Friday, April 14, 1989 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
KU denies fine arts students needed equipment, facilities
The University of Kansas needs to reconstruct its building priorities.
Students are suffering because of KU's negligent remodeling and repairing efforts. While raquetball courts are being remodeled in Robinson Center, music students are forced to practice on old pianos in crowded rooms. And there aren't enough of them. Repair and maintenance of the pianos also are lacking.
Music students aren't the only victims of the University's lackadaisical approach to maintenance and repair.
In the Art and Design Building, students are suffering from headaches because the ventilation is so poor. The students often use glue and aerosols to complete projects, but the building is not properly equipped to handle the fumes. Spray booths, cubicles with filtering systems and exhaust fans alleviate the problem. But only two booths are available to 600 fine arts students.
Jerry Moore, associate dean of fine arts, said poor ventilation had been a problem since 1977, when the building was constructed. The University has had more than enough time to correct the building's problems.
Students in majors that require them to use poor facilities or equipment are severely disadvantaged. They deserve, and have earned with their tuition dollars, satisfactory educational facilities. Racquetball courts hardly constitute an educational priority, especially when music students can't practice and art students can't breathe.
Grace Hobson for the editorial board
Decision by Supreme Court gives OK to stereotyping
Travelers beware. Due to a Supreme Court decision last week, federal Drug Enforcement Agents were given broad discretion to question and search travelers who fit the stereotypes of drug couriers.
The decision occurred in the case of Andrew Sokolow, who was arrested five years ago for carrying cocaine from Miami to Hawaii. Sokolow was caught because his actions matched those in behavior profiles used by the DEA to spot possible drug traffickers.
The Supreme Court served justice by upholding the drug charge. But the Court's official opinion allows for too much leniency in DEA policies.
Chief Justice William Rehnquist wrote that although certain characteristics could be set forth in a profile, that shouldn't disguity evidence.
In writing that, the Court opened the doors wide for DEA harassment of people with certain physical or demographic characteristics. For instance, a young black man who is dressed nicely and carrying cash probably would be searched before a young, wealthy-looking white man.
Justice Thurgood Marshall was one of two justices to dissent on the basis of possible discrimination. Marshall wrote that the DEA's reliance on a profile would subject "innocent individuals to unwarranted police harassment."
his to unaware parties will not only cause undue harassment of stereotyped groups, but also, doubtlessly, the DEA's profiles often would be incorrect. Many innocent people would be detained. And drug couriers would know better than to look and act like drug couriers. Customs officials admit to this.
According to Time magazine, drug carriers often try plays like smuggling drugs with children and innocent-looking adults Time magazine also quoted John Heinrich, Los Angeles Customs director, as saying, "Nothing is beyond what people will do."
So how will the benefits of a drug courier profile outweigh the discrimination problems? The Court was wrong to allow discriminatory practices to flourish, particularly in a government agency.
Cindy Harger for the editorial board
The editorials in this column are the opinion of the editorial board. The editorial board consists of Julie Adam, Karen Boring, Jepston, James Farquhar, Cindy Harger, Jennifer Hinkle, Grace Hobson, Jill Jess, Mark McCormick and Mark Tillford.
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Julie Adam...Editor
Karen Boring...Managing editor
Jill Jess...News editor
Deb Gruberville...Planning editor
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Noel Garder...Art/Features editor
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michael
Daredevil will deliver family fun
When you talk about the moral values that keep this world pointed in the right direction, you just can't avoid the word "family."
Politicians sprinkle the term liberally in their speeches and get voted into office by the 50 percent of the electorate that bothers to go to the polls. The Supreme Court might be about to reassess its position on Roe v. Wade, which might result in a lot more families bustling about. The Cosby clan rules the roost of prime time television.
In fact, television, that lightning rod of lowest common denominator morality, is always trying to find a way to communicate the values of family and still get a 40 share.
And tonight, you and your loved ones can gather around the Trintron to watch a family tradition live on.
Caesar's is the casino in Vegas that brings all the top-flight shop business talent in the world to its main room and proclaims their presence to the strip in one-word monikers like "Sammy."
mins evening, young, sturdy daredevil Robbie Knievel, son of old, rickety daredevil Evel Knievel, will try to succeed where his dad failed. No, he isn't planning a movie autobiography that you can watch with a straight face. Robbie will attempt, with the help of a motorcycle, to jump the fountains in front of Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Bill Kempin Staff columnist
"Sinatra" and now "Stupid."
The TV promises talk up the fact that daredevi Robbie has broken all records, if not all bones, in preparation for this stupendous feat. And he promises to do it in front of his old man in customary style — with his hands skyward, saying, "Look Dad, no hands!" As if having your sweaty palms locked around the handbells can provide a worth of difference when you're so airy in the feet.
