O
wednesday, april 14,2004
news
the university daily kansan 34
3A
SenEx confronts high prices of textbook packages
By Anna Clovis
aclovis@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Letters from the University Book Shop, 1116 W.23rd St., sparked debate about textbook prices in the University Senate Executive Committee meeting yesterday.
Kristin Vickers, the manager of University Book Shop, sent letters to Chancellor Robert Hemenway and Ray Davis, SenEx chairman, alerting them that the bundling of CD-ROMs and study guides with the text-books was a problem. Packaging the materials increases
prices, Vickers said.
Bundled textbooks negatively affect students by forcing them to pay more for newer versions and not allowing them to sell back the books to stores, Vickers said.
Vickers said textbooks bundled with consumable materials, such as CDs, could not be resold or reused by students or bookstores the following year.
Student Body President Andy Knopp said the bundled books were a way to kill the used book market. He said the packages weren't popular with students.
before and I've never used the CD-ROM," Knopp said. "From the people I've talked to, no one uses it."
"I've bought the bundles
Knopp said he didn't buy books before classes began because he wanted to make sure the book would be worthwhile before he bought it.
"I consider myself a decent student," Knopp said. "I'm not a slacker, but now I either share books with someone or wait to buy until the third week of class."
Steve Shawl, SenEx member and professor in physics and astronomy, is the author of a textbook. He said the bundles were a
"The authors and publishers must make their profit in one to two semesters because of the used book market." Shawl said.
way to help publishers and authors make a profit.
Shawl said the bookstores were the problem for the higher textbook prices. He said bookstores marked the prices of books up one-third of the price before selling them.
Mark Ezell, associate professor of social welfare, said that because the problem was national, developing a university plan for dealing with the prices would be difficult.
The committee considered a
proposal to have faculty sign contracts that would bind them to using one book for a certain amount of time.
The committee took no action on the proposal but decided to send the concern to the Academic Policies and Procedures committee for further consideration.
Davis said he wanted to make sure students would be involved with this matter during the next year.
Knopp said students had tried to fix the problem in the past, but it remained a concern.
- Edited by Meghan Brune
OTHERSENEXNEWS
Here's what happened at yesterday's SenEx meeting.
The end-of-the-year reports for the Calendar Committee and the Athletic Committee were reviewed and received by SenEx.
Student Body President Andy Knopp said a model Web site for the course instructor
evaluations was almost ready for review. He said he wanted the program to be running by May 10 for spring semester evaluations.
City gets final say on ban
By Laura Pate
lpate@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Smoke is rising over the possibility of a city-wide smoking ban in bars and restaurants.
Dave Corliss, city legal services director, is working on an ordinance to limit smoking and plans to present it to commissioners in May.
The ordinance will give commissioners specific choices when deciding if, or how, to ban smoking. It will present options such as choosing to allow smoking within a certain time frame or choosing to exempt some bars and restaurants from a ban.
Only commissioners have the final word on a smoking ban. But they cannot make a formal decision until the city's legal team presents an ordinance.
Corliss said the ordinance would be similar to the ordinances passed in Salina and El Paso, Texas.
undecided on the issue.
In January of 2002, El Paso banned smoking in public places and workplaces, which includes restaurants and bars. In May of 2002, Salina enacted a ban in restaurants.
Commissioners Sue Hack and Dennis "Boog" Highberger are
Hack said she has not decided between the rights of business owners to allow smoking and the rights of customers to breathe clean air.
While she is unsure of the government's right to control smoking, she is sure of the health risks of second-hand smoking.
"There's no question that it poses a health risk," said Hack, a former smoker. "I knew that every time I lit a cigarette."
Mayor Mike Rundle and commissioners David Schauner and David Dunfield are leaning in favor of a ban.
Business owners near Eighth and New Hampshire streets banded against a ban because all of the businesses depend on each other, said Josh Thomas, bar manager at Eight One Five, 815 New Hampshire St. If bar business fares worse with a smoking ban, then the other businesses will falter because fewer people would visit the area, he said.
The business owners formed the Eighth Street Alliance in March, and meet Thursday nights at area businesses. The group enacted a free choice smoking petition, which is posted at the bar at Henry's, 11 E. Eighth St.
On Friday night, Todd Barrett,
Hiawatha senior, sat in the back room of The Sandbar, 17 E. Eighth St. None of his friends were smoking at his table so he could enjoy some fresh air. But even in the 50-degree weather, Barrett refused to wear a coat. If he wore a coat, it would reek of smoke at the end of the night.
Besides hating the smell, Barrett has seen first-hand what smoking can do to people. As a pre-med student, he sees cancer patients and the problems that smoking can cause.
"People really don't know how detrimental cigarettes are until they are in a chair receiving chemotherapy," he said.
Others disagree, saying that there are other health risks.
Edited by Amanda Kim Stairrett
"If you're in a bar at midnight, you're not all that concerned about your health," said Marshon Robinson, as he waited in a line Friday night outside Red Lyon Tavern, 944 Massachusetts St.
The first-year law student from Rayville,La., refrains from smoking but said that bars and smoking go hand-in-hand. If the city banned smoking, bar owners would lose money, he said.
Finding Waldo
Brent Carter/Kansan
Alicia McDougal, Lenexa junior, helped Alicia McKenzie, left, and Devin Howard locata items in a Where's Waldo?book yesterday at the Boys and Girls Club, 1520 Haskell Ave. McDougal and other members of the Black Student Union volunteered at the club as part of Black Love Week.Members of the organization played games, read books and helped children with their homework.
KANSAS RELAYS exchange zone
presented by
On the lawn in front of Stauffer-Flint Hall Wednesday & Thursday April 14 & 15 10am - 2pm
Coca-Cola
A FREE KICK OFF TO THE 2004 KANSAS RELAYS!!
featuring The Four-Minute Raffle...a great prize drawn every 240 seconds! Interactive games and highlight videos from past events. Exhibits to see how you measure up to the world's best athletes.
Get a Powerade for just 50¢ & the exchange zone combo
HOTDOG
COCA~COLA PRODUCT
Just $1.00