OPINION
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
4A
PUBLISHED DAILY SINCE 1912
CRAIG LANG, Editor MARK OZIMEK, Business manager
SUSANNA LOOF, Managing editor DENNIS HAUPT, Retail sales manager
KIMBERLY CRABTREE, editorial coordinator JUSTIN KNUPP, Technology coordinator
TOM EBLEN, General manager, news adviser JAY STEINER, Sales and marketing adviser
Tuesday, February 11, 1997
Jeff MacNellv/ CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Editorials
Regulating, not eliminating,some campaigning is a better proposal
Student Senate is considering a proposal that would eliminate all campaigning on the voting days. Some people argue restrictions like this violate our nation's most coveted freedom — that of speech. But there's a better way to curb this problem without hindering constitutional rights.
At the University of Kansas, many students think their right to vote freely and effectively is hampered by the in-yourface campaign approach adopted by many Student Senate candidates.
This campaign tactic has been partially responsible for the poor voter turnout in the last several elections. Chad Perlov, elections commissioner, estimated voter turnout at Student Senate elections at 16 percent. He said reaching non-voting students who feel alienated by intrusive campaign tactics was important. However, instead of
Freedom of speech is our right,but so is the right to vote freely.
eliminating campaigning, there is a better option. Perlov proposes restricting campaigning to specific places during voting hours so students can have unencumbered access to polls.
This idea was held as constitutional in the Supreme Court case Tennessee vs. Freeman. The court held that prohibiting campaign paraphernalia within 100 feet of polling places did not revoke first amendment rights. The court did agree that some restricted zone around polling places is necessary to serve the interest in protecting the right to vote freely and effectively.
Eliminating campaigning completely during voting hours may violate free
speech. But restricting campaign activity during voting hours, similar to restrictions established by many other state governments such as in Tennessee, is not a violation. Perlv said that being annoyed by enthusiastic campaigners is different from having those campaigners obstruct access to polls. The freedom to speak in no way allows the freedom to infringe upon the rights of others. The freedom to vote is one such basic right.
In America, we allow free speech to supersede all other freedoms. However, we must be careful that the expression of our first amendment right does not inhibit the exercising of rights such as voting.
Thomas Paine, a political philosopher, once said, "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
Thus, as Americans, we must support our freedoms — all of them.
NICK ZALLER FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Explore new subjects with electives
If only we had known then what we know now. How many of us have said that to ourselves when it comes to choosing a major?
The confusion of not knowing which major to follow by the first few semesters or not following the initially declared major course direction can have serious repercussions. Besides an expensive tuition bill from taking unnecessary classes taken, changing majors can ultimately force students to lengthen their college careers.
To solve this problem, we must look to freshman and sophomore advising. Although electives are not mandated by the University or the advising committee, they are strongly recommended. The new advising committee believes that a schedule covering the basic math, English and science requirements can only help students
Freshman should take electives early to explore potential majors.
by broadening their curriculum with electives relating to different subjects. Electives during these first crucial semesters can help students see the different aspects the University has to offer. While the advising committee cannot mandate electives, many advisors feel that strongly recommending electives can help alleviate students' confusion and reduce possible major changes down the road.
even students who are certain of their majors can find relevant electives. Taking an elective can be doubly beneficial if it fulfills a requirement later on after a major is declared. For other students, taking an elective can be a nice break from major-related classes and may raise grade point averages as well.
Most freshmen have no idea what they want to study, and electives are a way to explore some different options. There is such a broad spectrum of electives to choose from that
Advisors cannot make students take a certain number of hours of electives each semester, but a wide range of classes can help students become well-rounded and also make sure that the chosen major is the right one.
Although saving all electives until requirements are fulfilled can make for an incredible senior year, taking electives throughout all four or more years may eliminate major changes and save students from additional anxiety.
KANSAN STAFF
CATHY PIERCE FOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD
LA TINA SULLIVAN ... Associate Editorial
KRISTIE BLASI ... News
NOVELDA SOMMERS ... News
LESLIE TAYLOR ... News
AMANDA TRAUGHBER ... News
TARA TRENAY ... News
DAVID TESKA ... Online
SPENCER DUNCAN ... Sports
GINA THORNBURG ... Associate Sports
BRADELY BROOKS ... Campus
LINSEED 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 VEAZEY ... News clerk
NEWS EDITORS
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DANA CENTENO . . . Regional
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DENA PISCOTTE . . Production
ALLISON PIERCE . . Special sections
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How to submit letters and guest columns
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.
Guest columns: Should be double-spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
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 submissions. For any questions, call Kimberly Crabtree (opinion@kansan.com) or LaTina Sullivan (islillvan@kansan.com) at 864-4810.
Finance committee should lose big ego
Good ol' finance committee.
Columns
Just when ideas run dry, the committee infallibly steps up and creates volumes of usable journalistic fodder. They're adept at this, I can assure you, after having sat through as many tedious meetings as almost anyone else.
Consider the actions of the committee last
Wednesday. Bill 1997-079 was referred to the committee, seeking approval to dole out $307 of your student fee dollars to — I am not making this up — the KU Snowboarding Club.
Extending the $2 fee for student lighting — rape insurance — gets debated and denounced for hours. But without a hitch or a nay vote, the committee passed the snowboarding bill.
To be fair, it was completely
in order, and it had a sponsor. Article VII of the Student Senate Rules and Regulations lists the — surprise — rules, and even I would to agree the bill met them, What more can you ask for?
Look no further than finance's token victim of the week, Becca Kelley. Kelley has been a student senator forever, and her name generally shows up on pretty decent legislation. So when she stood before God and the finance committee I thought her bill to fund the Student Senate Communications Board for $349.35 was a shoe-in. After all, the Malaysian Student Association had just gotten $322.78 for the Malaysian Cultural Exhibition, $211 of which were for office supplies.
But I was wrong.
Finance committee mercilessly ripped this poor girl to shreds. When I finished my guffaw — I love it when finance votes anybody down — I knew I had once again borne witness to evidence supporting my two theories about the finance committee.
My first theory is that the finance committee hates Student Senate. It looks to me that the committee hates anyone who has more power than it does. Even senators, three of whom voted against
the bill, don't seem to be above racking up the frequent-flier miles that finance members earn on their ego trips.
My second theory is that the finance committee makes value judgments when it has no right to do so. The committee's job — except for block and line-item allocation — is only to ensure that bills conform to rules and regulations and Senate spending guidelines. Finance should never make a value judgment about a guideline — it's the job of the bill's sponsor before the full Senate to do that. If finance feels that a group could find funding from another source, it should approve the bill with an unfavorable recommendation.
Kelly Huffman, finance chair, said that the committee was justified in failing the bill because it felt Senate could get the money from other sources. That issue, however, wasn't raised in the Snowboarding Club discussion. The only question that was raised was the club's liability. No one asked why a group with enough money to go snowboarding couldn't scare up a few bucks for stamps and advertising. No one asked if Student Union Activities could provide logistical support for such a group.
The job of the finance committee could be done by a three-person committee that works with the Senate Executive Committee chair. Each member would only need to know the rules and regulations and then red pencil the figures down to the guideline, which is where sponsoring senators should have set them from the start. When it's time to convene for line-item or block allocation hearings, then the committee should be opened to general student membership under the leadership of the three people who check the bills.
Finance wastes time and inflates egos. Both are bad for government. It's often a blockade for good, like Becca Kelley's latest bill, or a greased griddle for stupidity, like, well, spending student fee money on a snowboarding club.
Reducing the Student Senate stupidity quotient by eliminating the finance committee will probably never happen.
But I can dream, can't I?
Andy Obermueller is a Liberal, Kan., Junior In Journalism.
Some people suffer from daily 'long-writtenness'
Some people are long-winded. I am what you could call "long-written."
This can be both good and bad.
This can be both good and bad.
As a writer, I am always thankful when ideas come to me with reckless abandon. I am thankful for just the right anecdote, perfect transition or killer conclusion.
However, sometimes all I'm doing is restating, reiterating or just plain rambling.
This doesn't happen all of the time. I have suffered through bouts of writer's block. Additionally, serious time constraints, lack of
space (i.e. the greeting card is full) or a simple cramp in my hand have often forced me to end my writing frenzy.
However, once I have an idea — time, space, and relaxed hands permitting — watch out. Be it an article, column, research paper or, most especially, a letter or note to a friend, once I get going I'm like the Energizer bunny.
For example, if you are among the first people to receive a Christmas card from me, especially if that Christmas card happens to be written while I am stuck for two hours on a runway in Denver, you're in for a novel.
I must admit, however, that I am far more deadly when I am placed in front of a computer terminal, such as when I am writing e-mail. Often I have written an e-mail that begins with "I want to tell you really quick." A page and a half later, "quick" has turned into about five to seven additional stories, followed finally by the main point of the
entire e-mail—usually in the last sentence.
Of course when the tables are turned, I enjoy reading long letters from friends. Let's face it, I have the easy part: I am just reading it. This takes up maybe two to three minutes of my time. Often, at the end we be a note that says, "Sorry this is so long. I hope that I am not boring you."
Boring me? Are they kidding? In this fast-paced world where there are simply not enough hours in a day, where you can go months without being in contact with close friends, I consider it nothing less than a treat to have someone take the time to write me a long letter. I don't expect it, but I always welcome it.
However when I am the author, I am placed in the same apologetic position. I don't want to bore people. In fact, consider this a blanket apology if you have forced yourself to read this far and are bored to tears.
I don't care if the letter is filled with "by the way" and "that reminds me" several times.
I use the excuse that I am a writer, and in some ways that is plausible. I am taught to add more description and detail to my writing, which of course makes it longer.
I don't care if they simply say me a Happy Birthday or if they instead say "I hope that you have a wonderful day, spent with friends, doing whatever your heart desires (and that you can afford it all)." Either way, the message is sent.
I don't care if they take a whole page to tell me about a trip to the supermarket or an incredibly good movie, book or CD they have encountered.
Perhaps that is a good excuse. Perhaps I am just rambling. Or perhaps I am just long-written.
Elena Macaluso is a Sacramento, Calif., graduate student in Journalism.
Letters
Adoption story showed courage, strength
Susan Gatton should be congratulated for her story on adoption that appeared in the Feb. 5 issue of the Kansan. It was the most moving story I have ever read in this paper.
No one leads a life that is free of struggle, but few are willing to be as open and honest as Gatton was about her struggle. It required a great deal of courage for her to recount the events that led her decision to give up her baby for adoption. In my opinion, only by being open about those difficulties are we able to heal and to offer encouragement to others in similar situations.
A friend of a friend recently gave up her baby for adoption. It was the most painful decision of her life but, like Gatton, she knew she made the right decision. Her thinking was similar
John Hart
Kansan misrepresented professor's stance
The use of me as an apparent example of faculty discrimination toward students who are a part of the greek system was offensive. The University Daily Kansan owes me an apology.
Leawood graduate student
to the thoughts Gatton expressed in her article. "She deserved life. I gave her that...I loved her from the moment that I realized I could give her life. Then, I tried to give her the best life."
When I was called by the reporter who desperately wanted this to be a story on discrimination against students in fraternities or sororites, I said I had nothing to say about the Greek system.
My point however, is that
Likewise, the quotations from students in a former class of mine appear to reflect their feelings, not the reality of the class period.
when students submit past papers from files kept in housing units — that can include dormitories or any living unit — which were created by former students as if they were written by the student who presents them as their own, that is intentional academic misconduct, plain and simple.
As any one who has taken Living Religions of the East knows, there is too much to do to spend a whole lecture on things other than the class subject.
If the Kansan, or anyone, wishes to accuse me of discrimination, it had better present real evidence and see me in a court of law.
Rabin N. Minor
Professor of Religious Studies
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