}
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.101.NO.53
KANSAS STATE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66512
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
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(USPS 650-640)
NEWS:864-4810
KU professors to attend Iowa City memorial service for colleagues
By William Ramsey Kansan staff writer
Two KU physics and astronomy professors left today for a memorial service for three colleagues that were shot and killed last week at the University.
Thomas Armstrong and Thomas Cravens, professors of physics and astronomy, said the Friday killings were a loss for the scientific communi-
Dwight Nicholson, chairperson for Iowa's department of physics and astronomy; Christoph Goertz, professor; and Robert Alan Smith, associate
professor, were fatally shot by a former student. Cravens and Armstrong knew the three faculty members.
The student, Gang Lu, 28, went on a rampage after another student's dissertation was honored last spring instead of his. Lu killed the student.
After the rampage, Lu killed himself
"It is just a very, very sad day — a sad week for us," Armstrong said. "We have lost a number of people."
An administrator also was shot and killed, and a secretary was seriously injured.
He and Cravens, along with the Iowa professors, are space physicists who
studv space plasma.
Space plasma is electrically charged, solid particles that make up the gases between stars and planets.
He said that he also had met with the professors on other occasions and that they had visited his home during the meeting.
Armstrong said he had enjoyed talking and debating with the three professors in Iowa's physics and astronomy department.
Armstrong said that the Iowa faculty members visited the University of Kansas in 1988 for a physics conference and that he and others had traveled to Iowa City last year for a similar meeting.
Armstrong, who received his doctoral degree from Iowa, said the unexpected deaths had forced him to confront his own mortality.
KUconference.
"We experience these things and it tends to underscore the fragile and transitory nature of human existence." he said.
LA, who was from Beijing, earned a doctoral degree in physics in 1991. He was upset that his dissertation did not win an academic award.
Armstrong said he was surprised by Lu's actions because Nicholson, Goertz and Smith did not seem to have problems with students.
"Quite the contrary, these were very gentle people," he said. "They were interesting and fun to be around."
Cravens said the three professors were widely known because they were among a small number of physicists who studied space plasma.
"It's a fairly tight community," he said. "There are perhaps a few hundred in the whole world."
Cravens said that he had used a textbook written by Nicholson to teach a class last year and that Goertz had been one of the most widely known theoretical space physicists in the world.
Goertz had been the senior editor of
the world's leading journal for space physics,he said.
"He was good — one of the best," Cravens said. "He would not suffer second-rate stuff."
Armstrong said that Iowa still had a reservoir of strong faculty but that its space physics students would have a chance to adapting to the loss of professors.
He said he and Cravens would drive today to Iowa City for the evening service and return tomorrow.
Sculpting wire
Nikole Hendricks, Overland Park sophore, solders wire for a Design II project. Hendricks was working on a class assignment to create a three-dimensional wire representation of an everyday object. Her project was made by using the Kubo C4280 and the Kubo K3650.
Senate OKs Gates despite concerns
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Senate yesterday confirmed Robert Gates as head of the Central Intelligence Agency, which also had brief disruptions within the svp agency.
Gates, 48, becomes the 15th director the CIA has had since it was founded in 1947. The director heads not only the agency, with its spying and analysis missions, but also oversees other agencies that deal with military intelligence, satellite soooping and international eavesdropping.
Backed by many Republicans, Gates benefited from a split within Democratic ranks to survive the race. The Senate approved process for a CIA nominee.
The vote was 64 to 31, despite the taint of Iran-contra that控到 Gates during the confirmation hearings and charges that he tailored intelligence reports to suit the political views of the Reagan administration.
Confirmation also reversed the sharpest setback in the career of Gates, whose swift rise up the CIA lader was stymied in 1887 when President Renton defeated him, but he was forced to withdraw under the cloud of Iran-contra.
President Bush said in a statement
Senate supporters campaigned for Gates on the ground that his background in intelligence work gave him the know-how to do the job and that he had overcome whatever past deficiencies he may have had.
issued after the vote that the "vote is a confirmation that Bob Gates has the professional expertise and experience of our community during these changing times."
"I have an uneasy feeling about Mr. Gates, and I don't think we ought to have that unesay feeling about whoever heads the CIA," said Sen. Paul Simon, D-III., who voted against confirmation.
"If you're going to find someone who's never made a mistake, you've got to find someone who's never made a decision." Boren said.
"The last thing you want is someone at the helm of an agency who really does not have experience in that field," said David Boren, D-Doka, head of the Intelligence Committee and the most outspoken Gates booster in the Senate.
But doubts lingered among many lawmakers.
Robert Gates
"I think we can do better in this country. I think we can find someone who would have the unanimous support of this body."
Confirmed 64-31 as CIA director
Age: 47
Education:
B.A., College of William and Mary,
1965; M.A.
in history
Indiana
University,
1966; Ph.D.
Russian, Soviet history, 1974,
Georgetown University
Career:
1982: Appointed deputy director for intelligence
1983: Appointed chairman, National Intelligence Council.
1890: Returned to CIA; served as national intelligence officer. Soviet Union
1966: Joined CIA
1974: Assigned to National Security Council staff
1986: Became deputy director of CIA
1987: Nominated for director; withdrew name after questions regarding knowledge of Iran-contra scandal
1989: Appointed deputy national security adviser
national security adviser
1991: Confirmed as CIA director
Knight-Ridder Tribune News/KANSAN
University accepts Turner resignation
Published comments cited as reason in director's letter
By Melissa Rodgers
Kansan staff writer
The University yesterday accepted the resignation of James Turner, director of the affirmative action committee. The interim executive vice chancellor.
Turner turned in a letter of resignation late Monday afternoon, Shankel said in a prepared state statement. His resignation will be effective Dec. 17.
"I regret any embarrassment that comments attributed to me have caused the University or the office I have served."
Turner was not available for comment yesterday.
He has been on paid administrative leave since Oct. 28. He was placed on administrative leave pending a University investigation into allegations that he used the terms "fat Indian chick" and "fagot" during an Oct. 23 interview with two Kanan reporters.
Turner left his resignation letter in his office Monday afternoon and notified Shankel's office that it was there, said Kelly Hayden, assistant to the interim executive vice chancellor.
"Iregret any embarrassment that comments attributed to me have caused the University or the office I
Shankel said yesterday that the investigation had been completed and that he had discussed the findings with Turner.
Shankel would not comment about the investigation's findings or about whether they had influenced Turner's decision to resign.
"The findings of the investigation are confidential as far as I am concerned." he said.
Shankel said that Turner had said it would be best for him to resign in light of his personal situation.
"Turner has provided excellent service to the University during much of his term as director of the office, and I am sorry that recent personal problems have made it impossible for him to continue effectively in this position," Shankel said in a prepared statement.
In his letter of resignation, Turner wrote, "I realize that the published comments attributed to me have made it impossible for me to represent effectively the cause of affirmer action at the University of Kansas.
have served."
Lawrence police testified Oct. 21 in Kenneth Morris' preliminary murder hearing in Douglas County District Court that Turner allegedly gave cocaine to Morris and his girlfriend hours before Morris allegedly bulged Agent Danny Davis, 40, with a golf ironAug 8. Davies died Aug. 13.
Turner denied giving drugs to Morris in the Oct. 23 interview and used the expression "fat Indian chick" to describe a woman he said was with Morris when he drove Davis to 619 Illinois St., where the bludgeoning occurred about 2 a.m. Aug. 8.
According to reporters' notes, the term "faggot" was used near the end of the Oct. 23 interview.
"Iused theterms 'fat Indianchick' and 'faggot,' but not to describe individuals." he said.
In an Oct. 28 interview, Turner said his words were taken out of context.
Turner claimed Davis had used the term "faid Indian chick" Aug. 8 to describe a woman who was with Morris.
Turner also claimed he used the term "fagomega" when he was repeating the words of another person to describe himself. He had occurred at a place he used to work.
Shankel said yesterday that Turner did not say what his future plans were or whether he would remain in Lawrence.
Turner is among about 180 people on the prosecution's witness list in Morris' murder case. The date for a jury trial is scheduled to be set Friday. The trial is expected to begin in January or February.
Frank Dieb, assistant Douglas County district attorney, said he did not know whether Turner would be called to testify.
Sgt. Mark Harmon of the Lawrence police said, "He (Turner) has potential to be an important witness."
If Turner moved from the area, police would subpoena him if his testimony was needed. Harmon said.
Thomas Berger, formerly associate director of the office, is serving as acting director.
News of director's departure receives variety of reactions from KU students
By Mauricio Rios Kansan staff writer
KU students who were questioned yesterday agreed that James Turner made the right decision to resign as director of the affirmative action office if he made the remarks attributed to him.
Ayden Dunlain, member of Gay and Lesbian Services of Kansas, said if the statements attributed to Turner were true, he would be the appropriate response.
Turner used the terms "fat Indian chick" and "faggot" during an interview with two Kansan reporters Oct. 23. The publication of his remarks led to a University internal investigation of the reported comments.
In another interview Oct. 28, Turner said that he had meant to attribute the words to someone else.
Greg Wilson, GLSOK member,
said he was glad that Turner had resigned.
"By his resigning, he has pretty much admitted his guilt," he said. "It kind of adds a lot of truth to it."
Nadine White, Seattle senior, said she did not know what should happen to Turner.
"He must have thought that was the best solution. It's bad because I heard he was a good director," said David Raney, a native American Student Association.
Harris said that Turner could
But, she said, she didn't think that his resignation proved his guilt.
Monica Harris, Kansas City,
Kan, junior, said that regardless of
the circumstances, Turner should
never have used those words.
Turner was supposed to support minorities, but White said she thought the comments attributed to Turner proved otherwise.
have used those terms in a moment of anger or frustration.
"He probably said things that he didn't mean," shesaid. "I don't know if it's true."
Ralph Crowder, adviser to Black Men of Today, said it was a difficult situation.
"It's unfortunate," said Crowder, Lawrence graduate student. "My own personal contact with Mr. Turner has been positive."
Paul Rodriguez, treasurer of Hispanic-American Leadership Organization, said he wanted to know more about the organization. Turner's statements out of context.
Turner should have a news conference to defend himself, Rodriguez said.
But he said that resigning was probably the best thing Turner could do.
"If he stayed, people would slam on him."he said.