4a
Opinion
Tuesday, April 10, 2001
For comments, contact Chris Borniger or Nathan Willis at 864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com
ABOUT THE ENDORSEMENTS
Editor's note. The Kansan editorial board interviewed the presidential and vice presidential candidates from each coalition separately last week. The board is made up of 11 students of all ages, majors, living and student organizations and backgrounds. Editor Lori O'Toole and managing editor Mindie Miller voted for presidential and vice presidential candidates but not Senate candidates or the referendum issue. Voting was by secret ballot, and the pair who received a majority of the votes was chosen to be endorsed. Chris Borniger, opinion editor, and Nathan Willis, associate opinion editor, did not vote. Board members also endorsed individual candidates for Student Senate. Although board members usually tried to endorse the same number of candidates as there were open seats, when the board did not feel strongly enough about that many candidates, it endorsed fewer. Candidates who did not turn in surveys were not endorsed. Not all candidates provided all information requested. All information the board received is presented here.
ENDORSEMENTS: STUDENT SENATE
Key
◎ = VOICE
△ = Delta Force
★ = Endorsed by *Kansan* editorial board
Architecture
Adam Rich (incumbent) ★
two seats; two candidates endorsed
Omaha, Neb., sophomore in architecture
Umana, Neb., sophomore in architecture "I want to help bridge students' voices to University administration and continue building a strong foundation for the future of Marvin Hall and the School of Architecture."
Jeffrey King ★★
Palatine, Ill., junior in architectural studies "I want to organize more student design projects on campus like a Kansan shelter. I would work to allow Architecture students to design the proposed kiosk. I would work to establish an online review of architecture professors/sudio critics."
Tony Treu
Gladstone, Mo., freshman in architectural design
"I would support design projects for students, much like Marvin's Kansan dispenser. I would support an architecture student-designed campus kiosk (across from Bailey). I would support online reviews of professors, including studio critics."
Chris Baker ▲
Kansas City, Mo., freshman in architecture and architectural engineering Activities/experience; executive board of Architectural Engineering Institute; KU Constructors; School of Architecture Dean's Forum
"I would like to increase student's participation in the governing of the University, particularly in areas of interest to the school of architecture, including parking and the future razing of Lindley annex."
Business
two seats; one endorsed
Rvan Evans ★
Great Bend junior in business
Great Bend junior in business
"I want to increase awareness of opportunities in the School of Business. I would consider alternatives to student printing costs. I would work with business organizations to encourage usage at Student Senate services."
Andy Spikes
Wichita junior
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
10 seats; 10 endorsed
Jonathan Ng ★ ✩
Leawood sophomore in journalism and Spanish
"I would fight to reinstate the technology funding cut by the State Legislature. I would create a student seat on the City Commission. I would work for enrollment reform, which would make sure students got into the classes required for their majors."
Eric Snider ▲ ★
Wichita senior in English
Activities/experience: University Affairs Committee chairman; co-director, Alternative Breaks; Orientation Assistant; All Scholarship Hall Council; Writer's Roost tutor; Applied English Center conversation group leader
"I would work to foster minority retention and student satisfaction through greater community on campus. I would work with the Center for Community Outreach, faculty and administrators to create greater service-learning opportunities. I would continue Delta Force's track record of results."
Brian Hendricks
Overland Park sophomore in biology and pre-med
"I would work to regain technology funding. I would also ensure that any future tuition increases be covered by increase in financial aid. I would work toward establishing a stronger advising team."
Branden Bell (incumbent)
Tusla, OR; junior in political science
Activities/experience: Finance Committee member; Student Media board chairman; KU Mock Trial team captain; College Assembly; CASA and Jubilee Club volunteer
"I would work to establish a bus route up 12th Street. I would also work to ensure graduate teaching assistants have English equivalency evaluations. I would work to make sure students with financial need have in-state tuition."
Aaron Paden
"I would work for a limit in campaign spending. I would work to grant Student Senate candidates more free space for expression. I would work for minority retention."
Lawrence junior in sociology
J.D. Boyle ★
Cleveland, Ohio, junior in political science Activities/experience: Oliver Hall resident assistant; McCollum Hall social chair
"I would work for an online professor database. I would work to increase student involvement on new minors and to increase the number of minors. I would favor English equivalency tests for graduate teaching assistants."
Kate Anderson
"I would work to build an off-campus resource center. I would also work to establish the Jayhawk Station."
Naperville, III., senior in communication studies
Jessica Lucas (incumbent) ●
Wellington sophomore in community leadership and development and strategic communications
Activities/experience: Lecture Series Board; Academic Task Force; Chess Club; Kappa Alpha Theta; Boys and Girls Club coordinator; Regional Prevention Center volunteer
"I would work toward enforcement of the smoking ban 20 feet from doorways. I would also work for improved advising opportunities for freshmen and to make the graduation process simpler and more efficient for CLAS graduates."
