4a Opinion Monday, April 9,2001 Perspective Vote for senators to help improve student's lives It's that time of year again — time for Student Senate elections. Every year, the Kansan publishes columns about how Student Senate is filled with a bunch of resume-building people. People ask, "Why should I vote? What does Student Senate do for me?" and "What is Student Senate?" Well, I hope this column can clear some things up and convince you to vote Wednesday and Thursday. Contrary to popular belief, I can assure you that Student Senate is not filled with résumé builders. Although many organizations have their share of bad apples (including Student Senate), in my three years on Senate, the majority of people I have known care about one thing: making the University of Kansas a better place for students. For comments, contact Chris Borniger or Nathan Willis at 864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com Despite what coalition senators ran with, that is the mission of the majority of people I have known during my tenure. Having said that, good luck to VOICE, Delta Force and all independent candidates running for Senate. I'm sure that most of you have the same mission as those who have been on Senate before you. Marlon Marshall columnist opinionkasan.com bad on Student Senate, but still, why should I vote? What do you all do for me?" A popular belief is that Student Senate does nothing, that all we do is sit in the room and argue with ourselves. That couldn't be further from the truth. Consider some services that Student Senate has brought to students. So, hopefully, now you are thinking, "Alright Marlon, you have me convinced. Not everyone is Ever performed community service? If not, you should visit the wonderful Center for Community Outreach, which Senate started in 1990. I hope you all had a chance to participate in last week's Into the Streets week Ever been on a KU on Wheels bus? Ever called SafeRide late at night? Not many people know that KU on Wheels and SafeRide are services provided by Student Senate. KU on Wheels is the only student-run bus system in the nation. Ever used a blue phone late at night? Student Senate provides the blue phones and most lights on campus. Next year, the University will have a Fall Break. Fall Break was initiated in Student Senate. Ever needed legal advice? Legal Services for Students, located at the Burge Union, is a service provided to you by Student Senate. Heard about the new course repeat policy? If it passes through University governance later this month, next year, students will be able to retake a course that they received a failing grade in. This initiative started in Student Senate. Need to take a class credit/no credit? Last year, students could only choose that option during the third and fourth weeks of the semester. Student Senate initiated the change to make it during the fifth and sixth weeks of the semester so students would have more time to get a feel for what their classes would be like. Ever been to the Multicultural Resource Center? If not, you should definitely stop by. It is located behind the Military Science building. Student Senate created the Center as a place where students could go to learn more about diversity. Have children while in school? Student Senate created Hilltop Child Development Center, which is now located at its new site next to Stoffer Place. Ever worked out? Within the next couple of years, a new recreation center will be built south of Watkins Health Center. This was a Student Senate initiative. These are just a few of Student Senate's many projects and initiatives. I know that Student Senate is not perfect and has its faults, but I also know that people on Senate work hard for students. So now you are probably saying "Marlon, I see where you are coming from. But really, why are you telling me all this?" Well, in my last few days in office, I've realized something — I care. I care about what goes on at this University, and so do the majority of people in Student Senate. I hope that now you will care and vote Wednesday and Thursday. Mershall is a St. Louis senior in communications and the student body vice president. John Trever/TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES Kansan.com poll Last week's question: Should government money allocated through Medicaid help pay for the abortion drug RU-486? Yes. Few states allow Medicaid dollars to finance abortions, but they should. No. I don't want taxpayer money paying for abortions — period. The money should only help pay for RU- 486 prescriptions to women in the most dire of financial circumstances. - The money should only pay for prescriptions when the mother's life is endangered. Next week's question: In any election, how much would a candidate's background affect you vote? Log on to www.kansan.com to cast your vote. This poll is not scientific. Numbers do not add up to 100 percent because of rounding. Total votes: 224 Perspective Journalists' backgrounds less vital than candidates' Background checks of Student Senate candidates were published today in the Kansan. One candidate has a charge of urinating or defecating in public. There is at least one minor in possession charge and a couple of fake ID charges. Nothing too major. The first charge seems the most bizarre, but then again, when you've gotta go, you've gotta go. No candidate has a record of theft, child molestation or murder. So the question might be posed, why did the Kansan publish the backgrounds at all? We do it because they are political candidates, said Mindle Miller, Kansan managing editor. "But the reason we publish everything all the time is to set a precedent," she said. "If there's a more serious charge next year and we publish it, people will wonder why we didn't publish background The Kansan is not the only newspaper that checks backgrounds. Most reputable news sources do so as well — even if they only publish the "big" charges. Lori O'Toole, Kansan editor, said the Kansan published everything because what's big is "relative." "That just proves that, to some people, a DUI is a big deal," she said. Leita Schultes readers' representative readerserve.kansasan.com checks the previous year." She pointed to President George W. Bush, whose DUI from several years ago resurfaced in last year's presidential campaigns. Still, the publishing of background checks has caused some students to take action. J. D. Jenkins, Shawne senior and president of a new group named Truth in Reporting, said if the Kansan published background checks on Student Senate candidates, his group would publish background checks on Kansan staff members. Jenkins had no problem with background checks, but said minor violations should not be published. "People's employers were seeing this, and people's parents were seeing this," he told the Kansan for a March 28 story. But I'll also say that no one cares. The records of Student Senate candidates — and all people running for public office — are important because those people have the power to decide public policy. Here at the Kansan, we have the power to influence public opinion, but that's about the extent of it. We don't have a real "vote," and if we've disregarded the law in the past, at least we won't be the ones making laws in the future To Jenkins, I say go ahead — check up on the Kansan's staff. It's public record, and the Kansan is not one to hide information. Don't get the wrong idea. Most journalists — including those at the Kansan — have nothing against media watchdogs. But J.D. Jenkins' attempt is misguided. Don't look at staff records. Think of it this way. Most people know — and some people care — that George W. Bush has, on at least one occasion, followed his drinking with driving. Few people know — and even fewer care — whether the editor of the New York Times has a similar record. Instead, look at a newspaper's parent company, or who it's affiliated with. Examine a paper's political leanings. Notice who its major advertisers are, and whether it publishes stories that put that business in a favorable light And if you don't want to disappoint your mom, don’t break the law. Editorial Department can help boost fan attendance Support for the men's basketball team in San Antonio was lackluster. Schultes is a Rolfe, Iowa, sophomore in journalism and religious studies. Last week, the men's college basketball season ended. Kansas coach Roy Williams and his staff will spend the next few months thinking about how they can better recruit, practice or coach to return to the Final Four for the first time in nearly a decade. But the Athletics Department needs to do some critical thinking as well. Fans have always been a big part of Kansas' men's basketball success; helping them attend the team's biggest games of the season could help the department raise some much-needed money. NCAA tournament success earns a lot of cash. Last year, Missouri made $85,000 despite losing in the first round, and Michigan State estimated that reaching the Final Four in 1999 brought in $1.28 million. Despite this incentive, the department is not doing all it can. It needs to help the fans help the Hawks. Many will travel anywhere to watch the Jayhawks play — including San Antonio, where Kansas lost to Illinois March 23. And yet the Alamodome often seemed more like the home court of the Illini than the Jayhawks. The Illini fans all wore the same color and filled the arena with booming cheers and songs. Illinois had only been to two Sweet Sixteens in sixteen years, but the team knew what to do when it got there. Kansas, which has been to nine Sweet Sixteens, could learn some things from them. In San Antonio, fans had to pay $5 each to attend a pep rally — something the department should finance, not the people who traveled several hours just to support the team. The department also should consider asking the Kansas Alumni Association to help organize group trips to boost fan attendance. The department also should publicize the ticket lottery more and hold a sale of all unallocated student tickets on Selection Sunday. Another option would be to let groups that camp out for every conference game apply for tournament tickets. The basketball team's performance proves that if the department hopes for the team to succeed in tournament play, helping put supporters in the seats should be its first priority. Brendan Woodbury for the editorial board Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. The Kansan reserves the right to edit submissions, and not all of them will be published. Slanderous statements will not be printed. For more comments, visit www.kansan.com. 二 The chalked messages by Wescoe prove that Delta Force doesn't care about voter turnout. I just decided to vote for VOICE. 图 --- IF VOICE really wants a student on City Commission, they should have mobilized the vote for last Tuesday's City Commission election because it only takes 4,000 people to get a city commissioner. If United Students has nothing to do with the VOICE coalition, then why was Marlon Marshall attending a meeting for the VOICE coalition at Corbin Hall? Oh my. Scandal. I don't think that Delta Force should be spitting pickets at people at parties. --- For the person who made the KKKU comment, I'm sorry you feel that way. I was at a school I wasn't comfortable with because of it's homophobic vibe. Transferring was my solution. If the article had been titled, "Man beaten with ugly stick," no one would be complaining. 图 To my psychologist teacher, my accounting teacher, my theater and film teacher and my English teacher: Must you schedule all your tests on the same day? There's no reason to have four tests in two days. Thank you. 面 Hey, Department of Student Housing: It's April. Turn on the air conditioning 凿 脂 I'm going to go ahead and vote this Wednesday, mostly because I want the opportunity to vote for someone other than Al Gore or George Bush. I'm 18 years old, working retail half time, and I'm still getting paid more than GTAs do in a year. I think that's wrong. 图 The GTAs might notice an increase in their salaries if they spend more time planning their lessons and less time complying. Our Kansas baseball team, which is ranked last in the Big 12, gets two enormous articles on Thursday's sports page while the women's team which is tied for second place in the Big 12, gets a four paragraph article. looks pretty damn sexist to me. Why is everyone so offended by comments printed in the Kansan? Those people really offend me. I definitely think that Drew Gooden should go pro. At least he could get paid to play for a team that doesn't live up to expectations. Yeah, I'd like to lodge a complaint with God. This weather sucks. How to submit letters and quest columns Letters: Should be double-spaced typed and fewer than 200 words. Letters must include the author's signature, name, address and telephone number plus class and hometown if a university student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions. Guest questions: Should be double-spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run. All letters and guest columns should be e-mailed to opinion@kansan.com or submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Chris Borniger or Nathan Willis at 864-4924. If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call 864-4924. Lana ... Brent O'Neal Managing editors .. Mindie Miller ... Matt Daugherty News editors .. Chris Borniger ... Sara Nutt ... Amy Randolph ... Jason Walker Readers' reps .. Leita Schultes Warisa Chulindra Opinion .. Chris Borniger Associate opinion Nathan Willis Sports .. Shawn Hutchinson Associate sports .. 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