FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1995
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
NEWS 864-4810
SECTION A VOL.102, NO.58
ADVERTISING 864-4358
(USPS 650-640)
TODAY KANSAN
SPORTS
Kansas readies for red invasion
The No.10 football team hopes the Cornhuskers don't bring it down. Page 1B
CAMPUS
Guarding heroes
ROTC students conduct a vigil at the Vietnam memorial to honor KU students who have died in America's wars. Page 6A
NATION
Government may shut down
The White House says there is no chance of Congress passing an acceptable balanced budget bill by Monday. Page 7A
WORLD
What happened in Vietnam
Former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara found out how the Gulf of Tonkin pulled the U.S. into war. Page 7A
WEATHER MILD AND WARM
High 56° Low 31°
Weather: Page 2A
INDEX
Opinion . . . . . 4A
Nation/World . . . . 7A
Features . . . . . 8A
Sports . . . . . 1B
Scoreboard . . . . 2B
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is free. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents.
Board will present parking options
By Sarah Wlese Kansan staff writer
After weeks of presentations, fact-finding and discussion, the parking board met yesterday to complete its presentation of parking possibilities to the University Senate Executive Committee for a presentation Tuesday. The two options are a park-and-ride system and a new parking garage north of the Kansas Union.
"These are two very viable, very possible options, and that's how they'll be presented," said Ward Cook, Mission Hills sophomore and board member.
Early last spring, SenEx rejected the board's proposal for two new
✓ A 1,000 space parking garage north of the Kansas Union would coat about $19 million and would be available to visitors, faculty, staff and students.
✓ With a park-and-ride system, students could park in a West Campus lot and ride a bus to campus.
parking garages, one north of the Union and the other at Jayhawker Towers. SenEx members cited drastic increases in permit prices and a lack of input from the University community as reasons.
The parking board members don't
want to make the same mistake twice. When they go to SenEx Tuesday, they won't have a final recommendation or decision in hand.
"I don't think SenEx is looking for a proposal at this point," said Stevie Case, Olathe sophomore, board member and vice chairwoman of SenEx.
The goal is to pass along information about the financing and feasibility of both a parking garage and a park-and-ride system, said Glenn Prescott, chairman of the parking board.
Both options have pros and cons.
A 1,000-space garage north of the Union would have cost about $10 million. It would provide top-of-the-
Disadvantages
✓ To build the 1,000 space parking garage, the Continuing Education building would be destroyed.
✓ Although the park-and-ride is supposed to be a cheaper alternative, it actually would cost more than a blue parking permit.
But the Continuing Education building would have to be removed, and parking permit rates would increase over time.
hill convenience for faculty, staff and students, as well as for visitors touring the campus or its museums.
A park-and-ride system would involve parking in a West Campus lot and riding a bus to campus. A student would buy an annual $20 parking permit and a KU on Wheels bus pass, now $60 a semester.
Thought to be an inexpensive alternative, park-and-ride actually would cost more than a student parking permit, which costs $35 a semester.
"I think they'll have a lot of questions and appreciate that we're coming to them for input instead of saying, 'Here's what we're going to do,'" she said.
Case said she thought members of SenEx were looking forward to hearing about both options.
Gangs: More than Jets and Sharks
Steve Puppe/KANSAN
The Sharks and Jets do battle in the University Theatre production of "West Side Story." Performances are at 8 p.m. tonight, tomorrow, Nov. 16, 17 and 18 and at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Crafton-Preyer Theater in Murphy Hall. A talk-back session will follow the Nov. 12 show.
Gangs on the rise in smaller towns
Bv Josh Yancey
Kansan staff writer
As "West Side Story" actors dance across the stage at Murphy Hall this weekend, police officers will be keeping an eye out for real-life Jets and Sharks on Lawrence's streets.
"I used to think that," said Scott Jones, a narcotics officer in the Kansas City, Kan., police department. "But kids today are carrying real guns. They shoot real bullets. If they have the means to do something, they do it."
Some say Lawrence's gang presence is mostly "wannabes," or bored grade- and high-school students with too much time on their hands.
Jones related a recent experience in which three men had pointed guns at him outside a downtown Lawrence nightclub.
The incident made him rethink his view of Lawrence as a sleepy college town, he said.
He said. No, he didn't say. Lawrence and Kansas City used to be like two different worlds when it came to gang activity, he said.
"A few years ago, you might get beat up," he said. "Now, you get shot."
Mark Wertzberger, Lawrence freshman, said there had been some gang activity at Lawrence High School when he was there. School administration responded by beefing up security and banning some clothing items often worn by gang members, he said.
Now, he said, the line between the two is not as distinct.
