The KUPA revolt
The Kansas University Progressive Alliance (KUPA) has pulled some of the skeletons out of the ASC's closet.
The 22 original members of KUPA, our newly-formed political party (or alliance, if you prefer), are letting people know that they do not like the way things are being handled around here. Among other things, KUPA members think political parties should not have the strength they do on campus or need be as dirty as the are.
WELL AND GOOD. We agree completely. Student government at KU has long been its own worst enemy because of its failure to pass meaningful election reforms. The political parties, in particular, have been a major factor in reducing campus politics to the mickey mouse role it has at times assumed at KU. Leaders of both parties agree with those who bolted their parties—there is an urgent need for reform in student government.
But one must go beyond the goals of a new proposal and look at the proposal itself. That is where we lose our enthusiasm for KUPA.
We do not think establishing a third political party is the best way to fight the problems that political parties have caused at KU. We believe the real solution for the problems must come from within the parties themselves. The parties already have the machinery for reform; if they have the desire, and the KUPA revolt indicates to us a desire, then the parties should be able to resolve their differences and work together for the upgrading of the entire council.
THE ISSUE IS CLOUDED on both sides by the history of student politics at KU. The members of KUPA are justified in pointing out that the council has indeed allowed itself to be divided and dragged down by the parties, that there has been little unity for the good of the council.
Opponents of KUPA can point to the fact that almost every new political party that has been started at KU has aimed for lofty goals, but has been dragged down into the mud of student politics. (It is in consideration of this that we are already wary of Vox Populi's tentative decision to disband and join the new alliance so that "the interests of the student may be best advanced by the elimination of petty party jealousies."
Politics is politics; it is a fact of life at KU. Its weaknesses cannot be remedied by a group that plans to leave the dirt of campus politics for the purity of lofty ideals. Politics must be improved from within—not from without. And improvement from within is not impossible; it starts with concern.
But we maintain that an aroused party—even one virtually controlled by one or two living groups—can express its concern in independent legislation.
WE REALIZE that concern does not help sway the vote in a political party with a dictatorial-type caucus system. We realize that money still speaks loudly in the control of a party. We realize that politics here can at times be a very d':ry business.
We want to see the parties weakened and the ASC strengthened; but we want to see such action come from the parties themselves. Reform by any other means, we feel, is destined to fail.
- The Editors
Somebody cares
It's touching to know that somebody cares.
You spend a lot of time up here, listen to the gripes of various university groups and keep hearing the complaint that "nobody cares."
You are assigned a student number, are enrolled with IBM cards, sit in a lecture class of 50, get lost in a sea of students on the way to class every morning; and you can't help getting the feeling that you're just one in 15,000—that nobody cares.
“Take That—And That—”
But somebody does care. Drive down Jayhawk Boulevard some night, and you'll learn that somebody cares—the campus cops.
They cared enough to equip their cars with radar—to spend all that money just so they can sit by the side of the road and find out what you are doing. It doesn't matter to them how insignificant you are—they're still interested in knowing what you're doing.
It's touching to know that somebody cares.
Bad time
Kelly noted that the rock 'n' roll show "The Monkees" was in the prime time slot that evening, and if preempted some announcer might say: "Instead of our usual show, 'The Monkees.' we now present Allegheny County's Democratic leaders."
PITTSBURGH—(UPI)—Public relations adviser George Kelly has warned Allegheny County Democrats against buying prime television time on the eve of Nov. 8 elections.
Official Bulletin
Ph.D. Exam, 3 p.m. Bruce Owen,
Sneech & Drama 300 Murray
Humanist Committee Lecture. 7:30
p.m. Big Dig Ehrenreich. Sex
Ethics. Big Dig.
KU-Y Membership Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Dyeche Auditorium.
TODAY
Muslim Society, 1:30 p.m. Friday prayers will be h-ld at the School of Biblical Studies, 1:45 p.m.
