4A
Wednesday, July 19, 1995
OPINION UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VIEWPOINT
THE ISSUE: THE WACO HEARINGS
NRA's role hidden in hearings
Republicans and Democrats this week began their investigations into the botched raid on the Branch Davidian compound on Feb. 28,1993. But it was party politics as usual when the investigations snagged on what group had paid consultants to examine seized weapons-the National Rifle Association.
Although the NRA probably is qualified to examine the weapons seized from the burned compound near Waco, Texas, not identifying itself as the sponsor for the gun consultants was deplorable.
The NRA's role in the investigation wasn't known until last week. The group issued a news release condemning the Clinton administration for not allowing its consultants to X-ray the guns.
NRA experts said that X-raying the guns would help determine whether the weapons seized by the Treasury Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had
The gun-advocate group has sponsored consultants in Congress' investigation of the deadly raid on the Waco, Texas, compound.
been converted from semi-automatic weapons.
Justice Department officials claimed that X-raying was not necessary to establish whether the guns were fully automatic.
Whichever side is correct about the X-ray issue, the stealth funding of the gun consultants comes after the NRA openly and harshly has criticized the federal government's handling of the Waco raid. Four ATF agents and six Branch Davidians were killed.
Refusing to identify itself as the consultants' sponsoring organization creates a conflict of interest that Congress should have been aware of.
Both Democrats and Republicans should ensure that all future information in the hearings is available to both parties and to the public.
JAMIE MUNN FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Prayer a personal lesson
THE ISSUE: SCHOOL PRAYER
President Clinton last week argued that a Constitutional amendment for school prayer was unnecessary because the First Amendment already gives students ample freedom to pray and practice their religions in school.
Instead of looking to a prayer amendment, schools should work with the administration in the coming school year to determine what forms of religious expressions will be allowed.
Clinton may have been indirectly trying to placate religious conservatives when he said that the government could not discriminate against private religious expression during the school day.
But more importantly, Clinton said that government cannot use schools to convey an official endorsement of religion
"Nothing in the First Amendment converts our
Clinton's stand against the Constitutional amendment would leave religious expressions in schools up to individual students.
public schools into religious-free zones or requires all religious expression to be left behind at the schoolhouse door," he said.
In a society that honors the Constitution, separation of church and state should be a continuing value. And in federally funded schools, mandated religious expression should not be allowed.
The way that students are currently allowed to practice religion, a choice which shouldn't interfere with other students' learning experience, is the way it should remain.
Religion is personal, and that is the way it should stay in schools—a personal choice.
JAMIE MUNN FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Rob Tapley / KANSAN
KU blunders discourage students from returning to residence halls
What does it feel like to shoot yourself in the foot? Just ask the University of Kansas and the KU department of student housing about its handling of residence-hall life.
The latest blunder will take effect this fall when newly hired out-of-state resident assistants must pay out-of-state tuition. RAs are included with all other monthly employees who work more than 40 percent time, 16 hours a week. KU is looking at which of these positions should or should not be classified as monthly and, in turn, get in-state tuition.
Previously, out-of-state students could get free room and board and in-state tuition by becoming an RA because it gave them a permanent address and job in Kansas. This provided incentive for students, who might otherwise find off-campus housing, to remain in the halls.
In turn, these RAs would be in a position to encourage freshmen to stay in the halls as well.
But now, many of these students will be left out in the cold.
KANSAN
EDITOR
This is another stupid decision in a series of screwy maneuvers continuing to punish residence hall students. More and more students are being discouraged from coming back to the halls after their freshman year. Who could blame them?
next hall, students will pay $418 a month to live in McCollum Hall. The full-meal plan is included, but let's get real. This pays for grade D food — I know, I worked in a hall cafeteria my freshman year. Contrast that with any apartment's cost, and a sophomore's decision on whether to move out of the hall becomes pretty easy.
Next fall, students
The decision might have a different outcome if living in the halls was worth the price. The location is great.
TUITION: In-state tuition kept from some students, Page 34.
It's easy for students to get involved, and all the friends you could ever meet are within walking distance.
In response to these complaints, the housing department will bring up its nifty hall-renovation ideas. The department wants to create suites consisting of two bedrooms and a living room. But these are the same plans that have been thrown around for at least two years.
But give me a break. Rooms are as small as prison cells and about as comfortable. Closet space is almost nonexistent. Living room furniture consists of a bed and a pillow.
If the department keeps dragging its feet on improvements, it will get swallowed by the quicksand of student dissatisfaction. Housing costs have risen by 22 percent since 1992, and improvements in living space have been lackster at best. At the same time, the average apartment rent has risen by only 8 percent.
Soon, if things don't change drastically, Kansas will have to go the same route as many colleges: requiring freshmen to live in residence halls. That would be a dire mistake.
In this scenario, housing improvements could be few and far between because the department would know that freshmen could not escape housing contracts.
If Chancellor Robert Hemenway truly wants to be the students' chancellor and wants to improve our lives, he needs to focus immediate attention to this. Not only will improving the halls make our lives better, but also it will make KU look more enticing to college recruits — also a major problem for Hemenway.
