Safe Ride: Drivers help students by working while others party. Page 5A
Basketball: Kansas women beat Washington 76-61 in Allen Field House. Page 1B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
NEWS 864-4810
SECTION A VOL.103.NO.# 73
MONDAY, DECEMBER 9. 1996
ADVERTISING 864-4358
(USPS 650-640)
Learning by experience is new classroom craze
WASHINGTON — Rather than assign her eighth-graders a worksheet of problems on volume and area, Gail Purtell asked them to go home and design a soda can that would use less aluminum.
The Sonoma, Calif., math teacher said she realized that this type of homework was more difficult. But she and other education reformers believe it develops a student's ability to think and solve problems. And it more effectively reinforces what is taught in the classroom.
In the last decade, learning by rote has given way to more creative lessons in the classroom, an approach now surfacing in homework.
Instead of posing questions about a short story for students to answer at home, a teacher might ask them to compose a new ending. Or they might be told to rewrite a segment of Shakespeare in modern language to prove they understand the dialogue.
—The Associated Press
TOPEKA — Leroy Hendricks had a way of attracting kids. They would watch him fly his remote-controlled airplane in a park. Sometimes, he would buy them illicit treats, like cigarettes and chewing tobacco.
Supreme Court reviews sexual predator ruling
At some point, he started molesting them. And he said that only his death would prevent him from molesting children.
Now the 62-year-old is at the center of a closely watched constitutional battle.
The question is whether states may continue to keep sexually-violent predators confined after their prison terms are completed. Kansas law states that if a sexually-violent predator is determined to have a personality disorder or mental abnormality, then that diagnosis makes him or her a threat to children.
Hendricks has spent more than half of the last 36 years in prisons or state hospitals, for crimes against children.
The U.S. Supreme Court will review a ruling that stated a 1994 Kansas' law was unconstitutional. A decision is expected next year.
Forty-five states and territories have filed documents that support the Kansas appeal.
Serbians aim to cast out leader, claim elections
The Associated Press
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia — Slobodan Milosevic chose confrontation yesterday in a deepening struggle against foes now aiming not only to take back election victories, but to oust the Serbian leader.
—The Associated Press
The opposition Democratic Party reported eight protesters were arrested in the past two days, and one of them was badly beaten.
It also appeared that courts would deny the opposition its local election victories. Protesters have been on the streets every day since the Nov. 17 elections were annulled by courts Milosevic controls. Yesterday, 100,000 demonstrators came out.
Former French culture minister Jack Lang, a member of the European Parliament, lent the demonstrators their first significant Western support, telling a cheering crowd: "The Serbs are fighting in the name of all peoples who resist dictatorship."
"What will prevail — the people's determination, or Milosevic's patience?" asked Zoran Djindjic, leader of the opposition Democratic Party.
A co-leader of the opposition coalition, Vuk Draskovic, said the choice for Serbs was simple: dignity or slavery.
Mayor balances city,class
By Liz Musser
Kansan staff writer
Mayor John Nalbandian answers more telephone calls by 10 a.m. than most people do all day.
"People don't realize how much the mayor is on the phone," Nalbandian said, replacing the receiver after a conversation with the city manager.
But mayor is not the only title that Nalbandian bears. He is also a professor of public administration at the University of Kansas. He has two offices, one in City Hall and one on the fourth floor of Blake Hall.
Professor John Nalbandian speaks to his public administration class. During the semester, the class attempted to define what a community was and how it was built.
"I never use my office at City Hall," he said. "The only time I go there is when I have a meeting. I do my work out of my office here at Blake, or at home."
Although balancing the responsibilities of mayor and professor is taxing, Nalbandian said that being mayor had influenced his teaching positively. As mayor, he is able to bring real-life examples into the classroom's philosophical discussions.
of the philosophical discussions is that students realize government has an impact on people's lives."
"Being mayor has helped my teaching because I can bring in examples of local issues," Nalbandian said. "For instance, it means more to the student to talk about the role of government in terms of a local fitness center than it does to talk about health care. The outcome
Wendy Rohleder, Plainville junior, is a student in Nalbandian's public administration class. She said that Nalbandian's experience as mayor made the class more interesting.
"He looks at the broad concept, but can apply it to the local level," Rohleder said. "It gives us something that we have first-hand knowledge of and something that we can relate to."
The job of mayor is not an elected position in Lawrence. Each year, the City Commission selects one of its members to be mayor. The commissioner chosen is usually the top vote-getter of the previous election.
Steve Puppe/KANSAN
Nalbandian describes himself as a mayor who likes to be involved with the bigger issues.
Fellow commissioner Allen Levine describes Nalbandian as a no-nonsense mayor.
"I'd rather be involved and have something to say, rather than just voting yes or no," he said. "I couldn't sit back and be mayor. It's not my style."
"He is the most forright and honest person I have ever met," Levine said. "But he is definitely more of a compromiser and conciliator than the rest of us. He's got a tough job because the commission has been polarized on many issues lately."
Mayor John Nalbandian sits in his home office. Nalbandian does most of his work at home because he spends a great deal of time on the phone. Steve Puppe / KANSAN
Before coming to Lawrence 20 years ago, Nalbandian was in the Army, studied at the University of Southern California, and even spent a couple of years working for the CIA as an intelligence analyst.
Nalbandian said his work for the CIA involved monitoring developments in China's missile, space and nuclear weapons divisions.
"I just read stuff," Nalbandian said. "The information that I found was put into what was the equivalent of a daily newspaper. The paper goes out each day as classified information to people in D.C."
Nalbandian finishes his term as mayor in April, when Commissioner Bonnie Augustine takes his place. Nalbandian said he would be happy to have the responsibility lifted. After this term as commissioner, he said, he would be done with local politics.
"I will be very happy in 1999 when
Mayor John Nalbandian speaks at a City Commission meeting. In Lawrence, the mayor is not elected, but is chosen from the members of the City Commission.
I am completely done," he said. "I look forward to getting back to my main jobs, which are reading, writing and teaching."
Budig Hall still awaits unveiling
Slow fireproofing delays completion until February
By Eric Weslander Kansan staff writer
Budig Hall, which was scheduled to open last month, will remain a dusty, scaffolding-filled mystery for two more months.
The estimated date of completion has been extended to Feb. 1, said Richard Givens, assistant provost.
"If you go into the building, the two 502 seat auditoriums are beginning to look closer and closer to being finished." Givens said. "However, the 1,000-seat auditorium still has lots of scaffolding in it."
A debate about the fireproofing in the large auditorium caused the delay. After the initial installment, the fireproofing was determined not to meet safety standards.
The Nov. 1 hiring of James Vequist, who will be director of the hall, was another step toward the completion of Budig Hall. Vequist, who was hired from Fort Hays State University, will coordinate the building's interactive audio/video equipment and train faculty in its use.
Workers have begun installing new fireproofing materials, and the University of Kansas has scheduled more than 30 classes in Budig Hall's auditorium for next fall.
"We might use make of them and test them out in April," Givens said.
"He will be in charge of making sure the thing goes," Givens said. "He really knows a lot about the media and the use of it in teaching."
"If you go into the building,the two 500-seat auditoriums are beginning to look closer and closer to being finished."
Renovations to the former Hoch Auditorium, which was destroyed by fire in 1991, have run up a bill of more than $22 million. Givens said
Richard Givens Assistant provost
the project was near its original budget.
"It's hanging in there very close," Givens said. "It's still within budget, and everything is projected to be done."
However, several faculty members, after touring the building,
complained that seats in the smaller lecture halls were too crowded.
"What I had heard is that it wasn't possible for someone to simply walk past them," said Jack Landgrebe, professor of chemistry and member of the renovations committee. "They had to stand up to let someone through, and they found that very unexpected. It sounds like they might be a little more cramped than they had hoped."
Givens said that the University was limited by the amount of space available.
"I would say that, as far as seats go, they are standard size; they're not luxurious." Givens said. "I feel that there is no question that they do meet the standards and specs that are used for the campus."
Protest group's tree finds a home in Strong
Kansan staff writer
Bv Lindsev Henrv
A renegade Christmas tree, placed in the Strong Hall rotunda late last week, has a new home.
But the tree is now safe and secure in the lobby of the Student Assistance Center, 22 Strong Hall, said Jeff Weinberg, assistant to the chancellor.
Protesting the administration's decision to decorate for the holidays only with poinsettias, a group calling themselves Students Against "No Tree" Association (S.A.N.T.A.), set up a 6-foot tree in the entrance to Strong Hall, only to have it removed hours later.
"Someone was kind and good enough to donate the tree," Weinberg said. "Now it is in the lobby for
It was reported last week that more than 50 of Strong Hail's poln-
anyone to enjoy."
Poinsettias decorate the rotunda of Strong Hall this year in place of a Christmas tree.
settias were removed when the tree was installed. That, Weinberg said, is because the plants are routinely moved into offices at night so they do not wilt in the drafty rotunda.
No individual from S.A.N.T.A. has come forward to claim responsibility for the tree. Members of the association called and left a letter at the Kansan, in which they stated that a tree should have been put up for groups that do celebrate with holiday trees.
Weinberg said the administration did not make a mistake with its decision to not single out the Christian faith by including a Christmas tree in the decorations.
"I still respect the decision that was made," he said. "But this is not an easy issue."
weinberg said he was glad the University had joined with the Lawrence community in the Festival of Pointsettas instead of annually putting up what he called a tragic tree.
Provost David Shulenburger said that the administration would not take any legal action against S.A.N.T.A.
"This is a university, and it was just an expression, and that's what the University is all about," Shulenburger said. "I certainly understand what the individuals are saying — there is plenty of room on campus for expression, for all expressions of faith."
"The nearly bare, almost dry tree was a tragic-looking Christmas tree," Weinberg said. "The poinsettias tie us into the Lawrence community. And the main reason is that they look beautiful."
TODAY
SUNNY
2
AAAAAHHH
High 57° Low 36°
Weather: Page 2A
INDEX
Weather ... 2A
Features ... 6A
Sports...1B
Scoreboard ... 2B
Horoscopes ... 6B