---
CAMPUS/AREA UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, April 7, 1995
3A
Senate attempts to develop rental authority
Kim Cocks
Kim Cocks is running for student body president with the United Students coalition. Her views on how Student Senate relations with the city of Lawrence should be conducted:
"I think it's important for the student body president to work with the City Commission representative from University Affairs to represent students' needs and desires to the City Commission and Lawrence community."
"
By Sarah Morrison Kansan staff writer
From buses to housing, student senators work with city officials every semester to ensure the needs of students are being met and that the bond between students and the Lawrence community remains strong.
Off-campus senator Ani Hizer is working closely with Assistant City Manager Rod Bremby to form a rental authority. It would address off-campus housing needs and concerns of students.
Preliminary plans call for an office in City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets, where students could get information about the quality, location and price of rental properties. Students also could file complaints if they had problems with where they were living.
The office would be partially funded by Senate and would be
Hizer said she wanted to have a proposal ready by the last Student Senate meeting this semester. She hoped that Senate would vote on the proposal next fall.
Student Senate Election Information
Election dates: April 12 and 13
Bdebate date: 8 p.m. April 10 in Woodruff Auditorium at the Kansas Union
staffed by students and city employees, she said.
Some type of rental authority is needed in Lawrence because of the large number of students who rent living space in the city each year, Hizer said.
According to University Relations more than 80 percent of students live off campus.
"You hear horror stories about rats running through students' apartments." Reeves said.
Sherman Reeves, student body president, said that many students lived in unsafe or unclean housing and that the need for some sort of city office to oversee rental property was a pressing one.
A rental authority might help eliminate some of those problems, he said.
Working to create a rental authority is not the first time student senators have worked with city officials, Reeves said, and it won't be the last.
"Every semester, the senators have a luncheon with the mayor and some of the commissioners," he said. "An activity like that makes everyone comfortable with talking to one another. It is mutually beneficial — both sides have a lot to gain by cooperating."
Not all universities enjoy cooperation and communication with the city governments in their area. Reeves said the University of Kansas and Lawrence were lucky.
"The University of Kansas and the city of Lawrence are somewhat unusual because we have a very good 'town and gown' relationship," he added. "Not all universities have that. In some towns, there is a lot of animosity between students and the city."
David Stevens
David Stevens is running for student body president with the REAL coalition. His views on how Student Senate relations with the city of Lawrence should be conducted:
"I think campus-city relations are going to be key this next year. One means of our contact to the city is going to be through the Student Legislative Awareness Board. Students are affected by outside politics from the state to the city and everywhere in-between. I think it's important that we establish a liaison with the city."
"
Man arrested for attempted rape of student
By Teresa Veazey Kansan staff writer
A Lawrence resident was arrested in connection with the robbery and attempted rape of a KU student near Oliver Hall yesterday morning.
The student was walking toward the hall when a white man approached her from behind, placed a knife to her throat and demanded money, the report said. The student handed the man about $37.
The 19-year-old woman was robbed at knifepoint at 2:30 a.m. after parking her car near Oliver Hall, said Sgt. Rose Rozmirek of the KU police department.
Police said that the man then attempted to rape the student. When the student did not comply with his wishes, he told her to get out of the car, walk away and not look back, the report said. The student went into Oliver Hall and called the police.
The man forced the student inside her car. He asked her for more money, which she said she didn't have, and he then threatened to rape her if she didn't give her more money, the report said.
Police were able to locate the suspect at 2:44 a.m. at 15th Street and Crestline Drive.
Kelly D. Seals, Lawrence resident, was arrested and was taken to the Douglas County Law Enforcement Center. Seals, 24, was charged with aggravated robbery, attempted rape and unlawful restraint. According to the report, he admitted to his involvement and had a knife in his possession at the time of arrest.
The student did not suffer any physical injuries as a result of the attack, and no damage was reported, police said.
Moore to remain RA after felony disclosed
By Christoph Fuhrmans
Kansan staff writer
After the disclosure of his conviction for a sexual offense, Eric Moore, Lawrence sophomore, will remain a resident assistant in Templin Hall, said Ken Stoner, director of student housing.
"It's considered in the past, and there will be no action taken by this department based on that knowledge." Stoner said.
In January 1990, Moore was convicted of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child under the age of 12.
