4A
Tuesday, September 5, 1995
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VIEWPOINT
THE ISSUE: RESERVED DESK
Reserve policy should change
The University on Kansas libraries should limit the amount of time and number of books that a professor can place on reserve in order to help students who are unable to check out books because of their reserved status.
According to Watson Library, the reserve desk allows students easy access to a particular book. But when a professor such as William Tuttle has more than 400 books on reserve for more than a year, reserved books prove to be an inconvenience. Allowing professors to place an unlimited number of books on reserve indefinitely makes an inordinate number of books inaccessible.
Students still have limited access to books on reserve, but they only can check the books out for two hours at a time. The problem comes when students need to take the books outside of the library for a longer time.
According to library officials, a student who wants
All students should have access to books without the hassles of going through the reserve process
to check-out a reserved book must talk with the instructor. Without the instructor's signature, the library cannot release any books for more than two hours at a time.
To solve this dilemma, professors should be more sensitive about the number of books they place on reserve and the length of time the books remain on reserve. They should get copyright permission to photocopy and put course packages on reserve instead of entire books.
More importantly, library officials should rewrite the reserve policy, keeping in mind the needs of the student body as a whole. This time, the policy should balance the needs of teachers with the needs of all students, ensuring library materials are an accessible resource.
LUBY MONTANO- LAUREL FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD.
THE ISSUE: CAMPUS SAFETY
Increase safety with bike paths
The University of Kansas needs a designated bicycle route through campus for the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians. The KU police could assist by enforcing traffic rules for the lane.
Bicycles zig and zag through people, cars, buses, trees and whatever else happens to be in the way. This situation poses a danger to everyone.
A bike lane is not intended to be a punishment for a few reckless riders. It would benefit all KU bike riders, providing a safe, bus-free route through campus. Cyclists could pedal from place to place without maneuvering through pedestrians or motor-vehicle traffic.
One lane on each side of the street on Jayhawk Boulevard, as well as through the side streets and around campus, would keep cyclists safer on the streets and off the sidewalks entirely. Also, creating a separate path to buildings specifically for cyclists would prevent
A separate cycle route with its own set of rules would help eliminate dangers for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
them from dodging students.
The KU police could help by monitoring the route, making sure that cars respect the separate lane. Police could ensure that cyclists obey traffic rules, such as stop signs and crosswalks. A lane with traffic regulations specifically for bicycles would alleviate most of these problems.
Cyclists complain about traffic and bus exhaust clouding their lungs. Pedestrians scurry for safety when bikes zip across sidewalks. Motorists complain about bikes creating blind-spot disasters.
A separate bicycle route through and around the KU campus addresses and solves each of these concerns, making the streets safe for modern cowboys and their fiberglass steeds.
MATT FEY FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Jeff McNelly / CHICAGO TRIBUNI
Private political event contradicts democracy
On Aug. 26, John Watkins, chairman of the 3rd District Republican Party, kicked off his petition against the Simply Equal measures, which were adopted by the Lawrence City Commission last spring. If the kickoff event was any indication of things to come, we're in for a bitter dose of secretive, dirty politics.
Although the event was first billed as a public meeting (in Telegraphies, the local paper that calls the Lawrence Journal-World the "local, liberal press") ,attendees quickly discovered differently. Posters proclaimed that only friends of John Watkins were to be admitted. And where was this political-event-turned-private-meeting held? On public property, at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
It is one thing for a group to overlook the fact that a scheduled political event is likely to attract detractors, curious to know what will be said about them. It is quite another to hold that event on public property and to attempt to deny attendance to certain people, simply because of their points of view. But it didn't stop there. Watkins threatened to call the sheriff when the few reporters there attempted to interview some of the participants. The Teddy Roosevelt Republicans, sponsors of the event, seemed more interested in the "might makes right" philosophy of governance
than in promoting the free expression and debate once considered intrinsic to American politics.
certainly should be familiar with the rules concerning voter registration. Selectively registering voters in Kansas is absolutely forbidden. Voter registration, outside of a few permanent locations, must be announced publicly in advance and must be open to all, regardless of political affiliation or belief. Yet at this event, only friends of Watkins were allowed that privilege.
STAFF COLUMNIST
Who are these "friends of John Watkins," the Teddy Roosevelt Republicans? They are the local representatives of a politically savvy movement of the far right who have managed to take control of the Republican Party in every highly populated county in Kansas and in many states. With organization and leadership from multi-million dollar televangelist
industries (Miller is the founder of the so-called Christian Coalition in Kansas), they have gained control of the party by mobilizing at the level of precinct captains.
Even among those who are politically active enough to vote, most do not realize the influence that can be exerted from this most basic level of the political structure. Soon, however, we may all get a chance to see just how great that influe-ce is. Bob Dole, Senate majority leader, is clearly a popular presidential candidate here in his home state, but he is considered a moderate compared to the only other two serious Republican contenders. With most precincts in the state controlled by religious extremists drawn to Phil Gramm's anti-choice and to Pat Buchanan's anti-gay rhetoric, Dole's supporters may be in for a surprisingly tough time on their own turf at the party caucus next summer.