Katie Bartlett ▲ ★
"I would continue to encourage Student Senate to put its ideals into practice with more genuine outreach efforts and direct dialogue between students, senators and the University administration."
Shawnee Mission senior in communication studies
"I would work to establish an online evaluation of professors, a way for graduating seniors to reserve necessary classes, and a Jayhawk Station for convenience."
Randy Richardson ⚪ ★
St. Louis senior in communications
"I would improve minority retention and recruitment. I would put student feres to a referendum. I would set up some type of online teacher evaluations."
Hayley Rumback ★
Activities/experience: Sellards
Scholarship Hall vice president; All
Scholarship Hall Council vice president;
KU Young Democrats treasurer; Reserve
Account Task Force; Student Rights
Committee; Lecture Series Board
Wichita junior in political science, history and English
"I intend to improve cooperation between Senate, student housing and the KU administration. I will ensure vocal representation and continue to be an accessible senator."
Gerrv J. Roland
Grandview, Mo, senior in graphics and film
"If elected, I will work to ensure that the voices of minority groups on campus are heard. I will dedicate my time and efforts to search for better solutions to enrollment problems and, lastly, I will continue to press for progress in Student Senate. We must learn to think outside of the box."
Olathe junior in human biology and predental
"I want more personable, practical advising for CLAS students, especially those near graduation. I want stronger advising/support for pre-health majors. I would compile a CLAS class-recommendation catalog."
Amy Rhoades ★
Delta Force is the right choice
ENDORSEMENTS: STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
Wichita senior in biology and psychology Activities/experience: University Affairs Committee; Alternative Spring Break site leader; Alternative Weekend Breaks co-director; symphonic bands; Sellars Scholarship Hall proctor; All Scholarship Hall Council; Mortar Board Honor Society treasurer
Clay Center senior in American studies Activities/experience: Center for Community Outreach co-director; Student Senate executive staff; Concerned, Active and Aware Students co-coordinator; All Scholarship Hall Council community service chair; University Affairs Committee; Douthart Scholarship Hall executive board
"I would like to make sure student fees are increased for good reasons, to increase Senate outreach and to bring service learning to more classes."
Julia Gilmore ▲ ★
"I would support GTAs in contract negotiations, increase support for service learning and community service and pursue accountability with University/corporate contracts."
dental
Sarah Hoskinson ★
Minority recruitment: Hold administration to its promises and educate students and faculty about benefits of diversity on campus.
Delta Force Platform
Recycling: Increase the number of bins and the power of the recycling department. Use money from the Coke contract and Newspaper Readership Program for recycling.
Burton junior in religious studies
Activities/experience: KU Green Party
president
GTAs: Supports the Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition in its contract negotiations with the University of Kansas.
"I would work against the encroaching
Parking: Increase student influence and input with the parking department.
Basketball seating:
Negotiate with the
Athletics Department for
better seats for students as
men's basketball games.
VOICE Platform
Student retention: Develop retention and mentoring program pairing students with faculty from the time they enter the University. Continue work of Minority Recruitment and Retention Committee. Develop a faculty/course evaluation system that students can look at before they enroll
to restore the state's 2-for-1 match of the technology fee students pay.
Lobbving in Topeka: Work
City commission seat:
Create a student city commissioner.
City commission seat:
"Jayhawk Station:
Construct a hub on the lawn near Stauffer-Flint Hall that would provide snacks and periodicals.
ustin Mills' and Kyle
Browning's level-headed, impact-focused agenda convinced the 2001 Kansan editorial board that they would best represent students in the University of Kansas and Lawrence communities as student body president and vice president
After interviewing Mills and Browning, as well as VOICE candidates Jessica Bankston and Hunter Harris, board members concluded that Mills and Browning were the best choice for students. The board endorsed the pair by a vote of 9-2 and strongly encourages all students to vote tomorrow and Thursday.
Mills' and Browning's passion for improving students' lives shines through. Instead of citing a need to lobby the Kansas Legislature — an approach past student body president and vice president candidates often have supported and one Bankston and Harris said they would use — Mills and Browning said they would focus on action at Lawrence and the University.
The board agreed with this need for a strong shift in focus. Although the Student Legislative Awareness Board (which Bankston leads as legislative director) saw considerable success in its voter registration drives, it has experienced little luck at the state capital. Despite the best efforts of student lobbyists, legislators continue to slash the University's budget and raise tuition. Maintaining the standard lobbying approach is a poor idea and certainly won't solve the University's worsening money woes.
