Title IX: Analysis of the law passed to ensure equal sports representation. Page 1B Classes: Regents consider courses to be taken on videotape, Internet. Page 3A
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KS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 3
PO BOX 3585
TOPEKA, KS 66601-3585
KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
ADVERTISING 864-4358
TUESDAY.APRIL29,1997
SECTION A VOL.103, NO.145
(USPS 650-640)
Air Force identifies pilot, puts off search for clues
PHOENIX — The Air Force has solved part of the mysterious disappearance of Capt. Craig Button, determining through a DNA match that he died when his A-10 Thunderbolt crashed into a snowy Colorado mountainside.
But military officials said yesterday that the force with which Button's warplane crashed may have obliterated clues as to why the 32-year-old pilot veered off from a routine training mission in southwestern Arizona.
Button broke from the training mission on April 2. The Air Force tracked the $9 million plane's northeasterly path into Colorado, where it was found.
Button's parents learned Sunday that their son was killed in the crash. The military used DNA records and tissue specimens from the wreckage to positively identify the remains as Button's.
The Air Force retrieved two small pieces of the plane, including plastic-insulated tubing and wires and a section of metal, before officials postponed the salvage operation until the snow melts.
Now that the military knows where the A-10 and its pilot crashed, officials said they weren't certain if they would ever know why it was there. The main problem is evidence.
Unlike commercial planes, the A-10 was not equipped with a flight data recorder with information about the plane and the pilot.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court made local governments less vulnerable to civil rights lawsuits yesterday as it voted 5-4 to throw out the $81,000 won by an Oklahoma woman severely injured by a sheriff's deputy.
Local governments gain protection from Court
The court ruled that Bryan County, Okla., was wrongly held liable for a 1991 incident in which Jill Brown was thrown to the ground with such force that she had to have four operations and will require knee replacements.
Student Senate saga persists
Brown sued under a much-used federal law, and a jury found that reserve deputy Stacy Burns used excessive force. The county was punished because Burns' uncle, Sheriff B.J. Moore, hired him despite a long record of misdemeanor convictions.
Fizell alleges Sullivan wrongly involved with bill
The nation's highest court set aside that jury verdict as Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote, "Congress did not intend municipalities to be held liable unless deliberate action attributable to the municipality directly caused a deprivation of federal rights."
By Dave Morantz
Kansan staff writer
They're at it again
The ruling could have a big impact. New York officials had told the justices that between 1993 and 1995, the city had to pay $18 million to people who filed civil rights lawsuits because of conduct of police officers and prison guards
Although the elections commission finally certified the victory of Scott Sullivan and Mike Walden in this month's Student Senate elections, Jason Fizzell, former presidential candidate, has submitted a complaint to the University Judicial Board about Sullivan's alleged involvement in a bill to create a new student judicial board.
Monday in the Kansan
Fizell claimed that Sullivan was trying to manipulate the complaint appeal process while the elections
Fitzell said he only desired that the Student Judicial Board bill be repealed and that he would not seek additional punishments for Sullivan.
The Associated Press
Sullivan and Walden restated their announcement that they would not appeal their punishments to the newly created board.
commission was investigating a complaint against him.
On April 9, in its last regular meeting of the year, Senate passed a bill, with only one dissenting vote, that would create a student judicial board where student disputes and elections commission decisions could be appealed.
The complaint also questions the legality of a decision by this year's Senate executive committee to rush that bill — and another bill amending the elections of committee chairpersons and co-chairpersons — through the legislative process.
Fizell said that if Sullivan did help Stowell write the legislation, he would be guilty of misconduct under Student Senate Rules and Regulations because he had a significant effect on the appeals process of elections commission decisions. At that time, the elections commission was investigating Fizell's complaint regarding Harrod's involvement.
Before the bill was passed, commission decisions had to be appealed by the University Judicial Board.
"However, this type of activity should be exposed whenever possible, especially where it is evident in those we have elected to serve and represent us," Fitzell said in the complaint submitted to the University Judicial Board yesterday.
Two days before that meeting, Fizell, Olathe senior, and the Delta Force coalition announced that they would file a complaint regarding the involvement of former KU student Travis Harrod in the Unite coalition's campaign. The commission later found Sullivan, Leawood senior, and Walden, Leawood junior,
Focus, our favorite images
Sullivan agreed that the Student Judicial Board bill was not without problems, but he said he would seek Fitzell's help during the summer to make needed changes to procedural aspects and possibly changes to the appointment process of the new board.
In his complaint, Fizell claimed that witnesses saw Sullivan in the Pearson Scholarship Hall room of Jeff Stowell, Augusta senior and sponsor of the bill. The witnesses assert that Sullivan had an active role in writing the legislation.
Under University Senate Rules and Regulations, a three-member mediation panel discusses complaints with the parties. If that produces no resolution, a five-member panel hears the complaint, said Dennis Prater, University Judicial Board chairman and professor of law.
But Seth Hoffman, Lenexa freshman, resident of Pearson Hall and former Delta Force senate candidate, said he witnessed Sullivan helping Stowell write the legislation the day before the last Senate meeting.
guilty of seven elections-code violations concerning Harrod's involvement.
Stowell said he wrote the bill so that student organizations would have a body in which to resolve their
disputes. He denied that Sullivan had any role in writing the bill.
Sullivan denied the claims.
"I had no role whatsoever in the production of the bill," he said, adding that he could not remember being in Stowell's room at the time the witnesses allegedly saw him.
He said that because of the timing of Fixell's complaint, the board probably would not address the complaint until next semester.
