4A the university daily kansan
opinion
EDITORIAL BOARD
monday, january 26, 2004
Friday first day flunks;change needed
Fridays are meant for winding down from a difficult week and getting a start on the weekend. Business people, politicians and even professors are used to ending their day early on Fridays, heading home to begin their two-day break. This revered day is not meant for starting a new semester of classes.
This spring semester however, the University of Kansas violated Friday's role by beginning the new term on the last day of the week. Students and professors alike had to make their return plans before the weekend, with class beginning Friday, Ian.23.
While the semester's start date is the result of a somewhat flukey combination
OUR VIEW
Friday start day is inconvenient for students. It goes against the traditional role of Fridays, and makes students less likely to attend.
of circumstances, it is still an inconvenience to everyone at the University, changing travel plans and violating the traditional role of the day.
This schedule may have come as a surprise to students accustomed to the University's Thursday start day, but it is not a sudden development. The University's calendar is approved and set many years
in advance. It is currently set until 2021 according to Marjorie Swann, chairwoman of the calendar committee. The registrar's office sets the calender based on recommendations from the calendar committee and then the proposed calendar must be approved by the Board of Regents.
A certain number of instructional days must be worked around holidays to fit into the semester. Because 2004 is a leap year, the semester's start date was shifted from the usual Thursday to Friday.
Having one day of class before the weekend diminishes the importance of attending. This sends a message from the University that it is O.K. to stay home.
Receiving a syllabus and sitting through a get-to-know-you session does not rank high on the list of Friday priorities, which may include getting an early seat at The Wheel.
In another four years we will be running into the same situation. It won't surprise us, it won't take us off guard and it hopefully won't cause us the same inconvenience.
The calendar needs to be amended to avoid another Friday start day, so Fridays can return to their proper role as the gateway to the weekend.
Otherwise, the University should stop calling it the first day of class and instead refer to it as "KU Skip Day."
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Hey Missouri, get some new Interstates. The ones you have now suck.
Classes starting tomorrow really doesn't work for me, so I am going to push it back to Monday.
I would just like to say that my boyfriend knows more than the ResNet people. What do you think about that?
exploit, package and sell them to the masses for about a 300 percent markup. For example, what did you pay for that shirt?
It is Monday, Jan. 26. Only 55 days until Spring Break. Good God, that is a long time.
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I have a thing for Women of Distinction.
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Today at the Union I heard somebody say "izzle" after they sneezed. It definitely has gone too far.
I would just like to say thanks to the University for their awesome prank of sending all the freshmen bills to the dorms on the 22nd when we left on the 19th. That was a good prank by the University. Thanks.
I am at the Wendy's off of Sixth and Kasold, and Safe Ride is so going through the drive through and that rocks.
How many Subways can one town have?
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PERSPECTIVE
'Generation Y': Forget individuality, advertisers are out to steal your style
While watching the new teen drama The OC last week (don't you dare judge me), I found myself strangely taken with a Sprite commercial that told me to, among other things, "obey my thirst."
This manipulative commercialization would not stand. I walked over to the refrigerator, grabbed a Pepsi and drank it down in about 10 seconds.
Take that Sprite. You can't tell me what to do. I sat back down on the couch just as character Ryan and Marissa came back on, pleased with my singular act of corporate rebellion.
In a seemingly unrelated incident, I was walking down Massachusetts Street two days later and noticed a Ramones'T-shirt in the window of Urban Outfitters, 1013 Massachusetts St.
While I was standing there, a man came up behind me and asked me if I had a minute or two to answer a few questions.
I told him no, but he apparently took that as a ves.
The man — tall, young, with blindly white teeth and well-dressed in Abercrombie — explained to me that he was a "cool hunter," someone who goes out and tries to find emerging trends among young people. He was particularly interested in Generation Y, and I, in my ripped jeans, circa 1979 Bob Seger T-shirt and Bass Pro Shop jacket, seemed to fit the part.
For the purpose of accuracy, I'm going to recount our interaction as best as I can remember it.
KK: No. I got it from the Salvation Army.
Kevin: Not much. Just walking to my car.
CH: Cool, cool. So did you buy that T-shirt in Urban?
Cool Hunter: So, dude, what's going on?
COMMENTARY
Kevin Kampwirth
opinion@hansan.com
KK: Um, no. It's a thrift shop
CH: What, like the military?
CH: Thrift shop, huh? Well, that's cool, I'm sure things will pick up for you soon. So do you shop at Urban often?
KK: This is actually the first time I've checked it out, and I feel physically nauseated.
CH: Oh, that's cool. So where do you like to,like,shop,dude?
KK: I don't know, wherever. What exactly are you looking to find out?
CH: Well, I go out and find trends before they get big so the multinational conglomerates that hire me can take these trends and
KK:$1.50.
