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Thursday, January 19, 1989/University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NCAA's new standards may disadvantage athletes
But Proposition 42, the NCAA's plan to help athletes become better students through tougher academic standards, ignores those larger questions.
A proposal passed last week at the NCAA Convention has stirred debate about the right to an education and the validity of standardized tests.
The measure prohibits students who are academically ineligible from receiving athletic scholarships. The new proposition tightens eligibility rules under Proposition 48, which sets academic guidelines for incoming freshmen.
academic guidelines for incoming students Starting in 1990, Proposition 42 would deny athletic scholarships to student-athletes who do not achieve scores of 700 on the SAT or 15 on the ACT and a 2.0 grade point average in 11 core curriculum classes.
Students who do not meet the requirements cannot play or practice and will have to pay their own way if they want to attend the school.
attend the school.
Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson has protested the decision, arguing that it would make it nearly impossible for economically disadvantaged students to attend college.
for economically disadvantaged students.
Bob Frederick, KU athletic director, who represented the University at the convention, opposed against the proposal.
He said that Proposition 6, which was implemented in 1986, should not be changed until that year's freshman class graduated, when its full effect could be studied.
*Note: This fuller deeper issues into question.*
But proposition 42 caus deeper issues into question. Standardized test validity is the biggest source of debate. Many believe the tests are culturally biased against persons from lower economic classes.
Clearly, Proposition 48 disproportionately hurts minorities. The NCAA estimates that of the nearly 600 freshmen ruled ineligible because of Proposition 48, 90 percent are black, leading some to believe that it is racist in intent.
to predict success. The average CCF score for black students in 1988 was 13.6, the average point at a less than the NCAA standard of 15.
leading some to believe that it is racist in many Racist or not, using standardized tests as an absolute means to predict success is wrong. For block students in 1988 was 13.6.
A better indicator of success is high school grade point averages. Proposition 42 takes a positive step by closing off loopholes allowing students to enter college without the 11 core courses while losing just one year of eligibility.
courses while losing just one year However, Proposition 42 could deny an average black student the opportunity to get an education while playing a sport on the NCAA level.
Hayden's political windfall
Gov. Mike Hayden wants to give $78.9 million away. He made a promise to the taxpayers, and with the race for reelection a year away, it seems it's time to pay up.
Jeff Euston for the editorial board
Action a year away, it seems it's time to pay up. But Hayden should consider the good of the state before the good of his campaign.
of his campaign.
The money would come from cuts in state income taxes for everyone except those earning $100,000 or more a year.
When federal tax codes changed in 1986, Kansas received $135 million in windfall money. The state returned some of the money through tax cuts last year, but Hayden has requested that the remaining $78.9 million be returned now.
that the remaining $m committee has approved Hayden's request, the Senate Task Force is up for debate Monday on the Senate floor. Hayden has asked the Legislature to pass the request by Feb. 1, removing the temptation to spend the money elsewhere. [emphasis]
1. Removing the question is whether Kansas can afford to return all the windfall money. Certain programs deserve more money, which they couldn't receive if the windfall were returned.
when they couldn't receive if the windfall were reduced. For example, the Board of Education has recommended $100 million in additional aid for schools. But when asked by legislators, State Secretary of Revenue Ed Rolfs said Kansas couldn't afford to return the windfall and finance the Board of Education's request without cutting back on Hayden's other proposals or raising taxes.
proposals or raising taxes.
All politicians like to have their name attached to the words "tax cut." Failure to return the windfall could weaken Hayden's bid for re-election. But politics cannot stand in the way of fiscal responsibility.
Jill Jess for the editorial board
News staff
News staff
Julie Adam...Editor
Karen Boring...Managing editor
Jill New...News editor
Deb Gruver...Planning editor
James Farquhar...Editorial editor
Elaine Sung...Campus editor
Tom Stinson...Sports editor
Janine Swiatkowski...Photo editor
Ursie Barnes...Graphics editor
Noel Gerdes...Arts/Features editor
Tom Eblen...General manager, news adviser
Business staff
Debra Cole...Business manager
Pamela Noe...Retail sales manager
Kevin Martin...Campus sales manager
Scott Fragar...National sales manager
Michelle Garland...Promotion manager
BradLenhart...Sales development manager
Linda Prokop...Production manager
Debra Martin...Asst. production manager
Kim Coleman...Co-op sales manager
Carl Cressler...Classified manager
Jeanne Hines...Sales and marketing adviser
Letters should be typed, double-spaced and less than 200 words and must include the writer's signature, name, address and telephone number. If the writer affiliated with the University of Kansas, please include class and hometown, or faculty or staff position.
**Guest columns** should be typed, double-spaced and less than 700 words. The writer will be photographed.
guest columns should be typed, double-spaced and less than 700 words. The writer will be photographed.
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**Recommendations**
Students present fair news in full Kansan is outlet for reader input and journalism experience
The media and newspapers often are viewed as tools for journalists to stir up trouble, dig into people's private lives and cause controversy. Although many people may think that we're happiest reporting bad news, we prefer to think otherwise.
