SPORTS
The Kansas volleyball team prepares to take on the No.2 Nebraska Cornhuskers. Page 1B.
CAMPUS
As fewer students seek MBA degrees nationally, enrollment in KU's program is on the rise. Page 3A
PARTLY CLOUDY High 73° Low 48° Weather: Page 2A.
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
VOL.104,NO.41
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1994
(USPS 650-640)
NEWS: 864-4810
GTAs win right to form bargaining unit
University could appeal decision
By Colleen McCair Kansan staff writer
The graduate teaching assistants who gathered yesterday at the Pioneer Room in the Burge Union breathed a collective sigh of relief as it was announced that they were public employees.
Monty Bertelli, hearing officer for the Kansas Public Employees Relations Board, announced his decision at 10 a.m. yesterday, more than a year after hearings to determine the
GTAs status concluded. Bertelli's decision means that the GTAs at the University of Kansas have the right to form a collective bargaining unit, which would allow the GTAs to negotiate contracts and employee benefits.
Smiles and high fives were seen among the 15 GTAs who were present for the announcement. Karen Dutcher, associate general counsel for the University, and Marc Adin, director of human resources, represented the University at the announcement.
"While the original purpose of hiring GTAs may have been educational, now the purpose is clearly a financial one," Bertell said.
The 50-page report issued by Bertelli said in no uncertain terms that GTAs were employees of the University, a public agency. According to the Public Employer-Employee Relations Acts of Kansas, a public employee is any person — excluding supervisory, professional, elected or confidential workers — employed by any public agency.
"The GTAs possess a dual student/employee status with the educational component of the teaching assistantship not significant enough to negate their public employee status," the report said.
David Reidy, a former GTA who helped coordinate the GTAs' efforts, said the implications of the decision
were far-reaching.
"This is a big deal because the decision could affect the structure of the University," Reidy said. "This is an important issue nationally, and this decision will have national implications."
Chancellor Del Shankel and Ed Meyen, executive vice chancellor, were not present for the announcement, but they issued a brief statement. In the statement, they said they could not comment specifically on the decision until they had studied the report.
Now the University and the GTAs will work to determine which GTAs are eligible to be a part of the bargaining unit. A pre-hearing conference to begin this determination has been scheduled for Nov. 17.
Scott Stone, chief counsel for the Kansas Association of Public Employees and the GTAs' attorney, said yesterday's decision did not ensure that a bargaining unit would be formed.
"What the GTAs have won is the right to organize," Stone said. "This decision allows them to look into forming a bargaining unit."
After the GTAs' bargaining unit has been defined, the GTAs will conduct an election to decide whether they will affiliate with the Kansas Association of Public Employees and the American Federation of Teachers for collective bargaining purposes.
In the meantime, however, the University could appeal yesterday's decision to the Public Employees Relations Board.
Dutcher, the University's attorney, said it would be premature to comment on the possibility of an appeal.
Former GTA Reidy said an appeal by the University could compel the GTAs to consider taking action against the University. An extended strike is unlikely, he said, but numerous options would be considered.
"From the report, it looks like the GTAs won hands down," Reidy said. "If the University appeals this decision, I think they would be acting in bad faith. An appeal only would further antagonize our relationship."
Yumi Chikamori / KANSAN
Democrat Jim Slattery and Republican Bill Graves, gubernatorial candidates, answered questions last night during a candidates forum.
Slattery and Graves have similar views
By Colleen McCain Kansan staff writer
Although Bill Graves and Jim Slattery squared off in a candidates forum last night in the Kansas Union Ballroom, the gubernatorial candidates were seldom in direct conflict.
Both candidates were in favor of qualified admissions, building prisons to alleviate overcrowding and increasing per-pupil-spending for elementary and secondary students.
Graves, the Republican candidate, and Slattery, the Democratic candidate, presented similar positions on several issues, including qualified admissions, building prisons and reevaluating the school finance formula.
More than 500 KU students and Lawrence residents attended the hour-long event, which was moderated by Ellen Reid Gold, associate professor of communication studies.
The candidates were given two minutes to answer each of the questions posed by a five-member panel. The panelists were: Marc Wilson, co-chairman of the Student Political Awareness Task Force; Burdett Loomis, professor of political science; Marilyn Bradt, member of the League of Women Voters; Jim Sullinger, political analyst for The Kansas City Star; and Nicholas Haines, Statehouse bureau chief for Kansas Public Radio.
