4a --- Opinion Tuesday, January 16, 2001 Perspective For comments, contact Chris Borniger or Nathan Willis at 864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com Kansan staff has experience under its belt Many Kansan readers may not realize that while the newspaper's staff is working daily to put out a newspaper, we're also students with classes, other jobs and other activities. We try to uphold the publication's standards and professionalism, but we realize we're not error-proof and that we're still learning. The Kansan is different from many college newspapers because it is part of the School of Journalism, thus serving as a laboratory for students. Each semester, the Kansan begins with an entirely new staff. More than 150 students fill positions — including management copy editors, reporters and designers — and learn to do their jobs as best they can. As with all careers, part of the learning process is learning from mistakes — something all newspapers make, including the Kansan. Students have asked me if Kansan staff members get embarrassed because of the corrections we will on page 2A: we don't like getting things wrong. But when we do, it's our job to provide readers the accurate information. College papers are not the only ones that do this — it isn't unusual to see several corrections in *The New York Times* and other respectable papers across the country. Many people assume that college newspapers are more error-prone than professional newspapers. Perhaps it's this assumption. Three semesters ago, I was a Kansan reporter. Like many other Kansan staff members, I had worked at a professional newspaper, in my case The Wichita Eagle, before accepting a position at the University's student newspaper. tion that leads sources to distrust reporters from college newspapers at times. Lori O'Toole editor editor@kansan.com I could sometimes tell a difference between how I was treated by sources when I introduced myself as a reporter from a college newspaper rather than as one from a professional paper. Once, a source told me that he would not continue an interview because he did not have time to deal with an inexperienced journalist. — one that he later told me was well done. This semester, many of the reporters on staff are no different. Some have covered newsworthy events and crime for hometown newspapers both in and out of state. They have written articles for *The Kansas City Star* and the Associated Press. I wasn't inexperienced, I assured him, telling him about some of the articles I had written in the past. He seemed a bit surprised and agreed to continue the interview, which gave me adequate information to write a front-page article But the experience doesn't stop with our reporters. Many of the editors, photographers and online staff members have worked at local newspapers and large metropolitan newspapers. After graduation in May, many of the same people will leave Mt. Oread to work in newsrooms across the country, including The Washington Post and The New York Times. Students are the force behind the Kansan, but that does not hinder us from acting professionally and putting our valuable experience to use. College newspapers are unique, not only because they're training grounds for young journalists, but also because they reflect the characteristics, attitude and people that make up the student body. Let us know when an issue comes up that you think is important and would like to see in the paper. Feel free to contact us via e-mail, letters, Free for All, calling or stopping by the newsroom at 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall. The door is always open. O'Toole is a Wichita senior in English and Journalism. She is the *Kansas* editor. Clav McCuistion / KANSAN Kansan.com poll This week's question Do you think city commissioners purposely voted on the housing ordinance the night before Stop Day,when students were preparing for finals and the Kansan had stopped publishing for the semester? Yes. They wanted to curb student reaction to the vote. No. The timing of the vote was merely a coincidence. How to submit letters and guest columns Log on to www.kansan.com to cast your vote. 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-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Chris Borniger or Nathan Wills at 865-4924. If you have general questions or comments, e-mail the page staff (opinion@kansan.com) or call 864-4924. Free for All is the telephone public forum for the Kansan. 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. 864-0500 864-0500 Hey Chenowith, I'm a nobody in the stands. Hi! 图 Why is there a 'Heil, Williams' on our phone book cover? --drag it out. Let's get to the table.' We said, 'All right, we'll listen." I hate KU parking and George Bush. Editorial Timing of vote on housing law muffled KU students' opinions The Lawrence City Commission sent a harsh message to students when it voted to draft an ordinance that would limit to two the number of unrelated people who could live together in certain neighborhoods: We don't care what you have to say. The vote took place Dec. 12, the day before Stop Day — a time that presented several problems for students. Foremost, it meant the meeting was held a mere 36 hours before final exams began. Asking students to choose between their grades and their housing is unfair. It also meant that many students were left in the dark about the decision because the Kansan stopped publishing the day of the vote. The City Commission shouldn't have voted on the housing ordinance the day before Stop Day. After about 60 students showed up for a Nov. 1 Planning Commission meeting at which the ordinance was reviewed, fewer than 10 showed up for the Dec. 12 City Commission meeting. That may have given the commissioners the false impression that students didn't care about the ordinance. Holly Krebs, chair of the student rights committee and an organizer of opposition to the ordinance, said timing had a lot to with sparse attendance. "(Commissioners) undermined the public input process," she said. "By scheduling it on Stop Day eve, they sent the message, 'We're not looking for public input, so we can just pass.'" However, Mayor Jim Henry insists the commission was not trying to slight students by voting when it did. He also points out that the commission made sure to avoid further votes on the issue before students returned from break. "We were responding at that point to pleas from our citizens," he said. "They said, 'Don't But intentional or not, the commission should have realized that it was effectively excluding one side from the debate. It sent out the message that no matter what students had to say it wasn't listening. "This is one of those very difficult issues that is prone to misunderstanding," Henry said. But that's exactly why the commission needed to make sure that both sides could participate in the debate before it voted. Luckily, students have two more chances express their opinions before the ordinance becomes law. The first is the Tuesday, Feb. 6 commission meeting. Students should swamp the commission chamber at that meeting to make up for their absence Dec. 12. Students have to show the City Commission they won't be silenced. Nathan Willis for the editorial board Perspective 2001: the year Dubya blasts into space I get somewhat wistful when a new year dawns. New Year's Day promises winds of momentous change, of unfettered optimism, of turning over a new leaf. putrid cloud of pessimism has carried over into 2001. As I awakened Jan. 1, I noticed those winds had a bitter scent (and it wasn't because my senses still were recovering from the previous evening's bourbon-fuelled revelry). YJK waked intoUTNESS, and a The curtain may have descended upon the year of Elian, dot com implosions and the notorious pregnant chad, but the script for this year's act looks much like last year's. Chris Borniger opinion editor opinion@kansan.com Under the intense tutelage of television psychic Miss Cleo, I've developed a keen sense of foresight. So here's Mystic Bornipants' list of predictions for 2001: President George W. Bush will be the first American president ever launched into space. On his return, Bush will tell a group of reporters, "I've always been interested in astronomy." A NASA representative will tell the same reporters, "Hey, we've sent a monkey into orbit. We didn't think this would be much different." Al Gore's bland, rigid demeanor will net him a job as a surfboard. Andrew Lloyd Webber will retire in disgrace after his musical "Elian!" flops. Robin Williams, however, will earn a Tony nomination for his portrayal of Attorney General Janet Reno. In August, the Kansas Board of Regents once again will raise the cost of tuition, this time to "a million bajillion dollars." As a result, diversity at the University of Kansas suffers significantly, as the only people who can afford to attend classes are Overland Park residents. Wescoe Hall will be placed on the National Register of Uglly, Abominable University Buildings. Abominable University Buildings. Kathie Lee Gifford will replace her former talk-show partner, Regis Philbin, after he attempts to strangle Richard Simmons during a taping of a celebrity episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? The show's ratings will plummet, thanks largely to Gifford's insistence on always singing "Is that your final answer?" in the key of F. The cloning craze will take a bizarre turn when scientists success fully clone Tony Danza. President Bush then will sign an executive order barring the cloning of former stars of bad '80s ABC sitcoms. Striking a deal with disgruntled KU students, the Lawrence City Commission will allow multiple students in single-family-neighborhood homes, so long as students agree to smoke their bongs out of the view of small children. That's it. So kick back, relax and watch 2001's sordid story unfold. But close your window — the winds of change still stink. The University Daily Kansan News staff Editor Lori O'Toole Managing editors Mindie Miller Matt Daugherty News editors Chris Borniger Amy Randolph Sara Anne Nutt Jason Walker Readers Rps Leita Schultes Warisa Chulindra Opinion Chris Borniger Nathan Willis Sports Shawn Hutchison Associate sports Shawn Linenberger Campus Jay Krail Kursten Phelios Features Kristi Ellott Jayplay Erinn R. Barbcom Online Katie Moore Associate online Chris Hodkins Andrew Vauppe Photo Selena Jabara Design, graphics Kyle Ramsey Wire J. R. Mendosa Special sections Sara Anne Nutt Reporters Erin Adamson Amanda Beglin Lauren Brandenburg Andy Davies Cassiofurtado Brooke Hesler Cynthia Malakasil Danny Phillips Livi Regenbaum Sarah Smarsh News staff Michelle Ward Sarah Warren Sports reporters Brent Briggeman Allan Davis Jeff Denton John Domoney Aaron Fulk Brian Hanni Zac Hunter Aaron Johnson Amanda Kashube Ryan Malashock Jessie Meyer Steve Laurenzo Jay Mullinix Michael Rigg Brandon Stinnett Michael Sudhalter Christopher Telo Sarah Warren Chris Wristen Sports columnists Allan Davis Brian Hanni Amanda Kashube Michael Rigg Sarah Warren Photographers Thad Allender Ashley Bonebrake Melissa Carr Katie Moore Brad Dreier Ryan Dolan Joanna Fewins Gabe Guilliams Micah Kimball Nick Krug Aaron Lindberg Amanda Maloney Christina Neff Kyle Quillen Jamie Roper Justin Schmidt Aaron Showalter Laurie Sisk Keely Thurston, John Wilson Designers Melissa Carr Jason Elliott Ashleigh Garcia Thomas Kepka Gina Kohake Andy Samuelson Betsy Schnorenberg Amy Train Copy chiefs Amanda Hay Clay McCuistion Erin McDaniel Kimberly Thompson Copy editors Melissa Cooley Courtney Craigmile Matt Daugherty Jason McKee Doug Pacey Megan Phhelps Jay Pilgreen Jacob Roddy Leita Schultes Brandy Straw Jenni Valadez Sydney Wallace Melinda Weaver Online producers Meghan Bainum Katie Laird Scott Lowe Allyson Sprague Katie Laird Jayplay reporters Meghan Bainum Richard Gintowt BriAnne Hess Matt Merkel-Hess Rob Pazell Nicole Roche Susie Schinker Abby Swift Jayplay columnists Chantel Keys Greg Zielinski Jayplay reviewers Amanda Beglin Cal Creek Richard Gintowt Clare McLellan Matt Merkel-Hess Clare McLellan Rob Pazell Susie Schinkler Editorial board Katie Hackett Emily Howerbank Justin Henning Marc Ingber Spencer Prunis Tiffany Knight Katie Laired Tim Lang Michelle Malshock Katherine Marchin Andy Marso Rebekah Moses Melia Moss Brett Norman Brett Watson Kate Williams Brendan Woodbury Columnists Jeff Akin Meghan Bainum Eric Borja Robert Chamberlain Bornlier is a Wichita senior in journalism. 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