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Wednesday, June 15, 1988 / University Daily Kansan
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Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thanks, Larry
A big thanks to Larry Brown for what he has done at Kansas. He leaves under less than ideal circumstances, but he has left behind the vestiges of a program that is successful in its own right. He has brought the Jayhawks marvelous success, and we thank him for that.
Assuredly, many people will now stand up and say "I told you so." They will pat themselves on the back for quoting unnamed sources in creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. They will claim that because they told everyone that Larry was leaving, he was leaving.
They again will raise the specter that has followed Larry since he took his second coaching job. They will say cruel things and spout innuendoes. They will say that winning at Kansas meant nothing to Larry Brown.
It is far easier to criticize Coach Brown's decision to leave than to praise him for what he has accomplished here. This writer plans to do the latter.
David White, editorial editor
Finally, he's gone
That's the emotion. We are all sorry to see Larry Brown leave, but aren't we more relieved that he finally made up his mind? Doesn't it ease our anxieties a bit knowing that we won't have to go through another bout of Larry trying to make up his mind?
Yes, he is gone. But this is no time to shed tears. Instead, this is a time in which the University and its Athletic Department should learn from the mistakes of the past and try to build a basketball program that Jayhawk fans can be proud of, both five years from now and 50 years from now.
The University must avoid coaches with Brown's quick fix- and leave philosophy. It must, instead, find a coach who is interested not only in his own gains, but the gains of this basketball program.
The University must be wary of any coach who constantly has his bags packed and seems more interested in any job other than the job at KU.
The presence of Larry Brown on this campus has made us all richer. He has brought us a national championship. For that we thank him. And even before the NCAA title, he had helped put KU back on the basketball map. We thank him for that, too.
But what Larry Brown really achieved was for himself. He created a solid vehicle at a major university with which to make himself a more marketable product.
You're welcome, Larry.
You're welcome, Larry.
Soviets ban history exams because of lack of truth
More than 53 million elementary- and high-school students in the Soviet Union did not take their final history exams this year. The government canceled the exams because it said the students' textbooks were collections of "lies" because they were nothing more than Stalin's version of history, missing, of course, the purges for which he is so infamous.
For years, Soviet students read and Soviet instructors taught the government's version of history. Joseph Stalin rejected text after text until he found the one he liked, called "The Short Course." Texts written during the era of Brezhnev ignored the crimes of Stalin.
Now, under Mikhail Gorbachev, students are to learn what really happened in those dark years under the dark hand, behind the Iron Curtain.
In recent weeks, publications have been increasingly bold in printing articles criticizing Stalin's policies and purges and have been commended for it. But the history books were not up to date. They did not meet the government's standard, its overall plan to de-Stalinize the country and fill in the "blank spots" in Soviet history.
The paper has said that adequate texts will not be ready for the next school year and that it will offer certain of its articles as a substitute text.
"The history exam can be canceled, but no one has a right to cancel history itself, no matter how painful." Izvestia said.
The Soviets are finally learning the truth of this idea. Gorbachev knows that glasnost must extend to the classroom, too. He should be commended for overseeing this action.
It is easy to proclaim that certain "reported" events did indeed not happen and to persist in that proclamation at the expense of sounding false. But it is far more difficult to reveal that certain deeds have been done and that other deeds have been done to cover up the original wrongdoings. This is a courageous step on the part of Gorbachev and his party.
David White, editorial editor
Syndicated Columnist
Carlos Moore isn't a big name in the world of book publishing. In fact, he's brought out only one book, and it was far from being a best seller. But I wouldn't be surprised if hordes of authors soon show up at his door pleading: "Publish mine. Please, publish mine."
By Mike Royko
That's because Moore could very well be the most generous and kind-hearted book publisher in America.
Both publisher, author get big profits
Most authors receive between 10 and 15 percent of the jacket price of a book, depending how well the book sells. The more it sells, the bigger the writer's percentage, known as royalties.
The Kansan reserves the right to reject or edit letters and guest columns. They can be mailed or brought to the Kansan newsroom, 113 Stairwater-Flint Hall.
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Let me explain why I say that.
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That's why so many writers struggle to survive. If you spend a year or two writing a novel and it sells only 5,000 copies at $15 a book, you'll make about $7,500 before asking it be better off finding an agent to sell.
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But a couple of years ago, Moore published a book about the world of letters.
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Not that I believe it, of course. But the Washington crowd is suggesting that you paid Wright that fat royalty on his dull paperback book because he was a committee gave your printing company $265,000 in business last year.
And instead of paying the author
And if I'm correct about the purity of your motives, you're the kind of publisher I've dreamed about.
If you should consider my proposal, I promise to do many things that Wright hasn't. For example, I'll be happy to visit bookstores for autograph parties. From what I've read, author Wright's book isn't even in most of your Fort Worth bookshelves, so you sell the books at political rallies. That's an unusual marketing approach.
the mere 10 or 15 percent, Moore gave him a whopping 55 percent.
I am writing to you because I have read about what an OK guy you are. Every few years, I bring out a book; and I'd like you to be my publisher.
On the other hand, there's that nasty innuendo going around Washington and Texas.
This kind of royalty payment is unheard of. Even the top best-selling authors can't command anything approaching 55 percent.
