THE UNIVERSITY DAILY kansan A student newspaper serving KU LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Platforms released
ISP, UP ideas similar
By Joanna Wiebe Kansan Staff Reporter
Because the University Party (UP) and the Independent Student Party (ISP) reached several of the same conclusions about what needs to be changed at KU, four planks on both party platforms for the spring All-Student Council (ASC) elections are reasonable facsimiles of each other.
- The UP platform promises a course-teacher evaluation, which, party leaders say, may be financed by a National Student Association (NSA) grant. The ISP platform promises an "ASC-sponsored student committee to evaluate courses and publish results."
- The UP platform asks for student consideration of the pass-fail system and its alternatives. ISP plans to institute a pass-fail system in the Western Civilization examination, hoping to extend the system to other departments and courses.
- UP asks for more student representation on student-faculty committees which deal with student affairs. ISP asks for "voting ASC representatives at all administration meetings directly affecting the student body as decided by the ASC."
- On the issue of student referendum, both platforms seek a popular student vote on measures passed by the ASC. The UP platform adds that students would also be encouraged to use their "constitutional right of initiative."
ISP is recognized as official party
The Independent Student Party (ISP) was officially recognized Wednesday as a campus political party.
The necessary petitions were filed with the All-Student Council (ASC) Wednesday, allowing the party candidates to file for the spring ASC elections.
The petitions contained 1,683 signatures, which is more than the necessary 10 per cent of the student body, Lyle "Buzz" Fisher, Bird City junior and ISP president, said Wednesday.
Although ISP had "most of the signatures for a long time" there was a last-minute rush to collect them all, Fisher said.
"Baby, we did everything possible," he commented.
The reason certain parts of the two platforms are so similar appears to be because of a similarity in ideas about what needs changing at KU.
Lyle "Buzz" Fisher, Bird City junior and ISP president, said Wednesday, "The base of the ISP platform is the same as last year's. The reforms advocated last year have not been accomplished and are still necessary.
"Our opponents have these points on their platform," he continued, referring to the similar planks on the UP and ISP platforms. "They are in our platform because we intend to see them through."
Scott Brown, Wichita sophomore and UP party chairman, said Wednesday night these points were included on the UP platform because "these are things that need to be changed or re-evaluated."
Clif Conrad, Bismarck, N.D., junior and UP candidate for student body president, said UP "drew up these points from discussions we've had with interested people in the University."
Other planks on the UP sevenpoint platform are as follows:
- Re-evaluation of ASC by a temporary sub-group during the coming session of summer school, which will make recommendations to the ASC in the fall.
- Student determination of the use of the student activities fund,
- An evaluation of the function and inter-relationship of student organizations for the purpose of coordinating student activities.
- The nine-point ISP platform includes the following:
- Students 18 and over should have the right to live anywhere they choose, and to set their own hours without interference by either administration or other students.
See Platforms, page 6
Registrar decides: no pre-enrollment
Pre-enrollment has been abolished and fall enrollment will return to the three-day procedure in the Kansas Union, James K. Hitt, registrar, said in a letter to KU deans and department chairmen Wednesday.
The letter said the University lacks the time and resources to make and carry out a pre-enrollment plan for all the students now registered on campus.
"To attempt such a major change without adequate time, planning and logistical support would create more problems than it would solve," the letter said.
Fall enrollment, which will be a full three days instead of the previous $2\frac{1}{2}$ days, will be September 11, 12 and 13.
The letter said the University is undergoing a self-study program to try to improve administration. The enrollment system, the letter said, is one item which is being studied closely.
One of the goals of a good enrollment system is assurance to students that they will be able to enroll in the classes they want, the letter said.
Hitt has previously said the present mass enrollment system does not make this assurance.
The letter said the elimination of pre-enrollment came after careful study of the procedure. After balancing the pros and cons of pre-enrollment against those of mass enrollment a decision to return to the mass enrollment system was made, it said.
Pho.o by Bruce Patter.ou
VIEW FROM BELOW
Gracie Dexter, Topeka sophomore, threads her way through the obstacle course created by the construction in front of Strong Hall. Hopefully, the piles of dirt and fragmented sidewalk will be cleared by the middle of next week. The construction is to provide Spencer Library with a 15,000-volt power line for air conditioning.
English profs, frosh don't like two texts
By Jane Abildgaard Kansan Staff Reporter
Two required textbooks in freshman English courses apparently are causing dissatisfaction among instructors and students alike.
The complaints—which come both from the Colleges-Within-the-College and from other freshman English classes — focus mainly on "Crisis in Black and White" by Silberman, and "Preface to Critical Reading" by Altick.
Several instructors using the two texts would like to see them deemphasized or replaced. Most of the instructors interviewed felt, for example, that too much
emphasis was placed on the Altick book.
David Holden, teaching assistant in English and president of the Student Association for Graduates in English (SAGE), said the Altick book would be more effective if used as a handbook rather than a textbook to be discussed and emphasized in class.
Another teaching assistant in English, Harold Dresser Jr., said "Altick is better than nothing. We should have something like Altick as a jumping-off point" where the instructor could introduce new ideas.
Mrs. Julia Novak, also a teaching assistant in English, said
See English, page 10
First primary clouds LBJ campaign
(Editor's note: this article is the first in a series by Daily Kansan staff members dealing with the 1968 presidential candidates and the processes through which one of them ultimately will be voted into office.)
By Bob Butler Kansan Staff Reporter
While the battle for the Republican presidential nomination has been touted as a fierce struggle, Lyndon Baines Johnson had until Wednesday been considered a virtual shoo-in for the Democratic nomination.
Results from the New Hampshire primary election seemingly have turned everything around. A Johnson-only write-in campaign barely eked out a 3,500-vote margin over Minnesota Sen. Eugene McCarthy while Richard Nixon scored a 71,000 vote runaway over the write-in campaign for Nelson Rockefeller.
Even so, chances are that Johnson again will be the Democratic standard-bearer this year in spite of the controversy surrounding him. Party leaders in recent years have tended to stick with a winner—and Johnson, an old hand at the political game and a canny
campaigner, has been a winner for the Democrats.
In 31 years he has lost only one election. His first campaign was a successful effort in 1937 for a seat i the House of Representatives to fill the term of James P. Buchanan, who died in office. Since then he won three more terms in the House, two in the Senate, the vice-presidency in John F. Kennedy's narrow 1960 win over Nixon, and finally the presidency in 1964 in his own right—having assumed that office after Kennedy's assassination in 1963.
His only defeat was in a special senate race in 1941 to fill an un-
Whether or not he wins in 1968 will depend primarily on what alternatives his opponents offer to his long-established platform.
The major plank in that platform, of course, is the continuation of the war in Vietnam. In the five years of Johnson's administration the United States has gone from an "advisory" capacity to a stage of involvement which as of last week has claimed more American lives than the Korean War.
expired term—again for a man who died in office.
Public confusion over the purpose and outcome of the war, the
recent Viet Cong offensive, and the alleged credibility gap between the President's administration and the public's right to information are all problems which Johnson must face before the election.
The problems these issues cause loom larger for Johnson since his virtual defeat by McCarthy in the New Hampshire primary. McCarthy, running as a peace candidate in protest of Johnson's Vietnam policies, was only narrowly beaten in the popular vote, 26,000 to 22,500. In delegate strength, which is what the primary was all about.
See LBJ, page 12