The University Daily Kansan emphasizes the First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
HUGHES: The University of Kansas isn't keeping up with the demands of students in the modern United States by not offering a Spanish minor. See kansan.com for more opinions and Free for All comments
WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER 25,2006 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
PAGE 5A
OUR VIEW
We need public leaders willing to collaborate
The frenzied and hectic pace of campaign season often puts on shameful display some of the worst elements of American culture. Candidates are publicly derided in personal attacks, and charges are leveled without any context or substance. This can be wearying and worrisome, and it is unsurprising when young people consciously tune out of such a repulsive process.
But this campaign season, we should focus on a larger and more disturbing trend within political circles. Both major parties, and the interest groups that fund and support them, are seeking to establish a bizarre monoculture in which all opposition is marginalized and shunned. Officials of both parties speak of creating party hegemony, in which their own people and ideals can dominate all three branches of government.
Read any piece of campaign literature: Most of it focuses not on the virtues of the campaigner, but rather on the shortcomings
of the opponent's principles, and on the threat those ideals pose to government.
But most of the great accomplishments in American history have been the product of compromise, not of the total dominance of one party. If anything, the periods when we have been closest to hegemony have been the least productive and most divisive for the nation. A democratic republic is structured to operate on consensus and cooperation, not subjugation and trivialization. But again this campaign season we see both parties clamoring for the most polarized positions, with few candidates stressing the virtues of working together.
Luckily, a few upstanding public servants take this problem seriously. Led by Senators Barack Obama, John McCain, John Warner and Lindsey Graham, among others, this new trend of triangulation actually appears to focus more on the virtues of accomplishment than on political posturing. Obama in particular has stressed the necessity of bridging the gap between the extremes of the ideological spectrum.
There is a clear political benefit to this, as voters love a maverick. But maybe this will lead to a new era of confederation, in which politicians can sacrifice some electoral gain for the benefit of the nation.
Students are impressionable and are often the target of fringe messages, often with the complacency of the media, who are only too happy to focus on the competitive aspects of politics. But when our generation assumes power, and when we soon exercise our votes, we should remember that the road to great American accomplishment is rarely paved with animosity, and is nearly always lined with collaboration.
McKay Stangler for the editorial board
COMMENTARY
Playing the enrollment game
Today I'd like to talk about one of the greatest competitive sports at the University of Kansas: enrollment, a game of shifting schedules and crazy classes.
This week, the seniors will get first dibs at classes, which is good because they need to get into certain classes so they can graduate in seven years. I mean, four years. However, many students need to make sure they meet the requirements for any professional school they are going to apply to and/or the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The first place you can find out graduation requirements is on your ARTS (Annoying Record of Tons of Stuff) form, which you can find online. You select your major and the ARTS form will automatically generate all the classes you need to take for your gen eds and major requirements. It will also tell you what you've completed. And your GPA. And your major GPA. And what lottery numbers to pick. The ARTS form is loaded with important info, although it may take you a few centuries to figure out what all that info is.
The second place you can check for requirements is your course catalogue, which should have a master checklist of what each major and/or minor requires. It may take you a while, however, to decipher your course catalogue from your phone book.
The course catalogue is a great resource. Searching online on the
BY JENNY HARTZ
KANSAN COLUMNIST
OPINIONONKANSAN.COM
timetable is great, but you have to know the four-letter course code (example: ENGL for English) and the course number.
For example, you might find "ARTS 101: Underwater Basketweaving" and want to know more about it. The Internet search on Enroll and Pay will show you whether or not the class is offered and if so, when, where, and with whom the class is being held. But the course catalogue will give you a nice summary that will be something along the lines of:
"In this course students will have the opportunity to explore current issues and analyze the latest techniques in the field of underwater basketweaving. Students will be asked to utilize various tools and critical thinking skills."
OK, so the course catalogue summary makes the class sound like some sick academic test, so where else can you find a description of classes?
Answer: your friends and fellow classmates. I have discovered some of the best classes through other peoples' suggestions.
Another valuable enrollment resource not to be overlooked is your friendly neighborhood adviser.
If you're in the honors program, you've probably already picked an adviser. But the rest of the student body is assigned some random person who may have some slight knowledge in the field you're majoring in.
If this is the case, don't forget about asking your professors for advice on classes. They've probably taught some of the ones you're thinking about and can give you a better idea of the class than any other source. Also, if a class you want to get into has a limited number of seats, getting to know that professor might be a good idea. You may be rewarded with a permission number.
However, even when you find all the classes you're interested in, figure out your major requirements, and make a mock schedule, it's not a guarantee that when you enroll you will get into all the classes you need. The student body here is about 29,000 students, so getting into that special anthropology class with a 25-seat limit can be a pain in the ass.
Just remember as you enroll to keep alternatives in mind, use professors as a resource and constantly check the Internet timetables to see if anyone drops a class you really want. As for your course catalogue, if you don't know what to do with it, I suggest a doorstop or a pillow. Happy enrolling!
Hartz is a Stilwell sophomore in creative writing.
FREE FOR ALL
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.
My very drunk friend just got questioned by an Ellsworth RA and he insisted he lived in GSP.
To all the girls that wear Ug boots: They are still gross this year.
Dear campus bike thief: Keep up the good work. You are making campus a safer place for pedestrians and drivers.
We are inconsistent, we can't finish a game, Mangino can't diet right, is there any hope for the season?
I'm in the marching band and I try really hard to stay excited, but KU football ruins my life.
season?
I'm so emo I put mascara on my mascara.
If a bird in a hand is worth two in the bush, how much is a bird splattered on my windshield worth?
Malcolm Gibson, general manager, news administ
864-7667 or mgibson@kansan.com
Dave Ruigh, associate opinion editor 864-4924 or druigh@kansan.com
I definitely saw a naked girl run into the engineering building this morning.
Have you ever been sober five minutes of your life?
Lindsey Shirack, sales manager
864-4462 or iShirak@kansas.com
Jennifer Weaver, sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or jweaveri@kansas.com
Jonathan Kealing, editor
464-854 or jkaelan@kansan.org
Erick R. Schmidt, managing editor
464-854 or eschmidt@kansan.org
Gabriella Souza, managing editor
464-854 or gpocha@kansan.org
Frank Tunkard opinion editor
464-824 or frankaand@kansan.org
Kyle Hoedi, business manager
864-4014 or khoedi@kansan.com
Hey Quinton's: You suck at life.
TALK TO US
Grant Snider/KANSAN
PHILL KLINE'S QUESTIONABLE TACTICS
- SEEKING CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS WHILE "PREACHING" AT CHURCHES
TWO "L's"
- SPELLING "PHIL" WITH
SUBMISSIONS
COMMENTARY
KU needs a Spanish minor
The Kansan welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns submitted by students, faculty and alumni.
The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length, or reject all submissions.
KU students are missing out on one of the best programs in the nation. But not by choice.
Instead of viewing this influx of interest as a problem, it should be seen as young adults becoming increasingly aware of their surroundings and ada' ing to them. Now, if only the Spanish department could be as forward-thinking and adaptable as the students trying to enter into a non-existent Spanish minor program.
For any questions, call Frank Tankard or Dave Ruigh at 864-4810 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com.
General questions should be directed to the editor at editor@kansan.com.
The world is growing faster than our Spanish department is willing to adapt. It is obvious that there are cost-efficient ways to offer the successes that a minor has to offer to KU undergrads. When will the University take the time to implement the changes that will allow us to enter the world ready for the culturally diverse place that is has become?
Spanish and Portuguese is listed as one of the University's strongest programs by The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2006, and it is hailed "exceptional" by Kaplan: The Unofficial, Unbiased Insider's Guide to the 320 Most Interesting Colleges.
However, because the department does not offer a minor in Spanish, many students will never learn this firsthand. Our University is one of only two Big 12 universities that do not offer this minor.
The department could adopt a more forward-thinking approach, such as the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has. It offers the Spanish minor. However, in recognizing the quickly increasing number of students wanting to study and lack of funds to provide
Doesn't this also go along with the Kansas Board of Regents recent proposal? Chairman Nelson Galle proposed to require all four-year students at Kansas institutions to have some sort of international experience before graduating. The installation of a Spanish minor would promote this end.
Students' interest in Spanish courses isn't rising without reason. It is obviously rising is in relation to the increasing Hispanic population in the United States. With this continued exponential growth, the increasing amount of undergrads wanting to study Spanish isn't going to go away.
The KU Spanish and Portuguese Web site assures that they "encourage you to continue taking classes in Spanish ... the additional studies will benefit you greatly." However, there are currently no additional classes a student can take beyond language requirements for their non-Spanish major.
Rassias method. Students in Rassias method classrooms meet five hours a week to work on all basic Spanish language skills. Then the students spend another five hours a week in drill classes. These drill classes reinforce what has been taught in the main class using a "dramatic interplay," according to The California Aggie newspaper. With this program, professors hope their students will be at the intermediate level by the end of their first year.
In using this program, it seems that students will not only fulfill a significant number of hours, but probably fulfill their proficiency expectations of obtaining a minor in only one year. In this way, the existing teachers would implement a new, intensive and more effective teaching approach so that students can learn more in the same or even less time.
Next semester the department has added one class, Spanish 322: "Spanish Grammar: Form and Meaning in Context," for non-majoring students. This class is similar to that of the major equivalent course, 324, only must be taken simultaneously with 324 to receive the "full benefit," according to several department faculty members. Although it is exciting that the department has added one class for non-majors, it is just that; one class. There is no plan for additional classes at this time.
Yet another efficient solution could be borrowed from Dartmouth College, which implements the
Its Web site reminds students that Spanish majors have preference into classes — which makes sense. Here, however, is where the solution comes in: the university encourages studying abroad to ensure fulfilling all of the requirements of the minor as classes are in high demand. It also highlights that finishing the minor in one semester abroad is entirely possible — thus saving the Spanish department the hassle of opening more classes to accommodate all students.
BY ABBY HUGHES
KANSAN COLUMNIST
OPINION@KANSAN.COM
According to the KU Office of Study Abroad, roughly one in four students will study abroad before graduating from our University. It seems that if a Spanish minor program was offered, even with the stipulation that the majority of hours must be fulfilled abroad, a significant number of KU students would be able to receive their minor, pursue their interest and benefit from this opportunity without further overwhelming the department.
professors and teaching assistants to accommodate all who are interested, that university came up with, brace yourselves: problem-solving solutions.
Hughes is a St. Louis senior in journalism.
LETTER GUIDELINES
Maximum Length: 200 word limit
Include: Author's name and telephone number;
class, hometown (student); position (faculty member/staff); phone number (will not be published)
SUBMIT LETTERS TO
111 Stauffer-Flint Hall
1435 Jaydry Bldd.
Lawrence, KS 66045
(785) 844-8481, opinion@kansas.com
GUEST COLUMN GUIDELINES
**Maximum Length:** 500 word limit
**Include:** Author's name; class, hometown (student); position (faculty member/staff); phone number (will not be published)
**Also:** The Kansan will not print guest columns that attack a reporter or another columnist.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Jonathan Kealing, Erick R. Schmidt, Gabriella Souza, Frank Tankard, Dave Rough, Steve Lvrone, McKay Stangler and Louis Mora
E.
1
4