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Tuesday, March 5, 1991 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Proposed state budget plan may cause increased tuition costs and higher education spending cuts
The Kansas Legislature again this year faces serious budgetary shortfalls.And again this year higher education has become the target of budget cuts to reduce spending.
A House Appropriations Committee plan would cut spending for higher education in Gov. Joan Finney's proposed budget by $12.3 million.
To compensate for the loss, the committee approved a $7.3 million tuition increase. That translates into a 20 percent increase in tuition for out-of-state KU students and an 8 percent increase for in-state students. The extra money, which goes into the State General Fund, may benefit the state, but it could devastate some students' opportunities to further their education.
To further exacerbate the situation, the committee plans to cut an additional $3.2 million from the budget by eliminating or reducing state financed scholarships.
The University of Kansas would pay almost 30 percent of a $3.9 million cut in the Board of Regents proposed budget.
Other proposed budget cuts and the loss of the Margin of Excellence will cause long-term damage to KU and other Board of Regents institutions.
But higher education is an easy target for the Legislature. A large segment of the university population does not vote, at least in Kansas. University students are seen as coming from more affluent classes, and
therefore do not need as much money. And when faced with choices such as cutting the Social and Rehabilitation Services or the state highway fund, which accounted for nearly half the state budget, cuts in higher education become more appealing.
True, higher education must bear its load of spending cuts in difficult financial times. During the past four years tuition increases at KU have been consistent but have been fair. The University has delayed purchasing new equipment and starting new programs. KU took action to reduce enrollment increases when it knew the enrollment adjustment formula was going to change.
The measures were necessary to compensate for little or no increases in state financing. The Margin helped improve the quality of education during the first two years of the program, but the advances made will be lost without financing of the final year.
The University and its students will take responsibility for their part in reducing state spending. But greater efforts must be made to preserve financing for higher education.
Former Secretary of Commerce Harland Priddle touted higher education as one of the most important industries in the state. The Legislature must take action to preserve the effectiveness of the industry. But because higher education is an easy target, legislators may inadvertently do it irreparable damage by continuing to cut its financing.
Rod Griffin for the editorial board
Socialized medicine
Dramatic plan attacks state health-care inequities
The whole concept of "socialized medicine" is something that seems to evoke suspicion in many U.S. citizens. The fact remains that something has to be done to replace this country's existing medical system, which is unfair and inadequate.
State Sen. Doug Walker, D-Osawatomie, outlined a health-care proposal in the Legislature last week that would change radically the way medical care is provided in this state. Walker wants to see a system similar to Canada's, which guarantees health insurance for everyone.
The plan would provide preventive and primary health-care services for prenatal care, prevention of early childhood diseases, early detection of disease and other specified categories. For these services, a 21-member Health Care Commission would negotiate with medical care providers on reimbursement rates.
income tax surcharge based on individual income. Money also would come from a tax on the total payrolls of all private companies and a 10-percent tax on alcohol and tobacco products
The rest of Walker's bill proposes optional levels of coverage that people could buy from private insurance companies.
Financing for the plan would come from an
The bill certainly will raise questions and, as always, some resistance. Nevertheless, something has to be done now to alleviate a growing problem in this country.
No one can afford to play Russian roulette with their health, but this is what people are being forced to do. Health care seems to be a case of "pay up or give up." Unless people are prepared to join Walker and others in their attempts to improve the system, we will see more people falling victim to the severe limitations of the existing system.
Waker admitted last week that the chances of his bill passing this year were slim, but he is hopeful that something can be in operation within the next five years.
For the sake of those who cannot afford to be sick, the people of Kansas can only hope that Walker's hopes are realized.
Clare McGinn for the editorial board
Students can help KU
This week the students at KU will hear quite a bit of noise about "Students in HEAT." This statement begs the question, why should students be in HEAT? HEAT is an acronym for Higher Education Awareness Team. If students become aware of what is happening to higher education, it is clear they would not only be in HEAT, they should be rather steamed.
The House Appropriations Committee of the Kansas Legislature has proposed an 8 percent tuition increase for residents and a 20 percent tuition increase for non-residents. This itself is rather shocking, but also consider that this tuition increase will be coupled with an $8 million cut in current higher education financing in Kansas. This means students will pay $7.6 million in increased tuition and receive $8 million less in services next year. Yes, this means there will be no Margin of Excellence and even more crowded classrooms.
In other operating expenditures during fiscal 1989, KU was financed at 65 percent of its peer institutions, and this statistic has worsened since the mid-1990s. Students disturb all students at the University of Kansas. Should students just lie
down, roll over and let this happen?