Although Graves and Slattery echoed each other on several issues, tempers flared when panelists questioned the candidates for Slattery's criticism of Graves for accepting contributions linked to Torchmark Corporation, an Alabama insurance conglomerate with legal problems.
"Slattery has accepted contributions from this corporation in the past, but he chose to send back recent contributions as he prepared this ridiculous attack." Graves said.
Slattery said Torchmark had engaged in rampant, corporate greed.
Ben Dolezal, Ellsworth freshman, said both candidates presented clear answers, but Graves appeared more composed throughout the debate.
After the debate, Slattery said the two-minute time limit had been a problem when he and Graves answered complex questions.
Paul Kotz/KANSAN
"Because of his experience, Slattery presents more substantive answers than Graves, but Graves has improved with each debate." Loomis said.
Loomis said that although the candidates presented some similar views, the debate made their stands on a wide range of issues more clear to voters.
"Graves controlled himself better." Dolezaal said. "At times, Slattery lost his temper and made hasty comments."
An afternoon show
Tom Sirotnak attempts to blow a hot water bottle up as a demonstration of strength. Sirotnak was in front of Stauffer-Flint Hall yesterday breaking concrete blocks and tearing up large phone books to entice passing students to stoop and listen to his message of Christianity.
Monday last day to register to vote
By James Evans
Voter registration for the Nov. 8 elections ends Monday on campus and in Douglas County.
Kansan staff writer
The Student Political Awareness Task Force, which started a voter registration drive in early September, has registered 700 students for the election, said Mark Wilson, co-coordinator of the task force.
"A lot of students may feel that their votes don't count," he said. "But students can really be a voice on some of the issues."
Wilson said students should sign up to vote now because this was the last week of the registration drive.
Wilson said students could voice their opinions bv voting on the proposed one-cent, county-wide sales tax issue, on the possibility of a second high school and for the candidates they supported.
Wilson said that he was pleased with the number of students the task force signed up but that he would have liked for more to register.
Several sites are being set up for the final days of the voter registration drive. Wilson said.
The task force also has been trying to raise students' political awareness about issues and candidates this semester by organizing debates between political candidates. The task force set up last night's debate at KU between Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Graves and Democratic candidate Jim Slattery.
Where to register
Monday is the last day to register to vote in Douglas County for the local, state and national elections Nov. 8.
Register:
from 3 to 7 p.m. tomorrow and Friday at all KU residence hall lobbies.
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today in front of Wescoe Hall.
- from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow in front of the Kansas Union.
- from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, Friday and Monday at the Douglas County Clerk's Office, 11.00 Massachusetts St.
Source: Kansan staff research
Candidate focuses on education
.
Editor's note: This is the first of two stories profiling the Republican and Democratic candidates for the 46th district of the Kansas House of Representatives. The Kansan will be profiling all the candidates and issues on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Troy Findley spends a lot of time recruiting people to run for public office.
By David Wilson
Kansan staff writer
All that recruiting must have rubbed off on him.
Findley, the Democratic candidate for state representative from the 46th district, also is director of the Kansas Democratic party's county outreach program, which recruits people to join county committees and to run for state and county office.
The 46th district encompasses an area north of 23rd Street to the Kaw River and east of Iowa Street to beyond Haskell Indian Nations University. It includes most of the KU campus.
Findley, 30, is running against Eric Schmidt, the Republican candidate, and Ena Wheeler, the Libertarian candidate. The 46th district's current representative is Democrat Betty Jo Charlton, who has held the office for 14 years.
Findley grew up in Lawrence. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in political science.
"I worked my way up from bag boy to assistant manager," he said. "So I bring a
Throughout college, he worked as an assistant manager of Food Barn in Overland Park.
balance of public and private sector."
balance of public and private sector." But right now, his focus is the public sector.
"Government can't do everything for everybody," he said. "But what it does do, it has to do well."
"KU is the economic engine of this community," he said.
Findley's pet issue is education. It is especially important because of the district he wants to represent, he said.
And that public sector, Findley said, should be an efficient — but not all-pervasive—part of Kansans' lives.
As a campaigner, Findley comes across as
See FINDLEY. Page 6A.
Findley said that as representative, he would defend KU's share of the state budget by emphasizing its importance to the economy of Kansas and the higher value of education.
Daron Bennett / KANSAN
Troy Findley is the Democratic candidate for the 46th district seat in the Kansas House of Representatives.