Cockroaches, paper walls —
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can't advertise in the University Daily Konsan."
Mrs. Ruth Nash, secretary of KU's off-campus housing office, agreed with Akuchu but stressed the university is only a mediator between student and landlord, not a protector of either.
"The university listing is merely a convenience for students and landlords," Mrs. Nash said. "To have a room placed on the listing, a landlord has only to sign forms saying his property meets state housing codes and that he will not discriminate."
THE STUDENT MAY FILE a formal complaint with the housing office, she said, and this is checked by the university Human Rights Committee or by the Off-Campus Housing Committee. If the landlord has violated the housing code, the address is removed from the university listing.
"We assume the student knows what he is getting into when he deals with the landlord," she said. "He sees the room and makes the choice."
Of the few students who come to the housing office with grievances, far fewer sign a formal complaint, she said.
"OFTEN THE STUDENT is just as much at fault as the landlord," she said. "A lot of the complaints turn out to be personality conflicts."
Many students live in apartments not listed by the university, she said, "and most legitimate complaints are about rooms which the university does not list. Over these we have no control."
The university's laissez-faire policy toward landlords was born of necessity, Laurence Woodruff, dean of students and head of the Off-Campus Housing Committee, said.
"WE HAD A SYSTEM of inspection in the twenties when the university didn't own a bed," he said. "At that time, all students lived in off-campus housing."
"But after World War II, we were snowed under. Students coming back were living everywhere and many homes were being converted into apartments.
"It was impossible to inspect them all." Woodruff said.
For the last 20 years, the university has had no housing standards other than those required by Kansas law.
THE CITY AND STATE codes
are adequate. Woodruff feels. The problem is one of enforcement.
"We have had only a semblance of inspection in recent years," he said. "This was conducted by Mrs. Nash who would check an apartment when the landlord applied for the university listing.
"We have practically given up on that since it's hopeless.
"The decision is the student's. He makes a contract with the landlord on the site."
AKUCHU SCOFFED at the university's contention that international students can choose where they want to live.
"Some foreign students arrive in September shortly before school begins and are forced to take what's left," he said.
"At such a late time, it's not practical for him to go running around looking for a place to live when he should be preparing for classes," George Kuria, Nakuru, Kenya, senior, said. "He is not fluent, does not know the town, and wants to get settled as quickly as possible."
FOR THOSE WHO DO make an effort to pound the pavements looking for a suitable room, discrimination awaits to prolong that search and put many desirable rooms out of reach.
"So often you are told the apartment has just been rented," Kuria said. "When you walk by the next day, the for-rent sign is still in the window."
Discrimination by a landlord merits the same measure from the university as does violation of housing codes; removal from the university listing and refusal of advertising space in the Kansen
The city of Lawrence has also done little to police landlords.
"I HAVE BEEN in a couple of apartment houses in that area for other reasons than violation of housing codes," Ken Jorgenson, city building inspector, said, "and I asked that they not be rented next fall."
Jorgenson and his staff of one have the right to make inspections if they feel public health and safety are endangered.
Their present work load has restricted them to inspecting and condemning unoccupied houses, he said.
"We will make an inspection if a tenant calls." he said.
THE CITY PRESENTLY has no plans for an inspection of occupied houses in the older section of Lawrence, Ken Thompson,
assistant city manager, said.
Such inspections will be necessary as many of the homes now occupied by KU's international students become more dilapidated with time. Woodruff believes. As the buildings are condemned, their occupants will have to find new housing.
Academic break given Phi Gams
Members of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, who lost their house and personal belongings in the Wednesday morning fire, may get an academic break on finals, tests, and term papers.
"Many of these large houses are slowly, sure disappearing," he said.
Curt Heinz, Topeka junior and Phi Gam president, said "two or three of the guys encountered obstinate attitudes when they approached instructors about losing their books and notes but they were probably asking too much.
This will present a problem for the university, he said, since international students generally abhor residence halls and cannot afford to live in apartment complexes.
SURFACE'S REMINDER, which listed the fraternity's 61 members, emphasized that almost all books and notes were destroyed in the fire.
James Surface, Dean of KU Faculties, issued a memorandum yesterday afternoon to all faculty members to remind them that many of the Phi Gams "will be handicapped in meeting term paper deadlines and in preparing for finals."
"The rumor that we don't have to take finals is not true but some of the guys are hoping for incomplete due to destroyed term papers." Heinz said.
At least one professor is doing just that. Glen Johnson, an assistant professor of business who has 11 Phi Gams in his business administration 41 class, said he would "throw out" an exam the 11 took after the fire if they scored below their current average in the course.
"IF A GRADE is a border line case, we hope the professor will understand and give us the benefit of the doubt," he added.
"IT MAY BE TWENTY years from now," he said, "but the time will come when low-cost housing is scarce."
He also said notes for the final would be made available through his teaching assistant if the Phi Gams couldn't find notes elsewhere.
MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina —(UPI)—The ninth annual Argentine International Film Festival, scheduled for March in this Atlantic resort city, has been cancelled. Sponsors said the federal government's austerity campaign had cut too deeply into funds usually allotted for promot.ng the festival.
Possible solutions, Woodruff feels, are more university housing for graduate and married students and more private residence halls although, with the latter, cost is again a factor.
FESTIVAL CANCELLED
Stouffer Place is the only university-owned housing the average international student might care for, Woodruff said.
"If plans are not made," he said,
"international students as a group will dwindle for lack of accommodations."
And for lack of international students, he said, KU in turn would suffer.
Daily Karsam Friday, May 19, 1967
3
KU student:
'best actor'
Lance Hewett, Topeka sophomore, has received the Topeka Civic Theatre award for best actor of the 1966-67 season.
Hewett won the award for his portrayal of Billy Bigelow in "Carousel" May 11 to 13.
The Rogers and Hammerstein musical was directed by Steven Grossman, Glencoe, Ill., senior; Choreographer was Earl Trussel, Kansas City sophomore, Musical conductor was Jack Hurley, Lawrence sophomore.
Plymouth Congregational Church
925 Vermont St.
A United Church of Christ
invites you to hear
Dr. John Felible
Sermon Sunday, May 21
"The Art of Forgetting"
"We can and should forget what needs to be forgotten"
Services at 9 a.m. & 11 a.m.
Do you see a world in the laboratory?
We're looking for people who do. Biologists chemists and medical technologists who know there are worlds in test tubes and find them. People who have educated hunches. The University of Minnesota has a continuing need for fulltime personnel in medical and agricultural research and in hospital laboratories.
If you have a bachelor's or master's degree in chemistry, biology or medical technology,we'd like to tell you more about a job at the University of Minnesota. The positions are challenging, the benefits are many and the salaries competitive. In addition you'll be eligible for a program which enables employees to take advanced coursework—tuition-free.
For more information, call Charles Gooder, 612-373-5730, or write University Personnel Office, Room 4, Merrill Hall, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn. 55455.