THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PUBLISHED SINCE 1889 BY THE STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 1989
(USPS 650-640)
VOL. 99, NO.81
FCC conducting investigation of KJHK
by Candy Niemann Kansan staff writer
Radio station KJHK is under investigation by the Federal Communications Commission for possible violations of its non-commercial license.
The investigation concerns donor participation during the spring and summer of 1988.
Non-commercial stations such as KJHK are limited by the FCC in what they are allowed to say on the air about companies that make donations to the station.
On May 25. Steven Greenwood, Lawrence
resident who was KJHK's 1978-79 music director, send a letter and a tape of KJHK programming to the FCC in Kansas City. He said he also sent a petition, signed by 36 KJHK listeners, that questioned the legality of donor announcements made by the station.
FCC regulations for non-commercial stations prohibit broadcast of donor announcements that include qualitative and comparative statements, calls to action or prices.
be acceptable as long as it was a fact.
For example, the statement "They sell the best pizza" would be illegal because of its comparative meaning, while the statement "They sell over 100 pizzas each day" would
On June 23, Greenwood received notice that the complaint had been forwarded to the Mass Media Bureau of the FCC in Washington. D.C.
Sam Elliott, general manager and faculty adviser for KJHK, said he received a letter from the FCC in early December. The letter asked if the station had broadcast 10 specific announcements. It did not say whether those announcements were in violation of regulations.
Greenwood also said the sales staff tell donors write their own announcements. He
But Brad Schwarz, spring 1988 station manager, disagreed. He said donors sometimes sat with staff members as they wrote comments, but said the staff did the writing.
referred to announcements from "a laundromat and a pizza place" as examples of the
Members of the KJHK sales staff are trained to work with customers during their sales class. Elliot's
Staff members are given guidelines about what kinds of donor statements are acceptable and the criteria for recognition.
for students going to New York" is listed as being acceptable to the FCC.
But the FCC attorney reviewing the case said that the statement might be in violation because "imexpenive" could be viewed as a qualitative statement.
Ann Peck, KJIK sales manager, said the regulations were so subtle that students must have a good understanding.
"We can't even say 'call' and then give a phone number. We have to say 'the number is' because 'call' is telling you to do some-
See VIOLATIONS, p. 6, col. 1
Professor may alter prediction
by Mary Neubauer Kansan staff writer
A KU professor thinks he may have to rewrite an entire book because of the weather.
Maynard Shelly, professor of psychology, based his book "The Darker Side" on the assumption that the greenhouse effect would begin to take its toll in the next few hundred years. But, because of what he has learned from meteorologists, he said the greenhouse effect might be happening now.
The greenhouse effect is a process in which heat is trapped at the earth's surface by the atmosphere. The heat, which is generated from the sun's rays, living beings' metabolism and industrial activities, is blocked from leaving the atmosphere by such elements as atmospheric carbon dioxide caused by the burning of fossil fuels
These elements act like the glass in a greenhouse and send the heat back to the ground.
"I was writing my book about violence on a potentially declining planet," Shelly said. "I believed the planet would not decline for several hundred years. But now that meteorologists are saying the greenhouse effect may happen in 25 years, it changes my thesis."
See GREENHOUSE, p. 6, col. 1
Hangin' around
Construction workers for Dabistrom & Ferrell Construction Co. Toeka center the top of a crane to be used for work on the Robert Dole Human Development Center
College discussing class on racism Officials say education on issue needed
Kansan staff writer
by Scott Achelpohl
The creation of a class on racism is being discussed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the dean of the college said yesterday.
James Muyksen, dean of liberal arts and sciences, said racism was an issue that must be addressed vigorously on campus.
The recommendation for the class was made to the college in December
"Racism is an issue we must be doing much more about," Myskens said. "We need to think about who might be qualified to teach such a subject of disability of a class on the subject is just in the discussion stages right now."
by a minority affairs task force created by Judith Ramaley, executive vice chancellor.
Barbara Ballard, director of the Office of Student Life, said the class should stress sensitivity to all races.
"The class would need to involve exploring the reasons behind stereotypes." Ballard said. "I see a real need for education on racism in society and an evidence of little things (involving racism) cropping up all over campus."
William Tuttle, professor of history, was a recent target of racist vandalism. After Christmas, he returned to his office, where he served on his office door.
Tuttle said a class on racism would
be a positive step toward combating the racism behind such vandalism.
"At KU, there's a lot of racism under the surface." Tuttle said. "It would be good to bring people together and discuss the subject in that type of forum. I'd be happy to teach such a class."
David Katzman, professor of history, was also a target of racist vandalism and hate. He said a woman who was excellent idea and should be explored.
George Wedge, associate professor of English, said the course should handle the topic of racism from an academic standpoint.
Wedge also was a target of racist vandalism. He found swastikas
carved in his office door and other damage to the front of his office after Thanksgiving break and during winter break.
James Carothers, associate dean of liberal arts and sciences, said that although a class on racism was still been discussed, the University wanted racism to be addressed in all venues of life at KU.
