CAMPUS
The United Students coalition is calling for improved advising and speedier add/drop. Page 3A
FEATURES
The Indigo Girls will be at the Lied Center tomorrow night Page 24
CLEAR
High 48° Low 33°
row night. Page 8A
RAIN
Weather: Page 2A
VOL.104,NO.126
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
(USPS 650-640)
FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 1995
NEWS:864-4810
Crumbling classrooms
Buildings in need of repair frustrate students,faculty
By Matthew Friedrichs
Kansan staff writer
Alleviating dim lighting, loud air conditioners and cramped quarters are only a few of the requests on a list of $4.9 million in classroom repairs and renovation projects that the University of Kansas has submitted to the Board of Regents.
And that list doesn't include disabled accessibility improvements and safety needs.
KU has only about $100,000 a year for major classroom renovations and repair projects.
"It costs money to have buildings," said Jim Modig, director of design and construction management.
But only a fraction of the money needed for classroom repairs is available for classroom renovations.
"It's a terrible place. It's just awful," said Jack Orruch, associate professor of English. "They've given us that room, and we have to use it."
Blake Annex was designed for temporary use only, and pouring a lot of money into it won't help, Oruch said.
"Blake Annex should be blown up," said Amy Hetager, Colorado Springs, Colo., senior. "That place is falling apart."
Rita Napier, associate professor of history, has taught history classes in 156 Strong Hall, a room plagued by the sounds of noisy air conditioners, occasional construction and loud lawn mowers.
"I don't see how you can teach any class in there," Napier said.
Smaller classrooms such as 156
Micah Laaker / KANSAN
See CLASSROOMS,Page 5A
LesBiGay Awareness Week 1995
LesBiGaySK OK has organized a variety of activities for its awareness week, which is April 2-8. These are the activities for Sunday and Monday:
Sunday
Wanda and Brenda Henson will give a lecture titled "Camp Sister Spirit and the Rural South," at 2 p.m. in the Kansas Union Ballroom.
Wanda and Brenda Henson will give two workshops. "Making a Difference in Your Community," will be at 10 a.m. at the Jay-
Monday
hawk Room in the Kansas Union. The second workshop (title to be announced) will be at 2 p.m. at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union. Lani Ka'ahumanu will give a lecture titled "Bisexuality, Sexual Politics and the Geography of Desire," at 8 p.m. at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
LesBiGayS OK prepares for week
Eduardo A. Molina
Kansan staff writer
Diversity to be the focus of awareness events
Diversity characterizes the University of Kansas. And beginning Sunday, LesBiGay Services of Kansas will emphasize that diversity with LesBiGay Awareness Week 1995.
Using the theme "Celebrating Our Diversity, Strengthening Our Ties," LesBigayOK will celebrate its 25th anniversary by bringing prominent homosexual and bisexual figures, such as Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis, to campus.
Bill Friend, coordinator of the week, said the theme was self-explanatory.
"The theme represents the diversity within the group and within the University but also the ties between our supporters and the group," he said.
To kick off the week's events, Brenda and Wanda Henson will speak at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Kansas Union Ballroom about "Camp Sister Spirit and the Rural South."
Camp Sister Spirit, which is in Ovett, Miss., has been the subject of many hate crimes because of the political activism and education programs promoted by the Hensons, Friend said.
Lani ka'ahumanu will give lectures and workshops about bisexuals on Monday and Tuesday. After coming out as a bisexual in 1980, she began organizing bisexuals within
the lesbian and gay community.
One speaker who needs no introduction is Greg Louganis. The former Olympic diver recently announced that he was HIV-positive.
Although he details his life in his new book "Breaking the Surface," Lougani's lecture at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Kansas Union Ballroom could give the KU community a more personal view of the person behind the four Olympic gold medals.
Another speaker will be Tim Wise, who speak Thursday about dealing with discrimination.
"He is an anti-discrimination specialist." Friend said. "He has worked with South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu in antidiscrimination efforts."
Another national figure visiting KU is author Michelangelo Signorile, who recently was named in the book "The Gay 100" as one of the 100 most influential gays and lesbians of all time.
Eric Moore, president of LesBiGayS OK, said this year's activities were different from those in past years.
"He invented the concept of outing," Friend said. "He is a controversial figure."
Moore said the activities weren't open exclusively to gays, lesbians and bisexuals.
"Every event is open to everyone who wants to participate," he said.
