Posted on September 3 at 3:33 p.m.
BaneMaler said, "This is a public institution, i'd rather not see it continue down this corporatist path."
Whoops, too late!
You're absolutely right about the Women and Non-Revenue Sports Fee. It makes me sick that the students sign a $12 million dollar check to Kansas Athletics Inc. each year. With all the donations they get and all the merchandise and tickets they sell you'd think they'd be able to fund the Title IX teams they're required to field. They receive something like $11 million a year in non-earmarked donations from the Roy Williams 'Educational' Fund and from other sources. Surely six million of that could've gone to build the Rowing Teams' boathouse. Instead, the money came from students.
Posted on August 27 at 8:50 a.m.
This is a tad harsh on Marchiony, don't you think? He's just catching lots of heat because he's the top PR guy. There's absolutely no way to put positive spin on the fact that your corporation just spent $X million and it's going to no use. Also, the idea of putting trees in is a nice recovery for the department.
I've been critical of Athletics and Marchiony both in private and in writing, but urging him to hang it up goes over the line (pardon my sports cliches).
Posted on August 27 at 8:39 a.m.
I hope this isn't seen as an attack on her character, but I know for a fact that Ms. McConnell has been an avid drinker of Vitamin Water as recently as this summer! Perhaps she realized her folly?
Great column, though.
Posted on August 25 at 3:36 p.m.
Planting trees is absolutely the best possible solution to this problem. Not only is it relatively inexpensive (especially compared to building a roof), but it's environmentally friendly too. I rarely ever say this, but good job athletics!
Posted on April 18 at 1:19 p.m.
Community cleanups are a good idea, but a cleaner neighborhood doesn't require organization, as many of these problems are on private, not public, property.
I believe that no matter how much of an emphasis (or money) is put on eco-friendly practices, there will still be some who aren't going to change their ways unless coerced by a landlord or the city. Right now, there is barely any pressure from either party.
Posted on March 7 at 2:59 a.m.
Jayhawkeye,
Yes, you are exactly right: all varsity sports have open tryouts just like various academic programs. But none of these programs receive any funding from a mandatory student fee! Student fees aren't given to any program where being a member is based on any kind of talent. The Student Health Fee provides students with free health services, the Student Recreation Fee gives students access to work out equipment and sports facilities, and the Newspaper Readership Program Fee let's us read regionally and nationally recognized newspapers. The design of student fees is to give everyone useful services, not just a select few who must tryout or be accepted.
On Editorial Board: Athletic funding shouldn't fall on students
Posted on March 6 at 3:20 p.m.
"I believe it again confirms that the Kansan is incorrect in trying to blame this fee on Senate and Athletics relationship." richie 09
The editorial doesn't assert that the relationship here is causal (the fee still exists BECAUSE of the freebies that the president and vice president receive), but rather correlational (the fee still exists AND the exec board accepts freebies from athletics). It argues that senate is acting irresponsibly by putting themselves in this situation, because doing so inevitably invites a certain amount of speculation that senate could avoid by not accepting these gifts.
Also, it questions the purpose of accepting trips to away football games. Wittlinger said that it gives them an idea of what athletes go through when preparing to compete and that it allows them to share idea with other student governments. Seeing what the athletes go through seems like a pretty bogus reason to me, and as the editorial points out, swapping ideas could've been done just seven days later at the student government conference at UT. There doesn't seem to be a valid reason for accepting this trip, other than the president and vice-president enjoying a relaxing get-away. There's nothing wrong with getting away, but it shouldn't come on the athletics department's dollar.
On Editorial: Senate relationship compromises constituents’ interests
Posted on March 6 at 1:15 a.m.
The original referendum vote was approved on very shady grounds. First, the vote never should've happened because it proposed a measure that is against senate rules (senate is not supposed to give out money to projects that aren't open to all KU students). The existing election rules stated that no candidate could be present with a voter, but since it was not a decision for a candidate but an issue, athletics took every opportunity to expose the loophole. Donuts and Gatorade were given out to those who agreed to 'support women's sports'. KU celebrities like Julian Wright, Sasha Kaun, and Lew Perkins, as well as other athletes, sat with students at laptops set up on Wescoe and told them where to click. Many students were uninformed about what they were actually voting on. Also, 3000 students voted, which is roughly 15% of the undergraduate population . There are over 500 student athletes, who all would've obviously voted 'yes' on the referendum decision. Do the math: that's about one-fifth of all of the voters. If the referendum was narrowly approved (we'll say 1501-1499), then athletes would make up a whopping 40% of the yes voters! Obviously, it's not the athletes who are to blame for exercising their right to vote. The 85% of the student body who went unheard should've voted. But still, it's tough to argue that the students were represented in the referendum vote.
On Editorial: Senate relationship compromises constituents’ interests
Posted on September 24 at 3:03 p.m.
Ian Stan-turd here. The editorial board would have a much easier time writing about positive things senate does IF THE RECORDS OF THE THINGS SENATE DOES AND VOTES ON WOULD BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE!
On Editorial: Senate should post voting record online