Wayne Webe, Shawnee senior and former president of the KU Black Student Union, said a class on racism could be beneficial.
"Such a class would need to teach the differences between cultures and help students understand the reasons people are different." Webb said.
Self-styled 'commando' admits to sniper killing
The Associated Press
YAPHANK, N.Y. — A 20-year-old self-styled commando who "was playing on his fantasy" admitted to a series of sniper attacks that killed one person, injured three and terrorized a section of Long Island in December, authorities said yesterday.
Yusuf Abdullah Rahman of Riverhead, N.Y., admitted to the shootings and to two other killings in Kansas City in a two-hour videotaped statement, according to Edward County assistant district attorney.
Rahman was arrested Saturday afternoon in Wyandach, N.Y., after a brief chase on foot, Suffolk County police said. They said he also was
wanted on a murder warrant in Kansas City.
Police Capt. John McElhone said that Rahman liked to wear commando-style outfits, such as black clothing and a bullet-proof vest. Jablonski said that Rahman rode a bicycle and wore a knife strapped to his leg when he did the snipping.
McElhone said that detectives had questioned Rahman extensively but that no motive for the shootings had been determined.
He was held without bail on one count of second-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder in the second degree and one count of reckless endangerment in the first degree.
Humanity requirements increasing, study shows
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Intense interest in revamping and expanding college humanities requirements has translated into little success in the past five years, according to a study released yesterday.
The study, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, found that students were only slightly more likely to have to take such courses in order to graduate, and it is possible to bypass many significant fields of knowledge in route to a degree.
Average increases in requirements for English and American literature, foreign languages and literature, history and philosophy
General requirements in the humanities area rose an average of 1.5 hours from 1983-84 to 1988-89 — a 6.2 percent increase, according to the study of course requirements at 496 colleges and universities.
all totaled .2 credit hours or less over the five-year period.
See STUDENTS, p. 6, col. 3
"There's been such emphasis and such effort in the past five years to try to restore form and substance to undergraduate requirements," she said in an interview last week. "I don't mean you want to graduate, but colleges are not trying. What this survey shows is how hard it is."
"One would have hoped that all the concern about curriculum should be resumed in more," said Lynne Cheney, endowment chairwoman.
For example, she said, music school accredited agencies require that 65 percent of all course work be subjects related to
Cheney attributed some of the problems to "outside pressures" and heavy course requirements for certain majors.
Rent a possibility for tenants of Union
Organizations might pay charge to occupy renovated space
by Kris M. Bergquist
Kansan staff writer
Student organizations that have offices and work places in the city may may have to pay rent by credit card. The Fall 1986 issue of *The Wall Street Journal* has
A committee of the Kansas Memorial Corporation, which oversees the unions, will meet in February to decide whether rent will be charged and how much that rent would be.
Student organizations had been charged rent for Union office space before being moved to temporary offices at the Burge Union when renovation work at the Kansas Union began about two years ago.
Rent was not charged at the Burge Union because the spaces were temporary, said Jim Long, director of the Kansas and Burge Unions.
Because of turnover in the leadership of most organizations and the creation of new groups, the organization will need to
Pam Holley, student body vice president and a member of the committee, said she was wary of
"Having to pay rent may mean that organizations will take (their work) seriously," Holley said. "However, I'm not convinced that the student organizations should have to pay for rent. After all,
it's the students' Union."
Holley said that if organizations were charged rent. Student Senate would have to decide whether it would help fund groups that needed money to pay rent.
pay Ten.
"We'd have to be consistent," Holley said. "We couldn't pay for some groups and not for others. The rent charge would probably hurt the small organizations the most. We will have to be sure that we won't be punishing some groups."
The Union's renovated fourth floor has 14 offices, of which the Senate will use five. Eight open work spaces will be used by groups such as the Hispanic Leadership Organization and Armory International.
The previous rental rate was $2 a square foot. Most groups would be charged about $180 to $200 a year if the rent is kept the same, Long said.
International. The University Information Center also will move from the Burge Union to the fourth floor of the Union.
year if the rent will be charged this semester, even though organizations will be moving into the Union later this spring.
after this spring.
Eladio Valdez, president of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization, said his organization needed a work space. The organization's
He said he wanted to keep that going in the Kansas Union.
space in the Burge Union is a central meeting place that ensures the group a place in the organization.
"I're really not for paying rent," Valdez said. "We're a student organization, and if we're volunteering our services to be an organization for the students, the University should be able to help us." He agreed. "As soon as you are applauded you, and because of that they should be saying, 'We'll give you the space free.'"
"I don't like it, but if it happens, we'll just have to adapt to it."
Valdez said that he was not sure how the organization would pay rent if the policy was approved. Membership fees and funding from the Senate are options, he said.
Despite Valdez's feelings, he said he understood the Union's viewpoint.
"The Union will know that organizations will apply only if they really want it," Valdez said. "They'll be more serious about how they treat the work and how they use their office space."