T 18, H E September
1990
Vol. 89, No. 7
VISTA
Tuesday Edition
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
1...k. A6LWORLD WRAP Kuwaitis flee from homes to freedom
Brisch likes bond idea By Mark Schlachtenhaufen
Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY—A revenue bond issue in 1991 and tuition increases for Oklahoma higher education may help ease "severe" state funding shortfalls and benefit
Central State University, said Hans Brisch, higher education chancellor. "We need a bond issue to jump-start the process," Brisch said. "What we need is about $1 billion, and that may be too darn scary. I hope this next year we can get one." The disparity between higher education
By Neil MacFarquhar
Associated Press Writer
KHAFJI, Saudi Arabia (AP)—Kuwaitis flooded into Saudi Arabia Sunday with tales of terror and anarchy at home as word spread that Iraq had opened the border for the first time in a month, At least 1,500 refugees were expected to cross over Sunday, border officials said. About 1,000 crossed Saturday, and they gave grim reports of dwindling food supplies and Iraqi troops blowing up homes of suspected resistance fighters, The refugees said word first began spreading Friday that the Iraqis had lifted restrictions on departure through Khafji, the only official point of entry between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The post had been closed for about a month. The Iraqis made no announcement of the border opening, and the refugees could only speculate on why they had done so. Some said Iraqi troops wanted access to the homes of departing Kuwaitis. Others said it was part of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's long-term plan to repopulate Kuwait with Iraqis. The Iraqi sodiers confiscated all identity documents, including car registration forms, from those leaving, refugees said. They said the Iraqis apparently wanted to make it difficult for anyone to return. Word of the border opening had spread through Kuwait's grapevine, the refugees said. Some said they received the news in anonymous phone calls. A 33-year-old journalist said a friend got a call saying: "Why do you always talk bad about Saddam Hussein? The border's open, why don't you leave?" Please see WORLD WRAP on page 2.
Beginning drama students do sensitivity and trust exercises to enhance their sense of feel, hearing and smell, as they learn to trust others. The students from Dr. Roberta Sloan's class are Sheri Lenora, Debbie Keck and LaTrece Steele (Photo by Daniel Smith, CSU Photographic Services)
Grad enrollment boosted By Karen Adkins Student Writer Graduate enrollment reached a high at Central State University this semester and will continue to escalate as students see the value of graduate education, said Dr. George Avellano, graduate college dean. "I see the increase due to new emphasis on education in Oklahoma," Avellano said. "We are up 33 students over last year." Since the passage of House Bill 1017 teachers are in demand, and as a result, more
students are seeking higher degrees in education, Avellano said. HB 1017 calls for smaller studentteacher ratios, so school systems are hiring more teachers.
Graduate students are not only older, Avellano said, but many of them are employed in full-time positions or are already teaching school. "The majority of the master programs are at night. Probably 95 percent of them are at night for that reason," Avellano said.
funding and the remainder of state agencies sets an alarming trend, Brisch said. "It is very clear that we are not funded appropriately," Brisch said. "We must ask the student, the parent, as well as the taxpayer, to be supportive of increases." This year, higher education will receive $509.5 million from the state's $3.2 billion budget. Funding for projects like a proposed multimillion-dollar classroom building at CSU must be approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education if monies appropriated from the state budget or other sources are used. From 1981 to 1991, higher education funding increased 87 percent, vo-tech, 229.8 percent, and common education, 113 percent. "We have not had a regular stream of capital money coming in and that's why it's so desperately needed," Brisch said. Discussions with the governor could lead to annual appropriations for higher education construction, renovation and other capital needs, Brisch said. For fiscal year 1990, universities and colleges—excluding two-year schools— requested more than $1 billion in state, nonstate and Section 13 funding for construction and renovation projects. Section 13 funding originated during the first Oklahoma surveys when Section 13 of each township plotted was reserved for education. The funds collected from those plots are kept in separate accounts and are not pan of the state budget. Brisch blamed part of the funding shortfall on what he calls the low tuition levels in Oklahoma's higher educational system. Oklahoma tuition levels, despite several increases throughout the 1980s, remain low in comparision with a 15-state region. Oklahoma will not raise tuition this year, but in fiscal year 1990, comprehensive, four-year universities increased tuition an average of 19.8 percent. In In fiscal year 1989 the increase averaged 24.1 percent. "We are still a low tuition state and have a long way to go on a system-wide basis to have the proper amount of money to run our institutions," Brisch said. According to the Southern Regional Education Board, just three states had lower annual median tuition prices than Oklahoma. The combination of a bond issue, which must be passed by a popular vote, state appropriations and increased tuition could help solve the lack of funding. "We must make the case that we will be funded over a very short period of time at the average of our peer group," Brisch said. "In other words, we're not too greedy. We're only asking to get to the average. Please see BRISCH on page 12.