THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
The University Daily Kansan
vol. 137 // iss. 12 Thurs., Sept. 27, 2018
Senate investigates chief of staff for alleged sexual misconduct NICOLE ASBURY @nicoleasbury A Student Senate executive officer has been absent since the Senate opened an investigation into another student’s allegations of violations of the University’s Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. The allegations involve accusations of sexual misconduct by the officer, Senate Chief of Staff Daniel Lee, a senior from Kansas City, Missouri, sources told the Kansan. It is unclear whether Lee is still holding his position or has resigned. His nameplate has been removed from the Senate offices in the Kansas Union. Lee also was absent from the full Senate meeting Sept. 19. “We’re currently investigating a possible violation of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, and we will continue to do so,” Student Body President Noah Ries said. “The investigation does relate to Daniel Lee.” Sources said the allegation was considered sufficiently egregious to report to the University’s Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, which investigates allegations and incidents of discrimination, including sexual
Junior remembered as ‘extremely joyful’ LARA KORTE @lara_korte
To those who knew him, Charlie Gillis was an “extremely joyful person.” Gillis, a junior from St. Louis, died Wednesday morning after sustaining injuries from a crash in Leavenworth County earlier in the week. A film major and member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Gillis was described by SigEp president Jonah Cohen as someone who “always had a good attitude.” “Overwhelmingly, he always in a good mindset,” Cohen said. “He was up for adventure, anything.” According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Gillis was Bettina Bugatto/KANSAN traveling west back from Daniel Lee, Student Senate chief of staff, is under investigation for allegations St. Louis when a semi truck struck his vehicle, then same time, we can’t spun out and hit a third report on unconfirmed vehicle. No other drivers “Student Senate takes allegations sustained injuries and all information.” of sexual misconduct very Lee did not respond involved were wearing seatseriously.” to multiple requests for belts, KHP records show. Jared Cox, a junior and comment. Noah Ries Student Senate close friend of Gillis’, said Student Body President executives reported the his friend’s biggest passion allegations to a number in life was film. He had travof “formal and external eled home over the weekparties,” Ries said. He did end to work on a video for senior from Leawood. “We harassment and assault. IOA declined to want to ensure privacy is not specify which parties his high school football comment on allegations respected for any victim, were informed of the team’s homecoming game. “Film was his huge pasregarding Lee, saying the and because of that, we allegations. The Student Senate sion,” Cox said. “Even when office cannot confirm want to make sure that whether reports have any public statement chief of staff serves as a we would go down to the been made to the office we make is done after liaison between student lake for weekends, he would the entire groups requesting funds make these 10 minute vidor the existence of assessing situation and collecting from the body and works eos.” investigations. The Mary Institute and “Student Senate information. We want to assist senators in takes allegations of to be as transparent as drafting and presenting St. Louis Country Day School, Gillis’ alma mater throughout bills and resolutions. sexual misconduct very possible and the school where his seriously,” said Ries, a this process, but at the
Contributed photo Charles Gillis, 20, died on Wednesday.
mother teaches, issued a statement following his passing. Charlie Gillis is survived by his parents, Jenn and Jack, two brothers, Matt and Henry, and a sister, Sara, according to the statement. “Charlie’s passing leaves a gaping hole in our hearts and in our community,” the statement read. “A dedicated student and talented artist and athlete, he was a Ram through and through.” To support the Gillis family and funeral arrangements, members of SigEp have started a fundraiser, selling bracelets with Gillis’ name. According to Cohen, the fraternity had raised over $3,400 as of Wednesday evening. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. Those who would like to buy a bracelet can send donations via Venmo to @ KUSigEp and pick up at the chapter house,1645 Tennessee Street.
