Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Thursday, May 2, 1991
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Tom Walker, Concordia senior, displays the banner he will carry during commencement.
Concordia senior to march first in graduation parade
Commencement to end banner year for CLAS flag-bearer
By Sarah Davis
Kansan staff writer
As this year's KU graduates file into Memorial Stadium at commencement, Tom Walker, Concordia senior, will be at the head of the
At every graduation ceremony, one student from each of the 11 schools, including three from the University of Kansas Medical Center, is selected to carry that school's traditional banner.
This year, Walker was chosen to carry the 8-foot white-and-gold banner for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The college will host a graduation procession, so Walker will arrive first in the stadium.
J. Michael Young, director of the honors program, said he selected Walker because he was a member of the college honor's program. He is the co-chairman at the behest of James Muyksen, dean of liberal arts and sciences.
"It was a difficult choice because there were so many students in the college with sterling records," Young said. "But he really represents the student body of the college."
'My parents will be able to pick me out of a mass of people. They'll know exactly where I am.'
- Tom Walker Concordia senior
Walker stood out from the rest because of the breadth of his educational achievements, Young said.
In three years and several summers, he has completed a bachelor of science degree in economics and bachelor of arts degrees in English and science. He almost completed a bachelor's degree in mathematics as well.
Walker said he took so many courses because he wanted to learn as much as he could. He has a full scholarship to attend graduate school at the University of Chicago and work toward a doctorate in economics.
Walker said being chosen to carry the college banner was an honor.
how the world works," he said about all his majors. "It should help out in any field."
"Hopefully, I'll know more about
"It's always nice to get some sort of validation that your achievements have some sort of worth to somebody other than yourself," he said.
Allan Cigler, professor of political science, has Walker in his Political Parties class this semester. He said he represented the college very well.
Walker said that one of the most interesting things about carrying the banner was that he would be a student to walk into the stadium.
"I'm not surprised he is carrying the college banner." Cigler said. "He represents what liberal arts is all about. Tom's a genuine学厨. He's interested in diverse subject matter."
"My parents will be able to pick me out of a mass of people," he said, laughing. "They'll know exactly what I am."
Committee hammers out tenative tax compromise
Agreement would channel $72 million to schools to lower property tax increase
By Joe Gose
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — The tax package that was passed by the Senate on Tuesday remained in a conference committee yesterday, in which legislators attempted to reconcile Senate and House differences.
After compromises were made on both sides, legislators representing each body left the bargaining table before reaching an agreement on which direction to take.
However, the success of reaching a consensus on the tax bill is contingent upon whether the conference committee will approve the bill. The budget bill will institute budget limits.
More than $72 million generated by the tax increase would be provided to the school district financing formula in an amendment that links the two bills.
As a result, property taxes would increase by $22 million instead of $159 million next year.
"We have the broad outlines of a plan," said State Rep. Joan Wagnon, D-Topeka. "The Senate has been pretty clear that adjustments in budget limits are an essential ingredient to finalizing this plan."
The Senate wants a 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent budget increase lid placed on local school districts for fiscal 1992 and a permanent lid of 1 percent to 3 percent each year after that.
The budget lids would allow school districts to increase their budgets relative to how far behind or ahead they are in the median district budget in the state.
State Sen. Fred Kerr, R-Pratt, said the lids were necessary to provide property tax relief to taxpayers.
"The whole key is the lowering of the budget limits so that the benefits of the income tax can be reaped through property tax relief," he said. It will, if it will fall apart in a mind, be the school finance plan falls anapst."
Kerr added that the permanent lids were an even bigger issue than the lids for fiscal 1992.
House members initially wanted the 1/4-percent sales tax increase removed and wanted an increase in their taxes. They wanted a third income tax bracket.
Senators did not want any corporate tax increase, nor a third income tax bracket.
As the outline stands now, the $1/4 percent sales tax increase remains, a corporate surcharge would increase the tax burden and the tax bracket would be implemented.
