Students confounded by Bookstore's prices, policy
Staff Reporter
By JULIE WILLIAMS
Kim and Sara, two University of Kansas students,
bought their books at the Kansas Union Bookstore
this semester, as did more than 20,000 other students.
They took the same courses, so they bought the same books. They also made sure that they both
When the cashier totaled Kim's purchase, it came
to $148.95; for some reason, burgers costed $62.76.
ALTHOUGH THIS incident didn't happen it could have because of a bookstore policy that prohibits use of the internet.
Used books left at the end of a semester won't be marked up, Steve jewett, textbook manager, wishing to make changes.
price, even if the publisher raises the price the next semester the book is used.
Because of this policy, there are price variations in editions of the same book
For example, a used edition of 'Statistics: A Guide to the Unknown' (hardback edition) can be bought for £19.95.
SIMILAR PRICE differences exist for a used cost accounting text. Used editions of "Cost Accounting; A Managerial Emphasis" (third edition) are priced at $11.25 and $12.
There are also price variations in used paper-tacks. Used editions of "Protestant Churches of America" cost $45, while unpublished ones
Mike Beahon, assistant bookstore manager, said the difference in used book prices resulted from the differences in book pricing.
BUY-BACK PRICING is determined on a per-
centage basis. Students are refunded 50 per cent of the original price, and the book is resold for 75 per
cent of that price.
If a book was originally $10, a student could sell it back to the bookstore for $3. That same book would be sold for $6.
Beahawn said that a student is sometimes better off to wait until the spring to resell a text used in the course, but it would get the higher price, refund instead of the wholesale price, which could be considerably less.
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT a used edition of a book could cost more than a new edition. Because of the markup prohibition, a new book could sell one semester for $9.59 (used price = $4.50), the publisher could raise the price to $7.95 the next semester, making the used price $6.
Consequently, the $6 used book would be in the same stack with the $6.95 "new" book.
The buy-back system is handled by the Nebraska Book Company one of many used book companies that specialize in resale.
That company considers the quality of only the inside of the book when determining whether to sell it.
"It's what's between the covers that counts," he said.
ALTHOUGH THIS provides more used books for students, two used books—one in good condition and the other with a torn binding and battered cover—could both sell for the same price.
Students can determine when the bookstore acquired a text by the date stamped on each book's cover.
KANSAN
Each tag has a number, such as 576, 128 or 177,
stamped on the top line of the price sticker. These numbers mean that the books were purchased in May 1978, December 1978 or January 1977.
Both managers said that students voice more questions than complaints about price differences. But they said that by not marking up book prices, they made it easier for the student to compare than another学生 who bought the same books.
The University of Kansas—Lawrence, Kansas
Vol.87,No.75
Tuesday, January 25, 1977
Governor backs trash plant plan
KU budget likely to face opposition, legislators say
See story page seven
By STEVE FRAZIER Staff Reporter
TOPEKA-Kansas legislators yesterday said Gov. Robert Bennett's proposed 1978 University of Kansas budget increases the state budget in both houses of the 1977 legislature.
Bennett, in his annual budget message to the Kansas Legislature yesterday, announced increased support for Board of Regiments institutions, including a $13 million increase in fiscal 1978 for the two KU campuses.
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE and Senate Ways and Means Committees, which will consider the budget bills, said funding for an addition to Robinson Gymnastium and a proposed faculty salary increase, both of which were likely to draw legislative opposition.
State Rep. Mike Gloyer, D-Lawrence and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
$8.8 million in capital improvements at the KU main campus might be stronger op-
"When the agriculture people are uneasy, they're reluctant to spend money on capital for farming, but they are. Those bankers are thinkers about farming." Drough last summer and farm prices, and they don't want to spend money on it when there are projected enrollment demands.
STATE SEN. Arnold Berman, D-Lawrence and a member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said, "I think it is probable that in the Senate is probably unconstitution."
"I haven't detected any organized opposition to the KU budget yet, but I'm beginning to pick up some rumbles. There seems to be a disproportionate interest in higher education as an education message. Higher education and prisons are the only things that fared well."
Of the two major new construction
★★
Faculty salary raise predicted by Dykes
"I'm very pleased with his recommendations," Dykes said. "If we don't get it?"
Faculty at Kansas Board of Regents schools probably will get all or most of a 7 per cent salary increase that Gov. Robert Bennett recommended yesterday to the Kansas Legislature, Chancellor Archie Dykes said last night.
James Bibb, state budget director, has proposed that Regents faculty receive only 3.5 per cent more. But Bennett, in his annual state budget message, recommended the 7 per cent increase as necessary "to attract the most well-qualified of faculties."
Dykes said higher education wasn't a partisan issue and wouldn't be affected by the new Democratic leadership in the Kansas House of Representatives.
Dykes praised Bennett's approval of $223.38 for library improvements at the Regents institutions and be supported Bennett's promise to appoint a special task force to study the institutions' library needs.
Emergency library funds are a vital concern for KU's future, according to Dykes. The Regent's last week proposed that KU receive $380,000 in emergency funding to create more usable space and eliminate costs in Watson and Spencer libraries.
Dykes said he agreed with Bennett's.
statement that "headcount budgeting for higher education is as outdated as the Model T Ford—but unfortunately not nearly as valuable."
Dykes said, however, that student credit
funding is likely part of any future
funding for schools.
"I do agree that parts of incremental financing—those related to a university's full-time enrollment—are obsolete," he said.
A full-time enrollment formula bases university funding on the number of students who attend an institution. Student records are maintained for many hours each university's students take,
Bennett's rejection of the Regents' 10-year, $245 million building program
**8.26**
**8.27**
"We've already begun efforts for the gerontology center," Dykes said. "The center will assemble all faculty members interested in the study of aging and will coordinate their efforts. This may attract future research funds."
Dykes told the recent Regents approval to establish gerontology centers at KU was encouraging. The centers will be at the Lawrence and Medical Center campuses and at the Wichita branch of the Med Center.
"Bennett couldn't do anything about the longer program this year," he said.
projects proposed by Bennett, additions to Robinson Gymnasium and Malcolm Hall, London.
"MY OWN REACTION is that if I could have only one, I would certainly be more in favor of classrooms and laboratories," he said.
State Sen. Wint Winter, R-Ottawa and chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee agreed, saying, "I'm not per- mitted to share the need for Robinson as for Malott."
Winter said that the size of the faculty increased would be questioned by the leadership.
Bennett had said that part of the 7 per cent faculty salary increase was designed to make up for cuts made last year by the legislature.
"Two per cent of this amount represents funds that in my view should have been provided by the last legislative session to complete our commitment to the Board of Regents and our pledge to the faculties and their students," he said.
But Winter said some senators didn't share Rennett's view.
"IF I WERE to attack the KU budget, that 2 per cent holdover in faculty salary increases is where I'd start," Winter said. "Of all the governor's proposals, the higher education budget seems to be one of the main targets."
"I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that 2 per cent strongly questioned," he said.
State Rep. Fred Weaver, D-Baxter
house Ways and
Aum Commission, aired.
State Rep. Mike Glover, D-Lawrence and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said that although "the governor obviously treated the University
See KU BUDGET page two
Icu sculpture
Colleen Kitchen, Hutchinson senior, adds the finishing touchs to a well-proportioned snow woman in front of Strong Hall. The
Staff photo by MIKE CAMPBELL
snowy statue, built with the help of Fear Marewell, 1603 W. 15th St., survived yesterday's warm weather.
Plan for low fuel ready if needed
By BARRY MASSEY
Staff Reporter
The University of Kansas has adopted an energy shortage contingency plan that could call for the closing of the University if the need should exist.
The three-stage plan, developed by a committee commissioned by Max Lucas, University facilities planning director, outlines procedures that will be taken if a severe energy shortage arises at the University.
Stressing that the plan was developed "just in case the worse happens," Lucas said yesterday that the University wasn't facing an energy problem now.
"UNTIL WE develop an alternative source of energy," Lucas said, "a particular combination of events could develop and cause us energy problems.
"We don't expect this to happen, but if it does, we'll be prepared with the new plan."
Although there have been "minor curricular" in the natural gas supply to the University this winter, Lucas said, current challenges have been able to be reemplaced.
Fuel oil is used as a reserve fuel source to fire the University's steam generating boilers, which supply heat to campus buildings. The university gas service is reduced or curtailed.
Events policy unsettled after veto
A Dec. 14 veto by Del Shenkel, executive vice chancellor, of a student Senate proposal to place the University Events Committee under the Senate's jurisdiction wasn't a "slapping of hands," Tedde Williams, student body president, said yesterday.
"Shankel is eager to try to work out some improvement in the committee, but not in the way stated in the Senate proposal," she said. "Some of the problems with the Senate Committee were not addressed in the legislation. I can see why the veto occurred."
THE SENATE proposal, passed at the Dec. 1 Senate meeting, would have created a student majority on the committee, required Senate approval of all Events Committee policies and created a perimeter committee to oversee the Events Committee.
The Events Committee schedules and coordinates campus events.
Staff and administration representatives now make up a majority of the committee.
make all needed changes at once," Shankel said.
He said that control by the Senate over the committee's policies and a student majority on the committee could cause some legal trouble to who is responsible for campus events.
