TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1995
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS 864-4810
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
SECTION A VOL.102, NO.37
ADVERTISING 864-4358
(USPS 650-640)
TODAY KANSAN
SPORTS
Victory is sweet
The No.10 Jayhawks continue to enjoy the 40-24 victory against No.9 Colorado. Page 1B
CAMPUS
Finding the Center
The Multicultural Resource Center has been open for one month, but some still don't know where it is. Page 3A
NATION
Saboteurs target Amtrak train
one person died and about 100 injured in a train wreck yesterday. Authorities say the track may have been tempered with. Page 5A
Attacks delay Bosnian truce
WORLD
Serb shelling and NATO air strikes canceled yesterday's planned cease-fire. Page 5A
WEATHER
SUNNY
High 76°
Low 47°
AAAAAHHH
Weather: Page 2A
INDEX
Opinion . . . . . . 4A
Nation/World . . . . 5A
Features . . . . . 6A
Sports . . . . . 1B
Scoreboard. . . . 2B
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is free. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents.
KU football players arrested in connection with robbery
By Scott Worthington Kansan staff writer
Two University of Kansas football players were arrested yesterday afternoon in connection with the armed robbery of a taxi driver outside Jayhawker Towers apartments, KU police said.
Dion Johnson and Elliott Shaffer, both freshman linemen from Detroit, were taken to Douglas County Law Enforcement Center on charges of aggravated assault and theft of services about 4 p.m. yesterday, said Rose Rozmiarek of the KU police. Shaffer also was held on a charge of possession of drug paranormalia.
According to the report, one of the men pulled a knife, refused to pay the fare and stole $20 from the driver before both men fled the taxi about 10:25 a.m.
KU police said the men were picked up by a taxi driver at Kansas City International Airport yesterday morning. According to a news release from Sports Information, the two men were returning from a weekend trip to their homes in Detroit.
After arriving at the towers, the driver asked for payment, and one man pulled
out a $100 bill. The driver said he didn't have change but did have a $20 bill. At that time, one man brandished a knife, refused to pay and demanded the $20 bill, according to the report.
KU police apprehended the men at 1:36 p.m. yesterday at Parrott Athletic Center.
Kansas football coach Glen Mason said in a news release that the players had been suspended indefinitely and would not participate in games or practices during their suspensions.
Ron Simons, the owner of Ron and Fe Taxi, a Kansas City, Mo. taxi service, said
one man left a checkbook in the car, which aided in the police investigation.
Dlon Johnson
Simonis also said the driver, William Jones, hurt his ankle while trying to chase the men. Lawrence Memorial Hospital had no record of Jones being admitted.
"I's very regrettable." Simonis said
about the incident. "We try to avoid all that stuff. But when you pick someone up at the airport, you never know what you're going to get."
Jones could not be reached for comment. Neither of the men has played in a game this year, and they were not among the
players who traveled to Colorado last weekend, the release said.
The men, whose bonds have not been set, will be arraigned at 3 p.m. today in Douglas County District Court.
Police said their investigation of the case would continue. Both players are.
Elliott Shaffer
members of the 1995 football recruiting class. Johnson, 6 feet 5 inches and 260 pounds, was an all-state selection last year for East Catholic High School in Michigan
Shaffer, 6 foot 3 inches and 250 pounds was an all-Public School League selection last year for MacKenzie High School.
Carol Thobae / KANSAN
Art-ifacts
Xi Nguyen, Lawrence resident, looks over the African trinkets on sale in front of Wescoe Hall. The sale, which will continue through Friday, is sponsored by the African Affairs Student Association.
Think tank to discuss Black men
Group's conversation will address concerns of African Americans
By Phillip Brownlee
Kansan staff writer
Issues affecting African-American males will be discussed at 7 tonight at the Jayhawk Room in the Kansan Union.
A Black Male Think Tank, a discussion group composed of KU students, faculty and staff, will examine what it is like being a Black male at the University of Kansas.
James Kitchen, dean of student life, said no agenda
had been planned for the think tank but that issues of identity, purpose and responsibility likely would be discussed.
Haile Sims, Black PanHellenic Council president, said he hoped to address racism at the University, campus unity and bridging gape
"It is important to reflect where, as a gender and a race, we are headed."
Sherwood Thompson director, Minority Affairs
between athletes and Greeks.
"I hope to have a serious discussion but also find solutions," he said.
Sims said the idea for a think tank had been discussed for more than a year. It was scheduled this week to draw attention to the Million Man March next Monday in Washington, D.C., which will be a call for renewal and rededication in the African-American community to overcome social injustices, he said.
Sims said he hoped the think tank would become a regular discussion series each semester.
Sherwood Thompson, director of minority affairs, said the meeting was valuable and necessary, because signs of negative social developments were showing within the African-American community.
"It is important to reflect where, as a gender and a race, we are headed," he said.
Thompson said his primary interest was being an advocate for education.
"I stress the importance in attaining college training in order to be successful and productive citizens," he said.
The think tank is sponsored by the Black Student Union and is open to the University.
GSP-Corbin garage to receive new lights this week
Residents can park east of the stadium until work is done
By Sarah Wiese
Kansan staff writer
Criminals soon will have a harder time slinking through the shadows of at least one residence hall parking lot.
In an attempt to improve safety, the parking department will install a new lighting system this week in Gertrude Sellards Pearson-Corbin Hall's parking garage.
Converting from fluorescent tubes to high-pressure sodium light fixtures is part of the parking department's effort to upgrade parking lot lighting. Several parking lots, including Lot 90 south of Robinson Center, already have been switched to the new system.
Outdoor fluorescent lights don't provide the level of safety the department wants, said Don Kearns, director of parking. They provide dim light in cold weather because of their mercury component. The department wants to
replace the lights now, before the temperature drops.
"If you go back there on a cold night, you can hardly see the cars in that garage," he said.
Even in ideal conditions, fluorescent lights produce a harsh glare that makes visibility difficult and creates dark shadows, said Bob Porter, associate director of physical plant maintenance.
The darker the shadows, the easier it is for criminals to hide. High-pressure sodium lights emit a yellowish light that doesn't fade in cold weather or produce impenetrable shadows.
"You'll still have shadows, but they're less dense and not as dark, making them harder to hide in," Porter said.
But in order to make the switch, all fixtures will have to be replaced. And that can't be done if the garage is full.
The new lighting installation will affect only the lower level of the GSP-Corbin parking garage. Residents who park there will have to
move their vehicles or face being towed.
The east or wall side of the garage will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow. The west or open side will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday.
Residents may park in the garage at night but must move their cars by 7 a.m.
He said that he hoped residents would cooperate with the department's requests.
"We want to get the work done in a timely manner to make the area safer," he said.
Kearns said GSP-Corbin parking permits would be honored in Lot 94 east of Memorial Stadium until the work was finished.
Filers and signs are being distributed through both the parking and housing departments to prevent misunderstandings. Kearns said.
Kearns said that any vehicles remaining in restricted areas would be towed. Violators must pay a $10 ticket, a $23 towing fee and would face the hassle of retrieving their vehicles.