CAMPUS/AREA UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, April 25, 1996
3A
House votes to close Med Center documents
Open records law challenged by bill
By John Collar Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — Despite the objections of several legislators that the state's open records law is being trampled, the Kansas House voted 86-39 yesterday to allow the University of Kansas Medical Center to close certain records to the public.
The University has contended that disclosing the medical center's contracts with health maintenance organizations would place it at a competitive disadvantage with the 10 other hospitals in the Kansas City area. Such contracts at private hospitals are kept confidential.
On April 5, the Senate voted 38-2 to pass the measure. The bill will proceed to Gov. Bill Graves, who has not decided whether to sign the bill, said Mike Matson, Graves' news secretary.
"He is supportive of the state's open records law," Matson said, "but he does believe that there are times when exceptions should be made."
coming opinion on the constitutionality of the bill from Attorney General Carla Stovall. The Associated Press requested the opinion on whether closing the records would be a violation of the state's Open Records Act.
Graves' decision may hinge on a forth
The bill states that the medical center would be able to keep confidential such items as market research, market plans and details of contracts with health maintenance organizations. The bill also would allow Chancellor Robert Hemenway or his designeer to determine which contracts should remain private.
Earlier this month, Hemenway sent a letter to legislators saying that the issue is vitally important to the University.
During the House debate yesterday, State Rep. Doug Lawrence, R-Burlington, said the issue of open records needed to be studied further because of efforts to privatize other state agencies.
He said the issue increasingly would become more important as public agencies began to compete with private companies.
"We are closing the public out by saying you can't have access to this information," Lawrence said.
State Rep. Ed McKechnie, D-Pittsburg argued that the bill should be subject to further scrutiny.
"We are closing the records of a public institution without having a public hearing."
McKechnie said.
However, State Rep. Bill Reardon, D-Kansas City, said the bill was vital to preserving the medical center's status as a teaching institution.
"If we're going to maintain the viability of a teaching hospital, we have to have a patient supply." Reardon said. "Without this bill, we are in jeopardy of losing this patient supply." State Rep. Gerry Geringer, R-Junction City, a former hospital administrator, said because the state had dictated that the medical center be self-supporting from patient fees, the hospital should be allowed to stay competitive with the private hospitals in the area.
Downtown Lawrence faces uncertain future
City commissioners approve study's financing of development options
By Liz Musser
Special to the Kansan
Shopping is a different experience in Lawrence. A trip downtown, won't bear the fruits of the Gap's spring collection, and there is no Foot Locker in sight. Instead, downtown Lawrence, the city's central shopping district, is filled mostly with one-of-a-kind, independently owned shops.
But the present downtown Lawrence may not last. The Lawrence City Commission has approved a $45,330 study to assess development options for the downtown area.
The study, which will be conducted by Gould Evans Associates, 706 Massachusetts St., is expected to take three to four months.
City Commissioner Al Levine said he thought that downtown was one of Lawrence's best assets, and with the changing nature of commercial business the study was well worth the money.
"Times change, and businesses change," he said. "I don't mind paying for the study."
Linda Blair, a representative from Downtown Lawrence Incorporated, an umbrella organization dedicated to insuring downtown vitality, said that 70 percent of downtown businesses were owned locally. Downtown Lawrence Inc. would like this percentage to remain.
Levine said that he would also like to see as many independent stores as possible downtown.
"With the chain stores, you get a real Johnson County feel," he said. "You can find that anywhere. It's sterile."
One independent downtown business has already felt the effects of corporate businesses. Adventure Bookstore, 844 Massachusetts St., closed this month because of the impending arrival of a chain bookstore in Lawrence.
Walter Michener, Adventure Book
store owner, said that the arrival of retail chains could ruin the downtown atmosphere.
"Downtown draws people from outside Lawrence because it is unique," he said. "When downtown Lawrence becomes like every other town, there is no longer any reason to come here."
Earl Reineman, vice-president of Weaver's, 901 Massachusetts St., said that the arrival of corporate retail businesses in Lawrence was inevitable and that it was better for them to locate downtown.
"It is a given that they will come. The question is where they will locate," Reineman said. "We're willing to take our chances with competition, but let's keep it downtown."
Marilyn Bittenbender, a commercial real estate agent at Stephens Real Estate, 2701 W. Sixth St., said that chain stores could co-exist peacefully with independent stores downtown. However, she also said that proactive steps, such as improving downtown parking, must be made if people want chain stores to locate there.
Downtown Lawrence Inc. has taken the position that unless downtown remains the city's central business district, downtown Lawrence will not survive.
Lisa Blair said Topeka was a close-to-home example of what happens when commercial shopping centers are built outside a city's downtown.
"Toppeka started building malls like water flowing, and soon the allegiance died and shops moved to the mall," Blair said.
Horizon 2020, a comprehensive landuse plan for the city of Lawrence that is still in the draft stage, identifies six potential sites for 30-acre community shopping centers in Lawrence.
The ultimate result of this process is an empty downtown and inner-city blight. Blair said.
Blair said that because statistics show that it takes a population of 40,000 to 80,000 to support a community shopping center, the city of Lawrence could realistically support only one new community shopping center by 2020.
Students enjoy late Earth Day
Delayed activities still productive,fun
By Heather Kirkwood Kansan staff writer
So what if it isn't Earth Day.
Students basking in the sun and listening to live music in front of the Kansas Union yesterday didn't seem to mind that the Earth Day events were two days late.
They were too busy soaking up information, planting flowers, eating free popcorn and drinking free lemonade from the 15 assorted booths sponsored by environmentally-friendly organizations from around Lawrence.
"The community has activities, but we want to target students," said Jason Fizell, Olathe junior and director of promotions for Student Union Activities. "After all, the future is with the next generation."
Fitzell said one of the reasons Earth Day activities were held yesterday was because there were more students on campus in the middle of the week.
This is the first year for SUA and the Kansas and Burge Unions decided to sponsor Earth Day
events, Fizell said. They hope to make it a tradition.
"What we really want to do is draw attention to the Earth all year round," he said.
The event was a good opportunity for Earth-minded organizations to raise awareness about what they do.
"We're able to let people know where we are at and what our mission is," he said. "We've also been able to recruit volunteers. I've been really happy with the turnout."
Jay Billins, Wichita sophomore,
manned the Wildcare Wildlife
Rehabilitation Center booth.
The center, located on K-10 between Eudora and DeSoto off Evening Star Road, helps rehabilitate wounded wild animals and get them ready to be released into the wild.
Michael Schmitt, Harrisonburg Va., graduate student, talked to passing students about the ethics of dissection. His group, Proponents of Animal Liberation, is working on becoming an official campus organization as well as on changing policies regarding dissections on campus.
"Students in biology who have ethical problems with dissection should have alternative labs that don't use animals," Schmitt said.
The group had a petition passers-by could sign if they disagreed with dissection.
Shawn Knight, Lawrence resident, purchases a bumper sticker for Earth Day yesterday from Liza Mazzel, Hinsdale, Ill., sophomore and president of KU NORML, at the KU NORML table outside the Kansas Union.
Kappa Delta files official complaint
Sorority considers crime a violation of its privacy
By Lindsey Henry Kansan correspondent
Kappa Delta members filed an official complaint with the InterFraternity Council yesterday in response to the break-in at the sorority early Sunday morning.
Sigma Nu fraternity members Paul Dasso, Palatine, Ill., junior; Fred Dasso, Long Grove, Ill., junior; Michael Ambrosio, Topeka freshman; Jeremy Smartt, Wichita freshman; and Miles Rost, Lawrence junior, were arrested Sunday morning on charges of aggravated burglary, theft and criminal trespassing.
The five men were charged Monday with criminal trespassing. Paul Dasso also was charged with unlawful deprivation of property, and Fred Dasso was charged with obstruction of justice.
The men reportedly tore a window screen and broke into the house, 1602 High Drive, about 3:30 a.m. Sunday.
Fox said the Sigma Nu members rummaged through the women's lingerie drawers, dumped the women's personal items on the floor and threw food on them.
Dawn Fox, Kappa Delta president, said the sorority members decided Sunday to file a complaint against the fraternity because of the offensive nature of the crime.
"We felt that this was a violation
of our privacy," Fox said. "It extends beyond breaking into the house. When the members woke up in the middle of the night and had no idea who was standing at the foot of their bed, it is scary."
Bill Nelson, assistant director of the Organization and Activities Center and greek program coordinator, said the five students' actions were inappropriate.
"It wasn't a traditional panty raid," Nelson said. "It was more serious than that."
Nelson said the council was taking responsible action in the disciplinary measures against the men.
The council will listen to both sides of the issue, and following a hearing, decide on what punishment, if any, will be given.
Ryan Smartt, Sigma Nu president,
said the fraternity already had drafted a rough outline of punishments for the members involved.
Possible measures include formal apologies and probation, Smartt said.
Smartt said Sigma Nu and Kappa Delta have had no previous conflicts.
"I don't know the events preceding the incident, but this was not a planned event," he said. "It was just the actions of these five gentlemen."
Kansan staff writer Amy McVey contributed to this story
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