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Thursday, March 5. 1987 / University Daily Kansan
A step toward unity
Life is funny, isn't it? We have made great strides in so many areas, yet remain at a virtual standstill in others.
For example, look how much more integrated our society is compared with 30 years ago. Segregation virtually is becoming obsolete in schools and in the work force. Women have made their mark in high-level positions in the job market, and ethnic groups are becoming accepted in social organizations and clubs.
So why then, with these advances in our overall social structure, has progress toward total integration completely bypassed the Greek system on this campus.
Two Greek systems exist at the University of Kansas — one consisting primarily of
black students and the other consisting primarily of white students. If that isn't enough, each group has its own governing body and its own rush.
The two organizations have tried to function with one another, but the overtures have been lost in the fact that the two groups still remain independent of each other. However, neither group seems interested in integrating the two systems.
Although the groups seem more comfortable separated, the time has come to end segregation of the system. The students, administrators and advisers affiliated with the greek system should begin to support an integrated system where anyone can feel comfortable as a participant.
Choosing a safe bet
Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets.
In Las Vegas No in Kansas.
Last week, Attorney General Bob Stephan said in a legal opinion that the Legislature had the power to legalize lotto games and casino gambling under the state lottery amendment. Stephan said the amendment would allow the state to market any games that involve consideration, chance and prizes.
However, the 1987 Legislature probably will not approve casino gambling in a bill now under consideration. The Legislature is considering lotto, a numbers game where players choose a series of numbers and win if those numbers are picked by officials in a drawing.
Kansas voters went to the polls in November and
But the people of the state did not vote for any and all types of gambling, including casino gambling. Voting in favor of the lottery and parimut betting is quite different than voting for all forms of gambling in the state.
The Legislature should stick to what was approved. It should not take liberties with the law, even if Stephan thinks that other forms of gambling would be legal. The Legislature's role is to develop ways to start and control the lottery and pari-mutuel betting. The Legislature should not go above and beyond what the voters requested, but should serve the state and its constituents.
approved an amendment to the state Constitution to allow pari-mutuel betting and a state-run lottery.
Successful season
At the beginning of the basketball season, the prospects didn't look too bright for the KU women's basketball team. But the same team that was picked to finish last in the Big Eight, surprised nearly everyone and tied for first in the league in regular season play and won impressively against Kansas State Monday to win the championship of the Big Eight post-season tournament.
But the 85-51 win over the Wildcats meant more than the tournament crown. It guaranteed the Jayhawks their first ever bid in the NCAA post-season tournament.
It has been a memorable season for the women's team. It has been a season of streaks, with a five-game losing streak being offset by an eight-game winning streak that could be extended in the NCAA tournament. It has been a season of new faces like Big Eight Newcomer of the Year Lisa Braddy and experienced
players like senior Evette Ott.
players like senior Evette Otto. And with Bradady and Ott named to the Big Eight tournament team; Jackie Martin, a second team all-league selection and named to the Big Eight tournament team; and Shawna Waters, an all-league honorable mention; it was a year of awards.
The only thing missing from the season was the kind of recognition the team deserved. The team has, once again, suffered through a lack of promotion and small crowds.
But KU basketball fans still have a chance to spread the Allen Field House magic that has helped the men's team to the women. The team could play its first and possibly a second game of the NCAA tournament at home.
So we salute coach Marian Washington, her staff and the players for their hard work, enthusiasm and the excitement they brought to their fans.
News staff
Frank Hansel ... Editor
Jennifer Benjamin ... Managing editor
Juli Warren ... News editor
Brian Kaberline ... Editorial editor
Sandra Engelland ... Campus editor
Spark Siblett ... Sports editor
Diane Dualmeier ... Photo editor
Bill Skeet ... Graphics editor
Tom Eben ... General manager, news adviser
Business staff
Lisa Weems ... Business manager
Bonnie Hardy ... Ad director
Denise Stephens ... Retail sales manager
Kelly Scherer ... Campus sales manager
Duncan Calhoun ... Marketing manager
Ella Cooper ... Classified manager
Jennifer Lumianski ... Production manager
David Nixon ... National sales manager
Jeanne Hines ... Sales and marketing adviser
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Opinions
Brazil undermined by foreign debt
Inflation and foreign debt are not just economic diseases, they are psychological conditions. Defeating them requires aggressive action.
Carlos Chuquin Columnist
Jose Sarney, president of Brazil, recently announced that because of the rapid diminishment of hard-currency reserves. Brazil indefinitely was suspending its interest payments on debt to foreign commercial banks.
Although this announcement shocked and disappointed the Reagan administration and U.S. bankers, it came as no surprise to the Brazilian people.
According to U.S. officials, Brazil has been the economic star performer of all developing countries in the past two years. Sarney's popularity rose dramatically a year ago when he announced an anti-inflation program called the "Cruzado Plan" — named for the country's new currency. Prices were frozen and wages tightly controlled. Experts had indicated that Brazil's inflation for 1986 was headed toward 500 percent or more, but that indication disappeared. Inflation was halted and retail sales went up.
Now, after a brief improvement of its economy, Brazil faces its most devastating economical problem. Of a total foreign debt of $108 billion, Brazil owes about $81 billion to private banks.
Brazil, according to President Sarney, has reserves of $3.96 billion.
For each of the past five years.
Brazil has been making interest payments of $10.5 billion on its foreign debt. Last year, Brazil finished building the world's biggest hydroelectric dam, Itaipu, at a cost of $10 billion. So, in the past five years, the Brazilian government has been paying the equivalent of an Itaipu each year in interest.
So Sarney's plan became a total flop. There was a massive black market that the government could not control. Black market dealers made huge profits and honest businessmen were badly hurt when reported profits fell although sales rose.
interest rates. 'Brazil has been, for the United States and the IMF, an important export.'
With this economic crisis, Brazil should negotiate a new way to solve its problem without jeopardizing its development. According to Elizabeth Kuznesov, associate professor of history, U.S. banks and the International Monetary Fund should lower their
In the past four years, most of the more powerful American banks have been used to the almost continuous restructuring of the debts of Latin American nations. But Brazil's problems are important, because any special deal worked out with this country could serve as precedent in other negotiations.
The economic future does not look very promising for the Brazilian people. The government has attempted to boost the economy through devaluation of the cruzado, but much stronger actions are needed. Brazil's creditors not only must help resolve the current financial crisis, they should come to an understanding that will give the country some hope of prosperity in the future.
SHREDDER (EXECUTIVE MODEL
Battle for control of the National Guard
A lot of attention recently has been directed toward the National Guard. For perhaps the first time since Kent State, the Guard has entered the
Tom Hunt Guest Shot
Unlike Kent State, this round of national scrutiny is not focused on the typically newsworthy aspects of the Guard's mission: disaster assistance and civil disturbance control. This time, it is focused on the Guard's primary mission: national defense. More specifically, the area of sovereignty granted by the Constitution to the federal and state govern-
national consciousness, and the role of the National Guard is under public scrutiny.
ments regarding the training of state militia for national defense.
The original intent and a historical source of strength in the Constitution was that there should be no overlapping jurisdiction. In reality, though, legislative and court decisions have defined the specific boundaries of these jurisdictions and frequently overlapped them. Many conservatives consider this trend an erosion of state autonomy. Many liberals consider it a uniform application of individual rights.
In recent years, the federal government has perverted completely the sovereignty of states in many areas by setting standards for receiving federal funds. For example, the federal government coerced states to drive 55 mph and raise the drinking age to 21 or lose federal funding. Neither of these areas of concern falls under the constitutional sovereignty of the federal government.
but the practical sovereignty of the state is ineffectual faced with multimillion dollar price tags.
The current situation with the National Guard involves this same historical trend towards a centralization of power. This time, Congress did not even try to circumvent the state's sovereignty. It just brazenly removed it by law.
More than a year ago, the National Guard Bureau decided to send units of the state's National Guard to Honduras for training. Several state governors exercised their authority to disapprove the location of their National Guard troops' training. The federal government responded by passing legislation that stripped governors of that authority.
Now, Minnesota is challenging the constitutionality of that law. The majority of governors have no objections that their state's guardsmen train in Honduras. Having no obje-
tion to this training, they aren't concerned with the measures taken to bring their colleagues in line. However, these measures have affected the authority of all governors in terms of their state's guardsmen.
As guardsmen train for national defense, care must be taken to maintaining the historical source of their strength.
The remaining distinction of being a guardsman versus a reservoir is the authority over the state and its governor over certain aspects of the National Guard. Under former Gov. John Carlin, Kansas was opposed to training its guardsmen in Honduras. I am not aware that Gov. Mike Hayden has any objections to training Guard troops there.
What would it matter if he did?
Tom Hunt is a sophomore from Leavenworth studying personnel management.
Mailbox
"Together We're Better at Work"
w was yesterday's slogan for Human Relations Week. As this theme indicates, some of us are not "more better" and none of us are "less better" at work. We are all equal partners as we combine our efforts to fulfillment of the University's mission.
A real team effort
Including concerns about human relations at work on this week's agenda is particularly appropriate because we have 7,627 people
employed on this campus, making the variety of work interactions infinitely complex. Most of these interactions are positive and rewarding, but because that is not 100 percent true, Human resources need to identify problem areas and to begin a dialogue to improve relations.
I am not aware of blatant employment discrimination at the University of Kansas, but I am aware of covert discriminatory actions such as stereotyping, and they are as devastating to people as overt
actions. As is true with any discrimination, misunderstanding is the cause of the problems. And the KU employment situation is no different.
Nearly all of us are guilty of failing to understand the importance and legitimacy of each other's work roles and in failing to do so, we arbitrarily deem that some people (positions) are more valuable than others. As the first step in dealing with misunderstandings and misperceptions, we should review our perspective about the employment structure here.
Each person who works here is just as valuable as the next person. We simply wouldn't exist without each team being the team that makes KU work.
We can be better at remembering this fact, and to acknowledge it by treating each other with dignity and appreciation. Then may be next year's Human Relations Week slogan could be "Better We're the Best."
past president, Classified Senate
Neva Entrikin
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed