4B
OPINION
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
EDITORIAL BOARD FACE-OFF
www.kansan.com
Differential tuition increase proposed
Money needed on campus
The best universities in the country are often renowned for the research their faculties conduct, the quality of education their students receive and the beauty of their campuses. In order to remain competitive in all three areas, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is trying
FOR INCREASE
TY BEAVER
opinion@kansan.com
to sway the student body in support of an eventual $30 per credit hour increase to build a new natural sciences building, heavily renovate Wescoe Hall and cover minor renovations across campus. While its proposal has a few kinks that need to be worked out, the idea is an effective way of improving the University.
A new natural sciences building would be great addition to the main campus. Nearly all lab courses, from chemistry to physics to biology, are crowded in small labs. Malott Hall is an outdated facility. Any student who was on campus last year can attest to the number of times The University Daily Kansan reported an evacuation of the building due to gas build-up from poor ventilation. Haworth Hall has limited lab space, and faculty with their offices and labs within are cramped for space as well. A new building would improve the learning environment and give faculty the room they need to conduct their work.
Wescoe Hall is not one of the most attractive buildings on campus — or most stable. Part of the renovation plan proposed includes reinforcing the building's foundation, along with adding about 100 offices. Many TAs are cramped into offices with two or three other fellow instructors, making it difficult to prepare for classes or meet with students. The lowest levels of the building receive almost no sunlight, making it depressing to work there. Not only would students receive a more aesthetically pleasing Wescoe Hall, but one that would be more welcoming and comfortable to work in.
This is not to say that the University's proposed plan is not without flaw. While the tuition would be phased in at $10 increments over three years before becoming fixed for 20 years, the ultimate increase of $30 per credit hour seems a little steep. Capping the increase at $15 to $20 per credit hour would still raise a significant amount of money while possibly retaining student support.
Preliminary plans for Wescoe's renovation have it looking very much like the Kansas Union, with a clock tower. Perhaps a different design could be proposed, allowing the building to blend more into campus but retaining its unique character.
Either way, to remain competitive, and with the Legislature cutting the budget
for higher education, students must step up to the plate and continue the improvement of the University.
*Beaver is a DeSoto senior in journalism and English. He is a member of the Kansan editorial board.*
Increase sets bad precedent
Let's call it what it is. Differential tuition is a tuition increase. Tuition has been increasing for students attending the University of Kansas for the past two years, and it's scheduled to increase 4 percent for students next year in accordance with the 2002 Record of Recents
AGAINST INCREASE
MICHELLE WOOD
opinion@kansan.com
tuition plan. The differential tuition proposed for students taking courses in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is a misplaced burden.
The other colleges on campus, except for the School of Social Welfare, all pay differential tuition. However, the money is usually used to pay for student services or faculty positions. The
STINSON'S VIEW
differential tuition for CLAS will be used primarily for building renovations. Traditionally, students do not pay for building renovations, and this would be a bad precedent to set. The state might decide that if students are willing to pay for building renovations when the state doesn't, then students would continue to be willing to pay in the future.
The week before the election, Bush's endorsements come rolling in...
Osama bin Laden has not yet announced his support for Kerry
RUSSIA'S PRESIDENTPUTIN
Wescoe Hall is one building that would undergo complete renovation. Wescoe does need additional office space for teaching assistants and professors. But the renovation of Wescoe would result in the whole building eventually being torn down, including the Underground, which cost about a half-million dollars to build and was completed only one month and five days ago. To start from scratch in the next three years is bad planning, and a waste of money.
The preliminary plan shows Wescoe beach would have a clock tower on the north side. More money does not need to be spent on a clock tower when there is already the Campanile, which chimes on the hour. Although Wescoe is not the prettiest building on campus, it has its own unique character. Besides, "ugliness" should not be a good enough reason to spend between $30 million and $40 million on renovation. It is 50 years old, but buildings such as Malott Hall, which is almost 50 years old, and Haworth Hall are in worse need of renovation. The differential tuition does include plans to build a much needed new science building. Though this is a need, the students should not have to pay for this renovation.
Zach Stinson/KANSAN
Students should not be expected to pay for a building they will use for less than four years, or not at all, depending on when they graduate and when the building is completed. This is not like the Student Fitness Recreation Center, where students who paid for the center would receive a pass for semesters after they graduate from the semesters they paid for in building it.
Students do not want or need a pass to use Wesco Hall with a clock tower after they graduate.
Wood is a Wichita senior in environmental studies and journalism. She is a member of the Kansan editorial board.
Editorial Board explains state, local endorsements
In yesterday's Kansan, the Editorial Board gave its endorsements for various state and local elections.
In an effort to more clearly explain the board's methodology and decision-making, the Kansan is running explanations for those endorsements.
State Board of Education, 4th District, Bill Wagnon. The board endorsed Wagnon it supported his stance on following standards from the National Academy of Science in school curriculum. The board did not support including intelligent design in science curriculum as suggested by Meissner.
State Senate, 2nd District, Mark Buhler. The board was torn between Buhler and Marci Francisco. Both would be worthy candidates, but the board decided to support Buhler based on his experience in the State Senate.
State House, 10th District, Rich Lorenzo. Again, the board had a difficult time deciding between Lorenzo and the incumbent, Tom Holland. The board endorsed Lorenzo because of his experience with the University of Kansas and because he is a resident of Lawrence.
State Senate, 3rd District, Jan Justice. Justice received the board's endorsement for her background in higher education.
State House 45th District, Tom Sloan. The board endorsed Sloan because of his experience in the State House of Representatives and his support of higher education.
County Treasurer, Paula Gilchrist
Gilchrist's opponent, Cindy
Monshizadeh, had no political
experience whereas Gilchrist did. The board did not support Monshizadeh's idea of paying taxes with credit cards.
County Clerk, Marni Penrod. Penrod received the board's endorsement because of her previous experience in county clerk's office and ability to provide continuity in leadership. She has been trained through the Secretary of State's office to implement the Help America Vote Act.
District Attorney, Charles E. Branson. The board supported his interest on the District Attorney spending more time in court and his proposal to start a consumer-protection division.
County Commission, 3rd District, Marguerite Ermeling. The board endorsed Ermeling because it did not support Jere McElhaney's proposal to push for the completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway.
District court judge, Paula Martin,
not endorsed to be retained. The board
thought the sentences Martin had
given rape offenders were too
lenient.
The Kansan would also like to invite candidates to submit letters to the editor explaining their platforms. These submissions should not exceed 200 words and should be an explanation of a candidate's platform — not an attack on an opponent. Please e-mail submissions to opinton@kansan.com by tomorrow afternoon. We will run these letters, provided they are explanations and not attacks, up until election day.
Free for All
--- Henry C. Jackson, editor
Call 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansas editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
So, rather than trying to fix the U.N.'s problems, we should just give up on global unity and follow a unilateral leader? Yeah, that's a good idea. Let's take a step backwards.
For more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
So, I'm walking down the sidewalk down to JRP and I almost got hit by a campus truck. And I'm wondering, does my tuition get paid for if I get hit by a bus?
bored..B-b-b-bored..B-b-b-bored, B-b-b-bored!
bored.b-b-bored!
(In the tune of Beethoven's Fifth) B-b-b
bored..B-b-b-bored..B-b-b-bored, B-b-b-bored!
bored.b-b-bored!
Thank you, KU for trying to raise tuition yet again. You guys really don't want me to graduate.
-
If someone pisses you off and you want to say, "Eat me" but you don't want to be rude, just say "Ich bin ein berliner." Perhaps they'll get the message.
Showering is so overrated. I'd rather do something better with my time, like, save the whales.
This is to the guy who declared war on mustard: I'm on mustard's side, but I declare war on onion.
---
OK, does anyone else hate that little kid on the Wendy's commercials with the curly brown hair? Heucks.
图
To those of you who haven't got the memo:
Uggs and trucker hats stopped being cool as soon as they started. Stow wearing them.
图
OK, so I just saw Team America and I thought it was pretty funny and then they killed Matt Damon and I cried.
-
How come when you're talking about housework, the word is "cleaning." But when you're talking about a car, the word is "detailing?"
If I can't find a spot to park on the Hill and I'm coming to the Lied Center and it's practically packed, I know there's something wrong and something needs to be changed about the parking situation. That is all.
I just spent 25 minutes detailing my fridge.
-
You know you're a true procrastinator when you even procrastinate going to bed. Beat that.
-
-
TALK TO US
Henry C. Jackson
editor
If I want to wear my flip flops on a cold, rainy day, what's it to you? As a matter of fact, I'm going to wear them until the first day it snows. Don't worry about it, it's not your problem.
I really just want to thank the three guys who picked us up off of 6th Street and took my roommate and I home. I am so grateful for them and I just want to tell them thanks and that we love them.
-
If Kris Kobach is elected president in 2008, I think I'll move to Canada.
864-4810 or hjackson@kansan.com
Justin Roberts business manager 884-4358 or advertising@kansan.com
Anna Clovis and Samia Khan
opinion editors
864-4924 or opinion.kansan.com
Malcolm Gibson
Donovan Attkinson and Andrew Vaupel managing editors 864-4810 or datkinson@kansan.com and avaupel@kansan.com
Malcolm Gibson
general manager and news adviser
864-7867 or mgibson@kansan.com
Stephanie Graham
retail sales manager
864-4358 or advertising@tansan.com
TH
Jennifer Weaver
Jennifer Weaver
sales and marketing adviser
864-7668 or jweaver@kansan.com
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Laura rose Barr, Tye Beaver, Ryan Good, Anna Gregory, Jack Henry-Rhoads, Kelly Hollowell, Nate Kailer, Jay Kinnel, Stephanie Lovett, Taylor Price, Noel Rasor, Ryan Scarrow, John Tran, Annee Waltmer and Michelle Wood
The Kansan welcomes letters to the editors and guest columns submitted by students, faculty and alumni.
Fo: any questions, call Anna Crius or Samia Khan at 884-4924 or e-mail at opinion@
The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length, or reject all submissions. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 200 words and guest columns should not exceed 650 words. To submit a letter to the editor or a column, e-mail the document to opinion@kansan.com with your name, hometown, year in school or position and phone number.
kansan.com. General questions should be directed to the editor at editor@kansan.com
GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES
Maximum Length: 650 word limit
Include:
include:
Author's name
Class, hometown (student)
Position (faculty member)
The Kansan will not print guest columns that attack another columnist.
LETTER GUIDELINES
Maximum Length:
200 word limit
Maximum Length:
200 word limit
Include:
Author's name and telephone number
Class, hometown (student)
Position (graduate member)
ta 19 pr
li th fi n is
m a r H r H t u c
W 21
A
SUBMIT TO
E-mail:
opinion@kansan.com
Hard copy:
Kansan newsroom
111 Stuaffer-Flint
11
---
14
4
15