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Monday, January 23, 1989/University Daily Kansan
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Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Hayden would hurt Regents schools with Washburn
There couldn't be a better time for Gov. Mike Hayden to push Washburn University into the Board of Regents system; but for the seven Regents schools, there couldn't be a worse time.
Hayden is putting the Kansas' Regents schools in a no-win situation by holding the Margin of Excellence over the schools' heads.
In his recent State of the State address, Hayden introduced the "Margin of Excellence Partnership Act" to the Kansas Legislature, which would finance the Margin's second year and would include Washburn in the Regents system.
would include Washburn in the Regents system. He said he wouldn't sign the legislation without the inclusion of Washburn into the Regents system.
The Margin of Excellence is the Regents three-year plan to bring faculty salaries to 100 percent of those at peer universities and to bring the overall budget to 95 percent of their peer universities. The program's first year was financed at 83 percent.
But tacking Washburn to the important Margin of Excellence legislation isn't fair to the Regents or to Washburn.
Regulations don't limit to the Regents or to Washburn's merits when the governor must hold the Margin hostage to get the school into the Regents system. Yet, Hayden hasn't explained what concrete benefits Washburn would bring to the Regents system if admitted, saying only that the "time is right" for Washburn to be a Regents school.
Regents School.
The time may be right for Hayden. He lost Shawnee County in the 1986 gubernatorial election. And with the next election less than two years away, it's never too early to start drumming up votes in Topeka.
If Hayden's proposal is passed and Washburn is included into the Regents, Topeka residents would be grateful, to be sure. Their personal property taxes partially finance Washburn. If the Legislature passes Hayden's bill, property taxes in Topeka would drop slowly from 16.8 mills to about 3 mills.
could drop slowly from 10.3 miles Hayden's proposal would help himself and Topeka. But what would Washburn do for the Regents? Washburn would cost the Regents between $5 million and $12 million. First, the state would have another mouth to feed in an already malnourished family. Second, adding Washburn would set back the progress the Margin of Excellence has already provided.
the Margin of Excellence has already proved. To oppose the Washburn proposal isn't to be anti-Washburn; the school's academic merits aren't at issue. It's obvious Washburn would be helped by having Regents status, but the other schools have to think of themselves.
other schools have to think of what he's doing. It's the wrong time for Washburn to be in the Regents'. With the opposition poised, Hayden should realize that his ultimatum isn't the right way to get what he wants.
Julie Adam for the editorial board
Regents made right choice
Thursday, the Board of Regents rejected a recommendation by hired consultants to discontinue KU's architectural engineering program. In doing so, it allowed reason to prevail over shoddy research and illogical arguments.
The consultants, who reviewed the engineering programs at the University of Kansas, Wichita State University and Kansas University, claimed that KU's program was a mere duplication of K-State's program.
Application of K-State's program. In making their recommendation, the consultants narrowly looked at the state's programs. Not only did they fail to consider the quality of KU's program, they missed the fact that only 12 accredited architectural engineering programs exist in the United States.
Also, in researching the programs, the consultants didn't bother to speak with Max Lucas, dean of architecture and urban design, even though 80 percent of the program's courses are taught in that school.
Because KU and K-State's missions differ so greatly, duplication in programming is not an issue. By having both schools offer the program, the state is better able to serve the students.
students. By rejecting the recommendation, the Regents acted forcefully and intelligently. In the future, let's hope they show the same willingness to be flexible and open to other voices.
Grace Hobson for the editorial board
News staff
Julie Adam ... Editor
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This class is brought to you by. . .
T he powers that be soon will allow KU students to pay fees by mail. What a peachy-keen idea. I don't think anybody could find
About the only good thing that could be said about that system is that it serves as a substitute for a regular physical education program. I know one student who lost twelve pounds on registration day by jogging between buildings where he needed to pick up forms. The experience inspired him to try out for the Olympic team.
I don't think anybody could find many nice things to say about the current fee payment system, which makes students wait in one line in one building for one piece of paper, then sends them to another line in another building where someone tears that piece of paper in half and hands them another piece of paper, which is taken to another line where students have that piece of paper torn in half, fork over a suitcaseful of money and are told "Have a nice day."
him to try.
However, I don't think anybody will miss all the days if the pay-by-mail plan ever comes about. The big crowds, the confusion, the hassle will be things of the past.
will be things to the rescue.
Unfortunately, you by-mail won't eliminate the worst parent payment, that is, the part where you even think it's mostly my parents' money. I still have a hard time plumping down that much cash at one shot. I'm sure my parents aren't really excited about it either.
arreast.
Luckily, I think I've come up with a plan that could eliminate even that part of fee payment.
The idea hit me some time during break, right after the Mazda Gator Bowl but before the
Michael
Merschel
Staff columnist
Sunkist Fiesta Bowl.
Sunkist Festa Dow. It's simple; corporate sponsorship.
It's simple: corporate sponsorship. The idea actually has been around for a while. For college football bowl games, it works like this: A company such as John Hancock insurance pays a couple million dollars to the people who run the Sun Bowl. Those people then change the name of their game to "The John Hancock Sun Bowl" and go out and buy yachts.
