Thursday January 21,1988
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Published since 1889 by the students of the University of Kansas
Vol. 98, No. 79 (USPS 650-640)
KU sports threatened by boycott
Official says blacks not considered for job
By Christine Martin Kansan staff writer
KU Athletic Director Bob Frederick will meet within a week with the director of the Black Coaches Association, Rudy Washington, to discuss the threat of a boycott by black athletes, Frederick said yesterday.
The threat was made by Harry Edwards, an adviser to the coaches association and a professor at the University of California-Berkley, because he thought KU officials did not consider black candidates for the football coaching position that Glen Mason, who is white, recently accented.
Edwards made the threat during a recent press conference. Frederick said he did not want to comment until after his meeting with Washington.
Edwards could not be reached for comment.
An official statement by the Athletic Department, which was issued after Edwards made the threat, said that the search committee "contacted the executive director of the Black Coaches Association and advised him that the University was interested in receiving applications from black candidates."
The statement also said that the committee "undertook special efforts to determine interest in the head football coach's position by qualified black candidates" but that "the only identifiable black applicant expressing an interest in the position did not have头 coaching experience, which was of major importance to the committee."
Tom Mulinazzi, associate dean of engineering and a member of the six-member search committee that selected Mason, said the committee had asked Edwards to suggest possible black candidates for the position.
Mulinazzi said that Edwards suggested one leading candidate, Sherman Lewis, who is an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers.
Mulinazizi the committee considered Lewis but decided against him because he did not have full-time head coaching experience. He said that the committee did not consider color as a factor.
Ed Manning, assistant men's basketball coach and a member of the Black Coaches Association, said he thought the University of Kansas had chosen the best possible coach.
Manning said he thought a boycott would hurt the University.
"I hope it never materializes." Manning said. "I think it would affect everyone."
Three other KU coaches they were concerned that KU was receiving bad publicity because of the threat.
Alvin Gentry, assistant men's basketball coach, said, "I think any time you have negative publicity, it's going to be difficult."
Women's basketball coach Marian Washington agreed. "Any time you have a negative focus it will have an impact on your program," she said.
"I'm sorry that it has to take place. I think it's unfortunate because there will be other sports that will suffer." Washington said.
She said that the issue was important, however.
"I think there is a real issue relative to the very few number of black head coaches and a real issue in terms of women getting moved out of coaching positions.
"It's not always pleasant," she said, referring to the threat of a boycott. "I don't always agree with the method, but sometimes things have to be harsh in order to make changes."
Baseball coach Dave Bingham said he was disappointed that Kansas was singled out by Edwards, and that the publicity was unfair to the people who hired Mason.
Bingham said he was concerned about how the threat might affect other programs.
"All of us need to be concerned with equal opportunity," he said. "We like to provide equal opportunity for everyone involved, and we want to look for the most qualified people."
Ioe Wilkins III/KANSAN
Amy Randles, Olathe junior, and Laura Ambler, Lawrence junior, explain their opposition to the shorter add-drop period.
Senate proud of AIDS project
By Kevin Dilmore
Kansan staff writer
Student Senate got back into the swing of things last night by acknowledging the success of two ongoing programs and allocating funds to a campus club.
program. Jason Krakow, student body president, opened the first meeting of the semester by welcoming senators back from their break. He said KU students had a lot to be proud of thanks to the Student Senate Task Force on AIDS and the Higher Education Rescue Operation.
Of the AIDS task force, Krakaw said, "We not only got KU students thinking, but we got people in the community involved."
Michael Foubert, task force chairman, said students passed out about 10,000 condoms and information packets during the two days of fee payment. He said demand was so high that task force members could have passed out an additional 6,000.
Although all of the condoms are gone, the task force will continue to operate. "The issue is not dead." Pepo said.
The committee will set up appointments to speak to student living groups and will try to establish an acquired immune deficiency syndrome hotline through the Lawrence Memorial Hospital Wellness Center, he said.
Foubert also acknowledged the negative feedback the information packet had generated and said he would have been disappointed if there had been now
"I only hope this will cause those who have not yet taken a stand on the issue to do so," he said.
Krakow also said he was pleased by the turnout of about 150 KU students for the Margin of Excellence program.
"It was a tremendous credit to us," Krakow said. "We are now not seen as an apathetic or self—serving community."
Jane Hutchinson, director of the KU chapter of the Associated Students of Kansas, said KU students were responsible for the success of the lobby day.
"But it's by no means over," she said. "We certainly have a battle ahead."
Senators also voted to allocate $302 to the KU Cricket Club. Sirram Naganachan, Madras, Temn., graduate student, said the money would be used to replace worm team equipment that he brought to show the senators.
Also, Stephanie Quincy, student body vice president, said eight senators had turned in resignations between semesters because of schedule conflicts.
Quincy said she hoped the election committee would appoint replacements within the next two weeks.
University rejects idea on condoms
By Regan Brown
Kansan staff writer
KU's AIDS policy calls for combating the disease through campus-wide education. But don't look for condom vending machines on campus any time soon.
Judith Ramaley, executive vice chancellor, responded yesterday to recommendations that a 22-member University task force on AIDS sent her in December. She rejected the task force's suggestions for condom vending machines and "safer sex" kits in favor of educational programs for students, faculty and staff.
Ramaley said the controversy over the kits and vending machines was counterproductive.
She said the University should concentrate on the "slow and painful process" of education instead of shorter-term solutions.
"We start here with the assumption that students are adults," she said.
Condoms are available for reduced prices at the Watkins Hospital student pharmacy. Michael Foubert, graduate student and chairman of the Student Senate Task Force on AIDS, said many students felt a stigma connected with buying condoms at Watkins.
Foubert said that Ramaley's actions dealt mostly with the institutional structure of the University.
'But students' lives are at stake,' he said.
Another task force request was for a half-time coordinator to enact a comprehensive AIDS education program for KU. Citing budget restraints, Ramaley turned down the request for the position and expressed confidence that the health education department at Watkins could administer a comprehensive educational program.
Such a program would include specialized training for police, lab personnel, food workers and medical staff.
A five-member advisory committee named yesterday will evaluate the task force's educational recommendations and work toward their implementation.
Advisory committee members are: Phil Huntsinger, associate professor of health, physical education and recreation, committee chairman; Janine Demo, health educator at Watkins; Henry Buck, Watkins physician; Mick Quinn, training manager in personnel services; and Anthony David Wahbeh, Lawrence senior. All were members of the University task force on AIDS.
Regarding Ramaley's decisions on the task force's recommendations, Buck said, "I believe we should withhold criticism about one or two items that did not come out as we had hoped. Overall, the thrust of this report is exactly on target, and it will do a great deal to meet the needs of the University."
Buck said that teaching responsibility was the key to educating children about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
"We need to teach everyone who is sexually involved to accept responsibility, use the right methods, and be responsible to their partners and themselves," he said.
Classified employees still seek salary equity
Kansan staff writer
By Rebecca L. Cisek
Classified employees at the University of Kansas are pleased with Gov. Mike Hayden's proposed salary increases, but they say they are still taking the back seat compared with their unclassified counterparts.
Hayden's proposal for classified employees includes a 4 percent cost-of-living increase and a longevity bonus for employees who have served 10 years or more. The movement increase that amounts to about 2.5 percent
Classified employees are defined as state civil service workers
Hayden has done a fair job with classified employees' salaries, but the problem of inequity still exists, said John Brothers, interim president of the KU Classified Employee Senate.
"We are very much behind the Margin of Excellence and want to see it through, but we are afraid that it will be a little harder."
three years. Peer schools are similar in size, scope and mission.
Brothers said the longevity pay was the innovative part of Hayden's plan since employees with 10 or more years of service no longer received the step increases. The bonus for this year would amount to $25 for each year of service.
Margin of Excellence is the proposal that would bring Board of Regents schools' budgets to 95 percent of their peer schools' average, and would bring teacher salaries to 100 percent of peer teachers' average salaries within
But he said there had been an inequity between the salary increases and benefits of classified and unclassified employees for many years. The state contributes 3.1 percent of classified employees' salaries to their retirement funds but, as a result, the state receives less salary. Classified employees also receive less vacation time than unclassified employees.
Brothers said classified employees deserved the same percentage of increase as unclassified employees.
Bob Redling, public information director for the Kansas Association of Public Employees in Topeka, provided a history of classified employees' salaries compared with unclassified employees' salaries.
