Daily hansan
60th Year. No. 78
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Thursday, Feb. 7, 1963
Wescoe In Topeka; Vote Nears on WU
TOPEKA — (UPI) — Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe and Clyde M. Reed, Board of Regents chairman, met with Governor John Anderson in Anderson's office for 20 minutes this morning.
It was not known whether the visit concerned the approaching Senate vote on a bill to admit Wichita University to the state system. KU officials are privately opposed to the measure.
BEFORE THE MEETING with the Chancellor, Gov. Anderson would only say, "I presume it has to do with pending legislation."
Meanwhile, legislators on both side of the controversial issue of Wichita University were claiming that victory is certain. Proponents of the bill insist they have lined up as many as 24 of the Senate's 40 votes.
SEN, DONALD HULTS, R-Lawrence, who is a major opponent of the bill, continued to resist passage. He said the measure, even if passed by the Senate, would never get through the House.
Yesterday afternoon the Senate recommended that the bill be passed. The recommendation was in the form of a voice vote which concluded a committee of the whole session.
Only a few scattered no's were heard in the voice vote — despite the fact that the committee, composed of the entire Senate, had been debating the bill more than three hours.
The bill would bring Wichita University into the state school system under the Board of Regents.
A second bill, establishing a private corporation to handle Wichita's endowment property, also was given tentative approval. The bill would authorize the governor to appoint a nine-man board of trustees to administer the endowment program.
UNDER NORMAL procedures the two bills will come up for a voice vote in tomorrow's session of the senate. They would then be sent to the House if formally passed.
Only three senators indicated they would positively vote against the proposal. They were Sens. Howard Harper, R-Junction City; Don Hults, R-Lawrence; and E. W. Strahan, R-Salina.
Harper explained his position in a 45-minute criticism of the bills in which he charged that the state educational system would be weakened by taking Wichita University into the state system.
He warned that if the university was admitted "instead of getting education out of politics we would be putting it into politics."
Harper said Wichita "would not stand still and let Kansas University and K-State go skyward with their programs." He said Wichita would control allocation of state funds by basis of the Wichita area having one-fourth of the voters in the state.
"Everybody agrees that it would take more money to operate six schools instead of five unless we spread the money a little thinner." Harper said, adding, "this will reduce the quality of education in Kansas. To say otherwise is to fly against fact."
HARPER, WHO REPRESENTS a district including Kansas State University, attacked Wichita's motives for wanting its municipal university into the state system. "I haven't heard anyone say that if they don't
Weather
The weather forecast for northeast Kansas is mostly cloudy this afternoon through Friday with fog and occasional drizzle this afternoon spreading to the extreme east by tonight.
get in the university will have to close down."
He made charges that Wichita's troubles stemmed from over-extending the role of a municipal university "in a rush to gain pre-eminence." He added, "they apparently want to lower their own taxes by spreading the load on the taxpayers of the whole state."
Sen. William Farmer, R-Wichita, who drafted the bill and received approval of the senate education committee, carried the bills on the floor and spent over half an hour outlining the history of the proposal and the legislative council study of the matter.
HARPER ROSE again on the question to say, "What really disturbs me is that this bill asks the senate to slap the State Board of Regents in the face.
"We do not say we want it admitted with no strings attached and let the Regents decide how best to fit it into the state system. We are
X X X
Dickson Blasts Wichita U. Bill
Rv Patti Rehen
KU's student president said last night the controversy on whether to make Wichita U. a state university is a case of "mediocrity versus good education."
In an interview, Jerry Dickson,
Newton senior, and chairman of a
special ASC committee to study the
Eurich Report on Education, voiced
several objections to the bill which
is now before the State Legislature.
"THE STATE SO far has not provided sufficient funds in the areas of teacher salaries and scientific research in its State universities." Dickson said. "It would be well for the State system to improve in these two areas before it starts any grandiose expansion program by the inclusion of Wichita University into the State school system as a full university."
Dickson said that by making Wichita University a state-supported school there would be three major schools competing for the available funds, "which would mean that the education received in all three universities would be slighted.
"The establishment of such a system would be similar to many others," he said, "in which the chancellor is over the entire school system and each university emphasizes certain fields.
NAMING THE EURICH Report as the ideal solution, Dickson said it provided for emphasis on a type of schooling in Wichita for which that city is best suited.
"Assuming that the legislature will not raise the taxes this year, the money out of the educational building fund would have to go to three instead of two major universities."
"It is unfortunate." Dickson said, "that the city of Wichita was unable to accept the distinguished group of panelists on the Eurich Committee. The objections were purely emotional."
DICKSON SAID KU has reached a point where its grades are accepted at face value at most Eastern graduate schools. "It would be disastrous for the State of Kansas," he said, "if it were not willing to continue this trend and improve upon good education."
Dickson said that after action has been taken on the bill by the State legislature, the "ASC committee to study the Eurich Report" will submit a report to the All Student Council, recommending that it take a position on the issue.
telling them to take it with their hands tied."
Harper added that in his opinion the expected $3 million per year needed to keep Wichita U. in operation in the state system would block the $33 million building and expansion program planned by the Regents for state schools over the next five years.
Farmer, in answering Harper's charge about the building program, quoted the Eurich report on higher education in Kansas which recommended that no new buildings be undertaken until full utilization is made of existing buildings.
Sen. Paul Lamb, R-Caney, attempted to halt discussion and further action on the measure by parliamentary procedure. Lamb contended that senate rules state that no bill containing an appropriation can be passed until it has been approved by the ways and means committee.
ALTHOUGH THE Wichita bills do not recommend any specific appropriation, they do recommend continued state aid in the amount of $3 per hour to Wichita U. until the state takes over.