Julie Adam
Editor
York Times publisher "The vital measure of a newspaper is not its size but its spirit — that is, its responsibility to report the news fully, accurately and fairly."
wise.
The University Daily Kansan's philosophy is more in tune with this quote from former New York Times publisher Arthur Hays Sulzberger
report the news story; attend a seminar; the Kansan, as any other newspaper, strives to do just that. Our staff members will be writing about the events and happenings on campus and in the area. We'll be writing features about your peers, teachers and community. And we'll be trying to find out about you while learning the ropes of professional journalism.
Topics or problems So you should start out the semester knowing something about the Kansan, other than where you can pick it up every day.
About 75 students, not including columnists and artists, make up the news staff of the Kansas. These student reporters, editors and photographers decide what will be covered on campus and outside of campus. Advertising managers and representatives sell and design ads, and maintain the finances. About 40 students work on the advertising staff. Although faculty advisers are available to answer questions, students have the final say about what goes into the paper.
The Kansan is in its 99th year of publication
Although faculty advisors are available to answer questions, students have the final say about what goes into the paper.'
and has won many awards for journalistic
nance. Last semester, the Kansas was chosen as one of four top college newspapers in the nation.
But just because the Kansan is a college newspaper doesn't mean it doesn't have a big voice in the state. With a 16,000 circulation Monday through Friday, the Kansan is the 6th largest newspaper in Kansas.
Our duty is to inform, to entertain and to learn By doing our best to produce the best paper for our readers, we also gain experience we will need after graduation. Whether we write a story about the Margin of Excellence, cover our sports teams or spend hours meticulously editing a
my series, we will be learning and teaching.
Yet, what many people may not realize is that readers, too, can be part of the Kansan. We encourage feedback on what we produce. We can't keep you informed if you don't keep us informed.
informed.
We print a "KU/Lawrence Calendar" on Monday pages on day 4 and an "On Campus" list of pages 5 every day. An arts/entertainment "Events" calendar on Fridays will feature the week's upcoming events. A club or organization may submit items to be printed in these columns.
We encourage you to stop by the newsroom and fill out forms to announce your events. We not only want to cover what happened, but let you know what will happen.
since we do consider ourselves to be doing professional journalistic work, we also want to be viewed that way. So by printing international national and state news, we focus on being a well-rounded news source.
well-bound. But we're not the New York Times. Our regular printing capacity is 16 pages a day, and we must practice good news judgment in deciding what we will print.
A good newspaper not only reports on and writes about its readers, but also it involves its readers in the news process. An involved reader not only helps himself but the newspaper and the community in which he lives.
- Julie Adam is a Kansas City, Kan., senior major in journalism.
Change comes from your voice; use it
On this page, our aim is to break societal confinements, but we need your help
Many people theorize that the U.S. anti-establishment movement, popularized during the 1960s, was a backlash from the 1950s socially stifling environment.
sitting environment.
Others speculate about how long it will take the human soul once able to twist free from society's stranglehold. Few deny that we're numb to routine assaults on our individuality. Apathy and selfishness are at high tide.
The time seems ripe for such an uprising. But whose fault is that? Fingers of blame commonly point to the media or residue left by Reagan's era of "constructive self-interest." Although those factors surely contributed, they had help from you and me.
James Farquhan
We too often submit to popular opinion, denying our natural instinct to think for ourselves. How many times have you almost written a letter asking why you are the most ignorant trash in the Kansan?
This isn't a case of conservatives versus liberals. The disease runs deeper than political affiliations and decays both sides equally. We're more likely to view the political fence thoughts from both sides of the political fence
oughts from both sides of the political fence. If it continues, we'll end up a war of unrealized potential. Our brains will atrophy from a lack of creative thought.
Editorial editor
We, here at the Kansan opinion page, want to help you fight this infection.
First, the editorial board will examine the day's major issues. The board consists of 11 students who meet twice a week. Some board members are Kansan editors, who also oversee other parts of the paper.
other parts of the paper.
None of them tells reporters how to write their stories and vice versa. As such, reporters are not responsible for editorials.
respondents, the materials, which can be found to your left,
result from a consensus of the board.
We aim to offer fresh perspectives with a balanced view planted firmly on facts. Of course, we realize there are at least two sides to every story. We will make up our minds, and we encourage you to do the same.
encourage you to do the same.
Which brings me to the page's second function
Just as the sports staff covers KU sports, our second task is to record the diversity of opinion at the University. Each day we provide a forum for your opinions in this space through columns, cartoons and letters to the editor.
We have assembled a staff of columnists and cartoonists from the University community whom we hope will entertain, inform and incite you.
We don't tell them what they can or can't write about in order to receive a wide variety opinions. But we need your input, too.
But we need you.
Does the way *Student Senate* spends your money delight or disgust you? Are you angry, happe or aggressively indifferent about the new requirements for scholarship athletes laid down last week by the NCAA? Is KU giving you your money's worth? Write it down. Send it in. Somebody should hear you besides your roommate.
matter.
The current political climate is screaming for your help. It's no time to lay blame; it's time to take action. Creativity may have been toppled from above, but it must be rebuilt from the ground up.
■ James Farquhar is an Olathe senior majoring in journalism.
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed