tuesday, february 17, 2004
news
the university daily kansan 34
3A
Students to gain access to Dole Institute archives
By Rupal Gor
rgor@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The largest Congressional archive in the country is at the University of Kansas. And as of now, only 20 students have accessed it.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, west of the Lied Center, has 4,000 boxes of documents and artifacts in its archives from former senator Bob Dole's 36 years on Capitol Hill. Dole's collection is the largest outside of presidential collections.
The documents, which had
never been released to scholars until now, include Dole's speeches, letters and reports while he was in Congress.
These documents contain all sorts of mysteries, said Jonathan Earle, associate director of the institute. Earle, who is also an assistant professor of history, has the students in his Senior Research Seminar class researching the Congressional documents from 1961 to 1969 for their 30-page paper. These students are the first who have accessed to the archive. Anyone may gain access to the archives by making a request to an institute archivist.
The history students toured the archive but were not allowed to physically dig through documents. Instead, Dole archivists brought up documents that the students requested.
"They seem excited in class because they get a chance to see what it's like to get real history," Earle said. "It's a chance to add something to the past."
All of the raw materials in the archive are primary sources that the students can use for their papers. In other words, students aren't looking at the documents based on the slant of a secondary source such as a historian or journalist.
Jean Bischoff, senior institute archivist, said students could research the archives through the database, microfilm and audio and videotapes at the reading room on the main floor in the institute.
Earle's students have gained experience with using archives just like historians do. The archive was a wonderful source for students to learn about the 1960s, he said, with insights into Vietnam and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. They can read letters between Dole and other presidents, watch video interviews
and look at newspaper photos.
It was unbelievable how many artifacts were down in the archives said Matt Tribble, Wheaton, Ill., senior in Earle's class.
"I am thrilled to learn more about how he's contributed to the state of Kansas and to the country as a whole." Tribble said.
His classmate Christine McConnell, Fort Montgomery, N.Y., senior, said she planned on being a historian and thought it was cool to search the archives. She said that Dole's gifts from various admirers interested her.
Gifts included a piece of rock from the Panama Canal, a Nascar
helmet signed by all the drivers, a hammock from the president of Nicaragua and a silk Viagra necktie. There were also photos, memorabilia and letters from former presidents such as John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.
Dole's documents are still being added to the archives and he often calls the institute to access some of his papers.
"Hopefully in the future, scholars from all around the world will come to the Dole Institute to look at this archive," Earle said.
- Edited by Louise Stauffer
Mp3s don't worry local sellers
By Steve Vockrodt svockrodt@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Although researchers claim compact discs will be obsolete in five years, local retailers aren't worried.
Forrester Research issued a study claiming CDs will become relics, much like what happened to cassettes. With more and more consumers downloading digital songs on computers, the recording industry reported a $700 million loss last year. The advent of online music downloading programs and portable mp3 players, such as Apple Computer's iPod, have made downloading a cheaper option.
Despite the grim outlook, local CD shops are confident their businesses can thrive by selling items that seem to have timeless value.
"Everyone told me when I opened up that records wouldn't sell, but I sell more and more every day," said Love Garden co-owner Kory Willis.
Willis said the downloading trend would affect larger chain retailers more than his store. Love Garden, 936 Massachusetts St., caters towards used CDs and independent label music. Willis
said independent rock music had suffered comparatively little from online downloading as opposed to major record labels.
"First off, they don't slap a $19.89 list price on their CDs, which is ridiculous," Willis said.
Jerry Morton, owner of CD Tradepost, said he did not immediately fear the Forrester Research's prediction of the sun setting on CDs. His business added video games and movies to its selection to help offset the effects of dwindling CD sales.
Furthermore, Morton did not think the downloading crisis would have such a drastic effect, mostly because many people still did not have access to music downloading technology.
"We have customers as old as 84 and some as young as two-and-a-half." Morton said. "Not everyone in that age range is downloading music."
CD Tradepost, 4000 W. Sixth Street, still thrives on VHS sales in its video department despite the introduction of DVDs.
Other stores are finding ways to adapt to music downloading technology instead of scouting at the phenomena. 7th Heaven, 1000 Massachusetts St., allows its
customers to return CDs, offering them a chance to burn a copy of it and receive store credit less $4 when they return them. Those CDs are then resold as used for a lower price.
The approach is designed to make CDs cheaper for the consumer, whether they buy them new or used. Kristen Ferrell, manager, also doubted whether CDs will really become extinct.
"I don't think CDs will ever become obsolete because people will want the artwork in their hands," Ferrell said. "You have to make it competitive and cheaper."
Ferrell does acknowledge that the industry has suffered from music downloading, but said stores like hers can thrive by diversifying its selection. 7th Heaven also offers furniture, pipes and other tobacco paraphermalia.
Whatever the approach, local retailers insist that selling CDs can always turn a profit and are not necessarily worried about the future of online downloading.
"If I had to worry about everything I should worry about, I wouldn't get out of bed," Willis said. "Would you?"
Edited by Joe Hartigan
Journalism dean candidate shares ideas with students
By Neeley J. Spellmeier
nspellmeier@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
A finalist for dean of journalism met with students yesterday to discuss what they would like to see in a new dean.
Norton talked about improvements — from housekeeping to curriculum — he thought were necessary.
A dozen undergraduate and graduate students asked Will Norton Jr., dean and professor at the University of Nebraska, questions on issues of convergence curriculum, specialization and fundraising, among others.
"I see floors that need to be varnished, carpeting that needs shampooed, and four side doors but no front door," Norton said of Stauffer-Flint Hall, the School of Journalism building.
He would like to see this improved, with an addition to Stauffer-Flint Hall that includes a grand entrance, he said.
"So when you come in here, you feel like I've come into Yankee Stadium, and we're going to
play the big boys today." he said.
His ideas of what a school of journalism should be may come from his experiences at Nebraska. The school's building is four stories with 60,000 square feet. He said the building had 10 labs and a multimedia newsroom.
Barb Kullbom is a senior in journalism from Lincoln, Neb., who had heard about Nebraska's facilities from friends who attended school there.
She said she thought it was hard to understand his vision for the University's School of Journalism, but he seemed to care about student and faculty input.
Norton believes in change, but not forcing it. A lot of change have occurred in the places he has worked, but it has slowly taken place, he said. He doesn't make changes without the complete consent of all his faculty members, he said.
If he were to become dean, he would make changes, but it may take five to eight years to notice, he said.
Fundraising is one area he is known for increasing at Nebraska, and something he would focus on at the University. At Nebraska, he began by starting scholarships, putting portions of the money donated away to draw interest, and then spending only the interest.
Norton focused on how the University surpassed Nebraska in the strategic communications field, but Nebraska rivals the University in the news and information area. In the mid-1980s Norton said that he would have considered the University's School of Journalism to be the best school in the country for news and information, but that it hadn't maintained that reputation in recent years.
The dean search committee will meet to discuss the candidate tomorrow. The school began its search this academic year when James Gentry, dean of journalism, decided to step down to return to the classroom.
— Edited by Louise Stauffer
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