Paul Kotz / KANSAN
Josh Barker, left, Pratt sophomore, and Chris McFall, Pratt junior, hold Mvorey, a 15-foot Burmese python. Mvorey, a male who weighs more than 110 pounds, is in violation of a city ordinance prohibiting ownership of a snake more than eight feet in length.
15-foot snake gets squeezed out of town
By Teresa Veazey
Kansan staff writer
Josh Barker's snake is too long.
On Monday, Lawrence police told the Pratt sophomore that his Burmese python, Mvorey, was too long for him to keep within city limits.
A city ordinance says that snakes may not be more than eight feet long. Mvorey stretches about 15 feet.
"He's just a little long," said Chris McFall, Pratt junior and Barker's roommate. "What's the difference between an eight-foot snake and a 15-foot snake?"
About seven feet, say police — enough to make the python illegal.
for several weeks, was specially delivered from Florida. Barker paid $300 for the python, and he had it flown to Kansas on Delta Airlines.
But Mvorley arrived before his cage did.
Without a place for Mvorey to sleep, Barker was forced to keep the python in his room.
Mvorey, who has lived with Barker
Two weeks ago, when McFall and Barker were both out of town for the weekend, Mvorey got out of Barker's room.
Mvorey slithered out of Barker's room and into the bedroom of Barker's roommate, Demond Robinson, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore.
"Somebody opened the door to look at it, and the door was left open," Barker said.
But Robinson, who does not share his roommates' enthusiasm for snakes, wasn't happy about the prospect of sharing his bed with the python.
"Demond tried to find us to take care of it," Barker said. "He called the police, the pet stores, our landlady, and no one would come to take care of it."
Mvorey crawled up into bed and went to sleep.
But police took note of the description of Mvorey and spent the next few weeks trying to contact Barker.
"The police called that Monday and said they heard of the large reptile," Barker said. "They said it was against a city ordinance, and you can't have snakes over eight feet."
McFall said the police could have
confiscated Movey but wouldn't have a place to put him. Movey can't be destroyed because Burmese pythons are an endangered species.
In addition to Moverey, Barker and McPall have other snakes in their apartment, including two more pythons and a boa constrictor.
Right now, not of the other snakes are as long as Mvorey.
"We can keep the other ones because they're not in violation of the law," Barker said. "But they will be in a year."
For now, Barker has found a new home for his python.
"A guy who lives in Pratt is going to take care of him until the summer," Barker said.
Powerful 'Pokes
Page 1B
After splitting two games with No.11 Oklahoma this week, the Kansas baseball team must ward off another ranked team as No.3 Oklahoma State invades Lawrence today.
Candidate Carl Burkhead sees sewer improvements as important concern
By Sarah Morrison Kansan staff writer
Candidate wants multi-issue race
Burkhead entered the city commission race because of his opposition to the proposal to extend anti-discrimination protection to people on the basis of sexual orientation. But that is not the only reason people should vote for him, he said.
Carl Burkhead wants people to know he is not a one-issue candidate.
"I realize that some people may go vote just because I am against the gay ordinance," he said. "But I hope people who do that realize it is more than just a single-issue campaign."
Burkhead said it would be impossible to serve a term as commissioner if he cared about only one issue.
"Four years is a long time for somebody to serve," he said.
"There are a lot of other things that the commissioners are going to decide than that sort of thing."
Burkhead's 30 years of experience in engineering would help him address major infrastructure problems the city is facing, he said. Burkhead is a professor of civil engineering at the University of Kansas.
In the near future, the city will have to undertake sewer projects that will cost more than $10 million. Burkhead said his expertise in sewer engineering combined with his fiscal conservatism made him ideal to address those problems as a city commissioner.
"Ihave been the lead author on a publication that is coming out from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment that sets guidelines for the design of public-water-supply systems," he said. "I've also worked in the waste-water area."
Burkhead said that in the past he had worked with the city on engineering projects. Now he wants to work for the city and for the people in the community,he said.
"So much of what the city does for the community involves engineering, and the area of engineering I work in deals mainly with water," he said.
"I am an active professional in areas that are of vital interest to the city," he said. "Engineers mainly serve cities, at least the technical needs of the cities. For well over 30 years I have been deal-
See BURKHEAD, Page 6A
Lisa Perrv / KANSAN
Carl Burkhead, candidate for City Commission, relaxes on the back porch of his home.
v