4A
Wednesday, April 12, 1995
OPINION
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
STUDENT SENATE ENDORSEMENTS
The Kansan editorial board interviewed both coalition's candidates for student body president and vice president. The endorsement reflects the Kansan's choice of who would make the most effective president and vice president.
THE KANSAN'S CHOICE
FOR STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT:
Kim Cocks and Dan Hare
THE ISSUE: STUDENT SENATE ELECTIONS
Campus participation lacking
Student Senate elections are upon us once again.
Soon the buttons, signs and promises will be nothing but a memory.
And since only 13 percent of the students enrolled at this university vote in the Student Senate elections, that should make the other 87 percent more than happy.
For those of you who are planning on voting, the editorial board applauds you. Unfortunately, however, you are the few. This is unfortunate because Student Senate has a greater impact on this campus than you might think.
Only 13 percent of KU students vote in the Senate elections; more should realize the impact of this student body.
Why? Quite simply because Senate is the body that controls your money. You know, your student fees. And considering that there are more than 25,000 students at KU, that's quite a chunk of change. Many campus organizations depend on Student Senate for money. So if you get the urge to influence campus decisions or to exercise your democratic right, drop a ballot in a polling box today or tomorrow.
MATT GOWEN FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
THE ISSUE: AFTER THE ELECTIONS
Candidates should clean up
Something must be done to rid this campus and city of all election posters, banners and yard signs that proliferate and remain as an eyesore in the community long after elections are over.
The University of Kansas needs to follow the example of Kansas State University. In student senate elections at K-State, candidates are forced to collect and remove all posters, signs and banners after the polls are closed and before election results are announced. This policy is effective because candidates are eager to hear results. Nervous energy, when used properly, is effective and efficient. This is something that the elections commission should consider.
Yard signs in the city pose a more difficult situation. One could argue that removal is the responsibility of the private individual who chose to place the sign in his or her yard. However, the other side could say that since supporters of the candidates
All posters and signs used for campaigns should be taken down soon after election day and recycled.
put signs in yards originally, the supporters are responsible for removal.
Forcing candidates for city positions to collect and remove all of their yard signs before announcing election results would not be feasible because many more signs are posted within a much larger area. Instead, a small fine for each sign not removed within a week after election day would be a more plausible solution.
Recycling is also an issue that arises with campaign posters, signs and banners. While most of the signs are printed on recycled paper, efforts are never organized to recycle the paper again. If all candidates were forced to collect their signs, recycling them would not take much more effort.
With these policies, our campus and city would be clean.
TIM MUIR FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
KANSAN STAFF
STEPHEN MARTINO
Editor
DENISE NEIL
Managing editor
TOM EBLEN
General manager, news adviser
CATHERINE ELLSWORTH
Technology coordinator
JENNIFER PERRIER
Business manager
MARK MASTRO
Retail sales manager
JAY STEINER
Sales and marketing adviser
News...Carlos Tejada
Planning...Mark Martin
Editorial...Matt Gowen
Associate Editorial...Heather Lawrentz
Campus...David Wilson
Colleen McCain
Sports...Gerry Fey
Associate Sports...Ashley Miller
Photograph...Jarrant Lee
Associate Photo...Kate Kors
Features...Nathan Olanon
Design...Brian James
Freelance...Susan White
Business Staff
Campus mgr ..Beth Pots
Regional mgr ..Chris Branman
National mgr ..Sholly Falvis
Coop mgr ..Kelly Connealy
Special Sections mgr ...Brigg Bloomquist
Production mgrs ..JJ Cook
Kim Hyman
Marketing director ..Mindy Blum
Promotions director ..Justin Frosolone
Creative director ..Dan Gier
Classified mgr ..Lisa Kulsetk
Student Senate ENDORSEMENTS
The University Daily Kansan interviewed Student Senate candidates who attended one of seven days of endorsement interviews by the Kansan editorial board. All candidates were asked several questions regarding leadership qualifications, past Senate experiences and plans and priorities for the
Ken Fleming
Yero Hilts
Ceasar Millan
Sossina Negash
Kelly Huffman
Rebecca Kelley
Aroop Pal
REAL
Not all candidates were interviewed, and endorsements were not made for every available Senate seat. The endorsements reflect our decision as to who would serve Senate best.
UNITED STUDENTS
CLAS
Kevin Olson Lucy Ridgway
Brent Bowen
Tonya Cole
Ashleigh de la Torre
Heather Austin
Joy Benedict
Ward Cook
Jamie Johnson
Julianne Leeland
NUNEMAKER
BUSINESS
Bill Schultz
Katrina Stullken
Jason Schreiner Kevin Yoder
GRADUATE
Jason Angilan
Rina Ban sal
Jason Graff
Julie Harris Julie Moser
Mizrak Gursoy Arthur Yudelson
Ozel Soykan
Andy Theroff
ENGINEERING Rashed Haque
Eileen Force
Ken Martin
Emily Unruh
Dorian Beasley
Kisa Wheaton
Adam Mayer
RESIDENT-AT-LARGE
OFF-CAMPUS
Stan Sheldon
NON-TRADITIONAL
Alan Pierce
Alisa Lasater
Britt Haney
Susan Anderson
EDUCATION
SOCIAL WELFARE
Erika Oliver
April Broussard
LAW
Amy Turnbull
Ashish Dhingra
Wendy Hills
Chiaw-Weai Loo
PHARMACY
ARCHITECTURE
Myrianthi Astanioti
Scott Ravis
FINE ARTS
Jessica Keith Tim Vonholten
Endorsements were not made for the Journalism seats. One candidate is a former member of the editorial board.
Sometimes people ask me what I'm going to do, as in, "Gee Chris, that's great that you're getting bachelors degrees in philosophy and English. How impressive. Tell me, though, do you know how you're going to eat after you graduate?"
answer that question — other than to say that my answer usually involves a fair form of lying in the form of being hopeful.
