OPINION
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PUBLISHED DAILY SINCE 1912
CRAIG LANG, Editor
CRAIG LANG, Editor
SUSANNA LOOP, Managing editor
KIMBERLY CRAFTRE, Editorial editor
TOM EBLEN, General manager, news adviser
4A
MARK OZIMEK, Business manager
DENNIS HAUPT, Retail sales manager
JUSTIN KNUPP, Technology coordinator
JA STEINER, Sales and marketing adviser
Monday, April 21, 1997
Amy Miller / KANSAN
Editorials
University should not cancel Union classes for other events
For students, deciding on the right class is an aggravating process. Those decisions often are compounded by requirements, permit to enroll slips and enrollment dates.
And for some students, class location is important, especially if they have had a class canceled because of space constraints.
For most students, occasional class cancellations are no big deal. Class cancellations are usually a reason to rejoice, especially if they occur on a Friday.
But for students who have taken classes in the Kansas Union, cancellations can be a burden.
Although class cancellations in the Union do not happen on a regular basis, it is aggravating to students who are
Students should not have to deal with special events overriding their classes.
serious about their school work and their education.
And linear tuition further aggravates the situation. When a class is canceled, students lose money.
Of course, students waste money when they cut class but that is a different issue. At least then missing class is a choice, not a decision forced upon students by a higher power.
The University needs to make a choice between what it advocates, and what it actually does.
If the University is going to claim that
education is a top priority, it needs to stick with that policy.
Taking class space and using it for other events, especially when the University gets paid for lending out that space, contradicts the message that they are attempting to send students.
The primary obligation for the University is to educate students.
Special events are an important part of that education, but class time should and must come first.
Granted, this may not be much of a problem in the future, with Budig Hall open to use for class space, but administrators need to make sure they prioritize.
The Union, or any other building used for class space, should continue to serve its primary purpose: education.
NICOLE SKALLA FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Student activism has renewed life
About 100 students gathered in front of the Kansas Union last Thursday for a student activism rally in which representatives of several campus organizations made their causes and their support for graduate teaching assistants known.
These students represent an idealism and willingness to stand up for one's beliefs that can be admired by all at the University of Kansas.
Despite poor planning with regards to the chancellor's schedule and the minor irritation caused by blocking traffic, the actions of these students are still commendable. They represent an important principle, one that is too often absent from the campus of this University; action in the face of opposition.
Rochelle Votat, Lawrence senior and member of Students Taking Action
Students have the right take action and work for causes that concern them.
Non-Violent and Direct, said that now was a key time for activism at the University.
"There's a lot of problems at the University right now," Votaw said. "We wee something to the students that come after us. The administration won't do anything unless we demand it."
old. Students no longer feel empowered to address the issues that concern them. Too often, we aren't willing to demand input into decisions that affect this campus and our education.
Votaw's enthusiasm and energy are reminiscent of student activism in its prime, the late 1960s. During that time, students at universities around the country were willing to work hard and demonstrate publicly to protect their rights.
We allow decisions to be made by legislators, administrators or a few fellow students. Students need to realize that decisions that will change our educations deserve our attention, effort and ideas.
Votaw said that while working to create a Latino Studies program she was told by administrators that it was not her place to do so.
In recent years, apathy has decayed the accomplishments of the activists of
She is right. Students at this University pay tuition, and they have a right and a responsibility to take action, to work for the causes that concern them and determine the future of this University.
"Not only do I have the right because I cause
Ihavenote, I have a responsibility." Votaw said.
