LAWRENCE&STATE School For many, it’s never board to discuss too early to shop tech needs
WORLD BRIEFING 2 3
LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD ! LJWorld.com/local ! Saturday, November 26, 2011 ! 3A
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1 | CAIRO
Arrested U.S. student leaves Egypt A Cairo airport official says the first of three American students arrested during a protest in Cairo has left Egypt. Luke Gates, 21, left Cairo early this morning on a flight to Frankfurt, Germany. An Egyptian court ordered the release of Gates, along with Derrik Sweeney and Gregory Porter, both 19, on Thursday. All were studying at the American University in Cairo. The three were arrested on the roof of a university building near Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square on Sunday. Officials accused them of throwing firebombs at security forces fighting with protesters. The other two are expected to leave on separate flights later this morning, the airport official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.
Many retailers get jump on Black Friday by opening Thursday
Standard & Poor’s downgraded Belgium’s financial standing Friday, citing the country’s government stalemate and a looming European recession. Spurred on by the ratings agency’s cut, six leading parties hurriedly resumed talks to agree on a 2012 budget to contain Belgium’s high debt and deficit, two more reasons why the country has come under increasing pressure from financial markets this week. In a sign that financial contagion is spreading across Europe, the agency cut Belgium’s credit rating from AA+ to AA, a move coming two days after Germany fared surprisingly poorly at a bond auction. Belgium has been without a permanent government for 530 days, as a series of negotiators has struggled without success to bridge the country’s divide between its French and Dutch speakers. “In our opinion, protracted political uncertainty remains a risk to its creditworthiness,” the ratings agency said. 3 | WASHINGTON, D.C.
Pentagon visit ahead for dance champ Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has invited soldier-turned-actor J.R. Martinez, winner of this season’s “Dancing with the Stars” competition, to meet him at the Pentagon. During a 10-minute telephone call Friday, Panetta told the dance champion he demonstrated the strength and resilience of wounded veterans, Pentagon spokesman Capt. John Kirby said. Martinez credited his military training for his performance on the ABC show, Kirby said. Martinez and professional partner Karina Smirnoff bested fellow finalists Rob Kardashian and Ricki Lake in the finale broadcast Tuesday. Martinez, 28, was severely burned over more than 40 percent of his body when the Humvee he was driving for the U.S. Army in Iraq struck a land mine in 2003. After dozens of operations during a nearly threeyear recovery, Martinez became a motivational speaker and in 2008 won a role on the now-retired ABC soap opera “All My Children.”
By Mark Fagan
By Alex Garrison
mfagan@ljworld.com
acgarrison@ljworld.com
2 | BRUSSELS
S&P’s lowers credit rating on Belgium
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District assessing current technology and exploring new possibilities
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It’s a tradition that has become as American as the turkey and trimmings of Thanksgiving: Black Friday holiday shopping. But the shopping started earlier than usual, as for the first time many retailers opened late on Thursday instead of early-morning Friday. And Lawrence residents showed up in droves seeking deals, though some said the change in store openings encroached on the holiday. Others said they see the shopping as part of the holiday. Brenda Kratzberg, Ottawa, and her mother, daughter, sister and niece said they all met in Lawrence for post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas shopping on this day every year for almost 15 years. And some folks said they thought this year’s activity had been more subdued than in the past — maybe that global recession we’ve been hearing about? — but almost all said the crowds they did see were well contained and the waiting wasn’t too bad. Here are some of the survivor stories shoppers shared outside Best Buy, 2020 West 31st St., and Kohl’s, 3240 Iowa. !" Larry Kiehl, Easton, started at 7:30 a.m.; went to Kohl’s and Sears, 2727 Iowa; and was hiding a gift from Best Buy in his car when we spoke to him around 11 a.m. “I don’t think there’s as many people this year as there
Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photo
NANCY WOOLERY OF PRINCETON, KAN., drove to Lawrence Friday Please see SHOPPING, page 4A to stack up some holiday deals at J.C. Penney Co., 3311 Iowa.