Redling said classified employees were upset that their salary increases hadn't kept up with those of unclassified
employees. Redling said that according to a study done by the
Kansas Legislative Research Department, classified employees' salaries increased 78 percent from 1975 to 1985, while the salaries of Regents faculty increased 123.3 percent. During that same period, unclassified employees lost 39 percent of their buying power while faculty lost 3 percent.
Diana Dyal, library assistant, said that Hayden's proposed increase wouldn't cover the increased fees she had to pay for Social Security and health care.
"I realize that teaching faculty are underpaid and I sympathize with them, but I don't feel that it's fair for classified employees to receive less," she said.
But Neva Entrikn, in office supervisor at the art history department, said the increases for classified employees weren't as inequitable this year.
She said the cost-of-living and step increases combined were more than the 5 percent cost-of-living increase that unclassified non-teaching employees would receive, although as high as the increases proposed for faculty.
Teaching faculty would receive the 5 percent cost-of-living increase, plus a 2.8 percent Margin of Excellence
"It's not bad," she said of Hayden's plan.
KU instructor helps plan '88 presidential debates
Bv Kathleen Faddis
Kansan staff writer
When Diana Prentice earned her doctorate in communication studies, she never expected to be planning presidential debates.
"Definitely, it's a major honor," said Prentice. "I am the only midwester for all practical purposes."
Prentice was appointed in August. The Commission is a non-profit, bipartisan organization consisting of the chairmen of the Republican and Democratic national committees and eight elected officials.
But three years later, Prentice, KU instructor in communication studies, finds herself serving on the Advisory Board for Commission on Press-Info Debates.
Two independent studies recommended the involvement of both political parties because of problems in past years with cooperation from the candidates.
Prentice is one of 40 members of the advisory board to the Commission. Other members of the board include former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill; Melvin Laird, secretary of defense in the Nixon administration; Lynda Johnson Robb, daughter of former President Lydon Johnson; and Jody Powell, former President Carter's press secretary.
debates as part of the general election, the parties needed to be involved," Prentice said.
"If we were going to have any chance of institutionalizing the
Prentice, a KU graduate in speech education, was hired by former Gov. John Carlin in 1983 as a part-time consultant. She became a full-time speech writer, until he left office in January 1987.
The board met once in October, and it will not meet again until March
"It was really kind of intimidating
waking into the first meeting," she said.
Prentice was married to the former governor in March. She was recommended to the board after
Prentice has been debating since high school, has written textbooks on debate, and she has conducted research on debate formats at the University of Nebraska. She is the only member of the board with an extensive background in speech and debate. "I'm really trying to represent the research and knowledge of everybody in this discipline," she said.
Carlin mentioned her background to Democratic National Committee Chairman Paul G. Kirk at a debate in July.
The Commission plans three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate. The Commission already has named Sept. 14 and 25 and Oct. 11 and 27 as dates for the debates and has secured commitments from major television networks.
All of the declared Republican and Democratic candidates have promised to keep those dates open so they could participate in the debates, Prentice said.
Seventeen cities bid to host the debates, including Kansas City, Mo., Lincoln, Neb., and Omaha, Neb.
At its first meeting, the advisory board discussed whether to continue to use the format of a press conference and whether to continue using journalists as questioners. The board also considered moving to a format closer to a real debate.
A standard format involves two teams debating a single issue with the debaters asking the questions.
There are advantages and disadvantages to using journalists as questioners. Prentice said.
"You do have people who are informed,have followed the elections and are plugged in." she said.
But she said that using journalists also could be negative. "They are so closely associated that the things they may be view as important may not necessarily be the public agenda."
Prentice said that three agendas
operated in a presidential debate: the press agenda, the public agenda and the candidate agenda.
"The odds of all three of those agendas always meeting up in a debate are not necessarily great," she said.
The board has talked about limiting each 1988 debate to a single broad issue like the economy, foreign policy or domestic issues, she said.
"They were invited to be a part of this Commission and declined the invitation." Prentice said.
The Commission's debates will not replace debates sponsored by the League of Women Voters. The League plans to sponsor four separate debates.
Marilyn Gaar, president of the Johnson County League of Women Voters, said that the League was completely non-partisan and believed it was better able to focus on issues, unlike political parties, whose main focus was putting people in positions of power.
Diana Prentice
She said she hoped the two groups could resolve their differences so that there would not be two separate groups sponsoring debates.