"You can only be nice for so long," Browning said. "We need to raise a ruckus."
Instead, the pair said they would focus their energy on changes that would directly impact students. Instead of actively lobbying the legislature, they said they would actively lobby the city commission to avoid laws with students as targets — namely, the new housing ordinance with a three-person
Mills and Browning said they would not abandon all hope in Topeka, however. But they said they would work vigorously to make legislators more accountable.
Justin Mills
Delta Force presidential candidate
Kyle
★ ENDORSED: Vote for Justin Mills and Kyle Browning.
Browning Delta Force vice presidential candidate
Jessica Bankston
VOICE
presidential candidate
limit. And a major plank of their platform included improving minority recruitment and retention as a priority because it would build a healthier University community.
Hunter
Both Mills and Browning tout admirable and leadership-worthy backgrounds. Mills, Lansing senior, was a resident assistant for two years and has been a senator for two years; he's now the chairman of the Multicultural Affairs committee.
International, Students for a Free Tibet, the Student Leadership Team of Ecumenical Christian Ministries and Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice.
Bankston and Harris, however, made compelling arguments for their candidacies. Two of their platform planks sounded promising: a Jayhawk Station to replace the bus shelter in front of Stauffer-Flint Hall, which would be a sort of convenience kiosk, and an improved advising and mentoring process. But their other two planks seem unrealistic. They promise to regain funds the state recently withdrew for technology on campus, a goal that hardly seems likely with Kansas' dreary fiscal future. They also said they would push for a student seat on the city commission — an effort commissioners have repeatedly shot down, citing how University students already have a vote at the polls.
Harris
VOICE
vice presidential
candidate
Browning's record also is impressive, and the board thinks he would make an outstanding student body vice president. His résumé includes membership and leadership positions in a number of diverse organizations: Amnesty
Bankston's background is strong. This is her third year as a senator. During her freshman year, she was on the Recreation Task Force and helped draft a proposal for the new recreation center to be built this fall. She is now SLAB's legislative director (one of the University's primary representatives to the legislature).
This is Harris' first year in Senate. He ran unsuccessfully with the Students First coalition last year, but the Interfraternity Council appointed him to represent it in Senate. His record in Senate is weak; he's sponsored a relatively few bills this year (six, compared with Browning's 15) and is the chairman of the Campus Master Plan Task Force, which hasn't even had its first meeting yet. These factors, combined with the vague answers he gave to the editorial board, led the board to conclude that he would not be an adequate student body vice president.
The board sees the endorsement of Mills and Browning as an endorsement of change. They have proven they have the energy and the ideas to make the University a better place for students.
Chris Borniger for the editorial board
Chris Borniger
Ballot issue would expand student rights
Students should pass a referen-
Students can't bring Legal Services attorneys to hearings involving disputes with the University — though they can bring a private attorney, which few students can afford. The University perpetuates a double standard by allowing costly private
Sudden that would allow them to enlist the help of Legal Services for Students attorneys in grievance hearings against the University of Kansas — but they shouldn't expect much to happen as a result.
points. Bringing attorneys to hearings stifles communication and fosters hostility on each side. Yet this should not be an excuse to deny students their rights. The administration could amend the rule, say, to allow attorneys only if a first hearing without attorneys was unproductive. Such a policy would satisfy some administrators' stated concerns while safeguarding students' rights.
★ ENDORSED: Vote yes, to allow Legal Services for Students attorneys to accompany students to grievance hearings against the University.
attoeurs but barring one免们. Under the proposed rule, attorneys could not advise students during the hearing but could before and after. This policy ensures minimal interference by attorneys while assuring that students' rights are not violated.
attorneys but barring free ones.
Even if it passes overwhelmingly, however, the administration can and likely will veto it. Student Senate has passed this rule before, and the administration has consistently rejected it, saying it would legalize informal hearings. We hope that overwhelming student support this time could change its stance.
corporate monopolization of services and goods on campus. I would improve the University's recycling program. I would advocate students"interests/rights in city government."
Students already pay for Legal Services; this proposal, which wouldn't increase student fees, would allow it to serve students in another way.
Lawrence senior in history and religious studies.
Administrators have some valid
Galen Turner
"I would like to see the University divest, improve recycling and return to educational rather than monetary goals."
Nathan Willis for the editorial board
Dannv Valeios ★ ★
"I would like online databases with teacher evaluations. I would like a mentoring program within areas of study to help advising. I would like money to build and improve area for students (Unions, Jayhawk Station)."
Activities/experience: Sigma Chi philanthropy chair
Plano, Texas, junior in secondary science education
Josh Boots ★
John Giampaoli (incumbent)▲
"I would improve the facilities in the Wescoe building and increase the amount of money KU receives for faculty and technology."
Jesse Oehler ▲
"I would like to see a Student Senate that is more effective at the student level and more responsive to the needs of everyday students."
Overland Park senior
Topeka junior in genetics and pre-medicine
Activities/experience: resident assistant;
Alternative Weekend Break, co-
coordinator; orientation assistant.
Education four seats; three endorsed
Haven junior
"I would give more direction to residence hall recycling, improve the student seating at basketball games and make students realize that Senate is working for them."
Education
"I want to help create a more diverse and unified campus community, including better minority recruitment. I want to secure a bus route to JRP and secure bulletin board space for students in JRP."
Megan Sears ★
Erie junior in pre-physical therapy Activities/experience: University Affairs Committee; Pre-Physical Therapy Club president
"I want a bus route to JRP. I want a mentoring program that pairs up students currently in the School of Education with pre-education majors to assist with advising. I would fight to keep more anatomy dissection and observation labs available, especially to pre-physical therapy majors."
Tracy Chiles (incumbent) ★
Shawne junior in secondary education
Activities/experience: University Affairs
Committee secretary; Delta Delta Delta
Sorority vice president of public relations
"I would make a bus route to JRP. I would plan a mentoring program that pairs up current School of Education majors with pre-education majors to assist with advising.I would make a polling site at JRP to serve education constituent needs."
Engineering four seats; two endorsed
Andrew Giessel ▲ ★
Lamed sophomore in computer science "I would like to see more done with senator outreach and have more engineering created, and to be a strong voice for issues I find important."
Frie Braun ▲ ★
St. Louis sophomore in computer engineering and Russian
Activities/experience: Academic Computing and Telecommunications Committee; Academic Services Task Force; Technology Funding Subcommittee; KU Young Democrats executive board; LeaderShape 2001
"If elected, I would work on increasing Senate's outreach, make senators more accountable to their constituents and work
on increasing the student body's awareness of Senate's activities."
Nikki Leclaire @
Shawnee junior in architectural engineering
Activities/experience: Society of Women Engineers secretary; Illuminating Engineering Society; Architectural Engineering Advisory Council; Architectural Engineering Institute; Engineering Olympics Planning Committee
"I would extend hours for Spahr Engineering Library. I would install a free phone in Learned. I would research what the engineering fee covers and ensure it is benefitting students to its maximum potential."
"I would extend hours for Spahr Engineering Library. I would improve the computer networking system in Learned. I would form a subcommittee to oversee distribution of funds from the Engineering Fee."
Andy Knopp (incumbent)
Wichita freshman in chemical engineering Activities/experience; American Institute of Chemical Engineers; Senate Outreach Board; Finance committee; Templin Hall Government; Engineering Student Council
Mhattan freshman in mechanical engineering
Activities/experience: University Affairs committee; Engineering Student Council; Engineering Olympics committee; Students Tutoring for Literacy; Music Mentors.
"I would extend Spahr Engineering Library hours. I would install free phones in Learned. I would increase student representation on the Space Allocation committee, so our voice will be heard on the Learned Hall expansion."
three seats; three endorsed
Lawrence junior in theater and voice
Activities/experience: KU Choral Society; Chamber Choir; KU Opera Theatre; KU Opera Workshop; KU Women's Chorale.
Larrv Goltz ★
"Since the School of Fine Arts has been cut $90,000 for the upcoming year, it will not be able to help some of the many fine
Fine Arts
Chicago senior in music education Activities/experience; marching band; basketball pep band; volleyball pep band; concert band; Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia; Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity
Kelly A. Schellman ▲ ★
arts organizations (bands, choirs, dance, arts). It is my goal to add an intelligence and make student senate aware of the many F.A. organizations that involve over 60 percent of students that are not in the school of Fine Arts and that the need of Student Senate is vital in the uploop of some of these organizations."
"I hope to dispute the budget cut in certain programs and to increase awareness of under-funded fine arts organizations. I hope to bring about increased influence of fine arts organizations that involve many non-maiors."
Sarah Brenner (incumbent) ★
"I would support more band and choral activities. I would support more scheduling availability for mandatory and elective FA courses. I would support publicized professor/GTA evaluations (especially Drawing I, II and Design I, II)."
B. Cooper Priess
St. Charles junior in industrial design "I would get the School of Fine Arts named so it can have more funding."
Leah Hamilton
Springfield, Mo., freshman in vocal performance and music education
"I will promote landscaping of the new addition of Murphy Hall, support the use of Fine Arts list server and aid attendance of University shows."
Ashlev Paterson
Smith Center freshman
Activities/experience: Fine Arts senator; Association of University Residence Halls senator; Hashinger Hall government; Music Therapy Student Association.
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