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Monday, February 12, 1990 / University Daily Kanean
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
South Africa
Release of Nelson Mandela is long overdue, but odds are stacked against peaceful solution
Unfortunately, Mandela's release means more symbolically than it does in real terms.
The world rejoiced yesterday as Nelson Mandela was released from prison after 27 years.
Mandela will be a strong force in shaping the future of South Africa. If any leader will be able to bring the people together, it likely will be Mandela. But he is still fighting a battle in which the odds are stacked against a peaceful or speedy solution to the conflict in South Africa.
Like all Black South Africans, Mandela does not have the right to vote. He is a leader of a 75 percent Black majority that has no voice in government. There is no indication of when he or his countrymen will get the right to vote, let alone the right to take part in government. The battle lines have long been drawn between the white government's fears of a Black-dominated democracy and Mandela's firm commitment to a one-man, one-vote democracy.
The country still operates under a state of emergency. Disturbances still are quelled with blasts from police shotguns. More than most, Mandela surely must live in constant fear that the hatemongers who decried last week's reforms and his release from prison are composing to kill him.
South African police still consider Mandela a terrorist, and the government has long flooded the white populace with propaganda portraying him and his African National Congress as a communist-led terrorist group. Those factors will make it tougher for him to lead a cohesive movement to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
We can only hope that Mandela's release will be the sound that wakes the world from the nightmare of apartheid in South Africa. The cries for freedom cannot be ignored any longer.
Richard Brack for the editorial board
Gov. Hayden
Leader puts luster on fair-weather political skills
G ov. Mike Hayden has emerged from this week's round of political rhetoric a winner in the eyes of some Kansas voters
voters.
In the nick of time, Hayden restored more than $10 million in proposed Social and Rehabilitation Services cuts. He restored financing for MediKan and general assistance programs for the elderly, while exercising his line-item veto to guarantee cutting a $9 a month per person increase for Aid to Families with Dependent Children.
Hayden initiated the cuts when it was projected that SRS would run $34 million in the red for the current fiscal year. The money cut from some programs would have gone to others to make up the shortfall. Though it looked good on paper, the cuts did not look good in the eyes of the citizens.
More than 80 lobbyists are registered in the
capital in support of social programs. Hayden said when he made the cuts that they were what Kansan's wanted. He guessed wrong and pressure was put on the Legislature to act. It did and the result was the House bill that reached Hayden's desk.
efforts failed to override the vetos, and it is reported the governor had the support to sustain a complete veto of the bill.
It that appears Hayden is judging the political climate of Kansas like a weather vane on the state Capitol. Whichever way the polls indicate or the sun sets on Topeka, that's the way Hayden takes a stand.
Kansans need and deserve thoughtful, decisive leadership. Hayden's politics clearly have only one goal: re-election. Hayden should quit playing games to win points with voters and begin to govern.
John P. Milburn for the editorial board
Peer counseling
KU should look toward minority recruitment
This semester, the Office of Minority Affairs is restarting its peer counseling program for minority students.
After two semesters of inaction, the program, now named Students Together Excelling in Education as Peers, is definitely a step in the right direction.
By using upperclassmen as peer advisers for freshman and transfer students, the program will attempt to boost retention rates among minority students. This is an important and welcome attempt during a time of crisis for minorities in higher education.
The gradual decline of the number of Blacks attending college and the minimal rise of minority students in general shows that this program, and others like it, is extremely important to the future of minorities in higher education.
The pairing of new students with peer advisers helps these students feel more comfortable making the transition into University life. Whether or not they are comfortable is a principal part of many students' decision to stay at KU.
But the issue of retention always is contingent upon whether there are students to retain. Therefore, there also should be a renewed focus on the recruitment of minority students. It's hard to feel comfortable when you are the only Black or Hispanic student in a class of 30 or 40 students. It's hard to feel comfortable when at times you feel like the only Black, Hispanic or Native American on the entire campus. Numbers are important. There is strength in numbers. Strength makes you feel comfortable.
