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Thursday, February 4. 1988 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
New campus water system would end reliance on luck
It's about time.
After years of knowing about the problem, KU is finally doing something to correct a situation that has left vulnerable almost every building on campus if a fire should break out.
As long ago as 1986, the University had confirmation that its water system was weak and outdated. But not until fiscal year 1990 will measures to improve the system appear on a budget proposal. It's taken that long for the bureaucrical machinery to grind into motion.
In the meantime, two potentially serious fires have broken out on campus in the past four months. In the case of the November fire in an empty facilities operations storage building, inadequate water pressure hampered the ability of the Lawrence fire department to control the blaze, and the building was destroyed. Neither that fire nor the one last month at the science library construction site involved damage to buildings now in use — a lucky break for the University.
On the morning of Jan. 27, staff members in Fraser Hall discovered a pile of papers that had been set on fire early that morning in one of the stairwells. If Fraser had caught fire, low water pressure would have left firefighters without needed resources to save the building.
The University has been operating on borrowed time. It should consider itself lucky if it can borrow a few more years until the new water system is installed.
Katy Monk for the editorial board
It should have been a premonition of doom Saturday for the several thousand fans waiting in line outside the student doors at Allen Field House.
Control mobs at field house
When the doors finally opened, the line collapsed into a near riotious mob, much as the Jayhawks collapsed to a hungry K-State Wildcat team. Mercifully, no one was injured, but many were angry.
Where was field house security? Were the two officers stationed outside the entire force? Was it easier to stay out of the way and hope those crazy students didn't kill each other?
The University attempted to solve the problem for the Oklahoma game last night by opening more doors earlier and stationing more officers outside earlier. But this in itself is not enough.
As the line begins to collapse and the mob presses in, people who have waited in line for hours are replaced by bigger and pusher people who have just showed up and are able to elbow their way to the front of the line.
Many student basketball fans come to the games hours before tipoff to ensure getting good seats. And there usually is no crowd-control element, human or other, to keep the line in some blanance of an orderly procession.
Chain barriers forming aisles into the field house and more security officers outside to enforce order would do much to help avoid future mob scenes.
It may be unfortunate that students cannot handle entering a building by themselves, something they should have learned in kindergarten. But the potential hazards of ignoring this problem could result in something much more unfortunate — a lawsuit or perhaps a funeral.
Jody Dickson for the editorial board
Editorials in this column are the opinions of the editorial board.
Other Voices
NCAA should make higher standards
This past week, NCAA Division I schools made significant progress toward establishing legislation that would demand better grades from their student-athletes, only to reverse themselves and cancel the motion by the end of the meeting.
The schools opposed to the measure claimed that such academic guidelines would take "academic autonomy" away from the individual schools. Also, these schools believed the measure would discourage athletes from majoring in more rigorous disciplines if pressures to achieve higher grades were imposed.
The primary purpose of a college or a university is invariably to educate those who attend. For some students from economically and educationally depressed areas of the country, intercollegiate athletics are merely a steppingstone to a professional sports contract. The urge to make a lot of money is very strong and not without merit. It is the dream of many. However, along the way to fame and fortune, it would not hurt a student-athlete to be forced to crack a book or two.
Indiana Daily Student University of Indiana
News staff
Alison Young...Editor
Todd Cohen...Managing editor
Rob Knapp...News editor
Atian Player...Editorial editor
Josiah Rebello...Campus editor
Jennifer Rowland...Planning editor
Anne Luscombe...Sports editor
Stephen Wade...Photo editor
Richard Stewart...Photoshop editor
Tim Fife...General manager, news adviser
Business staff
Kelly Scherer...Business manager
Clark Massad...Retail sales manager
Brad Lenhart...Campus sales manager
Robert Hughes...Marketing manager
Kurt Messersamith...Production manager
Greg Knipp...National manager
Kris Schorno...Traffic manager
Himothy Coleman...Classified manager
Jeannie Huege...Sales and marketing adviser
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Bush knows how to bite the bullet
Being reared in luxury does not soothe the agony of firing an employ
it appears that George Bush is really on a roll. He's quickly shedding his old image as a wimp and an elitist.
First, there was his triumphant shouting match with Dan Rather, which let us know that he is nobody's patsy.
And now he wants us to know that he's not really the wealthy, well-born, well-bred aristocrat that he's been portrayed.
Yes, he's known hard times. Despite growing up in a sprawling Cincinnati mansion with cook and maid, attending the finest prep schools and Yale, and having a millionaire father who was a U.S. senator, Bush has known what it's like when the wolf is at the door.
He revealed this while making a campaign speech in Wyoming, where the economy is depressed because of the oil price slump.
To let these simple folk know that he understands what they're going through, he talked about his days in the oil business and about how tough it could be.
Naturally, Bush didn't say how many people he had fired or describe the intensity of his agony. A
What a heart tugger. It sure brought a lump to my throat. He had to fire someone, and it wasn't
He said, "I think having started a business and meeting payroll and knowing the agony of having to lay somebody off when the going gets rough — that's no fun."
I now see Bush in an entirely different light. I had known he had his own successful oil company in Texas, which he had started with family money, before he was 30. But I wasn't aware that he had gone through the personal "agony" of having to fire someone.
