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Thursday, April 25, 1991 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Fighting poverty
New study challenges common assumptions when trying to solve the problems of the poor
For the urban poor, teen-age pregnancy is on the rise, violent crime is rampant and schools are failing.
A recent Brookings Institution study refutes these myths and calls into question basic assumptions by conservative and liberal politicians alike of how to solve the problems of the poor.
Overall, violent crime has decreased. A greater percentage of high-school students are graduating.
The findings included the following surprises: Teen pregnancy rates have declined sharply since the mid-1960s.
Some findings could be expected:
Income has dropped for young men, particularly
for minority men and those who did not finish
college.
Young African-American men are more likely to take part in or be victimized by crimes than in years past.
Most disturbing is that liberal and conservative
theories brought forward to eliminate poverty have not worked. Liberals who blame poverty on a decline of quality full-time jobs will take exception to the study's argument that individual behavior has more importance. A disintegration in the traditional family structure among the lower and middle socioeconomic groups has left those who need the most help with the least.
Conservatives who claim that welfare benefits discourage people from working also will find the study disheartening. For example, the dogma that low-income women benefit financially by having more children and going on welfare simply is untrue.
Experts faced with eliminating poverty have a new problem. To combat the cycle, poverty must be attacked with a new and more realistic vigor. If poverty is to be beaten, it first must be understood.
. Rich Cornell for the editorial board
Healthy reputation KU School of Medicine ranking deserves praise
accolades to the University of Kansas School of Medicine.
A survey done by U.S. News and World Report ranked the school sixth in the nation of schools that specialize in primary care.
The school was ranked above 60 other universities and shared the top 10 with schools such as Brown University in Rhode Island, Michigan State University and George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
The rankings were based on surveys of medical-school deans, heads of the family care departments, deans of academic affairs and inter-residency directors. The KU medical school had an overall score of 92.8 out of a possible 100 nort.
The survey was designed to assess the academic reputation of the schools whose main mission is primary care. As the survey indicates, the University of Kansas School of Medicine's reputation is unblemished.
Rod Griffin for the editorial board
The Kansan editorial board members are Juli Watkins, Stacy Smith, Brent Maycock, Amy Zamierowski, Melanie Bottis, Tiffany Harness, Rod Griffin, Chris Siron, Rich Cornell, Melanie Matthes, Clare McGinn, Eric Lilia Hill, Jennifer Schultz, Debbie Myers and Carol Krekeler.
LETTERS to the EDITOR
Watch out for ACUS
Be aware of the long-distance company you choose! I, for instance, made the terrible mistake of choosing the ACUS service offered by the University residence hall system. It is not the residence hall's fault, but I want other students to come in to a course of that they are getting into. I am a foreign student from Mexico and got one of those cards, which basically came with the room.
The first problem that arose was that the card did not work. It took four calls to the ACUS base to get them to correct that problem. After getting the calling card activated, I made one call to my homeland. I live near the border of Texas, right across from El Paso, and maybe I did get a little carried away. The call lasted 88 minutes. The biggest surprise came when I got the bill! I called one cost $82. I also should say that I have an AT&T calling card which I received after I made the caller call, which by the way, can be used from any phone, not just your hall phone. I made a call with the AT&T calling card for 90 minutes, and there was no comparison. The call was only $44.
Afterward, I called the ACUS service to ask them about this inconsistency. They told me that the contract the University's phone system had made with them stated a fixed rate for calls, and even if AT&T's rates varied through the year, these rates would stay as they were, even if it meant charging a little bit more than AT&T.
I also discovered that they were charging me as if I had called Mexico City from Chicago. So I went to the negotiating table with them because even though I am not a native of this land, I hate to be taken advantage of as much as someone from this land. After some time of not hearing anything from them, I got this letter and thought it was after me. I never objected to paying, but I objected to paying $82 for a $40 call. I am now in the process of continuing negotiations, and I hope to be successful. So beWARE of the ACUS service, especially if you have to call overseas, and only from your room.
Bernardo A. Gonzalez Chihuahua, Mexico, senior
Philosophy disturbing
Reading Louis H. Liechtenstein's April 18 letter titled "Should we help the Kurds?" was a frustrating experience for me. In refusing my column, which appeared in the April 10 edition of the *New York Times*, I sent sents and selectively represents my statements to suit his attacks. Anyone who conducts a direct comparative
analysis of Lieuten's letter and my article will discover this for themselves.
Even more disturbing than Lieuten's half-truths, arrogance and outright insults is his overall political philosophy. It is not difficult for clear-thinking individuals to understand that the current slaughter and suffering of rebels in Syria was a result of bombings, not an indirect consequence as Lieuten might imagine. This fact burds us with a very specific moral responsibility.
Lieten warns of creating a power vacuum through U.S. intervention while failing to realize that we already have created a power vacuum in Iraq. Obviously, this was a motivating factor in the uprisings. Again, we should accept responsibility for the Kurds, far beyond current relief efforts, instead of pretending that the situation is none of our doing and none of our business.
Lietzen argues that "once you start directly intervening in the internal affairs of nations" it may be difficult to assume responsibility for the unpredictable outcome. Whether he realizes it or not, we agree on this point. But weeks of raining bombs on Baghdad already constitutes a major blatant intervention in Iraq's internal affairs. This is our government choice to cross that line months ago, which makes Lietzen's current endorsement of a wily game of political strategy in the face of massive suffering simply obscene.