The stEp program is an important addition to the University's retention efforts, but in the drive to keep students here don't neglect the front end of the process — bringing them here.
Cory S. Anderson for the editorial board
Members of the editorial board are Richard Brack, Daniel Niemi, Christopher R. Ralston, John P. Milburn, Liz Hueben, Cory S. Anderson, Angela Baughman, Andres Caveler, Chris Evans, Stephen Kline, Camille Krehbiel, Melanie Matthes, Jennifer Metz and Scott Patty.
LETTERS to the EDITOR
Save nature area
One problem that I have not yet heard raised is the great loss of wildlife areas that could result in the fort's land expansion.
In the past I have written about the impact of Fort Riley's land expansion on surrounding areas. I have written about the uprooting of cemeteries, the increase of property taxes on the remaining land areas and the negative economic impact on surrounding communities.
nate in Mav 1991.
There are thousands of acres of land surrounding Milford Lake that are owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and leased to the State of Kansas Wildlife & Parks Department. These precious wildlife areas could be lost to the people of Kansas if the U.S. Army expands Fort Riley by terminating the leases to Kansas.
I recently obtained copies of the lease documents from the U.S. government to the State of Kansas associated with these wildlife areas. I found it most interesting that many of these leases termi-
These areas not only provide shelter for many types of wildlife, but provide some of the best hunting and fishing for the people of Kansas. If you look at a map of these areas, or take the time to drive through them, you will begin to appreciate more their importance to our community.
Several weeks ago I wrote to Mr. Robert Meinen, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Landon State Office Bldg., 900 S.W. Jackson, Suite 502, Topeka, Kan. 66112, and asked him to take every possible step to protect these areas for the people of Kansas. I urged him to testify in favor of Kansas House Resolution No. 6005.
If you are concerned about the permanent loss of these areas to the people of Kansas, write to Secretary Meinen and urge him to work for a long term expansion of these leases. If you would like more information on these wildlife areas, I am sure that his office can provide that additional information.
As a young boy I used to wander through the wetlands, woods and hills that are now threatened. This area of Kansas has magnificent beauty that must be preserved for our children. It is a public trust.
Douglas F. Martin Topeka resident
News staff
Richard Breck ... Editor
Daniel Nilman ... Managing editor
Christopher R. Relaton ... News editor
Lisa Mose ... Planning editor
John Millburn ... Editorial editor
Candy Niemann ... Campus editor
Mike Conaldine ... Sports editor
E. Joseph Zurgu ... Photo editor
Stephen Kline ... Graphics editor
Kai Stengel ... Art/Features editor
Tom Eben ... General manager, news adviser
Margaret Townsend...Business manager
Tami Rank...Retail sales manager
Milesy Miller...Campus sales manager
Kathy Stoles...Regional sales manager
Katie Lahmann...National sales manager
Mindy Morris...Co-op sales manager
Nate Stamos...Production manager
Mindy Land...Assistant product manager
Chelsea Campbell...Marketing director
James Gleannapp...Creative director
Janet Rorholm...Creative manager
Wendy Sturdy...Teacherhouse manager
Anne Haines...Sales and marketing adviser
Business staff
be programmers. They will reserves the right to reject or edit letters, guest columns and cartoons. They can be mailed or brought to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Fulton-Stair Hall. Letters, columns and cartoons are the opinion of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University Daily Kansan. Editorials are the opinion of the Kansan editorial board.
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We need Margin to keep KU in shape
Since Kansas' property was reappraised, the media have been filled with reports on the status and possible outcome of this most recent revenue crisis. Whereas stories about circuit breakers and tax protests have occupied the media, it is important that programs vital to the long term health of Kansas are not forgotten or sacrificed for the current property tax problem.
Associated Students of Kansas is a student lobbying organization representing the seven universities in the Board of Regents system. Issues that works to promote include community service and the Margin of Excellence.
