4A the university daily kansan
opinion
BUDGET OVERVIEW: A 'KANSAN' SERIES
monday, april 5, 2004
University of Kansas: Not one of the well-endowed
OURVIEW
In a week-long series, the Kansan Editorial Board will explore the future of the University's budget. What is the government doing for students?
The University of Kansas will not be rolling in style next year. There is a moratorium on buying new vehicles.
Sebelius' 2005 budget recommendations, likely to be approved in the next few weeks by the Legislature, leaves the University short of money $7.7 million short.
In fact, the University will be scrimping and scraping every last penny. Gov. Kathleen
Growing University budget shortfalls are a trend in Kansas. During the past three years, the six Regent Universities have received a smaller percentage of the overall state budget. In this year's budget, the Universities are now allocated 15.3 percent of the budget, down from 16.2
percent two years ago.
That leaves Kansas in a predicament. For the past two years, there has been no increase in faculty and staff salaries at the University of Kansas. Health care costs for all state employees have increased more than 20 percent, but there has been no increased state aid.
To solve the problem, this budget takes from the funded to give to the lessfunded. The Department of Student Housing, the Student Fitness Recreation Center and Watkins Memorial Health Center are just some of the 15 departments that could be cut to fund a 3 percent salary increase.
Because of a dwindling economy, the budget would be in crisis no matter the plan. But is Sebelius' solution sound? Will this be a one-year solution or a legislative precedent?
The intricacies of the budget, tuition funds and the Band-Aid that holds this University together are important to understand. Next year, it will be Kansans voting in their legislators. For
that reason, the Editorial Board, in a five-part series, will sift through elements of the 2005 proposed budget to
Nate Beeler for KRT
bring perspective: What is the Legislature and the Board of Regents doing for you?
Free for All
Call 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansas editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
For more comments, go to www.kansan.com
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Oh, how I wish I was a rich little girl from Colorado so that I can get a brand new $80,000 Range Rover too.
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I go to KU and I am a die-hard Mizzou fan. April Fools.
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Baby Jay, that one night stand was amazing.
There are couples holding hands everywhere. This sucks.
I was just enjoying this wonderful day on this wonderful campus when three wonderful joggers just jogged by me in wonderful spandex, and I thought, "How wonderful."
I don't need a boyfriend as long as I have Sheridan's.
Everytime I cross the street when I am not supposed to, I get this little jolt of happiness. Jaywalking is my anti-drug.
I don't care what you say. I am a Northerner and I have hospitality. Damn, I hate Texas.
My right boob is bigger than my left boob, is that normal?
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I just wanted to let you know that the large font editorial is unprofessional.
I am going to be two hours early to the Mr. Ballistic concert.
The cat is out of the bag.
Man, KU is so good at taking your money that when they mess up they will not give it back.
Boy was I drunk right now.
And this time I mean it.
Taco Bell is the best restaurant ever.
Zeppelin rules.
PERSPECTIVE
Catholic scandals can allow for change
Catholic guilt.
For 65 million Americans who profess the faith, not even the hottest of baptismal fonts can eliminate those two words.
Your ordinary, everyday Catholics are usually the ones who bear the brunt of the guilt, whether for missing Mass one Sunday or wolfing down a T-bone on meatless Good Friday.
But during the past year, revelations have given those same parishioners pause. All of the sudden, it was the clergy who needed to hike themselves to the confessional. The public has known that numerous allegations of sexual abuse by priests have come to light, but last month the actual numbers became available.
During the last week of February, a study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice reported that sexual allegations were made against 4 percent of 110,000 Catholic priests between 1950 and 2002. The study focused on 97 percent of the dioceses in the nation.
Compared with a seemingly small number of priests, the amount of money involved has been staggering.
The amount covering victims' com
COMMENTARY
Amy Kelly
opinton@kansan.com
Your ordinary, everyday Catholics are usually the ones who bear the brunt of the guilt, whether for missing Mass one Sunday or wolfing down a T-bone on meatless Good Friday.
pensation, legal fees and treatment for the priests and victims totaled $572 million. That amount does not even include the Archdiocese of Boston settlement in September for $85 million.
For Catholics bombarded by images of their trusted priests in handcuffs and now faced with the horrific statistics, defending the state of their church has been a challenge at best.
Luckily, the community — religious and otherwise — has given a reason for Catholics to resurrect their faith in human nature.
If anything can be said about the tragedy of someone such as Eric Patterson, one of five adult men who committed suicide after being victimized by the same priest, it is that organizations such as Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, have made it their mission to stop any further tragedies.
In 1989, Barbara Blaine of Chicago developed SNAP, which acts as a watchdog of sorts, exposing flaws that still remain within some diocese.
"Many diocese have repeatedly lied to victims," SNAP representative Barbara Dorris said. "They have told them 'Father John Doe is dead,' only to find Father Doe in a parish."
The archdioceses of Kansas City-St. Joseph began participating in the national program Protecting God's Children, which offers seminars on the
The past 50 years may be considered a stain on the Catholic Church, but a growing community effort is hinting at a salvageable future.
causes and issues surrounding sexual abuse. Social workers or licensed counselors usually lead the sessions that take place at churches at least once per month.
