OPINION
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PUBLISHED DAILY SINCE 1912
CRAIG LANG, Editor
SUSANNA LOOP, Managing editor
KIMBEHLY CRAFTER, Editorial editor
TOM EBILEN, General manager, news adviser
MARK OIZMEK, business manager
DENNIS HAUPT, Retail sales manager
JUSTIN KNUPP, Technology coordinator
JA YSTEENER, Sales and marketing adviser
Tuesday, March 18, 1997
Jeff MacNelly / CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Editorials
Student groups bring diversity, and they need financial support
Some fees that students around the nation pay above and beyond tuition seem to be coming under fire lately, for the wrong reasons.
Two law students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison are questioning the legality of having to pay a fee that goes toward financing student groups, and they've filed a federal lawsuit against their school. They claim that because they don't agree with some of the groups that the money is supporting, they shouldn't have to pay the fee.
But this lawsuit really seems like a combination of ignorance and discrimination.
bination of ignorance and discrimination! Every semester at the University of Kansas, students pay a $23 activity fee to Student Senate to finance recognized student groups. That money goes toward a number of student organizations—the Black Student Union, KU Environs and Hispanic American Leadership Organization to name a few.
These organizations contribute to the
Organizations provide a way for students to get an education outside of class.
diversity of the University community and need to be financed. Without financing by the student-generated fee, these organizations would have trouble sponsoring activities to support their causes.
A university needs to be more than a place where people go to classes and listen to professors. Extra-curricular organizations give students the ability to get involved and become educated about various issues outside the classroom.
The argument for not paying activity fees just because one doesn't like a few of the groups is ludicrous. This complaint would be parallel to a person objecting to pay taxes for education because he or she doesn't have school-age children. Everyone needs to pay for education for
the benefit of all citizens.
The situation at the University is the same — $23 isn't a lot to ask for an attempt at diversity and extracurricular education.
Instead of whining about having to pay fees, students might actually try to investigate where their money goes. They should go to a few speeches and various events, then judge whether the money supports a good cause.
But the lawsuit against the University of Wisconsin-Madison may not even be a protest to student-financed groups in general. Specifically, these students had problems financing certain women's and homosexual activist groups.
Instead of being a lawsuit that is fueled by not wanting the University to overcharge students with numerous fees, the students filing the lawsuit seem to want to discriminate against women and homosexuals. That's an education no one wants.
IAN RITTER FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Celebrate women's achievements
During the past 100 years, the women's movement has made some of the most revolutionary accomplishments in history. Unfortunately, it often has gone unnoticed.
But the feats accomplished by the women's suffrage movement are being celebrated all this month during National Women's History Month.
Since the passing of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, women have been an integral part of politics. After Eleanor Roosevelt took an aggressive role as a woman in politics, first ladies have followed her example and have taken advantage of their position to involve themselves in various causes. These women shattered the stereotype of the passive wife and worked for an image of equality.
Though still striving for equality,
This month, the University has organized events to highlight such triumphs.
women have become some of the most powerful people in business, athletics and education. The triumphs of the women's movement have allowed women to obtain the leadership roles men have been given throughout history. Someday, a woman may actually become president herself.
To acknowledge these triumphs and celebrate the success, the University of Kansas has dedicated several lectures to women's topics. Information for any events concerning National Women's History Month is available at the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center in
We also should acknowledge the feats that contemporary women are accomplishing every day in the home, the workplace and society.
115 Strong Hall. Students should attend these lectures and realize the contributions women have made to our culture.
Whether it be attending a lecture, reading a Maya Angelou novel or attending a women's NCAA basketball tournament game, we as students should recognize the obstacles women are overcoming and celebrate the success of the obstacles they have already overcome.
Although March may be the only month officially dedicated to women, the celebration of the tenacity of women and the acknowledgement of the women's movement should not be forgotten come April 1.