But I will say that, regardless of whatever else happens, my major courses of study have hone two essential skills. The first is the ability to
Learning art of questioning life not a guarantee of employment
I needn't bore you with how I
judge without a doubt that 'regardless' is a word, whereas 'irregardless' is not. The second is the capacity and inclination to ask incredibly pertinent and insightful questions, such as "What do you, Oh Great Tenured Professor of English, think about the metonymic influences on Emily Dickenson's poetry, both before and after her little cat Pooky died?"
It's not an easy task though, finding the balance between non-productive ruminations and thoughtless action. Some professors find that balance well — enjoy their classes. College doesn't last forever and, sooner or later, we'll all need jobs.
Chris Reedy is a Topeka junior in English and philology.
The thing about the ability to ask questions is that it doesn't really help you very much, at least not taken literally. Even though it sounds cool, hip, long-haired, and liberal to say things like "It's the questions that are important — not the answers!" that's just not the case. The reality is that people who can only ask questions tend not only to be unemployed (employers tend to want answers, output, and product, not dilemmas), but also get shot at quite a bit. It can be a little annoying. If, however, these question-filled people can make it through graduate school without getting shot, quite a few of them end up teaching in the university.
On reflection, though, maybe that's not quite so bad, asking questions. I mean, would you rather have someone who asked too many answers or someone who didn't ask enough? Nothing is more boringly infuriating than a professor who has the answers, rather than his own reasoned opinions on questions that are still open to debate.
Truth is incomplete in Eric Moore story
In response to your editorial about why you printed details of Eric Moore's life that would clearly cause him personal damage, I think your justification that "truth" was at stake seemed pretty flimsy. You assumed that Moore resigned as director of LesBiGay Services of Kansas and withdrew his name from the Student Senate race because he was aware of the leak that would be made public about his criminal record involving a child and that "health reasons" was not the true story. You seem to overlook the fact that he had just been tested HIV positive which can become a lethal killer, if you haven't heard.
Perhaps knowing that he would be under fire would have made his role as director and Senate candidate all the more difficult and could have placed his health in greater jeopardy. It seems to me that your idea of "truth" leaves no room for compassion and certainly fits well with the circus atmosphere our society likes to put up around public figures when they slip up. I could see no valid reason why you needed to print details of Moore's past because he was no longer in office or in the Senate race.
I wonder if somewhere in your mind you were prompted by homophobia and the stereotype of the gay man as child molester. I wonder if there wasn't some good old-fashioned gay bashing behind your pursuit of what you call "truth."
Jan Tharp Overland Park graduate student
Sometimes lies are better than 'truth'
Robert N. Minor professor of religious studies
In response to the editor's "Moore story reflects paper's commitment to the truth," let me point out that the Kansan has chosen to propose a new solution to a classical ethical dilemma. The classic dilemma is what a person would do in Nazi Germany who is hiding Jews in the attic to protect them from impending harm. When the police come and ask, "Are you hiding Jews in your home?" should the truth be told because it's "the truth" or is the loving thing to lie? The editorial board has chosen a new and crueler solution: not only stand for the truth, but publish a front page newspaper story with the headline for all to see, "There Are Jews in the Attic." At least you wouldn't openly add "Come and get 'em."
Editor's ego hurts coalition's chances
The Kansan's vaulted integrity took a back seat to Stephen Martino's ego early Thursday morning, when he insisted, over much protest, on dredging up the past and slinging it all over our faces, just because he could. You're a truly powerful man, Martino.
At what point did the Kansan begin its annual tradition of routine background checks for all Student Senate candidates? 1995? Is Martino really interested in truth in journalism, as he professes, or does he have personal motivation
Perhaps Martino is attempting to pad his future employment opportunities. I hear the New York Post and The Globe are hiring.
Steven Bedell Belleville, Ill, graduate student
"The Kansan is not in the business of destroying lives; it is in the business of reporting the truth," Martino said from up on his moral high horse. He neglected to mention that the Kansan is indeed in the business of destroying the Student Senate election, which was successfully done in Thursday's Kansan.
Democratic rights include free press
to influence the election? Ask the question, which coalition was most hurt by the article Martino anguished over publishing?
I'm writing in regard to the article that reported Eric Moore's resignation. I completely support the decision made by Kansan editor Stephen Martino to run the story.
Most Americans are proud to live in a democratic country that guarantees us numerous freedoms, including freedom of the press. We must never take these rights for granted.
It is evident to me that staff members of the Kansan weren't digging up dirty information about Moore. They simply weren't willing to bury facts in order to keep everyone calm and happy.
I don't envision Martino having an evil smile or gleam in his eye when he decided to run the story. From his editorial, his decision to run the
article was obviously very difficult for him to make. I commend Martino on his decision to provide readers with the entire story rather than a half-truth.
I commend the Kansan's decision to run the story about Eric Moore's criminal record. As Matt Gowen said in last Friday's editorial, when a person is in a public position, they are going to be the subject of public discourse. Running for Student Senate places him in such a position. Frankly, I think Moore should have known better. If I had done something like he had done, I would have never run for public office.
I would also like to respond to the quote made by Stevie Case, residential senator and candidate with the REAL coalition. In Friday's Kansan, Case is quoted as saying that the story regarding Eric Moore's criminal record was "destroying one person's life." Why don't we all (just for kickes) think about what Moore's past actions have done to his victim? Now, I am not saying that we should continue to punish sex offenders for years after the fact, but if Moore did not want anybody to know about his past, he should have never been a candidate for Student Senate, which is a very public position.
Moore's past open for public discourse
Sarah Goldman Prairie Village senior
Brian England Lenexa sophomore