After years of abuse within an institution that was supposed to love and protect them, victims could very well reject any form of spirituality at all. The organization Voice of the Faithful doesn't believe the Catholic Church is a lost cause, but rather one that needs to learn from its mistakes. On its Web site www.votf.org, VOTF has made a petition seeking to hold those bishops who keep sexual abuse by their priests a secret accountable for their actions.
Whether signing a petition or supporting organizations such as SNAP, the everyday Catholics whom are saddened and ashamed by the sex scandals can have a say in who they want representing their core beliefs.
Kelly is an Overland Park senior in journalism and art history.
PERSPECTIVE
'Miracle' from another side: Soviet pride
I saw Miracle. Good movie. It reminded me of my past.
I was 14 years old when the Soviet Union collapsed. A lot of things have changed since that time.
Sometimes I cannot believe that I was a citizen of that largest country in the world and proudly sang a song in my native Kyngyz language about motherland: "My patronymic lasts from Vladivostok to the Brest! My capital is the greatest city in the world: Moscow!" Now it is like a tale. I know one thing: it would be hard for my children to imagine it.
Even I have already forgotten a lot about the Soviet Union. The more time passes, the more the memory will fade. Anything might happen in this life. I may forget all about my former motherland, but one thing I will always remember is Soviet Hockey.
GUEST COMMENTARY
We cheered for it, we were worried about it, we were happy and celebrated its victories and were mad for its losses, which rarely happened. Everyone — from students of elementary schools to grandfathers — discussed games; we boasted.
There was, probably, only one broadcast that would ever cause the family to gather in front of TV: the games of Soviet National Hockey team.
When Soviet Hockey began, the United States was one of the best
Nurjigit Kadyrbekov
opinion@kansan.com
hockey powers in the world. Until the USSR took part in the Hockey World Championship in 1954, the USA managed to win one World Cup, seven silver medals and two bronze medals.The United States also had four Olympic medals for hockey achievements.
The USA took revenge in following Olympic games in 1960 by defeating the Soviets 3-2 and getting the gold medal. In 1962, in the World Championships, the USA again excelled; it finished with a bronze medal.
In 1956, for the first time, the USSR met the USA at the Olympics in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy. The Soviet Union won.
From that point until the 1980s, the Soviet team dominated and was considered the best among the amateur teams.
It won 14 World Championships and four Olympic games. Until 1972, the
Almost everyone predicted an 8-0 sweep by Canadians. But the result was unbelievable; in front of 18,000 fans in Montreal, the Soviet team devastated the Canadian Professionals 7-3.
That day is known as the "September to remember" by hockey fans. About 130 million Soviet people saw this game on TV and listened to it on the radio and celebrated.
It seemed like the greatest miracle, but in fact it was not miraculous. The Soviet Hockey team proved several times after that it was a better team. Several tournament victories later — Summit Series in 1974, Super Series in 1975 and Canadian Cup 1976 — Canada was not considered the only hockey superpower in the world anymore.
Encouraged by success, the Soviet National coach decided that the time had come to play against the Canadian professionals, considered the best in all leagues.
At the 1980 Olympic games in Lake Placid, everyone assumed the Soviet team a victor. The young American team, coached by Herb Brooks, wasn't taken seriously. The U.S. was the seventh seed in the 12-team tournament.
The Soviet team had already defeated
Soviet Hockey team had played only against the best amateur teams of the world.
It wasn't just a game on ice for either side; it was a feeling of competition of the Cold War, the Iron Curtain divide. Right there, on the TV screen, the defeat played out. The Soviet Union lost.
I can say that the U.S. might have lost if another, less-heroic figure, had defended the U.S. goal. But Jim Craig, the goalie, was excellent. He saved the team 39 times from potential scores. The game was over with an American victory, 4-3.
The Soviet people could only be shocked and devastated. I was among them; I was on the other side, the Soviet side. That was probably the worst day of Soviet sport history. Some people accepted that loss as a national tragedy.
The team had never lost again in the Olympic games until the USSR collapsed. It was not a Russian team, it was a Soviet team and we loved it. We supported it.
The subject of Miracle is the rematch between the United States and the Soviet Union. The movie, as I remember the game, led to a devastating day for the Soviets.
KANSAN
the team, 10-3, in an exhibition match at Madison Square Garden just 13 days before.
Michelle Rombeck
editor
864-4854 or mburhenn@kansan.com
Kadyrbekov is a visiting scholar from Kyrgyzstan.
Andrew Vaupel
managing editor
864-4854 or vaquel@kansan.com
Meghan Brune and Johanna M. Maska
 opinion editors
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Danielle Bose business manager 864-4358 or adddirector@kansan.com
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retail sales manager
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sales and marketing adviser
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Editorial Board Members
Kendall Dlyn | Lynam Ford
Laura Francoviglia | Anna Gregory
Amy Hammontree | Kelly Hollowe! | Teresa Lo
Mindy Eberson | Greg Holmquist | Reneky Scarrow | Elizabeth Willy | Sara Behunen | Kevin Flaherty | Brandon Gay | Zack Hamenway Alex Hoffman | Kawin Kempwirth | Amy Kelly Cameron Koelling | Courtney Kuhlen | Brandi Mathiesen | Travis Metcalf | Mike Norris Jonathan Reeder | Erin Rifffer | Alea Smith Katz Kimmerman