City court to begin amnesty program for people with late traffic tickets
By Rick C. Honish Kansan staff writer
Beginning at 4 p.m. Friday the Lawrence Municipal Court will begin a program that will offer amnesty until May 10 to anyone with late traffic tickets or outstanding traffic warrants.
JVie Bocchieu, court clerk, the program was designed to help students who were leaving for the summa- well as people who were short of cash.
"We chose this time because the students are leaving, and we hope this will give them some incentive to care for their fines." Viebrock said.
She said that anyone with a warrant for not appearing in court, for not paying a fine on time or for any other charge, must participate in the amnesty program.
"This is a way for people to avoid going to jail or being arrested, as well as save some money," she said.
Under the program guidelines, arrest warrants and late fees on tickets are dropped after the original fine is naid.
Viebrock said this did not mean that people could avoid paying their fines. They only have to pay the fine if they were caught on a traffic ticket is $2, she said.
Viebrock said this was the first
year the program had been used in Lawrence, though she had worked on the idea for a number of years.
"The Topeka court tried it just recently, and it worked well," she said.
Topeka Municipal Court Judge Joseph Cox said the program had been used twice in Topeka.
Cox said last year's program was successful in clearing about 2,200 warrants.
"We did it last year and then again just three weeks ago," he said. "We did it for four days and got rid of about 1,400 warrants."
"It was definitely a success," Cox said.
Only half of recent grads finished in four years, vice chancellor says
By Eric Nelson
This has been a reality for only half of KU graduates during the past 12 years.
Four years and out.
dropped courses.
Dave Shulenburger, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, said that during this time at the University of Kansas, about half of the students in each graduating class received eight semesters of school.
Along with this information, the recently conducted survey of students dropping courses showed that 80% of them were dropping courses in their major.
Shulenburger said the trend of seniors dropping courses suggested to him that the five-year plan for graduation was acceptable.
Of those dropping,23.8 percent said they planned to re-enroll in the
But he said that fifth-year seniors were not a new phenomenon.
He also said many courses of study at KU, such as architecture and education.
Also, Shulenburger said that there was no evidence that the growth of the University had delayed or disrupted the graduation process.
"I think a lot of students remain for more than four years because they are working while they go to school." "I think it's mostly personal reasons.
said he would be a fifth-year senior next year because he had to work while going to school.
He said many students had no choice, because of the rising tuition rate.
Ron Strayer, Hutchinson senior.
"You're forced to work more hours to make ends meet," he said.
This semester Strayer is working 40 to 50 hours a week while taking eight credit hours.
Lisa Rinehart, Tulsa senior, said she would become a fifth-year senior semester after spending one year as a junior. She also is pursuing two degrees.
Rinehart said she knew it would take additional time to complete the extra hours needed for her two degrees.
Food Barn strikers reject latest wage offer
By Michael Christie
Kansan staff writer
Striking Food Barn employees yesterday rejected the latest offer by Food Barn Inc. bringing the two sides of strike to yet another standstill.
"it's back to square one. I'm afraid," said Mike Simmons, union picket leader at the Lawrence Food Barn.
The latest Food Barn offer was for $8 an hour for full-time workers in the Kansas City area and $7.50 an hour
for those in Lawrence. Part-time workers would have received $6.50 an hour in Kansas City and $6 an hour in Lawrence.
All eight Lawrence strikers who attended a meeting yesterday in Topeka voted against it.
Food Barn management in Lawrence would not comment on the situation.
A ninth Lawrence striker, Wendy Marshall, Lawshall sophomore, said that she could not go to Topeka to vote because she had class but that
she would have voted against the proposal.
"I would have been receiving a $1.25 cut in wages if it had been accepted," Marshall said.
Despite two months of striking, the Lawrence employees were unified, Simmons said. The unanimous decision that Lawrence striker showed their resolve.
The Food Barn employees originally went on strike for a freeze in their contract after Food Barn decided to cut full-time wage $6.50