Bag thefts at cafeteria decrease after policy change Without bag check room, thieves lack easy target
By Harumi Kogarimal
Kansan staff writer
Backpack thefts at the Ekdahl Dining Commons have dropped off significantly since a policy change allowing students to bring backpacks into the dining area was implemented last semester.
Because of a high number of thefts at the cafeteria, the housing department allowed students to bring their backpacks in the hall last October.
KU police Sgt. Chris Keary said many thieves concentrated on the bag room because students were forced to leave their bags there while they ate.
Seven bags were stolen during a 10-day period last November, according to police reports.
Since the new policy was implemented, no backpacks have been reported stolen.
Because it took a while for people to realize the change in the dining hall's policy, some thefts were reported during November and December, Keary said.
Thy Dobnick, Wichita freshman, said that because she had a $100 calculator in her backpack, she took her bag into the cafeteria.
Two KUIDs were stolen at the Gertrude Sellards Pearson dining hall, and no thefts were reported in the Oliver Hall dining hall this school year.
Nona Golledge, dining hall coordinator, said the housing department still encourages students to leave their backpacks in the room, but it is sometimes dangerous to count on the monitor camera in the room to provide security.
Although there was a concern that students might steal food and hide it in their backpacks, it does not seem to be the case. Golledge said.
"I heard people get their stuff stolen, and it's your fault if you leave your backpack there." Dobnick said.
Other dining halls still require students to leave their backpacks in certain areas, but reported thefts in those halls is low, according to KU police reports.
Despite the policy change in Ekdahl Dining Commons, some students still leave their backpacks in the bag room.
"It's easier," said Steven Jacobsen, Hiawatha freshman. "If I bring my backpack, I might forget it."
Keary said the camera sometimes could not identify suspects when 700 students went through the area at once.
"We haven't seen a big increase in food cost," Golledge said. "We sometimes see food still smuggled out, but I don't think it's happening more often because we let backpacks in."
"We have very sophisticated camera equipment, but it is hard to identify the individuals." Golledge said.
Spring fever strikes campus
A ray of sun each day keeps students away
By Emily Vrabac
Kansan staff writer
Spring fever abounds on campus this time of year. Students play frisbee and sit in the sun to pass the time.
Amanda Hurley, Kansas City, Kan., junior; Stacy Renfrope, Derby junior; and Jessica Campbell, Lawrence senior, enjoy the sun in front the Chi Omega fountain.
Sunny, warm spring weather can become detrimental to students' class attendance. It's much easier to pass class time outside than to sit through a lecture. This is especially true as the semester comes to an end, said Frank DeSalvo, director of Counseling and Psychological Services.
Gale Garber / KANSAN
"My explanation is that it's an opportunity to be distracted by something pleasurable when something needs to be done." DeSalvo said.
He said that time spent outside wasn't ideal for everyone. Sun and pollen could cause problems for some people, he said.
He said the feelings associated with spring fever occurred at other times of the year, as well.
"Lots of folks get fired up in the fall when the leaves change, but we don't call it fall fever," DeSalvo said. "Those pleasurable days are not restricted to spring."
Robert Cohen, assistant professor of biological sciences, said he saw a change in attendance in his classes during the spring.
"Attendance goes down as the weather goes up," Cohen said. "I especially notice it later in the week. For an afternoon Thursday or Friday class, with nice weather attendance tends to go down."
Tom Glavinich, chairman and associate professor of architectural engineering, said attendance in engineering classes didn't change much because of the weather because it was too difficult for students to miss class. He said he didn't always get to spend much time outside, either.
"If it's a nice day, I'll go outside during the day and do my studying at night, play a little golf or whatever," Margolies said. "I'm able to get stuff
"I'd love to take a walk outside, but unfortunately, I have a bunch of meetings and classes during the day," Glavinich said.
Seth Margolies, Dallas sophomore, said he could balance his play time and study time.
done, but I'm one of those good students."
He said that if students used the break effectively, it could increase the benefits of studying.
"I think it's probably most productive to study 45 minutes and then take a 15-minute break," DeSalvo said. "It does require some discipline in that you have to go back after the break."
DeSalvo said the desire to spend time away from books showed that students needed to take breaks from their studies to clear their minds.
A KU student was struck by a car yesterday morning as he was crossing Nalsmith Drive on his way to class.
Student bruised when struck by car
Kansan staff report
Shawn Muller, Overland Park sophomore, was walking on the crosswalk across Naismith toward Robinson Center about 10:30 a.m. when a car driven by Donna Christensen, Fairport, N.Y., senior, turned left on Naismith from Sunnyside Avenue and hit Muller, KU police said.
Muller was not seriously injured in the accident, but he was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for bruises. He was released about 2 p.m.
KU police said Christensen told them that she had not seen Muller until she was about two feet from him, but by that time she could not stop in time.
Muller said that when he tried to move out of the way, the car screeched to a stop and hit him in the leg, causing him to fall onto the car. Muller said he was unhurt except for a large bruise on his back. Christensen was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian.
Laurie Fletchall / KANSAN
Shawn Muller, Overland Park sophomore, was hit by a car on his way to class. Muller said he was unhurt except for a large bruise on his back.
TODAY
Tameoka Dixon is the 14th pick in the Women's National Basketball Association's first draft. Page 18
INDEX
INSIDE SPORTS
Television ...2A
Opinion ...4A
Horoscopes ...2B
Classifieds ...4B
CHANCE OF RAIN
电
4
Weather: Page 2A
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