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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
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Kansan
HIGH 86
Thursday
September 2, 1999
Section:
A
Vol. 110 • No. 12
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SEE PAGE 1B
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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Daisy Hill residents file into Ekdahl Dining Commons last night during dinner. On average, around 1,700 people have been eating at the cafeteria during dinner hours, causing long lines and frustrated students. Photo by Carrie Julian/KANSAN
Cafeteria lines gnaw at hungry KU students
(USPS 650-640)
By Lori O'Toole
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Brad Bergman walked into Ekdahl Dining Commons Monday night for dinner.
But one look at the 40 or 50 people in the line that nearly reached the front door made him change his plans.
"I'm too hungry to wait in line another 15 to 20 minutes just to get a sandwich," said Bergman, Minneapolis freshman, who went to the cafeteria at 5:40 p.m.
Once people made their way through the first line and had their KUIDs scanned, a maze of lines for food awaited them inside.
"This is something inevitable when you get 1,800 people together at one time. It's probably a frustrating thing to them, but unfortunately, it's a part of college life.
"It's bad," Bergman said.
"If you really want to eat dinner, you can't come at a regular time. You have to come at 4 or 7 or something."
Bergman was not the only student upset about the lines at peak times.
"It bothers me," Miles Bonny, Teaneck, N.J., freshman said. "I just wish I could figure out the right time to come. Something definitely needs to be done about it."
"That's pretty typical for this time of year." Nona Colglede, dining services assistant director said.
Sheryl Kidwell, unit manager, said about 1,700 people had been eating at the cafeteria during the dinner hours, 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. She said that up to 900 of those people had been coming between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sheryl Kidwell
She said that there were several factors contributing to the rush at peak times.
Kidwell said cafeteria employees posted flyers and left information on the cafeteria's tables encouraging students to try to come at an earlier or later time.
For example, she said many students were eating with large groups of people, especially with others on their residence hall floors, making it more crowded than if individuals came on
their own schedule.
unit manager
She also said that the cafeteria was continuing to hire student employees.
The cafeteria has about 14 part-time student employees working during the dinner hours in addition to about 25 full-time employees. She said she would like to hire at least 10 more student workers.
"We really rely on student help," Kidwell said. "They can make things go faster."
Golliedd said students had not been using E's Express, a small take-out cafeteria in the basement of Hashinger Hall, as often as usual —
another factor that could be adding to the dinner crowds. "I don't think everyone is familiar with it," she said.
Kidwell said that about 200 people had been eating at E's Express each night, compared to the average 300 to 400 people who ate there during the dinner hours last year.
She said although the dinner crowds appeared each year, the crowds could have seemed worse this year with nearly 300 additional students living on Daisy Hill and eating at the cafeteria with the opening of Lewis Hall.
Kidwell said the cafeteria employees prepared for the rush before 5 p.m. each night to better ensure that an adequate amount of food would be ready.
She said she anticipated the crowd situation to improve during the next couple of weeks as students adjusted their schedules.
Kidwell said the cafeteria would not extend its dinner hours, because only 50 to 75 people have come during the last 30 minutes it is open, while, on average, 300 students have come each 30 minutes during the busiest hours.
"This is something inevitable when you get 1,800 people together at one time," she said. "It's probably a frustrating thing to them, but unfortunately, it's a part of college life. You wait in line to get your books, you wait in line to get your food, you wait in line for basketball tickets."
—Edited by Kelly Clasen
Lights gleam inside the new press box at Memorial Stadium after sunset last night. The press box was scheduled to be finished Aug. 31, but the University agreed to extend the deadline to Sept. 8. Photo by Matt J. Daughery/KANSAN
Stadium deadline bonus pushed back
By Mike Miller
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The deadline demon has struck again. The completion date for Memorial Stadium will probably be moved back a week to Wednesday, but officials still are confident that the stadium will be done in time for the football team's home opener against California State-Northridge Sept. 11.
All parties involved, the University of Kansas — including the Athletics Department, Design and Construction Management Services and the University architect — and Walton Construction Co. met yesterday and agreed in principle to move the completion deadline from Aug. 31 to Sept. 8.
Warren Corman, University architect, said that a draft of a change order was sent out yesterday to all parties involved who must agree to the decision to move the deadline. All of the parties have to agree or the old deadline still will be in effect.
Corman said he hoped that the new deadline would be approved some time today
Originally the completion date for the press box and scholarship suites was Aug. 13, but on June 21 the department extended Walton's deadline and offered to pay a $300,000 bonus if the work was completed by Aug. 31. The money would be paid in two parts: $250,000 if the press box and scholarship suites were completed by Aug. 31; another $50,000 would be paid if the entire project was completed by Sept. 20.