Mike Royko
Syndicated Columnist
But it's easy to imagine what those hard times must have been like for him.
real man doesn't wallow in self pity.
"Sit down, Festus."
"Festus, I'm experiencing agony."
"Gosh, I'm sorry. Mr. Bush. Something you ate?"
"No, Festus, it is my bottom line. It has grown weak."
"Yes, Festus, and I'm also in agony because of my sluggish cash flow."
weak.
"I thought you were looking a little pale."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"As a matter of fact, there is. You can clean out your locker and accept this check for two weeks' pay in lieu of notice."
"Yes, Festus, that's another reason I'm in aoyo. This is such a nasty chore."
"Well, heck, Mr. Bush, don't go fretting over the likes of me. Being thrown out of work is nothing. Me and the little lady and our three tykes, we'll get by somehow. It's nothing compared to the agony you're going through for having to fire me."
Thank you, Messrs.
"Don't mention it, Mr. Bush. Why, if I had
known that firing me was going to be such agony for you, I would have hung myself to save you all this suffering."
"You're a fine fellow, Festus. I feel better already."
"That's what really counts."
"Goodbye, Festus. And don't forget to turn in your company access card to security."
It is strange how we can watch someone like George Bush on TV for years, yet we don't really know him as a sensitive human being. We see him as supremely confident and cheerful in his tailored suit and power tie, and he seems to have his world by the tail.
But do we know about the rough road he has traveled?
It brings to mind a song called "Hard Travelin",
written by Woody Guthrie, the old Oklie folk
song.
Have any of you ever looked at him and said,
"There stands a man who went through the agony of firing an employee. How did he endure it?"
With a few changes in the lyrics, the song could apply to George Bush.
"I been havin' some hard travelin', I thought you know.
I been in it, I been cut out.
And my finger on the dismissal button.
I been havin' some hard travelin' way down the road.
I been havin' some hard travelin', Lord "
I been firin' I been cuttin'.
I got my finger on the dismissal button.
I'm glad George Bush has shared this intimate and painful part of his past with us. It has caused me to think of him in a different way.
And from now on, whenever I see him, I'll remember that old saying: When the going gets tough, the tough get out those old pink slips.
Compromise is the key
without teachers, students would be without an education.
In responding to Barbara Paris' letter in the Jan. 21 Kansan, I feel that a few points deserve clarification.
First, students have the right to select their teachers and classes. Most students, despite Ms. Paris' claims, do not choose teachers because they are "easy" or entertaining. Students attempt to select teachers that are knowledgeable, coherent and fair.
Secondly, Ms. Paris is incorrect in assuming that students do not take time to carefully construct their schedules prior to pre-enrollment. Most students do make this attempt, only to find during enrollment that many of their carefully selected classes are closed, forcing them to enroll in alternate classes. Even add-drop does not correct this situation, which is the result of increased enrollment and insufficient funding to many departments. Until this imbalance is corrected, nothing will change.
In the meantime, students and teachers must recognize that they are interdependent: without students, teachers would be without jobs;
Gays don't have rights
ine Lawrence City Commission should not now or ever pass an amendment to give constitutional rights to homosexuals. To do so would be a gross act endorsing warped minds and sick bodies.
It is not necessarily wrong to discriminate. We discriminate or make judgments all the time. It depends on what you are discriminating against. For example, murderers, rapists, thieves, etc., should be discriminated against because of the wrong choices they have made. The Constitution protects us from discrimination with regard to race, creed or sex, but not with regard to sexual preference.
with regard to homosexuality is a sin against God and the people. Homosexuality is not just another way of having an intimate sexual relationship Rather, it is a total distortion of sex. It is driven by lust and not love. The sin of sodomy is like a raging fire that sweeps through a forest. Statistics indicate that somewhere between 30 percent and 50 percent of homosexuals have had more than 100 "partners," and 30 percent of them have more than 1000 "partners." The condoning of sodomy is evidence that a nation has rejected God, law and order and has opted for a hedonistic and anarchist society.
If the commission really wants to protect its people, then it will protect the innocent by prosecuting those who desire to overthrow the laws of God.
Overland Park resident
Thanks for the support
This is a brief thank you to all faculty and staff who attended the Lady Jayhawk basketball game on Jan. 30. Your response to Coach Washington's and my invitation to "Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night" was most heartening. You swelled the attendance to 2,028, a new season record! Those of you who were there saw an exciting game that the Lady Jayhawks won 52-50 on the last-second shot.
Your support was greatly appreciated by the women's basketball office staff and the players. Please, continue your support for the remainder of the season. The next home game will be before the Colorado men's game on Feb. 6 at noon. If you do not have a men's game ticket and would like to attend the women's game only, you may do so by leaving your driver's license at the ticket office when you buy your women's ticket. You'll get it back immediately after the women's game is over, as you leave the field house.
We hope to see you soon.
Renate R. Mai-Dalton Member, KU Athletic Board Professor of Business
BLOOM COUNTY
bv Berke Breathed
NO WOMANIZING,
NO FLAGIARIZING,
NO MARIJUANASIZING,
NO ANT1 - SEMITTICIZING,
AND NO STUPIDIZICING
FOR AT LEAST 14
MONTHS