Believe me, for 55 percent, I'll give you a book with violence, scary occult stuff, maybe a health diet, some fitness exercises, a few get-rich-film schemes, and all the other best selling ingredients.
Maybe it's because you're new to the book publishing business. From what I've read, you run a commercial printing company.
We can call it something like: "The 55 Percent Solution."
That's because the printers must be paid, the book stores get their books from bookstores and other tries to regain his investment in distribution, advertising and so on.
If that doesn't appeal to you, I have another idea: You tell me the story of your publishing deal with House Publishing. Write a book form with you as the co-author.
that was nothing more than some of our old speeches and a few anecdotes.
I don't know about the rest of the country, but it ought to sell big in Washington. They like success stories.
Yet, this man, Carlos Moore, gave an author 55 percent. And he didn't even ask him to go on a grueling city-to-city promotional tour.
ot course, he's better known in polite settings in Fort Worth, where you live.
Not to brag, but as a writer, I'm better known than the fellow you paid 55 percent. Rep. James Wright, the vice president of the U.S. House of Representatives.
I'm so impressed that I'm going to send a letter to Mr. Moore and ask aim to publish all of my future books.
Being from Chicago, I understand what these innoendo-mongers are hating at. Wright's campaign tosses some printing business to you. You, in turn, publish Wright's paperback book and toss a fat royalty payment to him, which he pockets as regular merchandiser rather than a campaign contribution.
In Chicago, we call that a kickback. A nasty word, and in your case, I'm sure, totally untrue and inappropriate.
The letter is going Dear Mr. Moore:
Frankly, I was surprised that you'd pay a 55 percent royalty for a book
I prefer to think that you published his book and paid that plump royalty because you have one of those generous, outgoing Texas personalities.
Mike Royko is a syndicated columnist who works for the Chicago Tribune.
CINEMATENCIENCIA
Amid allegations of inadequacies in the College of Liberal Arts, the college should consider establishing a competitive, predetermined grading scheme. This policy combats the problem of grade inflation, which produces unqualified graduates who are poorly on the University as a whole.
Robert King, dean of liberal arts, has set up a program of $1,000 annual pay increases to teachers who implement tough grading practices. That is a good first step, but the college should require its teachers to limit coursework in math and require students to spend more time and effort to achieve an A.
Competitive grading should be adopted
Other Voices
"GOOD GLORY. ITS COME TO THIS. HAS IT?!"
By grading students in relation to how other students perform, a teacher challenges students to outstudy and outperform others, thereby achieving a greater mastery in a subject, which can be beneficial for grade distribution so that the highest grade results in an A and the lowest in a failure.
policy grades each student against every other student in the class, limiting the percentage of each grade that will be awarded by the bell-curve distribution scale.
This policy solves the problem of an academic standard set too low by teachers. It also encourages students to take a more active interest in their collegiate careers by forcing them to perform against their peers instead of barely surpassing the minimum requirements set by the teachers.
Students might oppose this system on the grounds that competitive grading would hurt their grades. They should remember, however, that a harder earned diploma will carry more weight with corporate recruiters. Also, graduate school admission departments will recognize the higher quality of a degree from the University and perhaps admit more UT graduates because of the degree—s worth.
Creating higher department-wide standards and competitively grading students' work will promote higher educational standards in the College of Liberal Arts. Only a uniform grading policy prohibits a student from receiving a grade higher than his work demonstrates, which allows a letter grade to serve as an accurate measure of a student's work.
In a capitalistic economic system, competition rules the marketplace.
By grading students against each other, the University simulates the competitive market that exists in the economy. Incorporating this policy might appear harsh, but the quality of graduates will rise. After college, students entering the competitive American job market find that "adequate" usually is accepted at an adequate firm but that competitive firms demand a higher standard. They also will force the less competitive firms out of business.
Although a more competitive grading system will not prove a challenge to some in the student body, the revised standards might encourage less-than-pad students to think about enrolling elsewhere. Unfortunately, many would like to slide by with just an adequate grade under the old system; but now, they will be required to perform at a more than adequate level. A student's ability to gain entrance into a school should not necessarily guarantee a successful college career.
By limiting the percentage of A ratings a teacher can award, competitive grading will reduce the effects of grade inflation and encourage teachers to grade discriminately. As a result of incorporation into the University reputation for producing graduates of high quality will be enhanced.
On the other hand, awarding grades higher than the student's performance erodes a diploma's worth and, therefore, the graduate's chances to receive a desirable job
decrease.
The Daily Texan
Austin, Texas
Presidential race needs a new, experienced face
If the nation ever needed a third-party candidate, the time is now. With their vaguely centrist politics and their propensity to avoid talking specifics, George Bush and Michael Obama captured party lines into a bazy muddy.
by the two technocrats steps old warrior Eugene McCarthy, the 72-year-old veteran of three losing presidential battles.
He will run on the ticket of the Consumer Party, which supports such traditional liberal causes as deep cuts in the military budget,
Into the political morass created
passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and government provision of affordable housing. It also advocates such oddball notions as abolishing the vice presidency and having the government guarantee jobs to all Americans.
However quirky McCarthy and his
party might be, their most important function will be to introduce both excitement and the discussion of specific issues into the presidential debate.
The Daily Texan Austin, Texas