Corman said that the problem was that the project couldn't get enough workers.
"They ran into a bunch of problems — not enough carpet, seats didn't come," he said. "If it was six months ago, and this stuff came up, it probably wouldn't have made any difference."
And the University has other problems to contend with. If the work is completed by Wednesday, the University has two days to move in furniture, install networking and telephone services for the press box and make sure the plumbing is up and ready.
"We're going to be checking this week to make sure that the toiletts work, the air conditioning is OK so that we can use it for the football game," Corman said.
Originally, if not completed Aug. 31, Walton would have paid penalties of $2,500 a day for the first week, $5,000 a day for the second week and $10,000 a day in subsequent weeks. Corman was unsure if the penalties would apply because of the proposed new deadline.
If the Aug. 31 deadline is moved back, the Sept. 20 deadline may be moved back as well.
"It's not uncommon to extend a project," said Doug Riat, associate director of design and construction management. "But it is unusual that we would have a project with a bonus tied to it."
When asked if the $300,000 bonus was effective, Riat said, "I don't think we would have ever gotten to this point without doing that."
- Edited by Allan Davis
Professor proposes paying athletes
By Amanda Kaschube
By Amanda Rasche
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
David Katzman, angry with the way student athletes are treated at the University of Kansas, argued yesterday that universities should stop pretending that athletes are not paid and pay them for services rendered.
Katzman, professor and chairman of American Studies, gave a speech entitled "Athletics and the University: Selling the University, Part II" at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries.
Katzman, who sat on the University Athletic Board for the last three years, said intercollegiate athletics could corrupt and harm universities.
He said that paying athletes would resolve a lot of ethical questions that arise with college student athletes.
"The primary goal of the University is education," he said. "Athletics has its place somewhere, but it's not the primary goal."
"If we paid athletes and made classes optional, we could admit that it was a business," he said. "Without doing so, we compromise the values and mission of the University."
Katzman also said that he thought student athletes were the victims, not the problem. The structure of the program was at fault, he said.
structure of the program," he said. "We have exploited our student athletes," he said. "They have been paid minimum wage for their work."
their work.
He said that although athletes are given scholarships that pay for tuition, room and board and other funds, they aren't given enough compensation for their work.
David M. Katzman, professor and chairman of American Studies at the University of Kansas, speaks at the University Forum in the Ecumenical Christian Ministries. Katzman addressed the relationship between athletics and the University. Photo by Tara Kraus/KANSAN
Lora Wedd, Lawrence sophomore, rows for the University. She said being a student athlete has been a positive experience for her.
"I think all the athletes work hard and earn the money they are given," she said. "You have to work your way up. It's not an easy thing to do."
See PROFESSOR on page 2A
ACLU wants KU seal justified
Group says Moses invites investigation
By Clay McCuistion
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
In its first meeting of the semester last night, the University of Kansas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union decided to investigate the appropriateness of the official University seal.
The seal depicts the Old Testament figure, Moses, kneeling in front of a burning bush, circled with a Bible verse in Latin. The phrase — video visionem hanc magnam quare non comburatur rubus — comes from Exodus 3:3, which the King James version of the Bible translates as Moses saying, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt."
The seal can be found in various venues around campus. It is reproduced on KUID cards, it decorates class timetables, and a three-dimensional representation of the seal graces the front of Smith Hall — the religious studies building — with a sculpture of Moses praying to a stained-glass bush.
"Any time you have a public institution that has a religious symbol with a Bible
verse as the official seal you're inviting scrutiny," said B u d d y Lloyd, KU A C L U m e d i a director. "This is a legitimate concern."
The group of 12 students meeting in the Kansas
Kevin Sivits, KU ACLU president, said the group was reserving judgment until it heard an official University response.
"It's not an official complaint," Lloyd said. "We're seeing what their response is."
Union last night decided to send a letter to KU administration, asking officials to justify the words and depiction on the seal. The letter should be written before the end of next week.
"We can't proceed at all until we know that," he said.
"There's not a lot of outrage yet.
here's not a lot of outrage yet,
we're looking into it."
ddie Lorenzo, an ACLU lawyer who works with the KU chapter, recently brought the matter to Sivits' and Lloyd's attention.
Lloyd then asked for student opinion.
"I talked to several students who were upset as well," he said. Alexis Vanese, K.
Alexis Valasse, KO ACLU executive director, said the investigation was part of the group's mission.
"Were trying this year to face some issues we haven't looked at before." she said.
The group's next meeting will be Sept. 20.
2. 2. 2.
Edited by Katrina Hull