KANSAN STAFF
NEWS EDITORS
CATHY PIERCE FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
LA TINA SULLYAN ... Associate Editorial
KRISTIE BLASI ... News
NOVELDA SOMMERS ... News
LESLEY TAYLOR ... News
AMANDA TRAUGHBER ... News
TARA TRENARY ... News
DAVID TESKA ... Online
SPENCER DUNCAN ... Sports
GINA THORNBURN ... Associate Sports
BRADLEY BROOKS ... Campus
LINDESE HENRY ... Campus
DAVE BRETTENSTEIN ... Features
PAM DISHMAN ... Photo
TYLER WIRKEN ... Photo
BRYAN VOLK ... Design
ANDY ROHRBACK ... Graphics
ANDREA ALBRIGHT ... Wire
LZ MUSSER ... Special sections
AERICA VAZEY ... News clerk
ADVERTISING MANAGERS
HEATHER VALLER ... Assistant retail
JULIE PEDLAR ... Campus
DANA CENTENO ... Regional
ANNETTE HOOVER ... National
BRIAN PAGEL ... Marketing
SARAH SCHERWINSKI ... Internet
DARCI McLAIN ... Production
DENA PISCIOTTE ... Production
ALLISON PERCE ... Special sections
SARA ROSE ... Creative
DANA LAUVETZ ... Public relations
BRIAN LEFEVRE ... Classified
RACHEL RUBIN ... Assistant classified
BRIDGET COLLER ... Zone
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LZ HESS ... Zone
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Letters: Should be double-spaced typed and fewer than 200 words. Letters must include the author's signature, name, address and telephone number plus class and hometown if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions.
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all letter and guest columns should be submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all suomissions. For any questions, call Kimberly Crabtree (opinion@kansan.com) or LaTina Sullivan (isullvan@kansan.com) at 864-4810.
According to a recent but far from scientific survey taken by me and consisting of about 10 students — deadlines, man — it appears that 80 percent of the student population is planning to go to Florida for spring break.
Spring break at home has fun possibilities
Column
But out of the 80 percent that plan to go to
Forking, a tall stature per centage will actually make it. If you're one of these people, you might think that you're on your way to the land of MTV Spring Break and cranky retired people. But don't get too excited until you're actually staring at Jenny McCarthy in the flesh. Then get excited.
I don't know what setbacks you may endure, but they probably will involve a lack of cash.
Maybe the used music merchandisers will not buy the Nelson and Warrant CDs you've been holding on to for all these years because of a misguided belief that hair metal isn't dead. Maybe you don't have enough time to perfect your pan-handling technique.
Maybe you're having trouble hawking your liver, kidney or other non-essential body parts. Whatever the problem, it all comes down to this: you're going to have to settle for a cheaper, Jennless adventure.
Trust me, there are adventures to be had on a showing budget. You could take a scenic trip to Cawker, Kan., to bask in the ambience of the World's Largest Ball of Twine. I hereby guarantee that as soon as you behold this eighth wonder of the world, you'll say: "Man. That's a big ball of twine."
While looking at all that cool stuff, you can relive the carefree days of youth — running around, fantasizing about blowing up stuff and killing people. You also can ponder the irony that all the macho kids that were playing with Snake Eyes, Destro and the like essentially were playing with dolls.
And don't forget to stop by the World's Largest Ball of Twine Official Gift and Souvenir Shop to pick up some goodies for your friends, who have promised to bring you back jenny in exchange. Peruse their fine selection of twine bracelets and
Can't make it to Cawker or Kansas City? Don't count out the library. That's where you can use your imagination to take a trip to all sorts of exotic locales and have crazy adventure upon crazy adventure, all without leaving the comfort of your chair. You can be a wily young cabin boy who must defeat a horde of angry pirates and get back the stolen treasure.
You can be a sailor witnessing his captain going bonkers while attempting to get his revenge on a great whale. You can even be a guy called Humert Humbert, who has lots of steamy sex with a 13-year-old. Hot stuff, I tell you.
twine necklaces. You know, stuff you can't get anywhere else. One last word of advice for this sojourn: beware the World's Largest Cat. He's mad and he wants his twine back.
It is possible, however, that you need culture and intellectual stimulation. It is not likely, but it is possible. If this is the case, proceed directly to Kansas City and check out some of its outstanding museums. Don't miss G.I. Joe: Reporting For Dutu at the Toy and Miniature Museum.
There are so many things for you to do. And about half of them are worth doing. Still, you might be too depressed about your canceled Florida journey to do anything but sit around the house watching Jenny at spring break on MTV without you.
You'll be sitting alone in your house, steadily getting drunk and ordering pizza. Lots and lots of pizza. Just remember, money was the reason you couldn't go in the first place, so try to do this economically. Drink Hamm's and remember that Hamm's never collects coupons.
Robert Bishop is a Wichita senior in English and film.
Letters
Plastic soda bottles do more harm than good
First, our university has an aluminum can recycling program that profits when our cans are sold to recycling companies. That money eventually goes back into the University — a benefit for you and I.
As some of you may have already noticed, our aluminum can pop machines are gradually disappearing, while plastic bottle pop machines are mysteriously replacing them. I'm writing to urge students to boycott the plastic bottle pop machines.
Second, the plastic bottles are made from virgin plastics, which cannot be recycled. Therefore, no one profits from it other than the companies that dumped large quantities of it on the market at a low price. Companies that manufacture pop bottles out of recycled PETE, a type of plastic, cannot keep up with the low price of virgin plastics. The plastic bottles will add to the amount of garbage to be picked up, thus incurring higher waste removal costs — a cost for you and L.
Third, you are getting less quantity for more money. We can buy a 12-ounce can of pop for 50 cents, compared to a 20-ounce bottle for one dollar. You do the math.
Let's join other universities in the boycott of plastic bottle pop pending machines. Contact KU Environics if you're interested in forming a committee. Call the vendors and tell them what you think. The number for Pepsico is (800) 433-COLA. You can call Coca Cola at (770) 989-3000, or e-mail the company at http://www.cocacola.com/co/e-queries.html
Amy Smith Bonner Springs senior
We are getting ripped off in several ways, not to mention the damage we are doing to the earth. Buy and recycle aluminum pop cans -- boycott the plastic.
Administrators don't seem to care about kids
A smaller, 200-child care center is not the answer. That's not even a compromise. I guess the University administration has had too many other projects to worry about.
Hilltop is not a priority simply and obviously because it doesn't rake in a profit, like the addition to Allen Field House and Memorial Stadium will.
And let's not forget the profit
The administrators can't afford to support some of the cost for a bigger, more sanitary child care center, yet a parking garage plan is slapped down on the table and gobbled up. I wonder why.
Unfortunately for the children, Hilltop doesn't cash into any uppity, chancellor-brand pockets. It only benefits students and faculty and provides a caring environment for children. And a college that benefits the student/faculty body, which is the blood flow, is inconceivable in some patriarchal, fascist minds.
I'm insulted and disappointed by Provost David Shulenburger and the other mighty administrators, and I'm sure I'm not alone. I don't think the administration realizes how powerful this student/faculty body can be.
It couldn't be because the University is money-hungry and could really care less about students, faculty and their children.
that will be gained from the 1,000-car parking garage that will rip out a couple of houses by the Kansas Union. I didn't hear or see any compromises on that project. So I guess parking spaces are more important than children and their families.
Macheil Collier Lawrence senior
It couldn't be because administrators are slightly sexist and want to make it harder for women to go to school.
Administrators do care about students when the project will dish out profit in the long run.
Our government owes no one an education
This is in response to Laura Wexler's editorial and Amy Miller's cartoon published on March 12. They incompletely understand the issues involved and are making fundamentally wrong assumptions.
The first incorrect assumption is that education is a right guaranteed by the government. This society does not require its government by law to provide citizens an education. The law requires government to provide citizens the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Society often asks government to go beyond just protecting these rights by supporting educational institutions. This is only because such a large endearor needs support from a large organization.
Education is not a right that government must provide. Education is a privilege that the individual is entitled to earn by individual effort. Government holds the door open, but the individual must walk through on his or her own strength.
The second incorrect assumption is that government is a source of money. Government generally has no money of its own and does not generate income. Government collects and spends taxes. Taxes are monies belonging to us taxpayers even after government has collected it. Educational aid and child care are no more government responsibilities than government support of education institutions. Government provides them because of the generosity of society.
I may decide to support the subsidy. But I want to be asked, not told. The level of aid is what society has decided to give after ample opportunity to balance priorities. Society decides by vote. Compaigning for the center is a better use of energy than brow-beating the administration.
Dean Mielke
Mankato, Minn,
graduate student
I will urge that you increase pay heavy taxes. Asking government to pay for education aid or child care with my taxes is the same as asking me to subsidize care for children that are not mine. It may be a worthy cause, but it is still a subsidy. You may also use the word "charity."
Technological gains shouldn't be feared
I have never been mad enough to write about one of the articles in the University Daily Kansan. But after reading Colin Gotham's column on technology, I felt sick.
I am tired of people speaking of technology as if it is something to fear or suppress.
Technology is the only reason that we are able to live past 30 years of age. It is the only reason we are able to communicate with people farther than shouting distance.
Gotham speaks of technology enslaving us and how sad it is that computers are a reality. He and many others in light of the cloning phenomenon have stated that our steps toward godlike status are scary.
If aiming toward a better understanding of our universe in order to live more comfortable and longer lives is bad, then I do not want to be good.
Luka Yovetich
Littleton, Colo., senior
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