacks from the locals.
STATE
Painter, crop artist and landscape muralist Stan Herd has an international reputation for
doing art for peace's sake.
In recent years, he threaded the needle between the warring governments of the United States and Cuba to create renowned landscapes in Havana
But when Herd unveiled a proposal for a 26-foot-tall steel sculpture of an American bison that would span a bridge in the capital city, the negative comments came like a stamping herd of buffalo. Richard Tremblay was one of many residents who voiced an opinion.
thing out of a horror movie," he said.
"To me, it looked like some-
Herd, along with famed Kansas art promoter and national television journalist Bill Kurtis, said everyone needed to take a deep breath.
"Whether it's my sculpture or not over the archway, the idea of the money being used to significantly enhance the look of our state capital should be pretty roundly accepted," Herd said.
His rendering of the sculpture was simply an early draft that was part of a grant application
If the grant is approved by the Kansas Department of Transportation, Herd said, there would be many opportunities for residents to say what the project should look like.
The buffalo sculpture is part of a proposed four-block-long public works effort that would include landscaping with native grasses and art works along Interstate 70 as it winds beside downtown Topeka.
1
- The Associated Press
Protesters arrested Saturday have not filed complaints
BY AMANDA O'TOLE
aotoole@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Dave Strano, 23-year-old Lawrence resident who was arrested, said he was not sure what point the police department was trying to convey with the arrests.
A protest march was broken up on Ninth Street after protesters continued to walk in the street after officers had repeatedly asked them to walk on the sidewalk, Ward said. Three KU students and a KU housing maintenance employee were among those arrested.
Lawrence police have received no formal complaints about the behavior of officers during a nine-person arrest on Saturday, Sgt. Dan Ward said yesterday.
Officers were not trying to make a point but were attempting to keep the marchers safe by trying to get them to continue on the sidewalk, Ward said.
Ward said there was an ordinance in place that prohibited pedestrians walking in the streets.
The ordinance was created to protect people and to maintain a steady flow of traffic.
Officers were concerned that the march would disrupt the heavy traffic caused by the football game and protesters would be put in danger as the group neared Kentucky Street, Ward said.
One individual was chased after he ran from officers, Ward said.
"Most of the people who were arrested were compliant," he said.
Claven Snow, 25-year-old Lawrence resident, said he still had bruises on his wrists from handcuffs and that he was on
Strano said he decided not to press charges against the police department because it would take attention from the focus of the situation in Fallujah, Iraq, which the protesters were marching against.
the sidewalk when he was arrested.
Snow said he was not sure whether he would file a formal complaint because he was not sure it would do any good.
Some members of the group said the police were rough when they arrested fellow protesters.
Eli Stogsdill, Lawrence junior, said he saw other marchers get "slammed against police cars."
Strano said the officer who arrested him kicked him in the groin several times.
Ward said he hadn't heard that anyone was injured in the arrest.
Sarah Taylor, 2004 KU graduate and protester, was quoted in yesterday's University Daily Kansas as saying police may have been a little rough but not violent with people they arrested.
Strano said he decided not to press charges against the police department because it would take attention from the focus of the situation in Fallujah, Iraq, which the protesters were marching against.
"My goal is not to punish the police for what they did," he said. "Rather, I'd like to focus on Fallujah."
Edited by Johanna M. Maska