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Opinion
Thursday, April 5, 2001
For comments, contact Chris Borniger or Nathan Willis at 864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com
Perspective Paltry turnout demands shift in debate format
The checklist for a good debate between candidates for student body president and vice president was a successful vote.
Candidates for student body of college and vice president was almost complete. Candidates from both coalitions? Check. An impartial moderator? Check. Substantive questions? Check. Supporters from both coalitions? Check. Undecided students interested in hearing what candidates had to say?
Oods. Someone forgot about those.
Of the nearly 100 students at the debate Tuesday night, few (if any) hadn't already made up their minds. As I gazed around the Kansas Union Ballroom, almost everyone I recognized was a member of one of the coalitions. Optimistically, I assumed that some of those I didn't recognize must be students who wanted
to gean more about the coalitions and candidates before they voted. I was wrong.
As the debates began, each section of chairs — one on each side of a center isle — became a coalition's cheering section. VOICE sat on the west side, Delta Force on the east. When VOICE presidential candidate Jessica Bankston slammed her a point, cheers erupted from the west side. When Delta Force presidential candidate Justin Mills
Nathan Willis associate opinion editor opinion@kansan.com
At one point, Bankston asked VOICE Student Senate candidates to stand up. Almost everyone from the west side did.
returned the slam, applause burst forth from the east. It felt like a volleyball match with the center aisle as the net. Cheer louder than the other side, score a point.
Any undecided students who were there must have felt out of place among such partisan rancor. I know I did.
An event with the primary purpose of informing students turned into little more than two campaign rallies held at the same place at the same time. Like amateur beauty queens parading in front of their families in their living rooms, the candidates did little more than strut around and flash a smile to people who already supported them.
As Jessica Bankston said during her response to the last question Tuesday night, "Most students don't even realize what Student Senate does."
Having debates at which no students without aspirations of joining Senate show up doesn't help.
What makes it especially irritating is that the night held so much potential. True, there were topics such as lobbying that would make most students yawn, but questions about the newspaper readership program, the new recreation center, parking and a possible new snack bar on campus dealt directly with student concerns. Each side said some dumb things, but each said smart things as well. True, both sides bickered some, but more often they stuck to the issues.
It was a civil debate, full of issues relevant to students. But it was a debate few students heard.
As poor as turnout is for Student Senate elections, about 4,000 students still vote every year. The debate, contrary to its express purpose, informed almost none of them.
I've heard people argue that the debate still helps some voters because they read about it in the Kansan the next day. That may be true, but if that's the only good the debate does, it would be much easier for the Kansan simply to conduct in-depth interviews with the candidates. It would save the time and hassle of setting up the debate and provide a higher-quality story than the one on the debates, which the reporter has to pound out on deadline.
I'm sure many people involved with the election would find that option unacceptable, and they should. After all, students should have the opportunity to witness their candidates speaking first-hand.
The elections commission and candidates had the best intention with the debate. The commission wants more students to vote. The candidates, assuming they believe in the strength of their platforms and debating skills, would like the opportunity to win more converts.
That's why the format of the debates needs changed. Change the time. Change the place. Change how it's promoted. But please, don't be afraid to change something. In terms of informing students, it couldn't be any worse than it is now.
Willis is a Sterling senior in journalism.
THE DECLINE OF U.S. PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Graham Moyer/KANSAN
Kansan report card
Pass:
The University Registrar's office. Taking a giant leap into the 21st century, administrators will make grades available online. Is online enrollment far off? Don't hold your breath.
Four KU programs. U.S. News and World Report ranks two graduate programs No. 1, and two more make the top 10. The University's rank in black stretchy Lyca pants wearing remains shamefully low, though.
Dwindling campus crime rates. Rates dropped 12 percent in 2000 from 1999 numbers, thanks to fewer thefts. But if any of you feel like stealing something, how about the necessary technology for online enrollment?
Fail:
Office of Organizations and Leadership. Administrators decide not to punish Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, where 16-year-old Sean Scott was coerced to drink before driving drunk and killing a Lawrence woman.
Kyle Browning. Delta Force candidate for student body vice president drops the F-bomb during debate. Does that campaign fund account for soap to clean that foul mouth?
Jessica Bankston. VOICE candidate for student body president slams Delta Force's record during debate, claiming "VOICE produces results." Wait ... We thought you guys were a new coalition. Insert foot in mouth.
Perspective
Satire page walks fine line between fun and offensive
Go to the web site or "America's finest News Source," and you'll see a handful of intriguing headlines.
"Pillarsy Doughboy Killed By Skittish,
Broom-Wielding Housewife."
"Girlfriend Changes Man Into Someone She's Not Interested In."
*Cardinals Blasted For Negative Campaign*
*Treaties In Palmetto Bee.*
The site is theion.com.
 Its news is questionable,
but its humor quotient is high — and the Hilltopics page of Monday's Kansan tried to follow suit.
Some thought the April Fools' day joke was funny. Others thought it fell short. And then there were those who were just offended.
Dave Braham, Houston senior, wrote a letter to the editor that one of the articles, "Woman beaten with ugly stick," became the topic in one of his classes.
Leita Schultes readers representative opinion@kansan.com
"Personally, I was extremely offended," Braham said, adding that the story put women in an inferior position based only upon their looks.
Nathan Willis, the author of the parody, justified himself by saying it was never his intention to portray negative stereotypes.