But Shankel and the representatives of the Senate disagreed on the changes needed.
"As long as we're making changes, I want to review the whole situation carefully and
SHANKEL SAID that the Events Committee was an administrative committee not a Senate committee, because the business was responsible for all events on campus.
"I could accept a 50-50 representation if some clear guidelines were set, but not a 70-20."
"I'd like to arrive at a set of guidelines that could be approved by both the Senate and the Chancellor's office. But I like to do it through an event," Events is responsible to the Chancellor."
STEVE LEBEN, author of the initial proposal to investigate the authority of the Events Committee, disagreed with Stankel. He sent two guitarists from campus in mid-
Leben said that under Senate rules and regulations, the Events Committee was to consist of nine students and five faculty members. The committee now has 14 members.
September because they didn't have the events from the Events Committee to perform.
Shankel said that although the committee was included in the Senate rules and regulations, it had never actually functioned under them when it was revised. He said he hoped that clause be removed from the Senate's rules.
"If the administration can add faculty members until they make a majority, then the Student Senate has no power and no real place on campus." Leben said.
Steve McMurry, author of the final proposal, said, however, that it was necessary for the committee to be linked with the Senate.
"IT'S A QUESTION of student rights, and the Senate is representative of the student body," he said. "The reason University Events came under fire in the first place was because it seemingly arbitrarily restricted the rights of some students."
Shankel said that although the Senate had the authority to rule on some University guidelines and procedures, the Chancellor always had the power to overrule them.
TASHEF SAID she would agree to a committee with 50 per cent student representation and wouldn't stress a student majority. But, she said, the committee should at least consider replacing its faculty chairman with a student chairman.
Shankel said that a meeting between the administration and the Senate would be arranged soon. He said he hoped an agreement on the functions, responsibilities and membership of the committee could be reached then.
McMurray said, "When we wrote the proposal we knew what the Senate thought of University Events; we knew what University Events considered its responsibility, but we didn't know what the administration thought about University Events.
"At least we know something about how the administration wants Events to function. Maybe we can finally get something done."
Implementation of the plan depends upon three factors, Lucas said. There must be a prolonged period of cold weather, the University's natural gas supply must be cut off and its supplies of fuel oil must not be able to be replenished.
ACCOUNTING TO THE committee's report, "If sub-zero temperatures are present for a prolonged period, such as 30 days, it is likely that the natural gas supply will be curtailed and fuel oil reserves may be exhausted, forcing the University to close."
In the case that normal operation using natural gas or fuel oil isn't possible, three stages of curtailment at KU are called for in the plan.
Stage two calls for the closing of additional buildings, yet keeping residence halls and classes open. In the final stage, the school is equipped, with only essential services operating.
STAGE ONE involves full operation of the University, but using fuel oil and reducing temperatures in all buildings. During this first stage, five buildings would, in addition, be closed down and the heat substantially reduced.
PROBABLY LASTING 10 to 15 days,
stage are would automatically followed
following the above process.
The plan's first stage would be implemented at the direction of Chancellor Archie Dykes, about one week after the University's natural gas supply had been curtailed, and weather was forecast to increase and additional fuel oil supplies weren't available.
After 10 days of stage two, if the same weather conditions existed and fuel supplies couldn't be replenished, stage three would take place in university operations any time they could be discontinued.
A summary of the plans for each of the stages is as follows:
In all other offices, classrooms and
During stage one, Danforth Chapel, Oread Hall, the KU hangar at the airport, No. 6 School at 23rd and Iowa streets, and the Military Science Annex would be closed and the heat reduced as low as possible without causing damage.
laboratories where conditions that don't require a constant temperature exist, and this is what happens.
IN ADDITION, a control area would be set up in the Chancellor's suite from which all communications concerning the contingency plan would come. The office of the director of buildings and grounds would be located on the ground floor as well as other essential business services.
FINALLY, DURING stage three, all classes would be cancelled, residence halls would close and students would be sent to foreign schools would be made for foreign students.
For emergency heating, electric heaters would be placed in the control area in addition to Hoch Auditorium, where police services would remain, and in Ellsworth Hall, location of the central telephone switchboard.
Research would be halted and all animals would be moved temporarily to Nichols Hall, which is heated electrically. In Summerfield and Murphy and the Nuclear Regeneration Center they were taken in lowering the temperature to avoid damage to the buildings' contents.
Only the control area, telephone and police services would be continued after the fire was extinguished.
ONCE FUEL supplies were again restored, at least two to three weeks would be allowed before reopening the University. For these purposes structures in the various buildings to be raised.
Although students would be notified by mail of the University's reopening, an extension of the semester might be required.