4A the university daily kansan
opinion
wednesday. april 28, 2004
EDITORIAL BOARD
'PATRIOT' opposition proactive
Laws are made to protect the rights of citizens and that is why the Lawrence City Commission approved a resolution condemnn-
OUR VIEW Lawrence's opposition of the USA PATRIOT Act makes a needed point: Americans still value their rights.
The act was passed 45 days after the attacks of Sept.11. There was basically no debate and, according to the American
ing aspects of the USA PATRIOT Act.
Civil Liberties Union, "many parts of this sweeping legislation take away checks on law enforcement and threaten the very rights and freedoms that we are struggling to protect." A part of the act allows the FBI, without a warrant or probable cause, to get access to private medical records, student records and library records.
Lawrence, in voicing opposition to the act, joins the almost 300 communities and four state legislatures but is the first community in Kansas to take a stand against the act.
Lawrence is doing a good thing in taking this stance. There are talks about a second act deemed the "Patriot Act II" being passed in the near future and it was time that communities speak out for the rights that we are entitled to as Americans.
Lawrence's resolution in opposition to the act will not relieve citizens from the law, but it serves as a voice. The commission said that the community did not agree with some of the provisions that were being forced upon Americans in an act that had no forum for debate. The only changes will be signs at the public library reminding patrons that their records are subject to access without their knowledge.
Some of the provisions in the "Patriot Act II" are that Americans could be extradited, searched and wiretapped at the behest of foreign nations, whether treaties allow it and the current court limits on local police spying on religious and political activity would be repealed, according to the ACLU.
The Patriot Act takes away civil liberties and rights to privacy that we are entitled to as Americans. The Lawrence Commission is making the right step to voice our concerns about being stripped of even more of our rights.
TALK TO US
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PERSPECTIVE
Wes Benson for The University Daily Kansen
PERSPECTIVE
Duke: Early bird catches no worms
Rise and shine. Blue Devils.
The news arrived April 18 that Duke University would cut its 8 a.m. classes in an effort to decrease the growing problem of sleep deprivation it has seen in its students. Would administrators for the North Carolina institution wow the country by making its fall classes no earlier than 10 a.m.? Perhaps 11 a.m.?
Try 8:30 a.m.
Yes, that half-hour should pretty much leave the students wide-eyed and ready to conquer.
Duke should indeed be applauded if its motive is truly to curb sleep deprivation and not because some students are more absent than otherwise.
For every club-hopper who curses the morning sun, there is that non-traditional student who is counting on the 8 a.m. class to fit his job schedule. These "real-world" undergraduates may let the expletives fly when the alarm goes off, but a yawning fit or two can often be a means to an end.
It's precisely the real world that should be the primary concern for the Duke administration. If the college experience is meant to prepare students for what awaits them in the workforce, a little taste of the eight-tofive world is not a bad addition to university goals.
Unfortunately, in the working
COMMENTARY
Amy Kelly opinion@kansan.com
world, sleep deprivation has become almost an accepted evil. In a 2002 National Sleep Foundation survey,74 percent of American adults experienced sleep difficulties a few nights or more per week. The foundation's previous study showed 40 percent of Americans have trouble staying awake at their jobs.
The University of Kansas is a microcosm of the bigger picture. Watkins Health Center's sleep specialist Carole Guillaume said she found sleep deprivation a serious concern for many of the students at the health clinic.
In college, however, it's quite likely that sleep deprivation is often a side effect of waiting for last call at The Bottleneck or mastering PlayStation games at 5 a.m. — with an 8 a.m. class the next day. Sleep deprivation is indeed a downright epidemic — an epidemic for
students that is closely tied to personal choices.
As Duke tried to fit the majority of its classes between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in response to students' requests, you can almost hear the corporate world belly-laughing.
"Traditionally, we have had more problems with students enrolling in the 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm classes — falling asleep, missing class, etc." Peterson said.
Asking to fit most of the work during your "prime energy level" approaches a boundary only crossed by, say, Seinfeld's George Costanza. And that was probably not what Duke was going for.
For all the talk of sleep-starved students, some professors say there are students who are most awake during the early hours of the day.
Ingrid Peterson, professor of mathematics, said students who enrolled for her 7:30 a.m. algebra class were usually more mentally alert.
As much as Duke administrators think they are helping their students, the half-hour grace period is doing little more than reinforce a stereotype that young adults are members of a new club: Generation ZZZZZs.
Kelly is an Overland Park senior in journalism and art history.
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stress among young people, said a proactive approach would be the best way to manage stress. At www.campusblues.com, a resource recommended by the University of Kansas' Counseling and Psychological Services, Hall said stress was like blowing air into a bal-
Pixie sticks are a hell of a drug.
=
I am tired of everybody getting tipsy.
I am a Free For All addict.
I just called someone a butt parasite in my head. Now that's a mean one.
I just wanted to say that the UDK is really underestimating the intelligence of their readers if they think that they can pass off an 18 percent tuition increase as a 4 percent tuition increase. Just wanted you guys to know. Keep up the good work.
I broke a chair in Budig 120.
图
It's about time someone got rid of the purple flowers in front of Smith Hall.
stress among young people, said a proactive approach would be the best way to manage stress. At www.campusblues.com, a resource recommended by the University of Kansas' Counseling and Psychological Services, Hall said stress was like blowing air into a bal-
Brunettes and blondes have equal amounts of fun. It's the red heads that nobody likes.
stress among young people, said a proactive approach would be the best way to manage stress. At www.campusblues.com, a resource recommended by the University of Kansas' Counseling and Psychological Services, Hall said stress was like blowing air into a bal-
I know there is a book out there called Everybody Poops. Somebody needs to write a book called Everybody Flushes. God, I hate the dorms.
stress among young people, said a proactive approach would be the best way to manage stress. At www.campusblues.com, a resource recommended by the University of Kansas' Counseling and Psychological Services, Hall said stress was like blowing air into a bal-
stress among young people, said a proactive approach would be the best way to manage stress. At www.campusblues.com, a resource recommended by the University of Kansas' Counseling and Psychological Services, Hall said stress was like blowing air into a bal-
Chuck, put down the Coke.
stress among young people, said a proactive approach would be the best way to manage stress. At www.campusblues.com, a resource recommended by the University of Kansas' Counseling and Psychological Services, Hall said stress was like blowing air into a bal-
This is to all of the guys out there:
When you ask a girl for her number,
call her.
Thank you Sophos for telling me I have a virus. Now do something about it.
stress among young people, said a proactive approach would be the best way to manage stress. At www.campusblues.com, a resource recommended by the University of Kansas' Counseling and Psychological Services, Hall said stress was like blowing air into a bal-
图
P.S. Do not let me drink anymore.
This is some bad news bears up in here.
PERSPECTIVE
I wish my parents would buy me a nice car and all of my friends too. That would be great.
Stressing students not unusual at college; managing life important to future health
I have spring-break syndrome, but it's not something I caught in South Padre Island.
Spring-break syndrome is that overwhelming feeling, in the face of mounting projects, papers and upcoming finals, to do absolutely nothing. It's a warning sign for excessive stress, something I have and chances are good that you have, too.
I don't need to take penicillin for it or apply cream to the area. In fact, one more thing to do is the last thing I need.
According to the National Mental Health Association, stress among college students is a year-round problem. According to the association, 17 percent of men and 38 percent of women feel overwhelmed most of the time. Freshmen are the most vulnerable - 30 percent feel overwhelmed most of the time.
While college students are always prone to stress, facing end-of-the-semester commitments while fantasizing about spring break lounging makes this the most stressful time of the semester for me and probably a lot of students.
Gregory Hall, psychology professor at Bentley College who specializes in
Brandon Gay opinion@kansan.com
COMMENTARY
Managing stress may not be as easy as taking penicillin, but after five years of college I have found that ignoring the problem only makes it worse.
toon. If you blow into the balloon continuously without an outlet, it will pop in an uncontrolled manner. But, if you pause to let air out periodically, there are no negative consequences.
Warning signs for excessive stress include changes in sleep or eating patterns, frequent headaches, a shorter temper, recurring illness, muscle ache or tightness, disorganization, greater sense of time pressure, difficulty in task completion and general frustration or anger.
If you have these symptoms, it's important to change your daily routine. Hall recommends adding a physical workout to your schedule every other day, finding 20 minutes of alone time to relax every day and, most importantly, talking to others about what is stressing you.
If these approaches don't help relieve your excessive stress, Watkins Memorial Health Center offers presentations on stress management and Counseling and Psychological Services offers low-cost student counseling. For more information visit www.ku.edu/-shs and www.caps.ku.edu.
A national survey of 333 college
Managing stress may not be as easy as taking penicillin, but after five years of college I have found that ignoring the problem only makes it worse. I would recommend starting projects earlier in the semester, but, to avoid a collective University Daily Kansan reader eyerolling, I'll provide this advice instead: During the next month, while you're cramming to get done all of the things you should have started on months ago, don't forget to relive a little bit of spring break every day.
KANSAN
Gay is a Norton senior in journalism and political science.
Michelle Rombeck
editor
864-4854 or mburhenn@kansan.com
counseling centers in 47 states shows counseling is something that more students are turning to. According to the survey conducted by the University of Pittsburgh's Administrative and Policy Studies Department, 10 percent of students on college campuses seek counseling assistance. Also, 81 percent of counseling centers have seen more students with serious psychological problems than five years ago. From 2001 to 2003,the average number of psychiatric consultation hours has more than doubled at the surveyed centers.
Andrew Vaupel managing editor 864-4854 or vaupel@kansan.com
Meghan Brune and Johanna M. Maska opinion editors 864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com
Danielle Bose
business manager
864-4358 or addirector@kansan.com
Stephanie Graham
retail sales manager
864-4358 or adsales@kanan.com
Matt Fisher
sales and marketing adviser
864-7866 or mfisher@kansan.com
Malcolm Gibson
general manager and news adviser
864-7667 or mgibson@kansan.com
Editorial Board Members
Editorial Board Members
Kendall Dix Llynze Ford Laura Francoviglia
Amy Hammontree Kelly Hollowell Teresa Loa
Mindy Osborne Ryan Scarrow Elizabeth
Willy Paul Whitmoretone Zach Stinson Zach
Newton Wes Benson Sara Behunek Kevin
Flaherty Brandon Gay Zack Homenway
Alex Hoffman Kevin Kampwitt Amy Kelly
Cameron Koelling Courtney Kuhlan Brandi
Mathiesen Travis Metcalf Mice Norris
Jonathan Reeder Erin Riffey Alex Smith
Karl Zimmerman
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