University drops 8 spots in national college rankings SYDNEY HOOVER @sydhoover17 The University of Kansas fell in rankings among “Best Colleges,” according to the 2019 edition of the U.S. News & World Report on college institutions. Ranked 61st among top public schools, the University dropped eight positions from its 2018 ranking of 53rd. According to the U.S. News & World Report website, schools are ranked based on 16 different factors, which include graduation rates, student excellence and even alumni giving. “This year, even though we did better in some measures, our overall score fell relative to our peers,” said Andy Hyland, assistant director of strategic communications. “We are continuing to evaluate [this] data along with our own metrics as we seek to improve our university.” The University tied at 61st with the University of Alabama, University of Illinois–Chicago, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska–Lincoln and University of Texas–Dallas. Among all national universities, the University ranks 129th and is tied with the same schools in the public rankings and The Catholic University of
America. The University also came in at 87th for best colleges for veterans, tying with The Catholic University of America, University of Alabama, University of Missouri and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In the best value category, U.S. News & World Report ranked the University at 98th. According to Faculty Senate President Kirk McClure, in his 31 years at the University, the University’s reputation has “edged down.” He said when he began working here, it was ranked similarly to the University of Colorado– Boulder, now ranked 42nd among public schools, and the University of Texas– Austin, now ranked 15th among public schools. “No matter how much all of us are working, we’re just viewed as a mediocre university now,” McClure said. “It hurts, but it’s the way it is.” McClure said one of the main reasons these types of rankings are important is because it determines what kind of faculty the University is able to hire. He described it as a “hierarchy.” McClure said recent Ph.D. graduates look for the best possible school
to teach at, and a young scholar capable of teaching at the level of a school in the top 50 rankings is not going to accept anything less. Additionally, McClure said reputations play a major role in what types of outside funding a university can gain. “I believe my work to be as good as the work that’s being done [at other schools],” McClure said. “The problem is that the people making decisions to put grant money tend to be biased of a more prestigious university.” According to a KU News release, the University is looking to improve in retention and graduation rates, among other areas. Interim Provost Carl Lejuez said in the release that staff and faculty are continuing to move in a direction ensuring student success and subsequent alumni career success. “Our efforts are ensuring more students advance in their degree programs and that more students graduate in a timely manner,” Lejuez said. Despite this, McClure said he believes any efforts made by the University will ultimately have little impact on the direction it is moving in. He said what must change first is sup-
port from the Kansas State Legislature. “It’s in the hands of the state legislature,” McClure said. “If it wants a truly excellent flagship university, then the state legislature of Kansas needs to put more resources into [the University].” In addition, McClure said he thinks the gubernatorial race will have little impact. Even if Democratic candidate Laura Kelly, who told the Kansan she wants to address making college more affordable, wins the upcoming election, McClure said there is still opposition in both chambers of the legislature that would restrict support for the University. “I think it will be good to have an education-friendly chief executive in that spot, but it’s not going to change that much of the statehouse,” McClure said. “You have people who still absolutely believe that taxes are too high.” Facing a $20 million budget cut, McClure said that the University’s response to a lack of support from the state is going to be “very painful.” He predicted the University will begin to lose top faculty members due to this, and the University will not be able to secure quality educators if its national
Kansan file photo KU administrators are analyzing new U.S. News and World Report rankings after KU dropped in the rankings for 2019. reputation continues to decline. “The state has decided it no longer aspires [for] excellence,” McClure said. “It’s letting KU slide into mediocrity, and that’s too bad.” Comparing the University to other universities within the Kansas Board of Regents, Emporia State University ranked 29th in the top public schools of the Midwest region category, as well as placing 106th among all regional universities in the Midwest category. Kansas State University received the 75th ranking in a tie within the top national public schools list, and tied for 147th in the national universities category. Smaller Kansas univer-
sities such as Fort Hays State University received a ranking of 128-165 in the regional universities Midwest category, while Pittsburg State University came in at 26th in the top public schools of the Midwest region and 101st for all regional universities in the Midwest. In addition, Washburn University came in at 29th in the top public schools of the Midwest region, and 106th in the regional universities Midwest category. Wichita State University received a ranking of 203-301 in the national universities category. Other rankings for universities can be located on the U.S. News & World Report website.