When it comes to buying the latest, greatest and fastest hightech equipment, software and services, it turns out the Lawrence school district isn’t all that different from anyone else. “It’s just like home,” said Mark Bradford, president of the Lawrence school board. “You’ll always be behind the curve, so to speak. You purchase something and then a year later, it seems like something new comes out.” Such challenges will be running in the background Monday night SCHOOLS as board members receive a briefing about the district’s technology assets, scheduled investments and future plans. The report will come from Chantel Nicolay, the district’s division director for technology and library media services, during a board meeting that begins at 7 p.m. at district headquarters, 110 McDonald Drive. Board members also will receive a report regarding student assessment procedures. Board members won’t be voting on any specific technology plans or considering any new contracts. Instead, they will be offered a big-picture view of current conditions and future possibilities in what has become a vast technology landscape. While individuals might struggle when deciding whether to buy an iPhone 3 just before the iPhone 4 comes out — or instead opt to Please see TECHNOLOGY, page 4A
SATURDAY COLUMN
KU should be wary of implementing ex-provost’s strategy By Dolph C. Simons Jr.
News that former Kansas University Provost Richard Lariviere has been told his contract as president of the University of Oregon will not be renewed is sure to trigger considerable discussion among his former KU associates, as well as many others around the state. Lariviere has been president at Oregon since July 2009 after serving as KU’s provost from 2006 to 2009. Prior to moving to Lawrence, he was dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas. Chances are, he arrived in Lawrence with the idea of moving into the chancellorship after several years as provost. However, former Chancellor Robert Hemenway gave no signals he intended to step aside in the foreseeable future, so Lariviere decided it was time to move. An Oregon news story telling
of the OU board’s decision to terminate Lariviere’s contract said, “He came from the University of Kansas, where he was provost and brought a brainy (he has a doctorate in Sanskrit from the University of Pennsylvania) and a sharp-elbowed style that was refreshing to some and offensive to others.” This description of Lariviere probably is shared by a large percentage of those who knew him when he was here in Lawrence. The Oregon report continued, “He gave substantial raises to U of O faculty in the teeth of the recession, spoke provocatively for a college president (comparing college athletes to Lady Gaga) and, in his most controversial move, shopped an idea to have the state sell $1 million in bonds, which the U of O would match with private fundraising.” The report added that Lariviere
had tried to put U of O on a “sepaThe description of Lariviere rate and unequal track from the six as “brainy and sharp-elbowed” is other universities in the state sys- shared by many in this part of the tem.” country. Several members of the Kansas Board of Regents have told this writer Lariviere made the best presentation to the board of any KU representative and better than repCOMMENTARY resentatives from the other regents universities. However, they added, He encountered a growing num- he was arrogant and looked down ber of critics, but he also had many his nose at the regents. supporters. One of his supporters, He had big dreams for KU, and a state legislator, said she was ex- KU Chancellor Bernadette Graytremely sorry the board chose to Little and other senior Strong Hall let him go. “I’m proud of the job he staffers are trying to finesse one of has done,” she said. “He dared to Lariviere’s goals at Oregon, which try new things and he just didn’t tell was to put U of O “on a separate people what they wanted to hear. and unequal track from the six othHe had a plan, and he had students er universities in the state.” and donors behind him. I just think Gray-Little and others want to this sends a terrible message. … position KU as an elite flagship After this, I’ve got to wonder how school, which would send a meswe’re going to attract someone of sage that KU is different, better and Lariviere’s caliber again.” has unique strengths that other re-
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gents universities don’t have. They are increasing their efforts to point out the differences and strengths of KU relative to the other schools. Apparently, Lariviere’s effort to initiate a similar plan at Oregon didn’t work and upset too many throughout the state. KU officials need to be careful of how they try to sell KU’s specialness and seek to separate themselves from the state’s other regents universities. Over the years, KU has had to fight the image, often self-inflicted, of being “snob hill.” A not-too-subtle effort to place KU in a special category is not likely to set well with many state legislators and alumni and friends of other state universities. While at KU, Lariviere led the reorganization of the graduate school and the School of Fine Arts. Please see COLUMN, page 4A