CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, June 5, 1996
3A
Brian Flink/KANSAN
Shanta Griffin, Lawrence senior, lights the Olympic Torch off of a preceding runner in it's run through Lawrence on May 16. Griffin was chosen in Atlanta to be one of the torch bearers based on academics and her work in the community. Griffin's leg of the run was from Memorial stadium to the Spencer Art Museum.
Olympic torch passes through KU
Three KU students chosen for relays
By Gwen Olson
Kansan staff writer
The city of Lawrence was chosen as one of many stops for the Olympic torch relay. The torch ran through Lawrence and the University of Kansas campus on May 16, day 20 of the relay.
Three KU students were chosen to carry the torch: Casey Kutler, Lenexa doctoral student, Shawna Haught, Emporia sophomore, and Shanta Griffin, Lawrence senior.
Griffin was nominated to carry the torch because she was awarded a
scholarship by the Coca-Cola Foundation, which she used to pay for her education at KU. She was named one of the 1991 Coca-Cola national scholars after writing a series of essays in a contest in Atlanta in 1991
Griffin also was chosen on the strength of her academic record and her community service. She was contacted about being a torchbearer two weeks before the Lawrence leg of the relay.
"At first it didn't really hit me," Griffin said. "At the time it was finals and I was tutoring 16 football players. The only thing I did to prepare was join a gym."
Cheered on by family members and friends, Griffin ran the stretch of the relay between Memorial Stadium and Spencer Museum of Art.
"It was also symbolic of what the Coca-Cola Foundation has represented for me. That moment was proof that I am supposed to succeed."
Hundreds of Lawrence residents watched Griffin and the many others who carried the torch to show their spirit for the Olympics and the U.S. team.
"Many of us [runners] came from different walks of life," she said. "It represented harmony and that's what we all accomplished."
Jason Arnett, a breakfast cook at Union Square, said he was glad that the International Olympic Committee decided to involve 90 percent of the country in the event.
Lundi Barb, Wichita junior, agree
"We stood around for 30 minutes."
"The only thing I did to prepare was join a gym."
Ken Stoner
KUdirector of studenthousing
and it was gone in five seconds, but I don't expect to ever make it to the Olympics, so this was as close as I could get," she said.
The torch was in Indianapolis this morning and will reach Louisville, Ky., tonight. The relay will continue until it reaches Atlanta for the opening ceremony in July.
Groups discuss online fee hike
Heavy traffic on Internet forces debate on possibility of increase
By Craig Lang
Kansan staff writer
Students dialing into the University of Kansas computer system may eventually have to pay more for Internet access, but probably not in the next school year.
Jerry Neibaum, executive director of information technology, said even though more students are using the Internet for longer periods of time, he did not expect to see an increase of the $30-a-year terminal server account fee for the 1996-97 school year. However, several groups on campus are discussing a possible fee increase to pay for the added equipment and labor that may be needed to satisfy the growing demand for Internet access.
Among the groups considering the account fee increase is the University Senate Executive Committee's Academic Computing and Telecommunications Committee.
A May 6 article in the University Daily Kansan incorrectly reported that SenEx proposed raising the cost of the terminal server account to $85 a year. Jan Weller, director of networking and telecommunications services, said that the fee increase was never proposed; it was simply discussed by committee members.
Weller said the $55 increase was needed to meet the demand of the heavier use of the system.
Grey Montgomery, student body president, said that the possible account fee increase needed to be discussed, yet SenEx and administrators needed to remember that the point of a University having its own computer system is inexpensive Internet access for students.
Montgomery said the plan discussed by Weller to raise the terminal server account fee by $55 was too steep.
"That specific proposal was too rigid," he said. "We need to look at a lower increase. I think we need to be reasonable and find that middle ground."
Neibaum said the $30 students must pay if they want to log onto the University's computer system from home was enough to cover the hardware expenses. However, the growing demand is making it more difficult to provide open computer lines for students to call in from home.
The number of Internet users at the university has more than doubled in the last two years, from 13,000 to 30,000 people. On top of that, Neibaum said, many of the users are spending more time on the system.
"That's part of the problem," he said. "Usage patterns have changed. People are finding more things to do on the Internet."
Bill Crowe, dean of libraries, will take the position of vice chancellor for information services on July 1. Crowe said that as part of his job, he was looking into different dial-in systems and methods of paying for the access.
Crowe said that he had looked at other Big 12 and Board of Regents schools to compare computer systems. Crowe pointed to the example of Wichita State University, which has formed a contract with MCI to handle its computer system. MCI handles WSU's dial-in service and determines how much students pay for at-home Internet access.
"That's a good example of what a commercial sector would allow for," he said.
Lawrence businesses leery of an increase in minimum wage
Congress considering bill to raise wages twice in two years
By Andrea Albright Kansan staff writer
On May 23, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to raise minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.15 an hour.
The lowliest of workers are about to get a raise, and some employers are wondering how they can stretch their dollars to meet the increase.
In Lawrence reactions are mixed.
At Natural Way, 820 Massachusetts St., manager Midge Grinstead said her store always had paid more than minimum wage.
The new increase would make it difficult to add new employees to her staff.
"If it raises unemployment, then the benefits don't warrant the wage hike."
Joseph Sicilian KUassociate professor of economics
"Small business gets slammed a lot with payroll taxes and all," Grin-stead said.
provided paid minimum wage.
The University of Kansas' workstudy program also would be unable to support as many jobs on campus as they have in the past.
Rachel Rademacher, associate director of student financial aid, said the majority of the jobs they
If the money allocated to pay for those wages was not increased, the number of available jobs would significantly decrease.
"The school supports about 500 students right now.
That number could be reduced to 400 or 450," Rademacher said.
The bills passage in the Senate is uncertain because Republicans have linked it to a partial repeal of a gasoline tax.
Economists question whether increased wages are beneficial to the work force if jobs are eliminated.
If it raises unemployment, then the benefits don't warrant the wage hike," said Joseph Sicilian, associate professor of economics.
"The issue is its effect on unemployment.
Sicilian also said that economists
who studied labor issues disagreed about the affects of minimum wage on unemployment.
Minimum wage began in 1938 at 25 cents an hour.
It was established as part of the Fair Labor Standards Act to end sweat shop conditions throughout the nation.
Through the 1960s and 1970s, minimum wage rose steadily along with the cost of living.
Since then, the climb of minimum wage has been erratic.
If the bill passes, the rate would increase to $4.75 on July 1 and again to $5.15 one year later.
Kristen Ferrell, Overland Park sophomore, thinks the wage hike is a good idea.
"It will help out a lot for students who are trying to go to school and pay tuition, loans and bills," Ferrell said.
Minimum Wage Since 1970
'These proposed increases passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and are awaiting approval by the Senate and the President.'
Valerie Huffman/KANSAN
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