The Margin of Excellence is the Board of Regents three-year plan to bring the total financing of its seven institutions to 95 percent of their peer schools and to bring faculty salaries to 100 percent of their peers.
In 1878, before the first year of Margin financing, KU's faculty salaries were 88.5 percent of our peer average, and the school was losing many of its top instructors to higher
Sherri L.
Sweers
Guest columnist
paying positions at out-of-state schools. The overall financing was 82.2 percent of our peer average. By bringing our schools' financing up to the level of our peers, the University will be able to attract the best instructors, top graduate students, larger research grants and higher quality undergraduate students from the state.
So far, ASK has enjoyed a high level of success in gaining funds for Margin. In the first year, 83 percent of the requested funds were received. Last year 100 percent of requested funds were appropriated, but under Gov. Hayden's 1991 budget proposal, approximately $8 million in appropriations will be taken back. The third year will not be financed at all.
Gov. Hayden did recommend a
facial of the Margin by proposing an
increase in graduate teaching assistant fee waivers from the current 75 percent to 80 percent and $30,000 for the Youth Education program. This increase in GTA fee waivers and financial aid will help Kansas schools attract better students, but without full funding for the Margin, Kansas students will be relegated to a substandard education.
Morale of the students and faculty greatly was enhanced by the initial funding of the Margin, and the quality of higher education is rising. But further funding for the Margin is necessary for this trend to continue. On Feb. 19, hundreds of students from the Regents schools will go to Topeka to stand up for education. Under the direction of ASK, student lobby teams from all the Regents institutions will meet with legislators inside the Capitol while students outside attempt to circle the Capitol to express the broad support that exists for Margin. ASK is conducting two lobby training sessions for students who want to be part of a lobby team. The training sessions will be Thursday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2
p. m. at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union. If you would like to lobby individual legislators, we ask that you please attend one of these sessions. If you would like to participate in the link around the Capitol, buses will leave Feb. 19 at 9 a.m. from the back parking lot of the Kansas Union. They will return by noon.
Students are already feeling the effects of the cutback through unavailable and overcrowded classes. These problems will get worse in coming semesters if the Margin is allowed to die. I know students want to be able to continue to receive a quality education from KU. But because of the current revenue crisis, it is now necessary that students do more than just sign a tuition check to support their education. Come to Topeka with us on Feb. 19 to stand up with the students of Kansas and make education Legislature's top priority.
> Sherri L. Sweers is a Green River, Wyo., senior and campus director of ASK.
Other Voices
The East Germans, despite 40-years of rhetoric, are talking seriously about reunification with West Germany, a thought that can't fall to cause a twinge among people familiar with the German language. But the Germans in their neighbors' homes armed to the teeth and feeling mean.
West Germany, after all, is a wildly successful capitalist state that also maintains layer upon layer of social benefits, along with intelligently generous spending on infrastructure items like education. East Germany would be foolish not to hitch its rickety wagon to that three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star.
It makes a lot of sense for the East Germans.
Hmmmmm
Looking at the way things are working out here, especially as President Bush and Congress keep diddling with the deficit, our industry spirals downward and our branches of government compete only over who can give the most to the already rich, an idea glimmers.
Why don't we unite with the West Germans?
Or allow ourselves to be acquired, appalling as it seems to have the Germans be "white knights?"
They can handle our invasions of small countries and our finances.
We can feed them hamburgers.
From the Philadelphia Daily News, Feb. 5.
CAMP UHNEELY
WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE BRUCE WILLIS DID IN 'DIE HARD?' THESE ARE MY WORKOUT CLOTHES, I'VE GOT TO GET SHAPE FOR SPRING
I JOINED A FITNESS CLUB
TODAY. I'VE GOT FOUR
WEEKS TO PUMP IRON
AND PUT ON SOME MUSCLE.
BY SPRING BREAK
I'LL BE THE ONE
TURNING HEADS
ON THE BEACH.
RY SCOTT PATTY