LA TINA SULLIVAN . . . Associate Editorial
KRINTIE BLASI . . . News
NOVELDA SOMMERS . . . News
LESLIE TAYLOR . . . News
AMANDA TRAUGHBER . . . News
TARA TRENARY . . . News
DAVID TESKA . . . Online
SPENCRER DUNCAN . . . Sports
GNA THORNBURG . . Associate Sports
BRADLEY BROOKS . . . Campus
LINDSEY HENRY . . . Campus
DAVE BRETTENSTEIN . . Features
PAM DISHMAN . . Photo
TYLER WIRKEN . . Photo
BRYAN VOLK. . . Design
ANDY ROHRBACK . . Graphics
ANDREA ALRIGHT . . Wire
LZ MUSSER . . Special sections
AERICA VEAZEY . . News clerk
KELLI RAYBERN FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
KANSAN STAFF
NEWS EDITORS
ADVERTISING MANAGERS
ADVERTISING
HEATHER VALLER ... Assistant retail
JULIE PEDLAR ... Campus
DANA CENTENO ... Regional
ANNETTE HOOVER ... National
BRIAN PAGEL ... Marketing
SARAH SCHERWINSKI ... Internet
DARCI MCLAIN ... Production
DENA PISCIOTTE ... Production
ALLISON PIERCE ... Special sections
SARA ROSE ... Creative
DANA LAUETZ ... Public relations
BRIAN LEFEVRE ... Classified
RACHEL RUBIN ... Assistant classified
BRIDGET COLLYER ... Zone
JULIE DEWITT ... Zone
CHRIS HAGHIRIAN ... Zone
LIZ HESS ... Zone
ANTHONY MIGLIAZZO ... Zone
MARIA CRIST ... Senior account executive
Letters: Should be double-spaced typed and fewer than 200 words. Letters must include the author's signature, name, address and telephone number plus class and hometown if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
How to submit letters and guest columns
Guest columns: Should be double-spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
All letter and guest columns should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauf fer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Kim Crabtree ( opinion@kansan.com) or LaTina Sullivan ( lusillian@kansan.com) at 864-4810.
Guest columns
Kansan should have recognized trailblazer
Before there was Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Tiger Woods and many other breakthrough heroes, there was Jackie Robinson.
There is no way in this column that I can do him justice or articulate fully the impact Robinson has had on America.
Jackie Robinson was the man who laid the foundation for desegregation, not only in baseball, but in all aspects of life.
ing Robinson's accomplishments
Buried on page 4B of the Kansan is a brief story about Jackie Robinson. Somehow the Kansan was able (with the help of the Associate d Press) to condense all that Robins had accomplished in four short columns above the classified adds.
Similarly to his treatment on April 15, 1947, where he was barely mentioned in the media on the day of his Major League debut, the same travesty happened at the University of Kansas in 1997.
No staff member contributed to that article. Even on page 3A, there was an article about a new late night eating establishment that was given higher priority. The Kansan should be ashamed of itself.
The question we must now ask is where are our priorities.
How unfitting a treatment for a man that not only integrated baseball, but through his determination and will helped to pave the way and soften the blow for the nationwide integration and desegregation to come. A man who, through his
perseverance and resiliency, demonstrated to the world that the color of a man does not establish or set limits on this worth or value.
On a day when the commissioner of baseball permanently retires the number 42 in honor of Robinson and the president of the United States pauses in order to honor Robinson, the Kansan determined that election allegations and Day on the Hill were more important topics to be placed on the front page.
I paused to give the Kansan a chance to redeem itself on April 16.
Still nothing. No tribute. No time table of Robin-
son's achievements. No inserts. No recognition.
Every person of color from Spike Lee to Bill Cosby to Colin Powell to Magic Johnson to all of America now experience the benefits of the sacrifices made by Robinson.
The death threats, the countless number of spikes he took, the fans spitting on him or at him at any give time, the racial slurs jeered at only him, fellow baseball players not wanting to touch his skin for fear of contracting some imaginary illness called enlightenment. There is no telling how much you or I could have taken in 1947, but the one thing we are sure of is that Robinson took their best shot and marched on.
This sends the message to the students, faculty, organizations and the community that the Kansan is unaware of the importance of recognizing one of America's true pioneers.
Robinson was shackled with an order to restrain form fighting or commenting back at derogatory statements and acts directed at himself and his family.
Where were the threats and insults to prevent the Kansan from properly recognizing the accomplishment s and trailblazing efforts of one of our greatest American heroes of any color.
Richard Prince is a Lawrence second year law student.
Scientist gives student different outlook on life
As an anthropology major, I have always been comfortable with the theory of evolution.