Sen. Joseph McDowell, D-Kansas City, who chaired the committee, refused to refer the bills back to committee and Lamb appealed the chair's ruling to the committee. His appeal was rejected on a voice vote.
Hults, who represents the district including the University of Kansas, told the committee he would be forced to vote against Wichita U. bills in their present form. He said he had no objection to Wichita entering the state system as a liberal arts college, but that he did not believe there was room for a third university in the state.
STRAHAN ROSE to say that he agreed with Hults about the bill and likewise would vote against the bill in its present form.
Sen. Ford Harbaugh, R-Wellington, chided Hulars and Harper for opposing "improvement of the state educational system even though they come from districts which claim the two great universities."
Harbaugh said, "The decision on this bill should not be based on the economic selfishness on the part of those who are fortunate enough to have the universities in their areas."
WU Provokes Strong Debate
By Blaine King
Opponents of the bill to admit Wichita University into the state school system, maintaining they are acting in the interests of the University of Kansas, say the bill would mean less money for KU.
University officials decline comment on the bill.
"The Board of Regents has approved the Eurich report, and the University must go along with that report," said Raymond Nichols, Vice-Chancellor for Finance.
He said this is all he would say publicly.
THE EURICH REPORT, a survey conducted by educators from outside the state, was submitted to the Board of Regents in November, and approved by the Board shortly afterward.
The report recommends that Wichita University be taken into the state system as a "State Universities Center." under the joint jurisdiction of the University of Kansas and Kansas State University.
Under this plan, B.S. and B.A. degrees earned in Wichita would be granted by KU. Advanced degrees would be granted by either KU or K-State, depending on students' choices.
The bill now before the state legislature would bring Wichita University into the state system as a separate university.
WICHITA UNIVERSITY and 14 junior colleges have been receiving state aid since 1960. The present bill does not provide for any appropriations to Wichita this year.
One reason for concern that KU might lose money if the bill is passed is the estimate that Wichita's first year in the state system would cost the state $3 million.
Opponents of the bill, as well as some of its supporters, say increased revenue must be found if Wichita University is brought in.
A STATEMENT by Raydon Nichols, Vice Chancellor for Finance at KU, perhaps best describes the concern of the bill's opponents.
Commenting on a 1960 educational survey which recommended that salaries at all state schools be raised 20 per cent, Nichols coexists
that salaries at all state schools be raised 20 per cent, Nichols said: "It would take another one million dollars to raise salaries at KU 20 per cent."
Opponents of the bill say KU cannot expect to get that million if a third university is brought into the system.
SOME LEGISLATORS in Topeka, however, maintain that Wichita University cannot be allowed to "limp along," particularly with the growing enrollments expected as the war babies hit Kansas colleges and universities.
If the bill passes the Senate, it will go to the House, where it is expected to have more difficulty than in the Senate.
Rep. Odd Williams, R-Lawrence, said he does not expect the bill to get to the House floor before March.
ANOTHER LEGISLATOR, who did not want to be identified, said the bill would never get past the Senate if the senators expected the bill to pass the House.
He said the bill, introduced by Sen. William Farmer, R-Wichita, would be passed almost as a favor to Farmer. He said Farmer is popular in the Kansas legislature, and the bill would make him "look good back home."
The bill provides that all property of Wichita University shall be transferred to the state by June 30,1963.
(Continued on page 8)
CRC Members Charge City Housing Discrimination
By Jackie Helstrom
The Civil Rights Council said last night it has proof of discrimination among housers listed on the University housing lists, and it is going to ask the University to take action.
It is the policy of the University Housing Office to ask any person who wishes to list a room on the housing list whether he is willing to accept any student on the basis of merit, without regard to race or color.
AT ITS MEETING the CRC cited three cases it has discovered. The group said that just before the end of last semester and during the semester break while students were looking for housing for the spring semester, Negro students were turned away from houses listed on the housing list.
Barbara Rice, Kansas City senior, and Marjorie French. St. Louis, Mo., sophomore, stated that they were turned away from two houses with the excuse that the rooms were rented. And yet, they said, white students who appeared at the same houses within 30 minutes were shown the rooms.
Other cases cited were those of
Ivan Smith, Jefferson City, Mo,
junior, who had the same experi-
ence, and another student who, using
the telephone to look for a room, was
told after she had been told that the
room was available that it would not
be rented to Negroes. This student
said she contacted about five names
on the housing list.
"WE HAVE ASKED these students to file complaints with the housing office," said Don Warner, Topeka senior and chairman of the CRC. "They were not involved in this as a test of the housing list. They were students looking for places to live; but they have agreed to cooperate with us in trying to eliminate discrimination."
Laurence C. Woodruff, dean of students, through whose office the complaints would be processed, said today that if and when the complaints are received they will be investigated.
"If proof of discrimination of any kind is found, it is the policy of the University to remove these names from the list," Dean Woodruff explained.
WHEN THESE COMPLAINTS
"We hope this information will make the housing office more aware of the situation. The action we hope they will take is to remove the addresses from the housing list of those renters who have been named in the complaints of the students turned away," said Marsha Dutton, Colby senior and secretary of the group.
have been filed, the CRC says it will send a letter to the KU housing office expressing its awareness of the complaints and its interests in seeing how the situation is resolved. A carbon of the letter will be sent to the chancellor.
Warner added that if these addresses are not removed from the list, the CRC will assume that these renters have agreed to accept Negro students in the future and that they will encourage all Negro students looking for housing in the future to contact these roomers first.
It was also suggested that Miss Dutton, who is also a member of the Human Rights Committee of the All Student Council, ask this group to support the action of the CRC by requesting that the HRC write a letter to the housing office expressing interest in the situation.