TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1996
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
NEWS 864-4810
ADVERTISING 864-4358
SECTION A VOL. 102.NO.95
(USPS 650-640)
TODAY KANSAN
SPORTS
Crunch time
The Kansas women's basketball team still sits atop the Big Eight. Page 1B
CAMPUS
Students steaming hot
Both men's and women's saunas at Robinson need to be replaced,some say. Page 5A
NATION
Speed limit bill endorsed
A bill that would raise speed limits in Kansas goes to the Senate for debate. Page 9A
WORLD
Survivor search continues
After three days, rescuers lose hope for survivors in Japan's crushed tunnel. Page 10A
WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY
High 55° Low 23°
Weather: Page 2A.
INDEX
Opinion . . . . . 4A
National News . . . 9A
World News . . . 10A
Scoreboard. . . 2B
Horoscopes . . . 4B
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents.
Speeches cover health care, film
Joycelyn Elders, Ken Burns to visit Lied Center stage
Former U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders and documentary filmmaker Ken Burns don't have much in common — but both will speak today at the Lied Center.
By Susanna Lööf
Kansan staff writer
Elders will open the center's day with a free lecture called American Health Care Crisis- My Cure at 9 a.m. Burns will give a free lecture called Sharing the American Experience at 8 p.m.
No vouchers are needed to attend Elders' speech, but vouchers are needed for the Burns speech. As of yesterday morning, the Student Union Box Office had between 50 and 100 vouchers left, said Susan Cary, box office manager.
But students who don't have vouchers will be allowed to use any seats that are empty at 7:45 p.m., she said.
Elders will speak for 55 minutes, and a question-and-answer session will follow the speech. The lecture is a part of African-American History Month.
"We wanted her to come and speak because she is one of the most dynamic and influential current national speakers," said Sherwood Thompson, director of Office of Minority Affairs.
Thompson said Elders' speech had to be scheduled in the morning because that was the only time Elders could make it. But Thompson said he expected interest for the speech to be high despite the time.
"If you want to hear this type of stuff, you have to be flexible," he said.
Thompson said that many professors had been cooperative and allowed their students to attend the speech even if it interfered with class.
"The value of attending this program is extremely important," Thompson said.
In the evening, Burns will take center stage.
Burns' speech is sponsored by the Hall Center for the Humanities and is a part of the center's celebration of the centennial of American film, said Bill Andrews, director of the center.
Burns, who is the creator of public television documentaries The Civil War and Baseball, is doing a 10-stop national lecture tour. He requested the University of Kansas to be one of the stops.
Andrews said Burns wanted to come to the University to speak about his work documenting American history on film.
Worthy KU GTAs may get awards
By coming to the area, Burns also will have the opportunity to research jazz in the Kansas City area, Andrews said. Burns is working on a film about the history of American jazz.
Students can nominate assistants
By Amanda Traughber Kansan staff writer
Teaching can be a thankless job, but students wanting to express gratitude to their graduate teaching assistants can nominate them for awards.
GTAs are eligible for three awards: the Diana Bartelli Carlin and John Carlin Award, the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, and a finalist award.
Sara Martin, assistant graduate school dean, said the school takes in about 50 nominations from students each year. But she would like the school to receive more.
"We know that there's outstanding teaching going on by GTAs," Martin said, "and we know that undergraduate students appreciate that. So we'd like to hear from those students."
Each award recipient receives a cash prize ranging from $100 to $1,000, Martin said.
Nominating a GTA
The honor carrying the highest monetary prize is the Carlin award, which two GTAs receive each year. Money for the prize comes from a private endowment fund established by the Carlins. Diana Bartelli Carlin is an associate professor of communications studies, and her husband, John, was Kansas governor from 1979 to 1987.
Students who wish to nominate a GTA for a teaching award can pick up forms at the graduate school, 222 Strong Hall, or in the GTA's academic department. Forms must be returned to either 222 Strong Hall or the GTA's department by Feb. 23.
The other two awards — the Outstanding GTA award and the award for finalists — are financed by the Chancellor's office and the Graduate and Professional Association, a graduate student organization. Five GTAs receive the Outstanding GTA award, and five are recognized as finalists.
Tracy Russo, assistant professor of communication studies, won a Carlin award as a GTA last year. She said the awards helped recognize GTAs who cared about students and their educations.
"They acknowledge the efforts
of a whole lot of individuals to make learning active and to make it a good experience for a lot of students on this campus," she said.
GTAs either must be nominated by their academic departments, or receive five student nominations to be considered.
To be eligible for the awards, GTAs must have completed at least one semester of teaching and must have taught during this academic year. GTAs must also be in good standing and cannot be affiliated with the awards selection process.
However, Martin said, if a GTA who served on the selection committee was nominated for an award, the GTA would be asked to step down from the committee.
The selection committee sifts through the nominations and selects 20 GTAs as finalists. These GTAs are then asked to submit a statement of their teaching philosophy, Martin said. The selection committee uses the statements in determining award winners.
The awards are presented as part of activities the week before commencement. The winners of the Carlin and Outstanding GTA awards will be invited to march in the commencement procession, Martin said.
No, really! They're free!
Ayshe Charity, Lawrence senior; Jason Holland, Overland Park junior; and Kent O'Connor, Topeka junior, pass out candy and balloons to a passer-by for an improvisation class project.
Steve Puppe / KANSAN
Students help Dole claim victory in Iowa
By Nicole Kennedy
Kansan staff writer
"We've got a room full of about 500 Dole supporters and more media than I've ever seen," Obermüller said. "It's really a night of losers to tell who's not in the race. We're just really glad it turned on the way it did.
It was barely 3 p.m. yesterday, but with all the fervor of a student politician working his first caucus, KU student Andy Obermeller was already sure Sen. Bob Dole was going to win in Iowa.
"It's really just a great night.
The Senator is favored," Obermeller, Liberal sophomore, said. "I think Bob Dole is to win."
Obermueller was one of seven KU students who worked for the Dole campaign in Iowa yesterday. And when the results came in, he was one of hundreds partying with the Senator.
CAUCUS: Dole's first place finish
shaky. Page 9A
We're sticking stickers on anybody that's breathing."
Dole finished first in the Iowa caucus last night, capturing 26 percent of the vote with 90 percent of the precincts reporting. He was trailed by Pat Buchanan, who finished second with 23 percent.
"it's kind of an electric atmosphere," Obermueller said. "Everybody you see is carrying a laptop or a cell phone."
Brad Burke, Topeka sophomore and regional director of the Young Americans for Dole, said the KU students worked all weekend.
"We pulled in about midnight Friday and we've been working hard all the time," Burke said. "When we're not making phone calls, we're back at the hotel convincing the staff to vote for Dole."
Bosnian student flees fighting,wants to attend KU
Bombing of Sarajevo University prompts decision to leave home
By Adam Darby Special to the Kansan
When Emir Mesanovic fled Bosnia in the winter of 1994, the University of Sarajevo was all but destroyed.
Faced with no hope of completing his college education in Sarajevo, Mesanovic came to the United States, where he wants to pursue a master's degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Kangas.
Almost 80 percent of the university had been bombed and torched by Serb extremists since the start of the war in Bosnia in 1992. Almost half of the instructors had also fled.
"The best deal I have is KU," he said. "They have the sixth best engineering program in the country."
But Mesanovic is waiting in Dodge City as William March, assistant professor of Slavic languages and literature, tries to clear the way for Mesanovic's admittance to the University.
March is acting as a liaison between Mesanovic and the University, sending him financial-aid forms and other information. March is also trying to open a channel through the International Students Committee for more Bosnian students like Mesanovic to come to the University.
"I think the University of Kansas could at least offer an opportunity for the students to come and study," he said.
March said an adequate education was impossible at the devastated universities of the former Yugoslavia. On a visit to Croatia last summer, March saw firsthand how bad the situation really was.
"A lot of the university staff fleed the siege in the beginning, when they could still get out," he said.
Mesanovic grew up in downtown Sarajevo. By the time he was 17, in the winter of 1994, Mesanovic's neighborhood had endured more than two years of unrelenting bombardment by the Serbs. Unable to finish high school in Sarajevo, Mesanovic moved to Croatia, where he finished 12th grade. But with no hope of getting a college education, he decided to leave the country.
In the fall of 1995, Mesanovic arrived at the home of George Laughhead, Jr., in Dodge City.
Mesanovic is attending community college in Dodge City while waiting for the University to decide if he can receive in-state tuition.
Laugheed hopes to see Mesanovic get a chance to prove himself at the University.
"These kids study more than anybody I've ever seen." Laughhed said.
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Laughhead said he has enjoyed seeing Mesanovic regain his health.
"It's nice to see him worrying about grades and girls, and all that stuff we take for granted," he said.
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Andy Rohrback/KANSAN