The recent out-of-state RA fisico is continuing the hall's 'downfall'. It's a shame because I don't think most sophomores-to-be really want to leave campus life behind for off-campus housing. I know I was reluctant.
Gerry Fey is an Omaha, Neb., senior maloring in Journalism.
Don't alter sports arenas' winning auras
That may seem to be a small task. It is anything but.
I am in a unique group of survivors. After traveling to the University of Missouri's Hearnes Center as a KU representative, I returned alive.
I was covering the Kansas-Missouri women's basketball game last season. Even though I wasn't wearing any KU apparel, it seemed like anyone could see my name tag on the press table with the Kansan splashed across it.
My paranola grew, and I felt like bait in a snake pit. The center's 13,349 seats sit at a steep angle, making it seem as if the fans were breathing down my neck.
CAMPUS EDITOR
Tiger fanatics are some of the most unforgiving. I thought that at any moment one of them might realize I was a KU student and yell out, "There's another one!" and come chasing after me.
That never happened, but chants of "Rock Chalk Chicken Hawk" and "KU Sucks" cut deep in the heart of this Jayhawk. Those chants don't seem too bad, but they're the only ones I can print. It seemed that Mizzou backers felt a personal responsibility
to do what ever it took to pull their Tigers through. I'm scared just thinking about the Hearnes Center. And when Joe Castiglione, Missouri athletic director, hinted this summer that building a new arena to replace the Hearnes Center was under consideration I didn't
hesitate in my reaction. Don't do it.
The place scares me to death, and any arena that strikes fear into the hearts of opposing teams, fans and even media should be preserved and treasured. Anyone who has felt the tradition in a storied basketball arena would want it kept around.
That feeling of pride can't be built into a new arena. It isn't hauled in by a dump truck, nailed into place with a hammer or painted onto the walls.
Kansas State University learned that the hard way. The Wildcats left
Ahearn Field House for Bramlage Coliseum. When Ahearn was packing in the Wildcat faithful, the old barn could really rock 'n' roll.
Fans had staked their claim. This was their home, and no one escaped without a fight.
Now in Bramlage, no one seems to feel that strong tie to defend the school's home court. K-State struggles to even come close to regularly filling the arena. Granted, the Wildcats have hit on some lean years in terms of talent, but they might have been able to squeeze more out of that talent had there been a bigger crowd behind them.
The only way to justify tearing down an established arena would be if it were structurally unsound — not because a university wants to increase ticket revenue with more seats. And definitely not because there aren't enough luxury boxes.
If the KU Athletic Department ever deems Alen Field House obsolete, I will be the first to cry foul. Sure, the place is already 50 years old. But where else can you get the feeling that the field house creates?
That feeling is difficult to describe.
For me, I get a quaye, excited lump in my stomach. I expect the unexpected: forward Raef LaFrentz hitting a three-pointer, the alumni actually standing up to cheer or center Greg Ostertag doing his point-guard impression by leading a fast break.
But I get the feeling in my stomach mostly because I know some things always will be the same in the field house. There's guard Jacque Vaughn leading the Jayhawks out of the tunnel, the clap that goes with the fight song and the students chanting "Roy! Roy! Roy!" as the KU coach steps onto the court.
Those things would still happen in another arena, but it just wouldn't be the field house. I don't know how else to put it.
I'm sure Missouri fans are saying that about the Hearnes Center. Anywhere else just isn't home. And no where else would scare the bejesus out of opposing teams.
Despite that, I want to go back to the Hearnes Center. Who knows, I may even wear a Jayhawk T-shirt.
Jenit Carlson is a Clay Center Juntor in Journalism.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SUMMER STAFF
Editors
Campus ... Virginia Marghelm
... Jenni Carlson
Editorial ... Jamie Munn
Photo ... Jay Thornton
Design ... Dave Johnson
Graphics ... Noah Musser
Copy Chief
...Melinda Diao
Reporters
Kim Crabtree ... Angle Dasbach
Dan Gelston ... Mark Luce
Luby Montano Laurel ... Trine Nygaard
Tara Trenary ... Ryan Vise
Jenny Wiedeke ...Meng Yew Tee
Copy Editors
Reporters
Gwen Olson...
Lydia Diebolt...Matt Hood
Chris Oster...Robert Sinclair
Kathleen Driscoll ... Brian Fink
Edmee Rodriguez ... Michael Schuze
Photographers
ASHLEY MILLER TOM EBLEN Managing editor General manager, news adviser
Editorial Board
Editorial Board Jamie Munn, Gerry Fey, Ashley Miller, Todd Hatt, Jolie Haeset
Columnists
Cartoonists
Isaac Bell, David Day, Shelly Falevits
Matt Hood, Emmie Hau, Rob Tapley
Business Staff
CATHERINE ELLSWORTH Technology coordinator
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Regional manager...Jody Groton
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Special sections manager...Stephanie Utley
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Creative manager...Anne Laurenzo
Classified manager...Heather Valler
Retail assistant manager...Anne Loeper
JJ. COOK
Business manager
MATT SHAW
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J. J. COOK Business manager
MATT SHAW Retail sales manager
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Keliv Frazier
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PAT BOYLE Business coordinator
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