Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Thursday, February 15, 1990
3
Don Conrad, left, Lutheran Campus Ministry minister, and Jean Hendricks, Lawrence Mennonite Fellowship pastor, bow in prayer.
Death penalty will be proposed
By Rod Griffin
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — The House Federal and State Affairs Committee agreed Tuesday to introduce Gov. Mike Hayden's proposal to reinstate the death penalty.
Frank Ybarra, Hayden's deputy press secre
tary, said the bill would narrowly limit the cases in which the death penalty could be imposed. The bill is essentially the same as bills introduced by Hayden in 1987 and 1889.
Convicted felons could be sentenced to death by lethal injection in cases of premeditated murder, murder of a police officer, murder of a
criminal trial witness, or murders committed during a kidnapping, rape, sodomy or operation of a drug trafficking ring.
But the death penalty has not passed
the Senate while Hayden has been governor.
The Associated Press contributed information
to this story.
Group stages vigil against death penalty
Kansan staff writer
By Buck Taylor
Six people gathered around a candle-lit table early yesterday morning to pray against the implementation of the death penalty.
The vigil, held at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave, was one of
sored by about 10 campus ministries. Four of the six local participants were ministers.
"Let us celebrate life and the
several across
Susan Harley, ECM campus pastor, said the prayer vigil was conducted on Valentine's Day at the holiday honored love and life.
'This is a vigil honoring life . . .'
Jay Henderson
several across the state. Other locations included Kansas City, Topeka and Wichita.
This is a vigil
Campus minister for the United Methodist Campus Ministry
"This is a vigi honoring life, for those who support life, and desire freedom from the despair," said J. Kennedy, campus minister for the United Methodist Campus Ministry.
Kansas does not have capital punishment.
Henderson said that the Topeka Clergy Group, which organized the vigils statewide, was lobbying against a bill that dictates sentences for convicted murderers. The bill, which could be amended to another bill recently passed by a House committee, calls for convicted murderers to serve 25 years without parole. Currently, the average time served is 15 years.
The death-penalty bill, which would be introduced on the House floor with the new bill, would add a penalty as an option, Henderson said.
Hartley distributed sheets of paper so that each participant in the vigil could indicate a prayer or concern to be included in the communal prayer. Prayers then were said to aid the victims of crimes and to help legislators make good decisions.
sacredness of all life" she said.
"Even in the midst of a situation where often the people we're praying for have not respected that life as we'd hope to respect theirs, still God calls us."
He said the local vigil was spon-
David Schoeni, Overland Park senior and vigil participant, said he opposed capital punishment though the vigil was a good idea.
"It is kind of one of those issues to take a stand on," he said. "I voted against Governor Hayden because he advocates the death penalty."
Task force action may suspend rules
By Matt Taylor Kansan staff writer
Student Senate rules may be suspended in tonight's meeting when supporters of a dead bill try to bring it onto the Senate floor.
into the seas.
Supporters of the bill that would finance a speech by Louise Bias, mother of the late basketball player Len Bias, hope that Senate rules will be suspended to allow discussion and a vote for financing, said John Birkhead, chairman of Senate's Drug Awareness Task Force, which sponsored the bill.
Suspending the rules would require a two-thirds approval from Senate, said William Sanders, Senate Executive Committee chairman. Passage of the bill would require a three-quarters approval.
"I plan on speaking in an open forum when new business is brought up." Birkhead said.
The bill was assigned to the Finance Committee and the University Affairs Committee, Birkhead said. Finance voted 9-5 for the bill Feb. 6, which kept it from passing to Senate because a three-quarterly approval vote was needed. A bill normally cannot move to Senate if it is killed by a committee.
University Affairs approved the bill Monday, although it remains a dead bill, said Christine Stanek, chairman.
Alan Lowden and Pat Warren,
Finance Committee co-chairmen,
said they intended to oppose the plan.
"I'll fight to keep it off the floor,
Lowden said. "I trust the committee's decision and will defend the committee's action."
Warren said, "The committee made the right decision. I don't like to see the committee overridden."
Sanders said StudEx probably would not place the dead bill on the agenda because it did not want to work with the senate that grants the agenda for Senate meetings.
When a bill is assigned to the Finance Committee, Birkhead said, the committee should be concerned about how much money is involved.
"The committee is supposed to review the spending guidelines and monetary aspects of a bill," Birkhead said.
He claimed the committee failed to examine those guidelines and Bias' request for a $4,000 honorarium.
"The only justification, they gave for opposing the bill was it would not attract drug users," he said.
Lowden said the committee thought that it was unnecessary to pay for somebody who was not an expert on drug prevention.
Bias has recently spoken to students across the country about the combination of drugs and athletics. Birkhead said. Len Bias, an All-American basketball player at the University of Maryland, died in 1986 of a cocaine overdose.