"There had been a few guns in lockers and a few fights," he said. "There would be gang members coming from Topeka and Kansas City to recruit — they were the real
deal."
Sgt. Rick Nickell of the Lawrence Police Department stressed that there was no crime in being a gang member. Police officers do not have probable cause to stop a person or persons who are dressed in stereotypical gang fashion, he said.
"Certainly, there are members of the community who state to be a member of a gang," Nickell said. "Much of it stems from Kansas City and Topeka."
"It's starting to creep into the smaller towns," Jones said. "Any time you have kids with too much time on their hands and access to guns, the temptation is there."
He echoed Nickell's statement that belonging to a group — regardless of its format — was not a crime.
"It's not a crime to belong to any of these groups," Nickell said. "It's what you do. If you break the law, then you're a criminal."
Musical tells old tale that still applies
By Eric Weslandor Kansan correspondent
A story of forbidden love, prejudice and gang violence is coming to the University of Kansas.
Beginning tonight, the University Theatre is staging "West Side Story," a modern retelling of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."
"West Side Story" made its debut in 1957. In sharp contrast to the light, comic musicals of the time, it dealt with a serious issue: the tension between Americans and Puerto Rican immigrants in New York City.
"The subject matter is not traditional for musicals," said Jack Wright, professor of theater and film and stage director for the production. "This is what made it such a landmark at the time."
"West Side Story" features music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents. The plot revolves around the love between an American boy and a Puerto Rican girl and how that love escalates the violence between two rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks.
The University Theatre's production, which is co-sponsored by the KU Bookstores, involves more than 40 student cast members, many more students behind the scenes and a 38-piece orchestra conducted by artist-in-residence Brian Priestman. Preparations for the production have been under way since the end of September.
Since the story idea comes from Shakespeare, the production has been promoted as a part of the Western Civilization Program's 50th anniversary celebration.
"Because it is based upon an important work of Western literature, it is something that we are interested in," said Antha Cotten-Spreckelmeyer, assistant director of the Western Civilization Program.
The story of a rivalry that starts with a scuffle and ends with a killing is a common tale today. The September 24 shooting of two students at Olathe North High School in a fight after a football game is an example of the immediacy of "West Side Story."
"It's even more immediate today than it was in 1957," Wright said. "The violence and prejudice of the '50s have mutated into even more shocking forms, such as drive-by shootings in the '90s."
"As we're producing this, we're realizing that we haven't learned our lesson in 40 years," he said.
As serious as the story is, the music and dance that accompany the plot bring many audience members back for more. Songs such as "Maria" and "Somewhere" have become classics.
The show's musical director is Mark Ferrell, associate professor of music and dance, and the choreographer is Jerel Hilding, associate professor of music and dance.
Emily Reid, Lake Quivira freshman, said that she was going to see the opening performance because of the music.
"I've seen 'West Side Story' a lot of times," she said. "It's the music that draws me to it."
Students don't mind Hemenway skipping class often
Although the
By Phillip Brownlee Kansan staff writer
although the chancellor rarely can attend his American
Literature II class.
If Chancellor Robert Hemenway were a student, he might be falling his own class.
But fortunately for him, attendance isn't required for the teacher.
"One week he was gone for two days and barely made it on the third," said Stacey Schmitz, Olathe junior and
Hemenway teaches American Literature II at 7:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So far he has missed eight class periods, or 24 percent of the semester, said Amy Lerman, his co-teacher.
absence Hemenway said the misses were unavoidable and
forewarned.
"I told the students up front that there would be times that I couldn't be there," he said. "In almost every instance, I was out of the state or out of the city."
The students are accommodating, for the most part.
The students are accommodating, for the most part. "I haven't heard anyone grumbling," said Heather Kirk wood. Wichita senior.
"Amv is a really good teacher," he said.
Schruitz said students understood that Hemenway had important things to do and didn't mind when he missed, mostly because they liked Lerman.
Lerman also said that Hemenway's absences weren't a problem.
"Obviously he has other things on his plate," she said.
"I would have thought he would have missed more."
David Stevens, Wichita senior, said he liked the idea of the Chancellor teaching a class, even if he often missed.
Students who miss class are penalized because quizzes are given each class period. In addition, students are allowed only two unexcused absences.
"I think it's good for a chancellor to have a classroom and hands-on experience," he said.
and hands on experience. We both Lerman agreed.
"It's great that he is not forgetting that the ultimate purpose of the University is education," she said. "I'm impressed he wants to teach."
Next semester, schedule willing, Hemenway will teach English 200. Introduction to Fiction.
Kirkwood said that at 7:30 a.m., she didn't care if Hemenway taught or not.
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