UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN editorials
Unsigned editors represent the opinion of the Kansan editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of only the writers.
APRIL 6.1979
KUAC plan questioned
The merger of the men's and women's athletic programs at the University of Kansas has produced disturbing changes in the organization of the University of Kansas Athletic Corporation.
Two areas of concern within the current proposal for changes in the KUAC are the powers the board will have under the new plan and the reduction in the number of board members particularly in student members.
The potential result of these changes is the concentration of policy-making power in what is now the men's athletic department and reduced representation on behalf of both women's athletics and the student body.
CURRENTLY, THE by-laws of the corporation state the board has policy making powers in areas such as the budget.
But in a meeting in early March, Chancellor Archie R. Dykes said that the new KUAC board only serve in an advisory capacity. As Dykes noted, the board has always been designated as an advisory board. However, the board did effect duties as if it were just a policy-making board.
The second distressing proposal is the reduction of members serving on the KUAC board. The current board has 21 members, two of which are the Student Body president and chairman of the Student Senate sports committee, plus two students appointed at large.
THE CURRENT proposal will reduce the number of board members to 15, the reductions coming at the faculty, alumni and student levels. Elected representation on the board for each group will be reduced to one-half of current membership.
In pragmatic terms, that means that the faculty and alumni will have three elected members to the board. Whereas in the past, two students at large were appointed to the board, there will now only be one elected student, who is to be an athlete elected by the "K Club" on campus. Currently, there is no on campus "K" club.
REDUCTION OF membership on the board leaves student representation, aside from the two ex officio members, to an athlete who may be influenced by certain others on the board. It could, in effect, provide a yes
man for the athletic director's office. It has been suggested that the elected "K Club" member be kept on the board without a vote and that a second student be appointed to the board with a vote.
Nevertheless, upon completion of the merger, the women's advisory board, an ad hoc board, would be eliminated. The board has never been officially recognized by the chancellor.
Del Shankel, executive vice chancellor, recently said, "It is not required that the women's advisory board be consulted. After the merger, their board goes out of existence and this one (KUAC) is restructured."
THAT ACTION is questionable. Who can make assurances that the sole designated female position on the board—the faculty representative of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women serving as an ex officio member, will be sufficient representation for women's athletic interests on the board?
There are more questions. Dykes said earlier there was really no need for change in the KUAC except for the "ambiguity in the language in the by-laws."
First, with the entire reorganization of athletic programs, isn't it reasonable to presume that some changes should be made to ensure that men's and women's athletics receive just and equal considerations in funding, equipment, etc?
SECOND, THE changes in the "ambiguity in the language" easily could be seen as an attempt to reduce the power of the board and to place major policy-making decisions within the hands of the athletic director.
In whose interests are these proposed changes being made? As usual, obviously not those either of the students or of women's athletics.
Perhaps members of the administration will propose or agree with further suggestions on the restructuring of the board. Let's hope so.
Final decisions have not yet been made on changes for the KUAC board. There is still time for the administration to ensure that just and equal representation for all will be provided on KUAC. It is hoped and demanded that action will be taken to meet the interests of all involved with KU athletics.
Trudeau is telling all despite embarrassment
S Margaret Trudeau, while suffering a guilt complex, tried to plump up a kitchen knife into her breast after her Canadian husband accused her of being unfaithful.
So what. Ask me if I care?
The knife incident was reported last week in a Toronto newspaper in a week-long serialization (hype) of Mrs. Trudeau's coming book, "Beyond Reason."
Vintage "kiss and tell," Mrs. Trudeau's book, according to early press releases, is a melange of uncertainty, feelings, secrets, romantic lianas, and other private oc- cious that most married and formerly married couples prefer to keep under their own roofs.
Mrs. Trudeau, however, is showing that she will have none of this, and has decided to join the ranks of those hoping to make an impact on her life, and embarking it may be to her husband.
INITALLY, one wonders how our
truth will ever be released.
The expiration of her book at this time.
Prime Minister Trudeau is facing an intense threat from members of his own Liberal party to defect. And his wandering wife, prancing around the world promoting her book, is attracting a lot of unfavorable attention.
But this, remember, is the lady who stunned Canadians two years ago when she announced she was separating from her husband, leaving their three children and
Vernon Smith
At that time Margaret and Pierre Trudeau signed an agreement in which they pledged to do or say nothing that would cause the other party embarrassment.
moving to New York to become, among other things, a photographer.
But Margaret Trudene cannot be saddled with all of the blame. Were it not for the pain provided by a curious and star-craved publisher, was waste of paper would not be so common.
"Beyond Reason") is perhaps a very appropriate title for this particular book and the many others of this genre. Anyone with his wits about himself would not stoop to such a despicable level of literary achievement.
Throughout the Trudeau affair Pierre has remained in public solitude, keeping his eyes on the news, receiving many sympathy votes. But the body probably become No.1 on somebody's best seller list and a movie (usually not quite as big) of the book) will follow. All this just make a buck.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
(USPS 60-440) Published at the University of Kansas daily August through May and delivered Thursday during June and July except Saturday, and Sunday and ballet Sunday. Subscription is $15 for six months or $27 a year in Douglas County. Association subscriptions by mail are for six months or $27 a year in Douglas County. Subscription subscriptions are a $2 semester, pay through the activity fee. Send Charge
send changes of address to the University Dally Kannan, Finf Hall. The
University of Kannas, Lawrence, KS 60045
General Manager Rick Musser
Editor
Barry Massey
In the spirit of riding the private sector of government intervention, President Carter recently called for "more common regulation" in the operation of federal regulatory bodies.
Carter's rules cleanup begets rules
Taking note that the Food and Drug Administration required more than 100,000 pages—accumulated during a 12-year-period—to explain its decision about the use of peanut butter. Carter moved to simplify procedures used by agencies to effect rules.
Carter introduced proposals that would require regulatory bodies, including agencies such as the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Federal Comms Committee to list various ways of executing regulations and then to follow the least expensive.
CARTER SAID his proposals would eliminate many regulatory hearings and "clean up the enormous backlog of rules and regulations."
If the cheapest method is not used, then the agency must explain to the public why a policy was adopted.
Carter's idea sounds great. Who can argue with eliminating what many industries and businesses believe are unnecessary regulations?
Don't water minute:
Isn't Carter simply requiring more paper
But wait a minute.
work to effect another decision? Isn't this just another exercise in bureaucratic composition? Isn't this another attempt to benefit a small and somewhat insignificant one?
The point seems to be that regulation begets regulation, and that is the problem grawing at Carter, the bureaucracy and the general public.
A look at the growth of regulation gives us an indication of the great web of rules and regulations.
SINCE 1970, there have been 20 new regulatory agencies established, mostly in the areas of health, safety and environmental protection. In the same time span, the number of employees to operate these agencies has grown to about 80,000 people.
Among the more notable agencies, which are bothersome to many, are: the Environmental Protection Agency (1970); the National Highway Traffic Administration
(1970) ; the Consumer Product Safety Commission (1972); and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (1970). The report has had 1,000 "miticking" rules repealed.
In 1970, the cost of regulatory operations was $866 million. The regulatory budget for 1980 calls for an expenditure of $0.404 billion in increase of almost 600 percent in 1980.
One study said that the cost to 48 companies in 20 industries regulated by six regulations had been $2.6 billion; this total was about half of companies' total research and development costs.
IT IS estimated that the cost to in-*
*flect of meeting EPA standard will reach*
*10 million.
OSHA standards cost businesses and
estates about $2 billion or $3 billion a year and
can have a negative impact.
Many industries and businesses clamor about the regulations, and, in some instances, cannot be blamed. For example, the state requires students to be based, in part, on a 22-year-old study.
A Brookings Institute study estimated that in 1975 productivity growth was reduced by 20 percent. It is thought that standards for the safety of coal laborers has reduced labor productivity by about 50 percent.
regulations were introduced because companies failed to provide restraint in manufacturing. That caused government to produce pollution and safety controls.
But one must remember that most of the
around standards do not help the situation, and of course, neither do those who continually violate standards.
BUT COMPANIES say some standards are too high and cannot possibly be met without a decrease in production and lost revenue, or else higher costs for the consumer.
Some have suggested that fees be assessed to a company based on the amount of money they produce, and that the money be fed back into the company is fine, but what would stop companies from still passing on regulation costs, regardless of their proportionate fee to a regulatory agency?
As for decreasing the budget of the regulatory agencies themselves, it has been proposed that a spending lid be set, which a secular agency could not impurify in any way.
This looms as the solution, in view of all the talk about a balanced budget.
--stating that the quality of the armed forces has deteriorated since the ending of the draft. I spent five years as an infantry officer and was awarded a commission in June 1978. I will categorically state, based on my own experience working with and training troops in Iraq, that the quality of the people coming into the Army has vastly improved since 1972.
Complacent Teamster image a myth
By PAUL POULOS
BY PAUL FUELOS
N.Y. Times Feature
WASHINGTON — Despite public awareness of Teamster corruption, most Americans still don't understand the problems Teamster drivers face on the job and in the union. If the public reads anything about them, it's that some can earn up to $30,000 a year under their current contract and, therefore, are overpaid.
Teamster rank-and-file members are said to be unconcerned about corruption in the union precisely because
Having spent 17 years as a union driver and this past year on the road talking to drivers all over the country, I can say unequivocally that the image of the complacent Teamster is a myth.
Furthermore, in truck stops, local union halls, on and off the band, the talk is about hours, safety, job security and community involvement.
Very few Teamsters in the trucking industry are happy with their union and its efforts to represent them.
PRESIDENT CARTER has linked the outcome of these negotiations to the success of his anti-inflation program, and the public seems to feel that if the drivers strike on Thursday, the president will gain more money than the president's 7 percent guidelines allow.
In the last week, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has been negotiating a new national contract with the American Tobacco Association.
The news media, union, management and government focus attention on monetary demands and obscure the real concerns of most drivers. For them, working conditions—not money—are at the heart of their discontent.
Under their current contracts, drivers are forced to work long, irregular hours—up to 60 and 70 hours a week and 15 hours a day. Unlike other workers, they cannot refuse overtime and they get no extra pay for it.
FUMES, FATTIGE, noise and constant shouting in the casks of big 18-wheeler all take their toll in deaths, in accidents.
More than 900 long-haul drivers were killed last year in accidents that also took the lives of many motorists.
When an accident does occur, however minor, it's always the driver who is at fault. As management sees it, the driver's responsibility is to act.
Given the hardship of life behind the wheel, and on many loading docks, it's no surprise that Teamsters want better pension benefits and earlier retirement. But it's here that corruption is having an effect.
The pensions of drivers and other freight workers covered by the scandal-scarred Central States Pension Fund have not increased in six years, while employer contributions to the fund have almost doubled.
DURING THE same period, inflation has reduced the buying power of a $500 maximum monthly pension, and a $200 minimum.
Teamsters now know that the millions lost on Las Vegas loans came out of their pensions. In this new contract, large amounts of money will be needed to maintain the team's benefits, and pension improvements may not be possible.
That's why nearly 10,000 drivers have joined rank-and-tie reform groups such as the Professional Drivers Association.
The reform movement's goal is to improve benefits and working conditions by making the union more democratic from top to bottom and eliminating the influence of organized crime.
If Teamsters officials and benefit-fund trustees were directly elected—and many are not—by the members of the organization, they would have to respond to rank-and-file job complaints and conduct official's salaries and pensions in line with those of the membership, instead of many times greater, the office's staff more in touch with the real needs the average trucker.
IN SOME LOCAL unions, reformers have mume headway and initiated some changes. They have elicited the traditional Teamster member threats, beatings and killings to dislodge their dissidents. There have been some recent election victories, and a steady growth in reform-group membership, as they apathy and cynicism, which have long held Teamsters' sights.
In their battle for union democracy, pension-fund reform and a decent contract, reformers need the support of the labor movement.
But they also need the help of an informed public—people who see that Teamster corruption affects them, too, and that the changes in drivers' working conditions are, indeed, in the national interest.
Pablo Poulos, who was a Teamster driver in Florida,
works as national organizer for the Professional Drivers
Quality of volunteer army is good
To the editor:
In reference to the article published in the University Daily Kansan on March 28, Merits of Return of Draft Disputed," I mentioned disagree with the sentiments expressed by the members interviewed by your staff in regards to the status of the volunteer armed forces.
First, an ROTC cadet has absolutely no basis on which to express an opinion of this type, unless he has served in the armed force or prior to enrolling in college. Otherwise, his opinion has about as much expertise to lift it as any average man on the street.
Second, I beg to differ with the opinion
The quality of people coming into the Army now is as good as it ever has been. Historically, military forces have never been made up of the brighter, more intelligent elements of society. If the volunteer concept fails, it will be for one reason: poor leadership on the part of the Officer Corps. If the "brass" can't work with the people they're getting now, then they had to make a tough adjustment, calculation, instead of screening for the draft.
True, large numbers of them don't even have high school diplomas, and many are functionally illiterate, but that doesn't mean they don't make excellent troops. Furious about justification for restraining the draft, a student doesn't take a smart man to be a good soldier. It takes someone willing to follow or carry out orders. If the Army were made up of a lot of highly skilled "college-educated" people, it would fill the sandbags and dig the foxes' holes.
I voluntarily spent nine years of my life as a non-productive, non-participating member of society. trained for one basic purpose—destruction. I would hate to force her to defend herself against his wishes. We need the draft again about as badly as we need another work.
Richard L. Cram
St. Francis senior