WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 1996
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
NEWS 864-4810
ADVERTISING 864-4358
SECTION A VOL.102, NO.8
TODAY KANSAN
SPORTS
Let the games begin
The Sunflower State Games get into full swing this weekend. Page 6A
CAMPUS
Information overload
Accelerated classes may give students more free time in the summer,but some question their effectiveness. Page 3A
NATION
TWA Flight 800 investigation
Officials confirm that no traces of explosives have been found on debris or bodies. Page 4B
WORLD
Middle East peace talks
Palestinians, Israelis take steps to end hostilities for first time since Netanyahu's election. Page 3B
WEATHER CHANCE OF RAIN
High 85° Low 62°
INDEX
KU Life ...1B
Sports...6A
Opinion...4A
National News...4B
World News...3B
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents.
University looks at hiring options
Hiring freeze thaws; essential jobs may be filled
By Spencer Duncan Kansan staff writer
The relaxation of a year-long hiring freeze has received mixed reactions from University of Kansas administrators.
that had been in effect since June of 1995. However, the end of the hiring freeze, effective for the 1996-97 fiscal year, has not meant that departments are rushing to fill vacant positions.
Chancellor Robert Hemenway eased the hiring freeze last month
"The freeze last year was a severe restriction," said Peter Thompson, dean of the School of Fine Arts. "I'm not sure yet what this means. We are having some meetings and looking at how all this will fit into our budget."
The lifting of the hiring freeze carries some restrictions.
Hemenway sent a memo to vice chancellors, deans, directors and
department representatives last month announcing the end of the hiring freeze. However, in the memo, Hemenway outlined some restrictions.
"I am asking all vice chancellors, deans and department heads to limit their hiring to three out of four positions that would normally be filled," Hemenway wrote in the memo.
The softening of the freeze applies only to classified, unclassified and faculty positions, Shulenburger said. Hiring individuals for grants and research projects and hiring student employees still is limited.
Hemenway also asked administrators to prioritize their hiring. This means that just because there are jobs that can be filled, it doesn't mean that administrators have to fill them, said Provost David Shu.
lenburger.
For administrators such as James Long, the director of the Kansas Union, a limited hiring plan is better
"We will continue to evaluate the positions based on need, but this does give us some breathing room," Long said.
However, Thompson said he was not sure that a relaxed freeze would mean much to his department.
than not being able to hire at all.
"Our staff has been very lean over the last few years, but we still have a budget to go by." Thompson said. "As far as I can see, we can still have some flexibility in our budget. We will have the same number of classes, but at this point I don't think that we are going to be able to go out and just start hiring people."
Just for kicks
Edmée Rodriguez / KANSAN
Alex Stantyback (left), member of the Mirage II soccer team, fights for the ball with Josh Modrzynski, of the Lawrence Force 80 Select Soccer team.
Mirage II won the game 7-0 during the Sunflower State Games on Sunday. See related story on page 6A.
Plane explosion concerns some travelers
But people are flying despite deadly accident
The explosion of TWA Flight 800 last Wednesday as well as other plane crashes this summer have made many airline passengers more cautious about flying.
By Dave Breltenstein
Kansan staff writer
"I fly all the time," said Christine Klepfer, Plano, Texas, senior. "Now whenever I feel turbulence, I think about crashing."
She said she usually got nervous before a flight, but with the recent accidents, she has become even more anxious.
Klepper flies five to six times a year to visit friends and family.
Nelson Krueger, TWA pilot and Lawrence resident, said he had flown Flight 800 from New York to Paris many times in his career.
"I sometimes get the shakes during takeoff," she said. "It didn't really bother me before, but now the slightest turbulence will scare me."
"I was devastated when I heard
about the explosion," he said. "I couldn't believe it. My first thoughts were for the families of passengers and crew members. I was very emotionally stunned, but at the same time, I was thankful it wasn't me."
"It was a very good airplane. I flew it about four years ago in the desert in Saudi Arabia. It certainly wasn't a plane with any problems," he said.
Krueger said that he was familiar with the Boeing 747 and that the model was one of the best.
"I know I'll think about the explosion the next time I fly," he said.
"When you've done all you can to prepare for a flight, what else can you do? You just never know."
Krueger said that he had never had a fear of flying and that he had not flown since the accident.
Storm also said it was too soon to know whether passengers were going to cancel flights because of the explosion.
Vamphyri Storm, TWA customer supervisor, said he did not think the explosion would hurt TWA, especially if investigators determined that mechanical failure wasn't the cause.
"There may be some people who
"It really didn't bother me before, but now the slightest turbulence will scare me."
Christine Klopfer Plano, Texas, senior
are canceling because of paranola, but we really don't know that yet," he said. "This incident will affect our business some, but any loss will probably be short-term."
Storm said this explosion or any other airline disaster probably would not affect the number of people who fly each year.
"Airline accidents should not cause any fear of flying. It's still the safest form of transportation." he
Ray Higgins, professor of psychology, said the fear of flying might be caused by phobias, which are irrational fears of a situation or a thing.
said. "More people die in car accidents than anything else. People don't stop driving cars because of all the accidents, and they probably won't quit flying either."
"Fear of flying is most likely a learned fear," he said. "People who develop phobias have a psychological predisposition to some extent."
He said that fears varied from person to person and that people learned fears in different ways.
"It may not be learned from direct experience," he said. "There are certain superstitions that culture creates. Children frequently learn fears from their parents."
Dianna Bennett, owner of Classic Travel, 520 W. 23rd Street, said that none of her customers had requested a refund on airline tickets because of the explosion.
Bennett, who was a flight attendant for TWA for 20 years, said she thought TWA was the safest carriers. See related story on page 4B.
Ott dies; service is held
Kansan staff writer
By Andrea Albright Kansan staff writer
A memorial service for Michael Ott, professor of art, was held Monday in Swarthout Recital Hall. Ott, 50, died July 17 of head injuries sustained from falling off his roof
Ott's death is the second in the School of Fine Arts in three months. Newly appointed
The recital hall in Murphy Hall overflowed with Ott's friends, family and colleagues.
Michael Ott
assistant dean James Scally died in May.
"His work was best known for its humor," Thompson said.
Peter Thompson, dean of the School of Fine Arts, said at the memorial service that Ott was a sincere man who expressed himself through his paintings.
Ott had been an instructor at the University since 1969 and specialized in painting. This summer, he taught a life drawing class.
Ann Evans, executive director of the Lawrence Arts Center, said Ott was on the board of directors for three years and helped select artists for shows at the center's gallery.
"His kids had always taken classes at the Lawrence Arts Center," Evans said. "We all got to know him really well — as a dad, a volunteer and a wonderful artist."
Chancellor Robert Hemenway said Ott was one of the first people he met when he came to the University. They became friends while watching their sons play baseball together.
"I didn't even know he was a faculty member," Hemenway said. "He was a wonderful person. I found out later he was a wonderful faculty member, too."
Ott also was a long distance runner and coached many of his children's sports teams.
Those attending the service laughed when brother-in-law, Bert Hull, revealed Ott's remarkably low resting heart rate. They were moved to tears when Hull described the 30-year-old woman who received the donated heart. Seven others also benefited from Ott's donation.
"In his generosity, Mike will continue to give on," Hull said.
In 1967, Ott received a bachelor's degree of fine arts from the University of Colorado. He earned a master's degree in fine arts from the University of California at Berkeley.
Ott is survived by his wife, Genna, and children John, Alexander and Eleanor.
Hemenway said Ott's family should be the foremost concern right now.
"He has a wonderful family," Hemenway said. "They need all of our support."