Although anthropology is not a prerequisite for most degree programs, all students should be open to learn about Darwin's theory of evolution as a way of explaining the origin of the human species through the reconstruction of the physical characteristics of different humanlike species throughout time.
When I began looking for an interesting angle for covering the evolution exhibit at the
natural History Museum, I was surprised to learn that people were extremely sensitive to the idea that they were descendants of anes.
I started asking myself what is it about evolution that makes my mother and my priest-to-be friend so uncomfortable? They reject this theory because if evolution is true, humans do not have a moral standing that is any different from other plants or animals.
From discussions with my mother, for instance, I learned that she feared that evolution threatened our chances for eternal life. But what's the big deal with evolution if Pope John II accepted Darwin's 1859 theory of evolution? Why do people complain if the Catholic Church's modern view of human existence in the world includes natural selection?
I didn't understand why people were disturbed by the concept of evolution until I talked with a scientist who was a creationist.
Surrounded by test tubes and examining different species of bugs in a narrow room, I found Robert Brooks in the entomology lab across from his office at Snow Hall.
We had not met each other before. I had called him the day before to set an appointment and to talk about evolution. Although I didn't explain my purpose beforehand, he accepted my request.
"I am a creationist," he said without hesitation. "I am Christian."
With a great deal of patience, he began to understand my complicated ideas about the moral side of evolution.
Maybe I was a close-minded anthropology student who had heard that for the first time coming out of a scientist's mouth. Please don't think I am naive, but it really impressed me.
I must confess I knew—before meeting him— that he was a creationist, but I didn't want to believe it.
He said that he agreed with people who said they weren't related to animals.
"The problem with creationism is that it's spiritual. That's why it's rejected," he said. "If you just look at it without thinking about God, the evidence of what we see in the world never supports the theory of Creationism and there is evolution."
His explanations, at first, were above my head. He looked at me as if my body were there, but my soul had flown far away from his office.
These issues have always bothered me.
It was an unexpected sensation to hear a scientist talk about sins, salvation ard hell.
Like everyone else, I didn't want to think about about complicated ideas.
However, he made sure that I understood that there was a great body of scientists who accepted creation as the theory that best depicted the origin of the world.
He also told me the tale of a geologist who believed in Young Earth and how he had only found support for his crystal theory of the origin of the world through Creationism.
I am still comfortable with evolution. But I understand that Brooks didn't want to convert me to his system of beliefs.
Instead, he gave me another option for understanding the world and nature without leaving out the beliefs with which I had grown up.
Ovaldo Muñoz is a San José, Costa Rica, senior in Journalism
Letters
Letters
Election commission
action screams approval
Isn't this a great place?
lst this a great place?
Where else could you break the rules and still win?
I find it very interesting that even if you play the game in a dirty fashion you can still be the victor. This is the wonderful lesson that I learned last week. I came to school to get an education in and outside of the classroom.
I had hoped that my years at the University of Kansas would help me learn the important lessons needed to survive, to succeed and to be happy.
I figured honesty would be one of them. I was mistaken.
Apparently the ends justify the means.
Who cares that a guilty verdict has been handed down? Just make them pay a fine. Taking
Lisa Meinen
Baldwin freshman
NCAA needs to take geography lesson
This isn't even a slap on the wrist. It ranks up there with a slap on the back. What is being said is that it is okay to cheat in order to win.
On the first day of classes and throughout the year, students are lectured on the evils of cheating. But actions speak louder than words and the elections commission' action to issue a fine is an action that screams approval.
money form people whose excessive use of money is what got them in trouble is just the way to punish them.
On April 4 an Associated Press article pointed out that the NCAA selection committee was more concerned with balancing the brackets than with placing teams in venues close to their home school to ensure guaranteed sellouts. Television runs the market, but full stands and the Rock Chalk chant make for good television. The very sound of a deafening crowd in the background imparts importance to the television viewer, making him/her more inclined to watch the game.
The article also said that Kansas was sent to Memphis because a team could not play in a site it serves as host. The last time I checked, Kemper Arena is an hour drive away from Lawrence.
In the future I hope that the NCAA will keep the fans in mind when making their decision or at least get their geography straightened out.
Steven Danner Stilwell senior