Thursday
February 4, 1988
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Published since 1889 by the students of the University of Kansas
Vol. 98, No. 89 (USPS 650-640)
House votes to eliminate contra plan
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A bitterly divided House voted yesterday to cut off U.S. military support for Nicaragua's contra rebels, rejecting President Reagan's aid request in the hope of spurring peace prospects in Central America.
The 219-211 vote, culminating six years of overt and covert military support for the rebels fighting the leftist Sandinista government, killed Reagan's request for $36.2 million in new aid to keep the contras alive as a fighting force through June.
It was a serious defeat for the president, who had lobbed hard on the issue for two weeks and had put the contras among the top foreign policy priorities for his final year in office. Only a day earlier, Reagan had argued that failure to extend aid would strengthen communist influence in the hemisphere.
"Today's vote is the end of a chapter," said House Major Whip Tony Coelho. "The contra policy is the past. Now we can deploy America's greatest strengths, from aid and trade to diplomacy, to stoke the flames of liberty and secure the future for Central America."
But republicans bitterly warned that the action would relieve part of the pressure on Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega that had forced him into recent concessions, and that Managua would slip backward into renewed repression.
"The issue of Nicaragua and Central America will not go away," said House Republican Leader Robert Michel.
"If you vote this package down, you'd better be prepared to bear the consequences," Michel said. "And who among you is smart enough to predict the path on which Daniel Ortega will take you?"
The most controversial part of the defeated package was $3.6 million earmarked for weapons and ammunition, which Reagan had said he would withhold until March 31 to see how cease-fire talks went between the rebels and the Managua government. Those talks are scheduled to resume Wednesday.
The bulk of the aid package was intended to buy "non-lethal" supplies to keep the rebels alive as a military force inside Nicaragua. That included food and uniforms as well as communications gear and leased aircraft to deliver the material.
Current aid to the rebels expires Feb. 29, and democrats pledged to hold another vote before the month is out on an alternative package of purely humanitarian aid to the rebels, and to follow that up with a new emphasis on economic development aid for countries in the region that abide by terms of a five-nation peace accord.
The United States has funneled more than $200 million to the rebels since their guerrilla war began in 1981. Stockpiled weapons and other supplies continue to be airdropped to the contrasts by the CIA, operating from Honduran bases.
New justice confirmed
97-0 with Democrats and Republicans alike praising him as a moderate. open-minded conservative.
Kennedy, 51, will be sworn into office Feb. 18, becoming the 109th justice in the history of the nation's highest court.
WASHINGTON — The Senate yesterday swiftly and unanimously confirmed Anthony M. Kennedy to the Supreme Court, ending a ferocious political battle that began seven months ago.
The Associated Press
He is expected to play a pivotal role on the sharply divided court, particularly on such issues as abortion, affirmative action and separation of church and state.
Kennedy, a federal appeals court judge who was President Reagan's third choice to succeed retired Justice Lewis F. Powell, was approved
The Bud Light Daredevils perform an acrobatic slam dunk.
Halftime acrobats entertain audience
By Jeff Suggs
Kansan staff writer
In fact, some of the best action occurred at halftime.
Several athletes made spectacular moves at last night's KU-Oklahoma basketball game. But they didn't just include Danny Manning, Harvey Grant or Stacey King
The Bud Light Daredevils, with the help of a mini-trampoline, fascinated the sellout crowd in Allen Field House with their acrobatic slam dunks.
The Daredevils, who are based in Memphis, Tenn., perform around the world. The four-member team has played in over 150 colleges, in every National Basketball Association arena and in Europe, the Middle East, Japan, Latin America and Australia.
The team will play at Nebraska tonight, Missouri Western tomorrow, Kansas State on Saturday and at the Topeka Sizzlers game on Sunday.
Ty Cobb, coach and performer for the Daredevils, founded the team when he was a cheerleader at the University of Mississippi in 1980. It was originally a part-time job, but when he graduated in 1983, it became a profession. Cobb said he was surprised at the success of the Daredevil team.
"Real surprised." Cobb said. "It was always just for fun. I feel we're really lucky."
Cobb's team includes his brother, Guy, Tim Lancaster and Keith Eldred.
Part of the team's act is to pull people out of the audience and get them involved in the performance. The engagement was the point of the show.
"Eye-to-eye contact — that makes the whole show," Lancaster said. "It's a real personal show. We want to look like we're having a party."
Lancaster said that at some places, the crowd was not too receptive to the Daredevils' performance. But he said the Jayhawk fans were great.
"Oh yeah—that crowd—what a game to come to," he said. "It means a lot to us. It's been one of the best so far, for sure."
New policy bans alcohol at sorority pledge parties
14 KU sororities agree to new rule
By Kim Lightle
Kansan staff writer
Tonight, all 14 KU sororities will sign a resolution enacting the policy.
A new policy banning alcohol from sorority pledge parties will take a little while to get used to, pledges at some KU sororities said yesterday
accept the ban last December.
Karen Ohnemus, Panhellenic Association adviser, said yesterday that the resolution was suggested by the members of the association and that the sororites voted unanimously to
Each chapter was responsible for forming its own alcohol policies before the resolution and will be responsible for enforcing the new policy.
Shaheen Poonawala, a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, said her sorority's policy was not to allow pledges to drink but that rule wasn't strictly enforced.
"If they're responsible, we really don't push it that far," she said.
Amy Cranch, a pledge at Delta Delta Delta sorority and social chairman of her pledge class, said that alcohol was allowed at their pledge functions even though pledges were
"T
They don't understand how people can have fun without it. After a while people will accept it.'
Amy Cranch Delta Delta Delta pledge
"They don't understand how people can have fun without it," Cranch
She said that as social chairman, she had a hard time selling the resolution to others.
often under the legal drinking age of 21
said. "After a while people will accept it."
Molly Wanstall, president of the Panhellenic Association, said that the resolution was generally accepted and that it was an easy process.
"It it was something that needed to be passed," she said.
Wanstall said that insurance problem were the cause of the alcohol policy.
"A lot of insurance companies won't insure greeks," she said. "Nationally, there have been some problems."
Ohnemus said that liability concerned the chapters.
She said that it was more likely
that chapter officers, including the president, social chairman and pledge trainers, could be named in lawsuits.
"They are realizing that it could effect them." she said.
Janet Quinzer, a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority, said there was some pressure to accept the resolution.
Quinner said that her house's policy was not to serve alcohol but that they watched the other sororites to see what their positions on the resolution were.
"We're kind of going along with what the other sororites are doing," she said.
Ohnemus said that the association wanted the fraternities to sign the resolution too.
David Morris, president of the Interfraternity Council, said that the council hadn't had a chance to review the resolution yet but that it would be discussed at an upcoming meeting.
Andrea Reese, president of Gamma Phi Beta sorority and a member of the panhellenic alcohol task force, said that the future might bring even stricter policies.
Reese said that a policy to ban alcohol from all functions, even for those who could legally drink, was being discussed.
Job market in Kansas sparse, study says
By Joel Zeff
Kansan staff writer
According to a recent Michigan State University study of recruiting trends for 1987-88 college graduates, the South Central region of the country, which includes Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana, ranks next to last in employment opportunities.
Kansas may be a great place to get a degree, but not to find a job.
The Northwestern region of the country ranked last.
The study, written by Jack Shickleton, director emeritus of placement at Michigan State University in East Lansing, and Patrick Scheetz, assistant director of placement at Michigan State, was compiled from surveys sent out to businesses, industries, educational institutions and governmental
A study of recruiting trends reports that the South Central region ranks next in job opportunities. The recent decline of the oil industry in Texas and Oklahoma may be the cause.
Scheetz said the South Central region had improved little over last year. He said that this was the second straight year the region had placed fifth out of the six regions of the country.
"I have a feeling that if it wasn't for the stock market, the employment opportunities would have higher in the region," Scheetz said.
agencies across the country.
He added that the hiring quotas for the entire country were affected adversely by the stock market crash.
However, KU placement officials aren't concerned about a possible decrease in the region's employment opportunities.
James Henry, assistant director of KU's placement center, said, "We didn't have as many recruiters last fall, but now in the spring it's going bananas. A lot of companies are trying to get the students to sign up."
Henry said the figures for the South Central region could have been affected by the recent decline of the oil industry in Texas and Oklahoma.
Fred Madaus, KU business placement director, said the study was basically on target, but all the factors, including population density and local industries, had to be considered.
"We haven't seen that much of a problem. There is growth and there are jobs," Madaus said. Henry said that although the figures might not represent reality, the study did provide important information on hiring and salary trends.
"It's a very important barometer, especially when done by experts like Shingleton who are really in touch with the job market." he said.
Shingleton, along with Sheett,
compiled the study from survey
responses from 1,019 organizations.
The study includes information
on hiring trends, salaries and
recruiting activities.
Pay for men,women now more comparable
Kansan staff writer
By Iulie Adam
Although women's salaries are steadily becoming more comparable to men's, some women say that changes won't be significant until men and women who do the same jobs get the same pay.
For the first time on record, women's weekly earnings rose to 70 percent of men's in 1987, the government reported Monday.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began collecting information on wage differences between men and women in 1979, when women were paid 62.5 percent of what men were paid. In 1986, women were paid 69.2 percent of what men were paid.
Peggy Billings, president of the Lawrence chapter of the National Organization for Women, said she was skeptical of the figures.
"I find it a little difficult to believe," she said. "I hope it's true, but we've got quite a long ways to go."
She said that even if the 70 percent figure were true, it was meaningless because some women still don't get paid as much as men, even though they do the same jobs.
Between 1986 and 1987, the average weekly earnings of women working full time rose by $13 a week, from $78 in 1986 to $85 in 1987. Earnings rose $17, from $428 to $445.
Barbara Ballard, director of the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center, said she didn't know what factors the study was based on but said she guessed the percentage was steadily going up because more women were moving into higher
See SALARY, p. 6, col. 1