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Thursday, February 18, 1988 / University Daily Kansan
Dollar down, Lawrence up More local goods are found in foreign markets
By David Sodamann
Kansan staff writer
The falling dollar is giving the Lawrence economy a bit of a lift.
As the dollar has decreased in value compared with foreign currencies, U.S. goods recently have become more affordable overseas. Nationwide, several hundred thousand workers owe their jobs to the influx of foreign funds.
And Lawrence is beginning to feel the effects of the foreign cash.
"I'm picking up an increased interest in exporting," said Bill Martin, economic development expert at the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. "It's not something we have a lot of statistics on, but I can sense an increased awareness of its importance, and an increased interest in getting involved."
At Kantronics, 1202 E. 23rd St., company president Phil Anderson's yardstick has measured positive results for his company. Kantronics makes radio modems for computers.
"There very definitely has been a difference," Anderson said. "We've seen rather dramatic increases in exports in our firm."
Since November, Anderson said, between 15 and 50 percent of Kantronics' revenues have resulted directly from export sales.
Kantronics' products move information between widely separated computers through radio, rather
than phone lines. They are useful for remote data sensing applications, ship-to-shore communication, emergency operations and amateur radio operations. The company's products are shipped to Europe, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia.
"We are shipping electronics to Japan, which kind of tells you something," Anderson said.
He said export sales had offset declining demand for his firm's products in the domestic market. Export sales haven't subsidized any new jobs at Kantronics, but they have allowed the firm to maintain employment levels.
"It has enhanced already existing business." Anderson said.
Jim Schwartzburg, president of Packer Plastics, 2330 Packer Road, said the shrinking dollar had been positive for exporters. However, he said, it still takes an aggressive sales effort to penetrate foreign markets.
foreign markets.
Packer makes plastic storage containers, drinking cups, flower pots, picnic plates and other injection-molded plastic items.
in Jehovah-Salvation said Packer was currently talking with South Korean buyers interested in plastic items for the Summer Olympics there and for resale in Japan.
"they have encouraged us to the point they think they're going to buy from us," Schwartzburg said. "Supposedly, they're going to have an order for us the end of February. But I'm not holding my
South Korea imposes a 35 percent tariff on imported plastic items, Schwartzburg said, and when that is added to the cost of Packer products, it more than offsets any savings attributable to the dollar's drop in value. Also, South Koreans aren't accustomed to drinking from plastic containers. They favor glass.
breath."
Schwartzburg said Packer was working to develop new European markets. Also, buyers in the People's Republic of China are interested in Packer products and used molding equipment, but they are strapped for cash and have put the deals on hold.
Anderson said the dollar's decline had been necessary to increase foreign sales, but alone was insufficient to generate those sales.
"One has to have done his homework earlier to take advantage of the situation," Anderson said.
Japan, Anderson said, is a moving target that exporters must constantly track if they want to keep selling there.
He said Kantronics had applied the "Little Engine That Could" philosophy. As the company looked at export possibilities, it kept telling itself "I think I can." The positive attitude paid off.
"We've found no barriers anywhere," Anderson said.
Decline in dollar has varied effect for KU finances
By David Sodamann
Kansan staff writer
The decline in the value of the dollar has both positive and negative effects on the University of Kansas, said Norm Clifford, research associate at the Institute for Public Policy and Business Research.
It could negatively affect the libraries, for example, because books from foreign publishers now are more expensive.
A cheap dollar could have a positive effect on enrollment, because it's now easier to export education. That is, foreign students may find it easier to attend KU now that exchange rates are tipped in their favor.
Jim Ranz, library dean, said he had been extremely concerned about the dropping dollar.
"We've lost 65 percent of the purchasing power of the dollars we spend overseas," Ranz said.
Ranz said KU libraries spent 40 percent of their $3 million acquisition budget overseas. Since July 1985, when the dollar began to decline in value, KU libraries have lost $700,000 in foreign purchasing power. As a result of the combined effects of domestic inflation and the decline in the dollar's value in that same period, the acquisitions budget buying power has shrunk by $1.12 million.
The libraries have canceled about 2,000 foreign periodical subscriptions as a result of the dwindling dollar, and are spending about $300,000 less on books.
Without a large infusion of money next year, Ranz said, the library will be forced to make further cuts.
Silhouetted against an afternoon sky on a hill by Clinton Lake, a KU student found a spot to study.
KU volunteers representing Cubans have a positive effect
Kansan staff writer
By Dayana Yochim
detainees.
KU volunteers representing the Cuban detainees in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary say they are pleased with the effect they are having on the hearings, which are now in their second week.
Since the hearings before Immigration and Naturalization Services representatives started Feb. 8, volunteers from the University of Kansas School of Law, Washburn School of Law and the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law have represented detainees on a rotating schedule.
Hemphill said that, so far, every detainee who had a hearing was represented and that in the first three days
second week
Dwaine Hemphill, third-year law student and KU coordinator of Project Due Process, said that the mere presence of the representatives was an advantage for the
of the hearings, 22 KU volunteers represented 37 Cubans
treated fairly or not."
of the hearings, 22 KU volunteers represented Solutions.
The project was coordinated by the Atlanta Coalition to
support Colon Deuterite "Our presence has ensured an attitude among the INS that guarantee they'll at least make the hearings fair," Hemphill said.
About 375 Cuban detainees are housed in the Leavenworth prison.
"This way, they are giving the Cubans an opportunity to ask questions and to make a closing statement. I think if we weren't there, no one would know if they were being
Art Thompson, legal services coordinator of the Kansas Bar Association, said the Cubans were not protected under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, which covers due process of law.
...
Sec CUBANS, p. 9
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