No! Students can help the University receive the money it needs to remain competitive. However, student apathy must end if this University is to prosper. Students should stop by the Associated Students of Kansas' tables in the Kansas Union this week and write a letter to their elected officials, urging them to address the state's revenue crisis and to support higher education. Students need to talk to their parents, friends and neighbors and ask everyone they know to urge the Legislature to support higher education and KU. If students take the time, KU can become one of the finest institutions in the United States. But if students remain silent, they will continue to pay higher prices for continually underinforced University services.
Greg Hughes ASK campus director
Time for action is now
Students, the time to become politically active is now. Decisions are being made in Topeka that will have a severe impact on your life at KU.
The House Appropriations Committee has voted to increase the Board of Regents tuition recommendations for resident students from 3 to 8 percent and non-resident students from 10 to 20 percent. Because this money goes directly into the state's general fund, this is essentially a $7.3 million tax increase on students.
In addition to the tuition increases, the committee has voted to cut the
Regents budget by $12.6 million.
State scholarships and student wages are among these cuts. Ironically, the Legislature expects students to pay more for a lower quality product at a time when financial aid dollars are feeling
The Legislature justifies these tuition increases by using peer comparisons, but it fails to consider state differences in how students when making these comparisons.
The Legislature also must realize that between fiscal 1986 and fiscal 1991 resident tuition increased 55.7 percent. At the same time, the Consumer Price Index rose 21.5 percent. During the first year of the Margin of Excellence, tuition and other fees contributed more than $10.4 million, while the state contributed $9.4 million. Clearly, students have demonstrated their commitment to quality higher education in Kansas.
Students must act now to ensure the state's commitment to higher education. The proposed tuition increases and budget cuts will deny access to education, increase add and drop lines and crowded classrooms, decrease faculty retention and student numbers, equipment acquisitions, decrease student services and result in a decline in quality at KU.
Student, parent, faculty and alumni action is the only way to reverse this drop in financing.
Mike Schreiner student body president
U.S. media infected by a lack of criticism and competition
One of my heroes once said the press was the weak slat under the bed of democracy. Of course, this dated analogy by A.J Liebigh, long time wayward pressman for New Yorker magazine, is one of the most flattering things to be said about the U.S. media.
I think the phenomenon known as the "freest press in the world" can best be summed up by the phrase "manufacturer of consent." The power of the media to persuade and bambooze the American "booboisie," as HL Mencken called them (dare I save us), is well documented.
While no one can refute the stranglehold on public opinion, few, it seems, would question it either. The United States' blind faith in its information cultures' skepticism, wouldn't be as insidious if it were not for the mono-
Tim
Hamilton
Staff columnist
polization factor
Ben Bagdikian, dean of the School of Journalism at the University of California in Berkeley and journeyman media critic, has introduced me to the information market. Yes, information is a commodity with a price like any other. Thus the purveyors of this good/service operate most efficiently, i.e., they maximize profits, when they've got the mark cornered.
One year ago, the Washington Journalism Review said there were only 17 cities with competing papers.
meaning more than one paper that have separate news and advertising departments. Thus, we see that the emergence of the news business as lucrative investment has resulted in an unprecedented dearth of information outlets in modern society. Competition, however, is not the panacea for all of this society's media problems. Even if there were direct competition in every city, the media owners still would be more than 98 percent white, suburban stockholders.
If we have learned nothing else from the racial conflagrations of the 1960s, we should remember the crucial points made by the Kerner Commission. It stated that the main reason for the decade's social transformation was the media representation of minorities Modern news is geared toward that
'I think the phenomenon known as the "freest press in the world" can best be summed up by the phrase "manufacturer of consent." The power of the media to persuade and bambooze the American "booboisie," as H.L. Mencken called them (dare I say us), is well documented.'
which interests or benefits only one small segment of the United States.
A popular song says that poets, priests and politicians have words to thank for their positions. However, it has been publishers, such as John C. "The Mighty" Quinn, who present the words to the public.
Quinn, former head of the Gannett Quinn, has uttered quotations such as, "The press has nothing to fear but fear." The media have been more of a threat to the press than
monopoly." Both of these gems came during his acceptance of the 1987 William Allen White Foundation Award.
Until the addition of Media and Minorities to the curriculum as an elective at KU more than a year ago, KU journalism students had to discern for themselves any criticism of the school's curriculum being criticised made by the school's namesake. Ironically, at least this allows us to understand Quinn and
Paul Allen, another Gannett big cheese, when they execused themselves of the ghost of Frank Munsey accepting the foundation's award.
Is there a correlation between the fact that a school that maintains extremely close relations with and receives financing from the news industry offers no class on media criticism?
so decide for yourselves, journalism students, if and when a cry of insufficient whatever is heard in defense of the school, why the Gannet people don't dispatch one of their merry men or women of all shapes, sizes and colors to verse us in the blossomies of their detractors.
KANSAN STAFF
- Tim Hamilton is a Lawrence student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
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