At this point, I'm reminded of the ancient joke about the kid showing off to his father as he raced his bike around the block. The first time in front of the house, he says, "Look, Dad, no nose," and then he looks down. "Look, Dad, no feet!" The final time he circles the block, he splits out, "Look, Dad, no teeth!"
The cost of bringing this heartwarming family moment into your home is just $14.95 plus tax, assuming, of course, that you are already paying for it. The cost of that that is showing "Ishar" 54 times this month.
Although the actual jump will take about 10 seconds, you'll be paying for a 90-minute spectacular featuring a detailed explanation of the logistics of the jump and filmed highlights of Evel's ill-fated attempt to clear the fountains a few years back. That attempt resulted in Evel's being unconscious for most of National Park. He might haveights ought to mill young Robbie's head with all kinds of confident thought as he prepares for his trip skyward.
Don't forget to tell Sunflower Cablevision if you want to watch the live telecast at 8 p.m. today or the taped replay at 10 p.m. The replay is for those folks who want to catch the latest escapades of J. R. Ewing and then phone the neighbors to see if Robbie made a 3-point landing on the bridge but lost all of its calls are lifting the Kinele into an ambulance using a kineled putty knife.
That way, conscientious parents can decide if they should let their son Elroy stay up and watch the proceedings past his bedtime. Elroy, by the way, just got his first bicycle and can't wait to try it out on the giant playground slide come Saturday.
Bill Kempin is a graduate student majoring in journalism.
Haskell students fight for fair policies
Students should not be discouraged from protesting unjust administrative actions
We are writing this in response to the Appalling letter "Education disrupted" which appeared in the April 10 Kansan. As leaders of the student government at Haskell Indian Junior College, we wish our views to be heard.
“Education disrupted.” for us, is if the president of our college uses his position to change his own policies.
"Education disrupted" is if that same daughter is hired by her father and given cash awards for the year.
"Education disrupted" is when we, as the student government, are retaliated against and harassed by the administration of this college for speaking out against a corrupt president. This harassment comes in various forms, including: ■ our self-generated funds being frozen at the student bank for more than two months; ■ absences that were excused before we took trips which were inexplicably unexcused when we returned, thus affecting our semester grades in accordance with the administration's archaic attendance policy;
- our Student Senate president being removed by the same administration and its recent refusal to recognize her unanimous reinstatement by elected representatives of the students.
"Education disrupted" is when we are refused permission to invite State Legislature candidates to speak on campus until "non-student" attention was called to the situation.
"Education disrupted" was when we were refused permission to set up voter-registration tables for November's presidential elections until "non-student" attention was called to the situation, at which time we were quickly granted permission.
"Education disrupted") is when our own student newspaper staff is told by the administration that it cannot print the aforementioned controversial stories.
As Indian people we were raised to be non-confrontational. Haskell's administration has counted on that fact. It has gambled that we will not have the backbone to try to change things for the better.
"Education disrupted" is when the three most powerful student organizations on campus, Student Senate, Campus Activities Association and the Indian Leader newspaper, cannot choose their own advisers, which are appointed by this same oppressive administration.
*education disrupted*" is having a flashlight shone in your eyes at 3 a.m. for bedcheck.
*Education disrupted*) is having residence-hall personnel open the door to your room with their help.
master key and more.
"Education adopted" is immeasurably so when exactly members use class time to brain-wash uninformed students into thinking that:
■ speaking out against violations of basic civil rights would get the school closed down;
■ we have no right to speak out because we signed a consent form when we were admitted to the school.
'Education disrupted' is when these same
faculty and staff members harass "non-students" who would inform us of our rights, through phone calls and letters to their superiors.
As Indian people, we were raised to be nonconfrontational. The administration of this college has counted on that fact. It has gambled that we would have to telephone someone to try to change things for the better.
Something is dreadfully wrong at Haskell. That has been verified by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which reissigned President Gerald Geld and now is investigating him; by the National Congress of American Indians, a group that represents more than 75 percent of all U.S. tribes, which pass laws under other agencies, investigation into all areas of Haskell, and especially by the students, who readily signed petitions denouncing violations of rights Sonja Boma claimed are intact.
We the Executive Board of the Student Senate, are extremely grateful to the KU students and individuals who, at our request, have helped us. We no longer feel locally alienated in our struggle to uphold our First, Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights. We hope you will not be deterred by the small minority of administrative puppets who would protest your involvement in our issues because they have lost their voice in our people nationally, so they are trying to make one last desperate stand locally, which they are also losing. They know, as we do, that what is right will be.
This guest column was signed by the 13 members of the Executive Board of the Haskell Indian Junior College Student Senate.
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed