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Wednesday, March 9, 1988 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Watkins Hospital programs help students stay healthy
For many students, the only knowledge of Watkins Hopital's health awareness efforts are the Beak Healthy pamphlets that are mailed twice a semester.
are mailed twice a semester. But the hospital's efforts go far beyond a few mailings. Besides the Beak Healthy pamphlets, which address pertinent health issues such as sexually transmittable diseases, the hospital sponsors a number of health awareness programs.
From sponsors a number of health awareness For the past three years, for example, Watkins has sponsored its Health Officer program. Under this program, student representatives from organized KU living groups attend lectures every two weeks to learn about health-related issues. They are provided with information on common health problems that students have. Those representatives then serve as liaisons between the hospital and students.
students another effort to promote health, the hospital began advertising in the Kansan the availability of cholesterol tests. More than 100 students came in to be tested within the first two weeks, far exceeding the hospital's predictions.
weeks, far exceeding the number of Students who had problems with their cholesterol levels were referred to a dietician or the hospital clinic. Candyce Watley, nurse health educator, said the tests helped diagnose cholesterol problems while students were young and better able to correct them. Without such tests, people probably would not realize that they had cholesterol problems until they were middle-aged, she said.
middle-aged, she said.
Watkins also sponsors two support groups: one called Adult Children of Alcoholics and another called Anorexia and Bulimia Support Group. In addition, the hospital provides smoking cessation seminars. And for a $4 book fee, hospital personnel will teach students CPR and first aid.
Watkins also is helping to provide dental examinations for KU students. Dentists from the community volunteer to come to the hospital to check students' teeth. The dentists do not provide actual dental services at the hospital, but they do refer students to area dentists if they need further care.
Watkins Hospital should be commended for encouraging students to think about their health all the time and not just when they become ill or injured.
Alan Player for the editorial board
The University of Kansas might join nine regional universities in sharing periodicals to lessen the effects of rising subscription costs and the devaluation of the U.S. dollar abroad.
KU should share periodicals
Doing so would be a positive step toward alleviating a widespread problem.
widespread problem. Under the plan, the universities would join together to ensure that each important periodical would be kept by at least one university library in the region.
The KU libraries were forced to cancel $200,000 in periodicals and subscriptions last year, according to officials. Book acquisitions also were pared. And despite the cuts, the library still has gone $200,000 over budget.
still has gone $200,000 over budget. Although sharing periodicals with other universities would not solve budget problems at KU, it would provide students with access to these periodicals until the money could be found to purchase them.
to purchase them.
Research resources are an integral part of the University.
Every possible step needs to be taken to ensure that those resources somehow are maintained at an optimal level.
resources somehow are maintained Outside forces, such as the dollar devaluation and rising subscription costs, cannot be controlled. But the University could control access to these periodicals through the sharing plan.
pu KU should move ahead with its plans to share periodicals with other universities that already share its products. The editorial board
lody Dickson for the editorial board
Editorials in this column are the opinions of the editorial board.
Editorial decisions are made by the editorial board at meetings twice a week. At these meetings, issues are discussed, and an editorial stance is voted upon. The members of the editorial board are Alison Young, Todd Cohen, Alan Player, Jody Dickson, Katy Monk, Van Jenerette and Russell Gray.
News staff
Alison Young...Editor
Todd Cohen...Managing editor
Rob Knapp...News editor
Alan Player...Editorial editor
Joseph Rebello...Campus editor
Jennifer Rowland...Planning editor
Anne Luscombe...Sports editor
Stephen Wade...Photo editor
Richard Stewart...Graphics editor
Tom Eblen...General manager, news adviser
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Kelly Scherer...Business manager
Clark Massad...Retail sales manager
Brad Lenhart...Campus sales manager
Robert Hughes...Marketing manager
Kurt Messersmith...Production manager
Greg Knipp...National manager
Kris Schoino...Traffic manager
Kimberly Coleman...Classified manager
Jeanne Hines...Sales and marketing adviser
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English students want guidance
Professors do not give constructive criticism to aspiring student writers
I agree with Jay Frank (March 1) that we are not likely to see any great writers coming out of the English department. Great writing is not encouraged by the department. However, despite Frank's claims otherwise, "creativity" is encouraged to an obscene extreme.
Frank writes, "Students commonly experience genuine creativity stifled as faculty members busily try to conform those in their classes to a particular style or segment of literature." It seems obvious that it is the duty of faculty members to direct students to write about the subject being taught in a style that is clear and concise and that conveys the students' understanding of the material presented in class. If the class is designed to teach a particular writing skill, then students should conform to the basic guidelines set forth by the instructor.
If a student at the University of Kansas wants to write with absolute freedom, he may take a "creative writing" class. I have taken two such classes at the University (in 1985 and 1987), and I certainly did not feel stifled. Rather, I learned for direction. I yearned to be taught something by my knowledgeable professors. Much to my displacement, my classmates and I were coddled rather than taught, given a free hand rather than direction. The majority of my classmates in Fiction Writing I and Fiction Writing II wrote their lengthy stories a few hours before they were due, thus producing pages and pages of indiscriminately written, uninteresting trash. Yet when these pages of unenlightening garbage were read
Catherine Weed
Guest Columnist
to the class, the professor would, without fail, find something nice to say about the work, such as "Your title is fascinating. How did you think of it?" or "I enjoyed the first sentence on page five. Very nice." I actually remember times when students would apologize in class for careless writing, and the professor would try to justify the careless writing to the writers themselves. In class, constructive criticism was kept to a minimum. Students, following the professor's lead, gave sugary praise to the author and saved their true feelings about the work for gossiping with their neighbors. The "open forum" atmosphere my professors intended to give to my classmates and myself became a farce. Unmotivated students were given the mistaken idea that they could be Great Artists without even trying.
I must pause here to mention that my Fiction Writing II professor had an admirable policy of helping students in scheduled, private sessions in which he would discuss our works with us. Still, I think we students would have benefited from a classroom atmosphere of similar honesty. An example of the lack of instruction is Frank's own description of a student whose work is degraded
by his classmates. The "leader of the class" returns the work to the student with the comment, "This story works well!" Perhaps the instructor saw something in the story the writer's classmates missed. Still, it is difficult to believe that a story rejected by a varied audience of the author's peers "works well." After what I have experienced, I think it is more likely that the professor couldn't think of anything more concrete to tell the student than "This story works well!" As the author of the work found, it is one thing to give a story to a teacher who doesn't want to "stifle creativity" and quite another to enter the story in a literary contest in hopes of winning public recognition and prize money.
It seems to me that if a student wants to write purely for his own personal satisfaction, he can do that quite well on his own without receiving credit hours for his indulgences. If a student wants to learn to communicate his ideas effectively and in a way that is interesting to others, then he should be able to find a professor to teach him such skills.
The students in the first group will be disappointed by the creative writing program here. The students in the second group will be rewarded.
Students at KU take creative writing classes for two reasons. First, they want to learn to write well. Or second, they want an easy A.
KU tradition carries on
Catherine Weed is a Lawrence resident and former KU student.
I want to fully congratulate Elaine Sung and Keith Stroker for bringing back the great and illustrious tradition of Kansas basketball. I believe it is important that people realize what a special place KU has carved in basketball history, as such legends as James Naismith, Phog Allen, Wilt Chamberlain and Lynette Woodard all have had a significant impact in not only KU basketball annals, but also in the basketball world itself. It is a great thrill to think what Larry Brown and Marian Washington have accomplished with their programs in recent years. Brown has put Kansas basketball back on the basketball map, and Washington has maintained a class program and winning tradition, which will prosper with the continuing infux of promising talent. In supporting and celebrating these fine programs, we also must remember that the recent success of KU men's and women's basketball is a continuing chapter in this illuminous and magnificent winning history, as Kansas truly has had some great players and teams over the years.
One of these great teams was the 1978 men's edition, which Sung reported about. While many people do not mention this team as being one of the best ever in Kansas basketball history, I believe it deserves claim to such a prestigious honor. If it was not for a first-round
draw in the NCAA tournament against a powerhouse UCLA team. Kansas might have gone a long way. One of the greatest assets about the team was its unselfish play, as everyone gave of themselves to make the other players better. Another strength of this team was the fact that four KU players were eventually NBA draft picks, and players Darril Valentine and Paul Mokesi made the pros and still are playing basketball in the NBA. Still another great feature of this squad was the brilliant play of Valentine. As Mark Turggeon took over the reins at point guard his freshman year, so too did Valentine assume charge his first year in 1978, as his majestic presence and leadership led the way to one of the most successful and entertaining seasons in Kansas basketball history.
basketball has it. Now, as KU fans watch Danny Manning finish up anticipating and stupendous basketball games, it becomes clear that another great era in Kansas basketball has come to an end, for Manning is the living embodiment of what a Larry Brown-type unselfish player should be, as he will go down as possibly the greatest KU player to ever live. However, as Manning heads off to greener pastures in the NBA, the basketball tradition at Kansas will continue, as Brown keeps creating his own coaching magic and bringing in some thoroughbred talent who quickly learn how to play an unselfish brand of basketball. As immortals like Chamberlain, Clyde Lovelette, JoJo White, Valentine and Woodard have paved the way for success such recent graduates as Carl Henry, Greg Drreling, Ron Kellogg, Angie Snider and Vickie Adkins, the tradition of Kansas basketball has endured. Now, the great accomplishments that
Manning has achieved, and will still attain, again set the foundation for succeeding years of winning and exciting basketball at Mount Oread, as Manning passes his torch to future AllAmericans and special, unselfish players who will continue the rich and glorious heritage of Kansas basketball.
David Garfield
Now DROP IT! Walk away! Is nothing else going on in the world? Don't some of these people writing letters to the Kansan have homework to do? Or homework to grade? Or anything better to do at recess?
Some members of the Ku Klux Klan were invited to KU to speak a few weeks ago. But before they could come, the University uninvited them. The Klan is a horrible, evil group, but freedom of speech is one of our most precious rights. We've heard both sides. We've probably decided which side we most agree with. It was an important question. We shouldn't forget what happened.
Drop the KKK issue
anything else. Notice how dark it is on campus at ARM. How are Manning's grades? I haven't seen Nelson Mandela around lately, have you? How's that old elm tree doing? Did Parking Services finally get to Santa's sleigh on top of that crane? Where did that smokestack go? And most importantly, how come there's not room for the Far Side by the editors anymore? I've got some make-up work to go do, but let the dogs sleep. Please!
Mark von Schlemmer Leavenworth graduate student
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed