Tuesday, April 3, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section A • Page 5
Letters to the Editor Article reinforces stereotypes
Did Nathan Willis realize all of the stereotypes and negative images he was supporting when he wrote the article "Woman beaten with ugly stick" yesterday? And if so, how does he justify this as funny? Has the frequency of violent acts against women numbed us to the fact that these occurrences are not a joke but a daily concern and fear that women must live with, that women must survive? It is a completely unfortunate fact that women are most often the victims and men the most common perpetrators of this violence, yet it is a fact. And downplaying this fact by saying "So I would avoid males at all costs" demeans the real and immediate concerns of all women: all humans.
Not only do women have to take precautions daily to protect themselves from real threats of physical violence, but they also have to deal with the onslaught of stereotypes and expectations in our society of what it is to "be a woman" — which you, Mr. Willis, uphold so well in your article. Is it a coincidence that your chose a woman to be "beaten with an ugly stick"? Is it a coincidence that most social images of women stand up to an unhealthy norm of "beautiful" and that women are the most common victims of image-related illnesses?
You may have been trying to be funny, but please in the future realize it's only respectful to parody situations that you fully understand first; otherwise you may not understand the full impact of what you are saying.
Julie DePaww
Julie DePauw
St. Louis senior
Story depicts women negatively
In yesterday's April Fools' issue, there was an article titled "Woman beaten with ugly stick." This article became the topic in my women's studies class as we struggled to figure out its purpose and whether it was a joke.
Personally, I was extremely offended. The article puts women in a position of inferiority and self-concern as it questions what happens to women if their looks are less than pleasing or under par or how the article states — "ugly."
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. As if we women don't have to worry about the social stigma of being pretty already. I can assure you that any women who read the article who already had a negative self-image did not react with laughter or concern to this article. Ideas and publications such as these are a major concern to our society as a whole if we want to change the aspect of women by giving them more equality in an already male-dominated society.
Women deserve equal pav
Dave Braham
Houston senior
Achieving fair pay for women continues to be a struggle for America. The problem is complex. Sometimes women do not receive equal pay for doing the same job as their male counterparts. Because socialization is not free from sex bias, we continue to wrestle with stereotypes about women — including what kind of work is appropriate and the importance of their jobs. Even if they are equal in value, women's jobs pay less. The Institute for Women's Policy Research found the wage gap in to be 70.2 percent, meaning women receive only 70 cents for every dollar men make in positions of comparable skill and responsibility. Nationally, the Census Bureau reports that the average woman earns just 72 cents compared with the average man's dollar. Although many believe that women's equality has been achieved, there are still unnecessary and unjust barriers women must face to achieve success. To find out more about pay inequity, come to the Union to participate in Equal Pay Day today. Economic equity is an issue that affects all of us. Working together, we can ensure that all Americans get the respect that comes with a fair paycheck.
Amy Price Lawrence senior
Berkeley Flats ignoring tenants
Thank you for taking the time to cover the cable issue at Berkeley Flats Apartments ("Berkeley Flats tenants mad about cable dispute," March 16).
I'd have appreciated a more critical assessment of the Nolan Estates Services representative that said "the management wanted to keep its residents happy and would be more willing to talk with residents and address their concerns." If Berkely Flats management has concern for its tenants, as stated, why did it take four months for them to respond to 21 tenants who, as a group, presented a civil and reasonable request in writing?
Apparently, they did not care for the tenants, as they neglected the fundamental issue, which the tenants must now accrue an out-of-pocket cable expense. In fact, Nolan management became responsive only after repeated pressure from tenants and their perseverance to deter management's traditional delay and no-response policy.
Management's argument of a "direct no rent increase" to concerns regarding cable is inconsequential, for the related 21 tenants who were covered by an existing lease that protected them from a rent increase. Berkeley Flats, regardless of any changes in contractual agreements with Sunflower Cable, was still obligated to its tenants not to indirectly increase the rent. This is why we were upset but not "mad."
Berkeley Flats management is now tricking out relief to some tenants, but it is leaving the balance of ignored tenants in a quandary to management's publicly stated concern for them.
Raymond duVale Berkeley Flats tenant
University rejects minorities
You recently published several letters on the racial atmosphere at the University of Kansas and the role of the School of Journalism. The first expressed sorrow with the this atmosphere. As a journalist or KU administrator, I would be deeply concerned because this letter suggests that serious problems are not being appropriately addressed either in the J-School or the KU campus.
The second letter appears to defend Kansan coverage of the Black Student Union but did not realize that your reporter reported only hearsa. This is not defensible by his claim that the "Kansan is an amateur newspaper made up of rookies." If this claim is valid, it
appears that the J-School is not adequately educating its students and lends credence to claims of racism.
