VOL. 100,NO.73 (USPS 650-640)
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
MONDAY DEC. 11,1989
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
NEWS:864-4810
Senate spares education Margin of Excellence may be headed for trouble
By Derek Schmidt Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — Higher education escaped unscathed Saturday as the Senate killed a proposal to raid state budgets to pay for property tax and the third year of the Margin of Excellence still could be in trouble.
About a dozen witnesses told the Senate Ways and Means Committee that a $93 million relief bill passed Friday by the House of Representatives would unacceptably strip state budgets.
William Brundage, president of the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp., said the bill's provision to take $17 million from economic development funds would cripple research at some state institutions, including the
See related stories p.11
Higuchi Bioscience Center at the University of Kansas
"There's no way we could achieve what we've been doing," he said.
State investment in the Higuchi Center is designed to nurture a fledgling pharmaceutical industry in Kansas, Brundage said.
Michael J. Steinle, a Kansas State University graduate student, told the committee that the bill would cut money he needed for cancer surgery.
State Sen. Wint Winton Jr., R-
Lawrence, said that by killing the bill
the Senate had sent a pro-education
message.
"We're not going to balance the tax problems on the backs of higher education alone," Winter said. "But
it doesn't send the message that we're not going to talk about tax relief. I don't blame anybody for triving."
Money for the current Margin probably is not in danger of being diverted to tax relief, but financing interest and year still is shaky, Winter said.
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.
A majority of senators agreed that the House bill was carelessly crafted.
The House on Friday adopted a 25 page amendment by State Rep. Bill Roy Jr., D-Topeka, that represented the
See MARGIN, p. 6
WHAT THE LEGISLATURE
DID
▶ Extended the deadline for paying taxes from Dec. 20 to Jan. 16.
▶ Permitted those taxpayers who protest their taxes to pay one quarter of their taxes by the deadline, instead of the one-half for January.
▶ Permitted quarter payment would be due March 20 and the rest on June 20.
► Reduced the annual interest rate on late taxes from 18 percent to 12 percent.
Returned utility inventories, such as coal piles and natural gas stored underground, to the property tax roles.
- Authorized local units of government to reconsider their budgets and roll back mill levies.
- Reopened the local appeals process to allow taxpayers to protest the reappraised values of their properties.
No doubt about it, Jayhawks on a roll
By Dan Perkins
Kansan sportswriter
If there were any doubts as to why the Kansas Jayhawks are ranked No. 2 in the nation, they were erased by a move to the NFL. The question is, "How can anyone be better?"
The Jayhawks improved their record to 9-9 with a 150-95 record-breaking rout against the Kentucky Wildcats, in a game that near the end had the crowd shouting, "We're No. 11"
The score is not a mistake — 150 points against the all-time winning- college basketball program in the history of the game.
The Jayhawks excelled in every statistical category as they set five school records and won their 350th
game at Allen Field House against just 87 losses.
Coach Roy Williams summed the entire game with just four words. "Today was our day," Williams said.
The 150 points broke the previous high for points in a game, 127 points, which Kansas scored against Iowa State on Jan. 7, 1989. Against the Cyclones, Kansas scored 71 points in the second half.
Kansas nearly broke that record twice against the Wildcats, 3-2, who were playing with only eight scholarships. It was the year of a three-year NCAA probation
Racial joke prompts KBI director to quit
Kansas scored 80 points in the first half and added another 70 in the second half.
See KENTUCKY. d. 13
By Rich Cornell and Jennifer Metz Kansan staff writers
A racial joke told last week led to the resignation of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation director on Saturday.
Former KBI director Dave Johnson resigned after a column addressing the joke appeared Saturday in the Kansas City Times.
Ted Frederickson, KU associate professor of journalism, wrote the column during the last week of a reporting assignment with the paper.
In his column, Frederickson said Johnson told him the joke during an interview concerning a triple murder that took place last week in Topeka. One of the two people arrested for the killings was Black.
While Johnson answered questions about the killings, Johnson told them a joke about a "buck nigger" teachable character from a box with his wife. Frederickson said.
