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Seeds don’t lie: KU in toughest NCAA region road to the Final Four. Now, thanks to the NCAA tournament Selection Committee’s efforts to become more transparent, there is a way to he clocks have measure such claims, and changed. Winter is by that measurement only about to step aside 16 schools from one of the for spring. So it’s that four regions can say the time again — time for numbers back them up. every supporter of every That region is the NCAA tournament team South, whose top seed is to grouse about their Kansas University. team having the toughest The committee seeded ONLINE: Which is KU’s toughest potential opponent in the South region? Vote in our poll at KUSports.com
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Tom Keegan tkeegan@ljworld.com
the field from 1 through 68 and released those seedings. The best means of determining which region
is toughest is to add up the overall seeds of the top four seeds in each region. In the South, Kansas is seeded second overall, Georgetown seventh, Florida 10th and Michigan 13th, for a total of 32. Next toughest is the Midwest with a total overall seed number of 33, followed by the West (35) and East (36). Of course, the objective measurement presup-
poses the committee’s seedings are on point when in fact they are the subjective consensus of 10 members. Even in the world of opinion it’s difficult to see KU’s hurdles as anything but the tallest among the four No. 1 seeds. Michigan a No. 4 seed? Michigan? The Wolverines are tied for 10th in the latest Associated Press poll, which would make
them a No. 3 seed if that’s how they were assigned. Michigan point guard Trey Burke is the leading candidate for national player of the year honors, and Big Ten coaches also voted Tim Hardaway Jr. to the five-man first team in the nation’s best conference. In order to reach a potential Sweet 16 Please see REGION, page 2A
Higher ed officials: Cuts would be ruinous
A better home for the homeless
By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com
The shelter doubled in size after relocating Dec. 29 to southeast Lawrence, near the Douglas County Jail. The space increased from 7,700 square feet to 15,000, in a move organizers say was years in the making. The $3.2 million facility also has a 10,000-square-foot job-
TOPEKA — Higher education officials on Monday said a proposed cap on salaries and wages and a 4 percent budget cut would hurt research and the Kansas economy, and increase student tuition. “You’re signaling to the marketplace that the state does not see higher education as an engine of economic development, innovation and discovery,” said Steve Warren, vice chancellor for research and graduate studies at Kansas University. Warren said the proposed cuts have made top faculty vulnerable to “poaching” from institutions in other states because the signal has been sent that “Kansas is not a stable environment” for researchers. Representatives of universities, community colleges and technical colleges spoke to the House Education Budget Committee about the proposed state budget that the House will be debating today. That budget, pushed by Republican leaders in the House, includes a 4 percent, or $29.2 million, budget cut to universities, and a wage and salary cap for state government agencies, including higher education. That cap would cost higher education another $18.1 million, according to the Kansas Board of Regents. University leaders said freezing salaries, some of which are funded in part with federal and private grants, would devastate efforts to work with businesses and industry
Please see SHELTER, page 7A
Please see CUTS, page 2A
Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photo
JOSH KIMMERLY, 28, A RESIDENT AT THE LAWRENCE COMMUNITY SHELTER, 3701 Franklin Park Circle, uses a computer in the front lobby. Those staying at the shelter’s new location laud the new amenities and space compared with the former shelter location downtown.
Residents of community shelter like space, amenities of new location By Giles Bruce gbruce@ljworld.com
A few months ago, Robert Marshall and his family — a son, fiancee and her daughter — slept on mats on the floor of the Lawrence Community Shelter, commingling with single residents of
different ages and genders. One day last week, however, Marshall watched TV while his fiancee hung out in a private bedroom and Robert Jr., who turns 7 today, stood surrounded by kids his own age, playing with toys. Marshall was at the new Lawrence Community Shelter, 3701 Franklin Park Circle,
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which residents and organizers say provides more space and privacy than the previous location at 10th and Kentucky streets. “We had anywhere from nine to 13 families in a room. We slept on mats on the floor,” said Marshall, 33, of Kansas City, Kan. “We were basically sardines in a can.”
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GOP seeks pension revamp 9B 1B-5B, 10B 10A, 2B, 9B
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Today’s forecast, page 10A
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Republican legislators and GOP Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration on Monday launched a campaign to create a 401(k)-style pension plan for new Kansas teachers and government workers. Page 3A
Vol.155/No.78 20 pages