TOMORROW
Popular Film, 7 and 9:30 p.m. "The Man Who Liberty Valanes"
Hillel Services, 7:30 p.m. Jewish Community Center, 917 Highland Dr.
2 Daily Kanson
editorial page
Thursday, September 29, 1966
STRONG STUFF
as seen by EMERY GOAD
The All Student Council may be a long way from Strong Hall, but the shock wave it is trying to set up may bounce off every building on campus.
After the announcement of the creation of the new party, Mike Youngblood, Vox vice-president, admonished the council, "Behold, the star has risen in the east—but beware."
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The recent ASC turnover calls to mind a recent statement by Chancellor Wescoe: "There are three areas in student government at KU—legislative, judicial and executive. Personally, I think the last one has disappeared."
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The new bus rates on Daisy Hill seem to be part of the national cost of living increase . . . you can still starve; it just costs more, and more, and more.
Provost Surface commented the other day on the court suit filed by Prof. Ehrenreich naming Chancellor Wescoe as a defendant. "Should you lose the case," he told Wescoe, "You could always get a job with the University Extension Service, teaching at Leavenworth State Penitentiary."
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We have always heard that the KU Date Book was in demand, and Dean Taylor has confirmed the fact.
She recently ordered 180 copies of the Sigma Delta Chi publications which became available on Monday.
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The story about a new $80,000 plane for the university sounds like a "run-a-way" proposition.
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There is an obvious reason why the law school students "stand out" on the steps of Green Hall every day . . . there is no room for them inside.
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A
Speaking about red tape, the senator in Washington has nothing on the KU dating man.
The new AWS ruling abolishing closing hours for junior and senior women waded through the AWS Senate, the Council on Student Affairs, the Chancellor and the Board of Regents last spring and this summer.
Now that school has started and the women want the privileges promised to them, arrangements must be made through parents, the Panhellenic Presidents' Council, Panhellenic Standards Board, AWS Regulations Advisory Board, AWS Standards Committee, and the Dean of Women's Office.
We wonder if lobbyists in Strong Hall would speed things up??
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Yes, Virginia, there really is an Emery Goad. He is a 6-foot tall male, a journalism major and staff member of the Daily Kansan. He can be reached at the newsroom in Flint Hall most of the day.
At other schools...
"We pledged him not because he was a Negro and not in spite of his being a Negro," the Beta house president said. "We pledged him because he was an outstanding person and for what he could do for the house. That's what the whole point of rush is.
THE IOWA STATE DAILY reports that Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Iowa State pledged an "outstanding" Negro man during fall rush.
"We're not trying to be pioneers," the chapter president said. "We just thought he would add to our fraternity as an individual."
THE DAILY TEXAN, student newspaper of the University of Texas, complains that the price of coffee on campus has risen from seven to ten cents and the price of tea from five to ten cents.
THE COLORADO DAILY reports that students at Colorado College at Colorado Springs cheered as flames engulfed an old campus building. The fire department was called to fight the three-hour blaze, which the fire chief said was apparently arson. The building, Hays House, had been earmarked for destruction.
THE OKLAHOMA DAILY of the University of Oklahoma reports that student leaders will offer prayer at the beginning of home football games. It has been a long-standing tradition at the university for two university professors to offer the prayers, but this year it was decided that students would take over the praying.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
kansan
Serving KU for 76 of its 100 Years
The Daily Kansan, student newspaper at The University of Kansas, is pr o p e r d m b y National Advertising Services, 18 Eart St. 50 St., New York, N.Y. 10222. Postage paid at Lawrences, Kans, every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays and examination periods. Accommodations, goods, services and employment advertised in the University Daily Kansan are offered to all students without regard to color, creed or religion.
The opinions expressed in the editorial column are those of the students whose names are signed to them. Guest editorial views are not necessarily the editor's. Any opinions expressed in the Daily Kansan are not necessarily those of The University of Kansas Administration or the State Board of Regents.