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Friday, April 15, 1988 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Money shouldn't be a barrier to free speech on KU campus
If freedom of speech has to have a price tag, it is fortunate the KU Student Senate is willing to pay the price.
Last week, Student Senate voted to the Slightly Older Americans for Freedom group's bill for security at last month's free speech forum that featured members of the Ku Klux Klan. SOAF's $3,208 bill was its portion of the total security costs, which amounted to more than $15,000. The University is naving the rest of the bill.
In paying SOAF's bill, the Senate suspended a rule prohibiting Senate from paying for an event after the fact. The Senate also rejected a selfish petition against paying the bill from the Students and Community Against Racism group.
Paying the bill was a wise use of student funds. The Senate's refusal to pay the bill would have had a detrimental effect on campus organizations.
It is a shame that a cost has to be attached to any campus event, particularly those involving interesting topics or speakers. It's worse if costs serve as a barrier to such events and result in cancellations.
If student groups are forced to cancel programs because of the cost of security, free speech is being denied to certain groups — those without money. Of course, the rich can afford to bring whoever they please.
Money should not determine who can or cannot speak freely. Told Cohen for the editorial board
The University housing policy of hiring only upperclassmen as resident assistants was questionable in the first place. It meant that sophomore applicants, formerly accepted, were rejected out of hand, with no consideration given for individual merit.
Allow sophomores to be RAs
applicants. Because the policy disqualified a significant number of candidates, the shortage is hardly surprising. But it is nonetheless a problem. Housing officials are considering opening residence halls with RA positions still unfilled because not enough junior and senior applicants met hiring standards.
Now the policy has been put to the test, and it has failed. The office of residential programs faces a shortage of qualified applicants for RA positions.
Opening the halls with those positions unfilled is not only unfair to the students involved, it is completely unnecessary. Potential candidates exist who could fill those jobs and fill them well. If officials still refuse to consider these candidates because they are sophomores, they are doing a disservice to everyone involved.
The course to take now seems obvious. The policy doesn't work. It's time to get rid it.
Katy Monk for the editorial hoan
Editorials in this column are the opinions of the editorial board
Other Voices
Students deserved an Easter holiday
The state of Kansas needs to get its priorities straight.
The state of Kansas needs to get After dismissing classes at the universities and colleges for Martin Luther King Jr., one could have immediately thought that at least the Friday before Easter or Monday after Easter would have been declared a holiday.
But, to almost everyone's surprise, it was business as usual both days at the university. Although King was a great man and is worthy of having a national holiday in his honor, Easter, to many people, means just as much, if not more.
Easter is a religious holiday to honor the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and many Christians believe this day, as well as Christmas, to be the most important time of the year.
Surely this merits at least one day free from classes to allow people to attend services and spend time with their families.
But, even more important at Fort Hays State is the fact that Oktoberfest merits a day free from classes. It's obvious from this fact that university and city officials place more importance on a beer-drinking festival than a holiday observing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In the future, we can only hope that state and university officials get their priorities straight and observe a holiday during the Easter season.
University Leader Fort Hays State University
News staff
Alison Young...Editor
Todd Cohen...Managing editor
Rob Knapp...News editor
Atian Player...Editorial editor
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Jennifer Rowland...Planning editor
Anne Luscombe...Sports editor
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Richard Stewart...Graphics editor
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Brown confuses 'Larry Watchers'
Fans should savor championship rather than worry about coach's options
Some people are Wheel Watchers. I'm a Larry, Walcher.
Yes, I admit it. I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out what KU coach Larry Brown will do next.
It's much more difficult than solving the Wheel of Fortune puzzle.
Friday, Brown presented Larry Watchers with the ultimate challenge.
Larry Watchers had to decide whether to believe Jim Lampley's CBS TV report that Brown had signed a contract with UCLA Thursday night or to trust that the University of Kansas would find a way to keep him. Although I knew it was nearly impossible to hammer out a coaching contract in one night, I sided with Lampley.
Friday was great from a Larry Watcher's perspective because, for a while, you were right whether you expected Brown to stay or go.
That night, Brown told Lampley he agreed to coach, and he changed his mind after some people called him.
"When I got back to Lawrence, I started to think about the things UCLA was going to do for me," Brown said, "and I haven't done anything for UCLA."
No. I don't know what he means either. All the patches that catches can do is guess what was said on the phone.
Brown coached UCLA in 1979-80 and 1980-81. He later said that leaving was the biggest mistake of his life. One would have expected him to jump at a second chance.
Of course, Westwood has its drawbacks. UCLA has gone through five coaches (with a combined 282-104 record) since John Wooden retired in 1975.
Mike Considine Guest Columnist
The pressure during Brown's second term would have been immense.
Still, the school's allure is undeniable.
Sim, the school's future is undearest.
UCLA won 10 national championships under Wooden. Brown would have a chance to restore the program to prominence, as he did here.
The location, in downtown Los Angeles, is better suited to a cosmopolitan guy like Brown than Lawrence. It also would provide an instant answer to challenging problems he has complained about at Kansas.
It seems Brown had more reasons to leave than to stay.
His market value couldn't be higher. Winning the national championship reinforced Brown's status as one of the game's elite coaches. He is one of few coaches who have won on the collegiate and professional levels.
Kansas, however, is not without appeal.
Brown has an appreciation for KU's basketball history. He has the remnants of a team he enjoyed coaching, a team which reflected his skill as a teacher and tactician. He has the challenge of maintaining the success and dispelling criticism of his recruiting ability.
Brown's business interests, friendships and work with the Kansas Special Olympics could
have influenced his decision.
Perhaps Brown knows there aren't many places where he would hear chants of "Larry, Larry."
It would have been difficult for a man who cares about public opinion to leave after an emotional and successful season. It would have been hard to walk away knowing that KU recruiting could be set back one or two years.
All of the above could have been factors. On the other hand, maybe he was using a negotiating ploy or saw a chance to embarrass the media.
Had Brown left, a backlash of negative opinion might have limited his future options.
Those outside Brown's circle of friends may never know the answers. Similarly, Larry Watchers have no guarantee that the coach made a permanent commitment.
The National Basketball Association season is nearly over. In a few weeks, Charlotte and possibly Houston will search for a coach. Brown is considered a candidate for both jobs.
signs unearhed in triumph. Lights shattered loss of vision.
As a Larry Watcher, you have to face facts. Brown always fields intriguing job offers. It is a good business policy for an ambitious coach.
good business pasture for the
and if when Brown leaves, I'll hold no grudges.
Kansas will owe him a debt of gratitude for restoring lost prestige.
The Athletic Department will hire an excellent successor who wouldn't dream of seeking a better job. He'll be as predictable as an atomic clock
I walk through campus now with my head held high as weary men extend tired arms into the trees, emerging with hands full of Charmin. Brooms moan over the concrete, and I am proud.
Until then, Larry Watchers will appreciate what KU has, speculate about rumors and savor the national championship. Mike Condine is a San Antonio.
Partying went too far
Ecstatic celebration! Trees smothered with toilet paper, ironically contaminated with their product. Thousands of beer bottles broken on the ground, forgotten containers of forgetfulness. Glass waiting patiently for the next victim. A car demolished as the vibrant mass of people pulsated with the rhythm of champions. Bushes crushed beneath trampling, victorious feet. Kansas distribution boxes ripped apart from the adrenaline of winning. Traffic
And so did 30,000 other people. They wanted to show their gratitude, their spirit, their support of a winning, hard-working team. They wanted to give something back to the team upon their return — something of which the team could be proud.
I'm proud to attend the University of Kansas. I'm proud that we are national champions. I've learned here, and much of what I've learned has been beyond the realm of academics. I understand the need to celebrate a tremendous victory.
Mike Considine is a San Antonio, Texas, sophomore majoring in journalism.
Thanks, sports fans.
Ben Custer Lenexa senior
Look at other issues
Wednesday, I walked through the Kansas Union and saw students lined up to buy Kansans — yet another basketball souvenir. Tuesday, I stood in a crowd of 30,000 to welcome home the Jayhawk basketball team. And Monday night, I was on campus thousands of students paraded up and down Jayhawk Boulevard. Through this, I smiled
But today, I have to quiet myself. Where were these people when KU demonstrated against the KKK? And do any of them know it's KuW's War on Hunger week? Somehow, I don't think they know, and more than that, I don't think they care.
Deb Gruver Garden City junior
Column was arrogant
In response to Richard Felton's Guest Column in Tuesday's Kansan:
I am genuinely sorry that you feel that way, but there is no need to be offensive. Yes, I am white, but that does not mean that I am a racist. I still was offended by the column. The column said "You should not be told I don't need to be told that "deep down," I am aracist, whether or not I realize it.
Throughout the column, I felt as if I was being discriminated against. Your examples were ludicrous, yet you insisted that they were racially motivated. Why? Just because someone doesn't say 'hi' to you does not make that person a bigot. Just because there are more whites than blacks in the student population does not mean that it's all some racist plot.
There is no reason to be intimidated. If you think that way, you'll see everything as a threat. You should have their doors in a parking lot (which many people do anyway, regardless of the situation).
I agree that there always will be some people of every color that will hold racist beliefs, and that is a shame. But the situation will not be essentially say: Whites do this. Whites do that!
Racism is not a problem to be solved by paranoia.
Gareth-Michael Skarka Atlanta freshman
BLOOM COUNTY
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