California.
Big companies obviously enjoy paying to have their names displayed in creative ways. If the University of Kansas tapped that desire, everyone's money problems here would be solved for good.
For starters, KU could sell sponsorship for some of the schools and departments. I think some natural sponsors might be "The Drexel-Burnham-Lambert School of Business," the
Corporate sponsorship isn't limited to football games. I remember waiting in line at Disneyland a few years ago for rides with names something like "Kodak Hall's Space Mountain." I'm sure Mickey gets enough money from that deal to keep Minnie in furs year-round, although I don't know what she'd want with them in southern California.
National Enquirer School of Journalism"; or "The Acme Unemployment Service Department of Textile Design."
At a million dollars a school and a few hundred thousand for each department, the University would have enough money to substantially reduce fees. But to eliminate them altogether, the school needs more.
We already have endowed chairs; why not corporately sponsored classes? I'm sure we could find space in the timetable for "The Song History of Eastern Civilization." "Dow Chemical Basic Chemistry" and "Volkswagen Introductory German."
man.
Such a plan even could be used as a sort of multi-pay system and a way to tell unwanted professors's it time to retire. A professor teaching "American Express Gold Card History of the United States since the Civil War" could feel pretty secure; the professor assigned to teach "Depend Adult Diapers Western Civilization" should start making retirement plans.
should start making relationships
Clearly, corporate sponsorship could pay for
just about everything at the University. But
setting up such a large-scale program could take
years. What about those of us who plan to
graduate in a few months?
I have a plan for that, too. I don't know how long it will take for my friends to get used to calling me "K-Mart Mart Merschel." But I suppose it couldn't be much more painful than paying fees, right?
Michael Merselet is a Lakewood, Colo., senior majoring in journalism.
Wright ethics are wrong for Congress
The House Committee on, or maybe against, Ethics is getting ready to issue its whitewash of Speaker Jim Wright. Meanwhile, the illustrious Swami of the
its whiteish makeup of Speaker Jim Wright. Meanwhile, the illustrious Swami of the Smaray has busied himself opening the 101st Congress with his fullfledged address. The president of U.S. Congresses from the first to the last is alone evidence to disprove any theory of evolution about political morality in this country. How else do you explain this spectacle? There, uttering the highest platitudes the great-and-honorable traditions of the House of Representatives, was a Texas pol who has done more to be mournth that tradition than any speaker in recent history. Jim Wright would make a good look like a man made by Republican virtue. I've known wardeckers with less dubious records, though none as tiresome, long-winded or inspired by their own clichés.
This entire, officious speech was an exercise in unconscious irony, but some parts were more delicious than others. Note this failed attempt at aphorism: "To profess love for democracy but disfaint for politics is to pretend to honor the product while despising the process that creates the product." On the part of a politician less well known for degrading the quality of American politics, such language would be only awkward. On the part of one whose various deals, interests, and other ethical ambiguities have drawn national attention, such rhetoric is a gem of self-
Paul Greenberg Syndicated columnist
parody. When politics is defended by the Honorable Jim Wright, it needs no attackers. Listening to him speak at Ambrose Bierce's defining of the term: "Politics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage."
conduct of public affairs for private advantage.' A brief clamance at Mr. Wright's effusive text (I cannot bear more than a glance) reveals not a single mention of the E-word - ethics - a hopeful sign. It indicates that the speaker has some sense of shame. But the speaker of the House came perilously close to that dangerous subject when he assured his fellow members of Congress the least visible embarrassment. We can even lift the standards of our own institutional self-expectations." There's little doubt about that, since Congress could scarcely lower them.
lower them.
Members of Congress even are now to accept a huge salary increase (from $89,500 to $135,000 a year, or almost 50 percent) in exchange for giving up the practice of accepting payments of dubious honor known in the congress
sional lexicon as honoraria. In short, the Honorables will agree to cease doing the less-than-honorable if they're paid well enough. If this deal weren't perfectly legal, the name for it would be extortion.
It would be a pleasant and astounding surprise if the commitment demanded Jim Wright's resignation. That would be bringing the law up to ethical standards instead of denoting the ethical norm to whatever is law, which is what this committee is likely to do.
humane is likely to do.
It would not be fair to say that Wright is the first speaker of the House whose little deals would repel any gentleman of the old school. As early as the 1800s, John Randolph of Roanoke was already considered hopelessly out of touch with modern standards when he described Henry Clay as "a being, so brilliant yet so corrupt, which, like a rotten mackerel by moonlight, shines and stinks." John F. Kennedy called turn of phrase "the most memorable and malign sentence in the history of personal abuse," and indeed, it is not an easy sentence to forget - or to top. It should be emphasized that Mr. Randolph's contemplptious description would certainly not apply to the current speaker of the House. Jim Wright isn't likely to be accused of brilliance.
Paul Greenberg is a syndicated columnist who writes for the Pine Blow, Ark. Gazette.
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