Degrees outgrow 4-year strategy
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Earning a college degree has become a six-year to 10-year chore for most students, according to a study released yesterday.
The National Institute of Independent Colleges and Universities reported that only 15 percent of college students completed a bachelor's degree four years after high school. Six years after high-school graduation, only 46 percent of the students who went straight to college had earned a degree.
Bruce Lindvall, KU director of admissions, said KU students were following the trend.
"We're seeing more students that are carrying less than a full-time load of classes," Lindvall said. "They're taking less hours and stretching out their undergraduate program to five, six or seven years."
it's clear that completing an undergraduate college degree in four years is not the norm in either the public or independent sector.'
Oscar F. Porter
Author of the National Institute of Independent Colleges and University study
Universities study
The study, which included both those who went straight to college and those who took some time off after high school, showed that 55 percent either had earned a degree or still were working on one six years after high-school graduation.
"The picture of the average, American college student today is not the picture that many of us have in our minds, based upon our own experiences 15, 20 and 25 years ago," said Oscar F. Porter.
author of the study. "It's clear that completing an undergraduate college degree in four years is not the norm in either the public or independent sector.
"While students in the independent sector are more likely to have completed their degrees in the traditional four years than students in the public sector, the overall degree-completion rate offers little solace for either sector."
cent of students who enrolled straight out of high school completed the degree in six years. At public institutions, 43 percent finished in six years.
The study noted that a half century of research showed a remarkable stability in the fraction of students who completed a degree, about 50 percent.
Among private colleges, 54 per-
Roser said that although the figures had remained basically at the same level, the 10-year trend to complete a degree probably would
But Richard Rosser, institute president, said it took less time in the 1980s and 1960s. However, he felt that he had seen from those decades for comparison.
Colleges today are forced to provide more remedial courses for entering college students.
Kansan reporter Eric Gorski contributed information to this story.
Invest tax refunds, expert says
By Mark McHugh
Kansan staff writer
Students who filed their tax returns in January probably should receive their refunds before spring break.
But most people didn't file that early.
The majority of people will file close to the last minute, which is April 16 at 11:59 p.m., said Carol Felber of the taxpayer service division of the Internal Revenue Service.
Stuart Michelson, president of the University of Kansas Association of Business Doctoral Students, said people should file as quickly as possible to get their returns soon.
Michelson recommended ways students could invest their tax refund money.
"If a student wants to keep his money real liquid, mutual funds are probably the best deal." Michel-
He said people could start mutual funds with
muchleson said that people usually could make more money by investing in mutual funds than in money market accounts at local banks.
“It’s not insured,” he said of money invested with the national companies. “But I haven’t heard of one going out of business. But I have heard of savings and loans going out of business.”
most investment companies or local banks. Most investment companies have toll-free numbers and will send information upon request.
ACU-I RECREATION TOURNAMENT
Intercollegiate Tournament 1989-1990
Program
Intercollegiate
Racquetball - Robinson - Feb. 10-11 Bowling - Union - Feb. 18 Billards - Union - Feb. 17 Table Tennis - Robinson - Feb. 16 Entry forms available at the SUA Office in the Union Deadline for entry is one day before game day.
Winners will go expenses paid (travel, lodging, and registration) to represent KU at the regional tournament March 3-4 at Central Missouri State University.
Regular Sale
Racquetball Tournament co-sponsored by KU Racquetball Club.
you can
Last Call!
Regular
$38.00 $15.00
$50.00 $7.00
Huge Selection Sale Starts Thursday Partial Listing Below...
Olga Blue Stretch Lace Teddy
$38.00 $19.00
$50.00 $7.00
$21.00 $2.00
$55.00 $30.00
Darling Caramel Creme Bustier $50.00 $7.00
Olea Red Satin Carnival $21.00 $2.00
$59.00 $20.00
$48.00 $18.00
Saybury Cotton Gown
Saybury Cotton Seersucker Robe $48.00 $18.00
Come Early , Save A Lot!
UNDERCOVER
the pink building at 9th & Vermont
Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri. 10:00-5:30
Thurs.
10:00-8:00
10:00 5:00
Sun
1:00-5:00
ALL SALES FINAL
drum at • All Remo hardware - 35% off
Joe's • All Remo drumsets - 30% off
DRUM • All drumheads - 30% off
SHOP 1000 Massachusetts
"KANSAS MOTHERS & OTHERS"
a presentation by Ann Gardner
author of Kansas Women
- Thursday, Feb. 15
- Kansas Union
- Thursday, Feb.
- Kansas Union
- 8 p.m.
The event to cap off
Mortar Board Week
Sponsored by The Commission on the Status of Women