Saturday, Johnson announced his resignation after 21 state legislators asked Bob Stephan, Kansas attorney to discipline Johnson for his remarks.
Johnson said in his letter of resignation that the joke was taken out of
Stephan said he accepted Johnson's resignation with deep regret and named James G. Malison as acting director the same day.
"I am sure you are aware that my performance has not indicated that I am a racist," Johnson said. "It is not my intent to criticise any criticism of
the KBI, office of the attorney general or law enforcement in general."
Rittenksson said yesterday that the column allowed him to explore the issue of racism better than a news story would have.
"I wanted to provide context for the joke," Frederickson said, "not just tell that he told a racist joke but also show that he and how it affects others." lives.
He said he expected a reaction to Saturday's column but did not think the reaction would be as dramatic as it was.
The joke bothered Frederickson because it came from the director of the state's most important law enforcement agency, he said.
"I've heard those jokes before,
variety everyone has." Frederick-
kern was shocked.
He said he hoped racist jokes would no longer be acceptable.
John Pinegar, deputy director of
the U.S. Army Research Laboratory,
begun a search for a new director.
Pinegar said neither Johnson nor anyone else in the bureau was racist or held derogatory beliefs about him, and he explained why Johnson told the loke.
"The entire matter has been taken totally out of context." Pinegar said.
Skeptical, junior journalism student Makia said it was important that Prederickson brought the issue to the public's eye.
"To tell a joke with a Black man and a white woman makes you wonder what attitude the former director
See KBI, p. 6
Snow and ice hamper travel
By a Kansan reporter
Slick streets hampered area motorists last night as snow and ice temporarily closed some roads and made driving hazardous.
Lawrence police reported that trucks were spreading sand on city streets by early evening. They reported "several accidents" by late last night but did not have an exact number.
The Douglas County Sheriff reported several non-injury accidents on county roads.
The Kansas Turnpike Authority reported that westbound cars were backed up to Kansas City on I-70 because of an accident on the Kansas River Bridge about 9 p.m.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported 50 to 70 accidents on highways in the Topeka area and that sections of I-70 were closed as early as 8 p.m.
Officials predicted streets would remain hazardous. Forecasts call for continued cold temperatures, with highs about 20 degrees.
Derek May, right, jokes with card collector John Leonard.
Rookies, pros demand show's baseball cards
By Steve Buckner Kansan staff writer
They came, they looked, they negotiated and above all, they bought.
Such was the scene Saturday at a baseball card show conducted by 25 area card dealers at the Holiday Holidee, 200 McDonald Drive.
The show was attended by kids of all ages. A steady stream of children, college students and adults methodically leafed through the dealers' notebooks and bins of the value 2 $\frac{1}{2}$ inch by 3 $\frac{1}{2}$ inch cardboard rectangles, which sported pictures of Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Jose Canseco and Bo Jackson.
A card show demonstrates a classic market economy. Card prices depend on the player, the year of the card, its condition and its scarcity. Star cards range from several hundred dollars for a Mantle or a Mays to $10 for Jackson's 1986 rookie card.
Average players' cards, known as "commons" in the cardboard caste system, can cost several dollars for cards from the 1950s and 1960s, to several cents for a deck of cards. The manufacturer, complete 1989 sets, which contain 600 to 800 cards, cost from $20 to $40.
The popularity of baseball cards
has surged during the 1980s, and dealer Mark Skinner said he saw no end to the collector's demand.
"It seems like it's picking up,' he said. "I see it keep going up."
Skinner, who has owned and operated a card shop in Gardner with his wife since the summer of 1988, said his sales had been excellent this year. Card shows, which he attends once a month to add to his sales, can be lucrative, with sales as much as $1,000.
Skinner he involved his family in his business. His wife helps run the store and his two children, Michelle, 9, and Matthew, 6, have their own collections. When asked to list today's names, Skinner was able to name more players than her father.
"It's a fun hobby, it's clean and can be done as a family." Skinner said.
"They're just like kids," Skinner said with a laugh.
Most of his customers are adults,he said.
Baseball cards also can have appeal for college students with little background in the game. Lori Huffman, Greely, Colo., sophomore, fits that description as an unlikely novice Colo.
Her interest was piqued this summer after she attended some minor league games in Denver and then discovered baseball cards,
Andrew Morrison/KANSAN
Dale McCandless waits for buvers at his son-in-law's table.
she said. Her collection now numbers in the thousands after spending $600 on cards this summer. A few hard lessons were learned along the way.
"At first I bought cards for the way they looked," Huffman said. "Then I learned to watch the newspaper to learn about players before putting more money into it."
She said some dealers had tried to take advantage of her.
"I was at a show in Denver and asked a dealer what he wanted for a Jim Abbott card." Huffman said. "He said, "$15 for a pretty girl like you," I said, "Sorry, it's worth $10 in the book," and walked away.
Her hobby has drawn mixed reactions from her friends, she said.
Czechs cheer as non-Communists take power
The Associated Press
PRAGUE, Czechoslovakia — A government controlled by non-Communists took power yesterday for the first time in 41 years, and tens of thousands of people jammed the nation's streets to celebrate the historic victories of their peaceful revolution.
President Gustav Husak, the nation's last old-guard Communist leader, resigned after swearing in the new government, which includes two men who were persecuted as dissidents until just two weeks ago.
In a key compromise, the Justice Ministry, which runs the nation's secret and uniformed police, will be run by a leading disident, the new Communist premier and a Communist Party member proposed by the opposition.
The new 21-member government contains 10 Communists, two of whom enjoy opposition support, seven non-party members and two members each from the small Socialist and People's parties, which recently broke ties with the Communists.
More than 100,000 people crammed Prague's Wenceslas Square to hear opposition leader Vaclav Havel, S3, and other dissidents who suffered jail terms and harassment for 13 years, catalogue the successes of their fight for democracy.
The embattled Communists have granted stunning concessions, which include opening borders, promising free elections and eliminating their monopoly on power.
E. German changes not part of research
By Angela Baughman Kansan staff writer
Ron Francisco's research topic has become recent history, much to his surprise.
Francisco, associate professor of political science, who specializes in Soviet and East European studies, lived in Berlin last spring to study how elites in the Communist party were elected, primarily in East Germany.
The Communist-run government since has met its demise with the resignations of East German leaders Erich Honecker and Egon Krems and
a restructuring of the government to include non-Communists. On Nov. 9, the Berlin Wall was opened to allow free travel and from the West. The Czechoslovakian government recently has experienced similar changes.
He said he had been using new methods to study the election process. Francisco had talked to all of the top specialists in the East German government, who said at the time that no political change was expected.
"My six months of research has become obsolete." Francisco said. "All of the theories are moot at this point because they no longer elect leaders this way."
"Nobody thought there was going to be anything but stability as long as Erich Honecker was alive," he said. Egon Krenz was Honecker's long-
predicted successor, and no change was anticipated when he assumed power.
He said that there had been no hint of democratic reforms in Eastern Europe.
"Anybody who tells you they fore-saw this — be skeptical," Francisco said.
The professor lived in Berlin from 1972 to 1973 and for brief periods in 1976 and 1983. Francisco said that when he arrived in East Germany last spring nothing had changed. Newspapers still reported that people were being shot in their attempts to get over the Berlin Wall.
Francisco said it was the opening of Hungarian borders, and the subsequent mass exodus of East Germans that caused the breakdown of the Communist government, not internal factors.
Ramaley's home gets burglarized
Burglar entered Judith Ramaley', house through an unlocked front door Friday, taking 140 jazz and classical compact discs and a stereo system. Lawrence police reported.
Ramaley, executive vice chancellor, told police someone entered her house, in the 2000 block of Quail Creek Court, while she was gone between 8:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. The theft took the compact discs, a turntable, a cassette deck, a receiver and two speakers, leaving through a sliding glass door.
The items were valued together at $3,709.75, the record stated.
Ramaley was unavailable for comment.