The letter by Janice Davis is a public relations statement by a school that has been repeatedly embarrassed for several years for its treatment of minorities on campus. The Kansan has published articles dealing with the University's difficulties with recruiting and retaining minorities that consistently fail to address the major problem. That is, the University is a hostile environment for minority faculty, and minority students are aware of this. They perceive their mentors as unhappy and find the campus to be an unfriendly place, without sanctuaries. This perception was reinforced when the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences voted down a proposed requirement for all students to take a course in American diversity.
Last fall, I taught a course with numerous minority students. I underwent a surgery and asked an award-winning lecturer to fill in during my recovery. When CLAS and my department found out, associate dean Robert Weaver and an departmental administrator showed up to remove my lecturer and provoke a confrontation covered in the Lawrence Journal World. It is important to imagine the effect that this confrontation had on my minority students.
I am not the only minority faculty to have such experiences. This year Michael Cuenca was denied promotion and tenure. Ms. Davis states that "Cuenca's dismissal from the School of Journalism is by his own hand" — implying somehow that he committed suicide. Cuenca has more publications than all White J-School faculty combined, and is a well-respected teacher. Therefore, what factors other than his ethnic identity and aggressive stances in favor of diversity were reasons for his termination? Last year, 11 minority faculty members were terminated by the University. The number of minority faculty is at a seven-year low. New minority hires have decreased every year since Chancellor Hemenway arrived. Minority graduate students have told me that they would not consider taking jobs at the University after what they have seen happens to minority faculty. In light of this, Ms. Davis' letter seems silly and self-serving.
One problem with minority recruitment and retention is that administrators seek out minorities more interested in professional advancement than minority recruitment and retention. Most minorities are not impressed by these individuals, avoid them and end up leaving because of a lack of acceptable role models. I applaud serious attempts by the University to increase diversity, but the only way that diversity will actually increase is if the atmosphere changes and minority faculty are free to speak without fear of retaliation from an administration that preaches diversity while demanding conformity.
Raymond Pierotti associate professor of biological sciences
Alumni will work to save teams
The Athletics Department cities budget problems for the programs' termination. I realize the swimming team does not generate much revenue. But I know it requires only a small amount of the Department's expenditures.
As an former swimmer at the University of Kansas, I am quite upset about the Athletics Department's decision to terminate the men's swimming and diving and the men's tennis programs. The reasons put forth for this decision only exacerbate my disgust with the Athletics Department's inability to do what is best for the student-athletes, past, present and future.
I understand the theory of improving the football facilities to perpetuate a better program. Maybe this will happen; maybe it won't. But the Department has far exceeded the amount of money it should be willing to contribute to football.
Meanwhile, the swimming teams have been practicing in poor facilities for 20 years. In fact, some of the problems with Robinson Natatorium could be considered health hazards, such as a poor ventilation system that, after a difficult workout, sometimes causes swimmers to cough so violently that they can't sleep or experience upset stomachs. However, as swimmers, we accepted these nuances, continued to train hard and knew that unless we were lucky enough to have generous alumni donate the required funds to build a new pool, that we would most likely never see the day when KU athletics would provide these facilities.
The ironic thing is that the KU swimming and diving programs have some of the most generous alumni. They are a tightly knit group of people who, year after year, demonstrate Jawhawk pride. Our alumni weekend is amazing. I don't know of other teams that annually have such an event. This weekend is financed by the most zealous alumni, who continue to do this because the turnout is phenomenal, they love KU swimming, they have a strong commitment to follow tradition and they love being Jawhawks.
It is an injustice that these people were not notified of "budgetary issues" that ultimately left their program in jeopardy. These people would go out of their way to protect the program and keep the tradition alive.
I seriously question the motives behind the termination of these programs. I also express serious concern for the future of the women's teams. Part of my decision to leave California to attend the University was because of the close ties between the men's and women's teams. Taking away the men's team cuts the family in half. The women's team will suffer. But maybe the department is just planning on cutting the women's team next year.
Swimmers work hard, possibly harder than any other sport. And they do this with very little recognition. Their sport is seldom televised. It is a rarity for a swimmer to turn pro and actually make a living doing the sport they have dedicated their life to for years. Yet they are among the brightest athletes. They succeed in the classroom. They graduate. They move on to successful careers and become upstanding citizens. Most importantly, they know the value of hard work
— the 5.a.m. workouts, the five hours plus of training each day, the weekends spent sleeping instead of partying and the Christmas breaks spent at the pool instead of with family.
It's time for the Department to reassess its decision-making. Take a look at what is best for student athletes. Where will the money saved go? To further renovate Memorial Stadium? To raise the salaries of administrative positions? Will its usage benefit student-athletes? Will the benefits of saving this money outweigh the costs of not only losing these and future student-athletes but also the pride and support of alumni!
Tracey McCallay
KU alumna
Irvine, Calif., resident
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