"Attitudes of women being beaten with ugly sticks or just being beaten at all tells the reader that first, a woman must be pretty to be safe or taken seriously, and second, if anyone is going to be beaten it will be a woman," he said.
"Several women in the newsroom read it and thought it was funny," he said. "Potentially, any humor can be offensive to someone."
"Did you realize all of the stereotypes and negative images you were supporting when you wrote this article?" she asked in a letter. "And if so, how do you justify this as funny?"
Willis also said he was trying to make a point about society at large, with statements such as
Julie DePauw, St. Louis senior, agreed.
police have "cautioned everyone to avoid contact with males."
The comment, he said, was aimed at police and newspapers who identify suspects as African-American.
"That casts suspicion on a huge population and is unfair to everyone in that population," he said. "We were trying to make fun of that."
The easy reaction to those who didn't see the humor is to tell them to lighten up.
Tom Eblen, the Kansan's general manager, was also disappointed in the page's final result, saying "I was less amused than I wanted to be"
He found the page juvenile and said several aspects were offensive. But he added that "any satire can be offensive. It really has to be very well crafted."
But that may not be the best response.
That would have been satire, he said. Both men said satire usually needed to be more than funny — it had to have a point. But both also acknowledged the possibility of an age gap between themselves and the students who read the Kansan.
Malcolm Gibson, assistant professor of journalism, questioned why the "ugly stick" story wasn't about a man instead of a woman.
"That would have been satire." he said.
Kristi Elliott, features editor, said the spoof page was an annual tradition at the Kansan on April Fools' Day, and compared it not only to The Onion, but also to The Daily Show and David Letterman — all of which have met with success.
She said the page could have been improved if more time had been spent on it (couldn't everything?), but regardless, she thought it appealed to students.
The Kansas should walk the fine line between offensive and funny more often and have a parody page on a regular basis. It would get more students to pick up the paper.
She was right. The page was humorous, and the majority of the people I talked to agreed.
And hopefully once they had it in their hands, they'd read some front-page news as well.
Editorial
Schutes is a Rolfe, Iowa, sophomore in journalism and religious studies.
Permit hike unfortunate but necessary
Students will help foot the bill for a parking garage with disappointing earnings.
While student fees will be increasing across the board next year, it appears likely that the price of parking permits will also increase, saddling students with even more costs in next school year. Parking permits for students are expected to increase from $75 to $90. Although the increase is necessary, it's also unfortunate because students are being forced to pay for a parking garage failing to meet expectations.
The fee for student parking permits has not increased since 1997, mostly because of the chancellor's promise that the fee would not be increased for four years while 2,000 new spaces were added by the year 2000. This goal was met thanks to the new garage. Although the garage has added spaces, it has also added debt.
Donna Hultine, assistant director of the parking department, said the University was committed to paying for the garage. If the cost of permits did not increase, then the University would be unable to fulfill its commitment, as the parking garage has not raised the revenues the department expected. Hultine said she didn't expect the garage to increase its profits next year.
She also said the fee increase is not definite yet, but is probable. It now awaits the chancellor's approval.
The fee increase is necessary, especially because the fee has not increased during the past four years. Hultine said the parking department had not increased the fee for student permits despite rising costs of salaries and other costs required to run the department
But the large increase seems excessive, especially considering that the increase in 1997 was from $50 for residence halls and $53 for yellow permits to the current $75. An increase to $50 for the upcoming year would make permits for 2001 nearly double the cost students had to pay in 1997.
The fee increase is clearly necessary, but it is highly unfortunate that the students are stuck with the tab for the parking garage — especially when so few of those spaces are reserved for students.
Emily Haverkamp for the editorial board
free all for
864-0500
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Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. The Kansas reserves the right to edit submissions, and not all of them will be published. Slanderous statements will not be printed. For more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
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People walk through a little tunnel for 15 minutes and think that they know what it's like to go through the Holocaust? Give me a break.
KU? More like KKKU.
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KU's idea of public safety is driving around, handing out parking tickets. And now people wonder why there was a KU student missing?
The homeless sleepout is a very respectful way of learning about homelessness from those people who have experienced it. It gives them a chance to tell their stories and gives an open forum for people who would like to know more about homelessness in Lawrence.
.
Free for All is good for a while. But hey,
I think it time to shut it down.
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I can't even curse at my own dinner table, but apparently that Delta Force kid can curse at a public debate.
I just wanted to say that all the GTAs complaining about making no money should become student hourlies, and then they'll really know what it feels like to make no money. Thank you.
I don't get why I went to the debates. They were retarded. I'm still going to vote.
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This is to the person who said we smokers should pick up our nasty butts from the campus. Yeah, if we had ashtrays to put the cigarettes out in, yeah, I'd be happy to do that.
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I really care about how my school is run, and I'm going to vote in Student Senate elections April 11 and 12.
To the people complaining about the "Woman beaten with ugly stick" article: Calm down, it was a iike.
The only people who have a right to criticize Senate are those who vote.
Hey guys, I encourage every freshman and sophomore male on campus to take advantage of the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center in Strong Hall. Not only do they help you with plotting out your schedule and planning for your major, but the office is loaded with babes. There are some major cutes in there, and they're very helpful as well.
B
A lot of girls I know don't like Britney Spears, and I know why. She's perfect.
Hi. Last semester, I had a 1.7 GPA.
Over the break I grew a mullet, and now I have a 4.0.
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I'm dropping out. Who's coming with me?
How to submit letters and guest 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 columns: 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 Fint-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.
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