OH: See based on
meeting you, I'll go back and tell my superiors that vintage concert T-shirts are trendy right now. Then, a place like Urban Outfitters will take this idea and start selling these shirts for $35. Get it, dude?
CH: Sorry, dude. You see, Generation Y — the nearly 80 million Americans born between 1977 and 1997 — have just replaced the Baby Boomers as the largest consumer group in America. We're trying to find out what you guys and gals like and dislike so we can market it to the fullest possible extent.
KK: Um, not really. Quite frankly, I feel more sick now than I did five minutes ago. And stop calling me dude.
CH: What are you so worried about? Just think, you could be the poster boy for a whole new trend. Your fellow Gen-Yers will, like, idolize you. Doesn't that sound cool, dude?
KK: I have to sit down.
CH: It's not easy though. Research shows that you Gen-Yers are extremely savvy when it comes to advertising. We can't just flash a slogan like we could before. You guys are too smart for that. We need to make you think that image is
RR: I feel like I'm gonna vomit. I need a Sprite.
KK: Do you hear yourself right now?
How do you sleep at night?
Kampwirt is a Chicago, III., senior in journalism.
PERSPECTIVE
State of the Union can be a laughing matter, but comedy shouldn't override relevant issues
Comedians from shows like Saturday Night Live or Mad TV must salivate over the State of the Union address. No matter what year or president, one can't help but picture the SNL episode with Dana Carvey's Bush Sr. impression drawing so much applause that Carvey could barely utter a syllable before being interrupted by a standing ovation.
Some young adults across the nation watched the State of the Union with the utmost pleasure last week. Oh no, these aren't the political activist students who strive to be the Bushes of tomorrow. These students use the favorite college pastime of a drinking game to mark the event: For every reference to Iraq or the No Child Left Behind Act, the Web site www.drinkinggame.us/ directs participants to take a swig, or two or three, of their liquor of choice.
From the endless standing ovations to the thoroughly peeved Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass), who completed
COMMENTARY
Amy Kelly opinion@kansan.com
But too many issues in the State of the Union have serious implications, particularly in an election year. Regardless of whether you are a Democrat, Republican or reject any label, hearing what Bush has to say — or doesn't say — before November's presidential election is vital.
many an eye roll, getting drunk might seem the best solution to getting through the speech.
According to a CBS News/New York
Times poll conducted in mid-January, Bush's approval rating is at 50 percent, with 45 percent disapproving of his performance.
During his address last week, Bush highlighted accomplishments such as the capture of Saddam Hussein and how effective security has been in the United States. These points absolutely should be acknowledged, but it's time to pay closer attention.
Decidedly missing from the 54 minute speech was any mention of fouryear colleges, financially or otherwise. Following the president's speech, Sen Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) provided a rebuttal that students may find troubling Under the Bush administration, four year colleges' tuitions have increased $600 each year.
Daschle is not off the mark. The College Board, which owns the SAT, released a study in 2003 that showed cuts in state funding were a primary reason why in-
And the war in Iraq? Saddam may be out of commission, but anonymous CIA agents announced this week that a civil war was imminent among Iraq's residents.
Finding humor in the state of the world is important, but don't forget to look beyond the jokes when it comes to areas that could affect the next four years. When you know the issues like the back of your hand, don't forget to treat yourself to a healthy dose of SNL's Horatio Sanz and Jimmy Fallon.
Of more interest to future graduates may be the economy, which is either on the upswing or stagnant, depending on whom you ask. One thousand new jobs were available in December, but plenty of master's degree holders are still doing odd jobs to make the rent.
KANSAN
Michelle Rombck
editor
864-4854 or mburhenn@kansan.com
Kelly is a Overland Park senior in journalism and art history.
Andrew Vaupel
managing editor
864-4854 or vaupel@kansan.com
state tuition for four-year campuses rose 14.1 percent last fall.
Meghan Brune and Johanna M. Maska opinion editors 864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com
Danielle Bose
business manager
864-4359 or adddirector@kansan.com
Stephanie Graham
retail sales manager
864-4358 or adsales.kansan.com
Malcolm Gibson
general manager and news adviser
864-7687 or mgbison@kansan.com
Matt Fisher
sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or mflaher@kanasan.com
Editorial Board Members
Kendall Dix □ Amanda Fletch Lynzee Ford
Laura Francoviglia □ Anna Gregory
Amy Hammontree □ Kelly Hollowell □ Teresa Lo
Stephanie Lovet □ Mindy Osborne
Patrick Ross □ Ryan Scarrow □ Sahe Behunek
Kevin Flaherty □ Brandon Gay □ Zack Hemenway
Alex Hoffman □ Kevin Kampwild □ Army Kelly
Amy Coeron Kooling □ Courtney Kuhlen
Brandi Mathieson □ Travis Metcalf □ Mike Norris
Jonathan Reeder □ Erin Riffey □ Alea Smith