Jeff Listerman Lawrence senior
Ex-design major remembers process, finds it to be unfair
If you were to journey to the second floor of the Art and Design building right now, you would no doubt run into many students who have revised projects before their design review at the end of the semester.
It is doubtful that this would have been their first all-nighter, and this probably will not be their last.
If you were to ask them if it was worth it, most probably would answer "yes."
The process of the review begins when you are accepted to the school and are placed in the Basic Studies classes for one year. These courses include Drawing I and II and Design I and II. After these two semesters, each student is placed in Visual Concepts and Twography.
But after going through the review myself, I would say that "yes" is the answer.
For the past three years the design department has decided the best way to reduce the increasing number of graphic design and illustration majors is to conduct a portfolio review after the graphics and illustration program.
In these two courses, especially Visual Concepts, the students are given the same assignments and are allowed to revise throughout the semester. The goal is to show the steps the students should take in order to project and what techniques they used.
At the end of these two classes, there is a portfolio review which lasts from one day to a weekend. The time limit varies as the department professors have not made up their minds yet as to how long they need to review the portfolios. Even the time period for the review has changed from semester to semester. The professor in the department are in charge of choosing students they feel have demonstrated they are ready to continue in the program.
Seems like a pretty fair system, right? Wrong.
Traci Moore
The outcome of the review is not based on grades from the two design
courses or from any other classes.
Students have passed the review with low Cs in both courses and with lower overall GPAs than those who didn't get
The only consistency the program offers is the Visual Concepts and Typography classes. However, the content of these vary from teacher to teacher and, in the end, are judged on the same basis.
The only alternatives offered to an unsuccessful student are retaking the courses and going through review again, choosing another major or going to another university. The department provides no collective help in finding answers to homework problems or unsuccessful, though students can get help on an individual basis.
The students who are unsuccessful and try to continue in another major usually are left a year or two behind because art courses do not transfer to prerequisites for other majors except art.
Here are a few tips to those who are in the process of thinking of becoming a design major from someone who knows:
Don't begin the program thinking someone is looking out for you. Seek out every professor and ask. And don't give any criticism you receive personally.
Don't think grades will help. I had a B in both Typography and Visual Concepts, as did about one-third of those who didn't pass.
Keep other schools and other majors in mind. If you don't pass, you are looking at three semesters of art credit that won't transfer into very much the degree. Don't miss this pass is, "Have you thought of any other majors or any other universities?"
My answer to that was, "Gee, no.
I've kinda spent the last five months thinking of design. I just haven't had time to think of much else." To credit them, "I don't know who he is, he does try to prepare you."
Don't think that because your teacher and the rest of the class think your projects are the best they have ever seen, you will pass. Remember, you are competing with about 60 people. And most of them were in their group, 80 students went in and 26 passed. Some odds. Even the worst gambler wouldn't place a bet like that.
Finally, don't let the outcome ruin your life, I, and hundreds of other students, have survived and gone on to lead perfectly normal lives.
I would like to make a request of the design department before I finish. I think the department should consider starting the process of reviewing at the end of the semester, so students have a chance earlier on to decide on other possibilities than design.
There also should be a person or department in charge of helping place those students who do not pass. Several of those students end up leaving KU for other universities or drop out completely, but many still paint or lithography degree, no offense to those in these majors, are left to graduate un to two years late.
My last piece of advice is to those going through review right now.
To those who pass, I wish you all the
luck and hope you find what you are
looking for.
To those who are unsuccessful, you are most likely very good artists and have a lot to offer, so don't stop because you didn't pass this one review
Move on to something else. Then one day, when you feel you can look back objectively on the whole process, you can write a letter to the newspaper girlggg because you're graduating in one year with a degree that isn't design.
Traci Moore is a St. Louis junior majoring in journalism.
Other Voices
Bush fails to end war
It is clear now why President George Bush made Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf up.
Schwarzkopf said he wanted to wipe out Iraq's military while we
The Persian Gulf War was fought brilliantly.
Finally, on April 16, Bush agreed to send troops to protect the refugees.
KANSAN STAFF
The aftermath, however, is shameful.
From the Wausau (Wis.) Daily Herald
CHRIS SIRON
Editor
RICH CORNELL
Managing editor
TOM EBLEN
General manager, news adviser
If Schwarzkopf had his way, maybe Iraqi President Saddam Hussein would not have been able to attack and starve the Kurdish rebels.
We did not finish the job militarily. When there were refugees, we did not give them aid promptly.
Editors
Editors Business staff
News... Melanie Matthes Campus sales mgr... Sophie Wehbe
Editorial... Tiffany Harness Regional sales mgr... Carmen Dresch
Planning... Holly M. Neuman National sales mgr... Jennifer Claxton
Campus ... Jennifer Reynolds Co-op sales mgr... Christine Musser
Pam Sollier Production mgrs... Jill Harbinger
Sports... Ann Sommerslath Kate Stader
Photography... Keith Thorpe Marketing director. Egain Ebinder
Graphics... Melissa Unterberg Creative director. Chris Hays
Features... Jill Harrington Classified manager. Kim Crowder
had the chance.
AUDRA LANGFORD
Business manager
MINDI LUND
Retail sales manager
JEANNE HINES
Sales and marketing advisers
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Sketch
by Davld Rosenfield