Regardless of their reasons for the event's secrecy, Watkins and David Miller, chairman of the Kansas Republic Party, who also attended,
Watkins' picnic may seem like just a bungled attempt to reinstate legalized discrimination and harassment of gays, lesbians and bisexuals, but it is actually a sign of things to come — a theocratic movement in which fighting an issue like Simply Equal is nothing more than a practice round. Looks like they need it.
Scott Manning is a Lawrence doctoral student in French
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"I've had nightmares about forgetting my band hat or showing up naked." Heather Myers, Topeka, senior, on anxiety about marching in the band at Kansas football games
"It's tough being a baby bug because your chance of growing up is pretty slim. And then your chance of being eaten by a predator is pretty good."
KANSAN STAFF
"I think they're all a bunch of trash. I've got them all beat."
— J.D. Liggett, Overland Park freshman, on sizing up his competition at a drag queen contest.
"He can line up and play anywhere in the country. I believe that." David Gibbs, secondary coach for the Kansas football team, on cornerback Dorian Brew
"I think basically he did something stupid and needed a way out of it."
Business Manager
Campus mgr ... Meredith Hanning
Regional mgr ... Tom Delano
National mgr ... Heather Barnes
Special Sectors mgr ... Heather Mihueau
Product Marketing mgr ... Markus Kraete
Krafty Nite
Marketing director ... Konan Hauer
Public Relations director ... Both Caltii
Classified Agent ... Heather Valor
Glassellied mgr ... Heather Valor
"I think basically he did something stupid and needed a way out of it.
— Mike Peek, Lawrence resident, on why Bad Brains singer Paul Hudson hit him on the head with a microphone stand.
STEPHANIE UTLEY
Business manager
MATT SHAW
Retail sales manager
JAY STEINER
Sales and marketing adviser
CATHERINE ELLSWORTH
Technology coordinator
Compiled from Kansan staff reports for the week of Aug.28 - Sept. 1, 1995.
Business Staff
COLLEEN MCCAIN
Editor
DAVID WILSON
Managing editor, news
ASHLEY MILLER
Managing editor, planning & design
TOM EBLEN
General manager, news adviser
Today would be Sherly's big day. The limoress would pick her up at 9 a.m. sharp, take her to the studio and wait for her until she was done taping the show. The producers would treat her like royalty, too, offering her choice hotel rooms and access to the best restaurants in town. While on stage, she would be greeted by one of the most famous people in the country, and when it
News & Special Sections... Deedra Allison
Editorial ... Heather Leewerrens
Associate Editorial ... Sarah Morrison
Campus ... Virginia Margulheim
Campus ... Renee Noll
Associate Campus ... Paul Youd
Sports ... Jenni Carlson
Associate Sports ... Tom Eichholz
Paul Kotz
Wires ... Robert Allen
was all over, she
would be a
celebrity herself
It seems that the more outrageous, the more sick the behavior, the more air time these guests get. Invariably, some cheesy guy who thinks he's a Casanova will dominate the show, as one after another of his women parade across the stage, saying why they think he's a super lover and worth the trouble. Or worse, a creep in jail who admits he'll rape again once he's released is featured on a show — like we really care what he thinks or says.
Talk shows are not a pit stop on the long road to Hollywood fame
It is hard to blame producers for all of this madness, however, when so many people watch. As long as there is an audience, Sally, Rolanda, Ricki, Maury, and Montel will be more than happy to supply the entertainment.
would be a celebrity herself — signing autographs and posing for pictures with future fans. And all she had to do was tell her story — like she had done a million times before to her friends. Only this time, all of America would be watching. It would be good to
get things out in the open. She couldn't wait.
Also troubling is the idea that guests think that years of psychological trauma will disappear after one short segment. The truth is, guests don't always feel so great and sometimes feel used and even more in need of psychological help than before they appeared on the air.
Editors
Unfortunately, many wannabe stars think as Sheryl does. They think a one-time guest stint on "Geraldo" or "Jenny Jones" will be their ticket to Hollywood and a life few realize. But according to authors Jeanne Heaton, University of Ohio psychologist, and Nona Leigh Wilson, psychologist, who wrote "Tuning in Trouble," these queen-for-a-day experiences turn out to be a nightmare for the guests, and the promises of fame and fortune often vanish with the taxi ride home. Equally disturbing are the stories the guests tell.
On an episode of "Ricki Lake" recently, one loud girl told of how she welcomed the opportunity to cheat on her boyfriend, even if the scandal involved one of his friends. Next, the boyfriend was brought out and told about his lying mate (he was backstage and clueless only moments before). The audience howled with delight as he was clearly humiliated and hurt. To add to the circus, his best friend was ushered on stage to admit that yes, he too, had slept with the girl. Audience members took turns at the microphone, calling her names and begging her boyfriend to dump her. He didn't say much — only shook his head and looked dazed. Ricki took a break and promised more "fun."
This new technique of ambushing guests for entertainment is horrible, and it is sad that producers and hosts can't think for a minute how they would feel if they were caught off guard.
Donna Davie is an Overland Park graduate student in education.
MARS
By Mike Boast