David Ambler, vice chancellor for student affairs, said that detailed investigations of student employees' backgrounds usually were not conducted.
Ambler agreed with Stoner that the conviction should remain in the past.
"I would say that if someone had been arrested and paid their debt to society, that would not in itself prohibit someone from being employed by the University," Ambler said. "I've known Eric for a couple of years now, and I've enjoyed working with him."
Fred McEhenie, associate director of student housing, said that
when students applied to be RAs, they were not asked questions about their criminal backgrounds.
"We don't ask them if they have a criminal record or if they are a convicted felon," he said.
McElhenie said that answers from a student's references supplied enough information about the applicant's background.
Chuljae Lim, Seoul, South Korea, graduate student, also lives on the fifth floor of Templin. Lim said he wasn't bothered by Moore's criminal record.
"I don't have any negative feelings toward him." Lim said.
On Wednesday, Moore announced that he had tested positive for HIV, but the possibility of a resident contracting HIV from an HIV-infected person just by living on the same floor is practically nonexistent.
Janine Gracy, coordinator of health promotions and education at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said a person could contract HIV only by having unprotected sex, sharing drug needles or by being exposed to infected blood.
"There have been no reported cases of HIV transmission through sharing living quarters," she said.
LesBiGayS OK names replacement
Kansan staff report
For the next two weeks, Scott Manning will be the acting director of LesBiGav Services of Kansas.
The former director, Eric Moore, Lawrence sophomore, announced his resignation Wednesday. Moore, who recently tested HIV-positive, said his decision was based on health concerns.
Manning, Lawrence graduate student, said he would serve as director until April 20, when the group will elect next year's officers.
In a news release, the group commended Moore for his contributions to the University but said that he was no longer associated
with the organization.
"We firmly believe that any form of sexual molestation is absolutely wrong, particularly when it involves children," the release said. "However, we unequivocally decry any and all attempts to stereotype and scapegoat members of our organization as well as the lesbian, bisexual and gay community based on the actions of any one individual. Stereotyping leads to homophobia and violence."
In the release, members of LesBiGayS OK said they did not know about Moore's 1980 conviction for aggravated indecent solicitation of a child until late Tuesday night.
Activist: Get to root of racism
By Robert Allen Kansan staff writer
The nature of racism has changed during the years, but people still use old methods of dealing with it, said Tim Wise, a political analyst and lecturer, last night in the Kansas Union.
Wise, a self-proclaimed radical, spoke on various aspects of racism, including attitudes against African-Americans, Hispanics, and gays and lesbians.
"Iam a radical for a reason," he said. "Radical means to the root. We have to get to the root of problems in our society."
Wise also spoke about the meaning of terrorism..
"it's believed that those who would harm us come from another country," he said. "From those who are among us, we have nothing to fear."
Instead, terrorism can be used by any group different from ourselves, be it a different color, lifestyle or even mind set, he said.
Wise does not believe that children must be taught hate for them to hate others. Instead, failing to teach children critical thinking skills allows them to blindly hate certain groups.
Staff Photographer / KAN$AN
"Then it's easier for them to become racists and homophobes," he said.
Instead of recognizing the factors leading to this decay, he said, it is easier and increasingly more common to hear whites blame it on racial scapegoats. The same is true for sexual orientation, he
Tim Wise, anti-discrimination activist, speaks at Alderson Auditorium on strategies for combating intolerance.
During the last 20 years, the United States has experienced an extended period of racial intolerance. Wise said.
said.
wise came to KU as part of Les-BiGay Awareness Week. Bill Friend, Awareness Week coordinator, said that Wise — who said he was not gay — was chosen to speak because he looked at
minorities as a whole.
"We set about purposely to make sure that the week was diverse in its offering." Friend said. "We try to make sure that we can overcome boundaries that are traditionally set up."
SOME OF KIEF'S SUPER CD SPECIALS
Arvo Pärt
$10^88
linda Ronstadt
$988
Matthew Sweet
$10^88
$988
Elastica
$1088
David Sanborn
$1088
Better Than Ezre
After Than Ezra
$988
Buy 5 CDs - 25% Off Mfg. List Price·New & Used CDs-Buy, Sell & Trade
24th & Iowa • P.O. Box 2 • Lawrence, KS 66044 Audio/Video 913-842-1811 Car Stereo 913-842-1438 CDs & Tapes 913-842-1544