The tradition of KU Info as a place to get a straight and timely answer to just about any question is worth preserving.

Some Kansas University students are concerned that the reputation and utility of KU Info has been diminished by its transfer from a small office in the Kansas Union to a service desk at Anschutz Library. The information line used to operate 24 hours a day, but now is available only during hours the library is open. Those who handle Info calls and e-mails also have other library duties that the student employees say limit their ability to answer questions.

KU Info was a vital service when it started in 1970 during campus unrest related to the Vietnam War. It was established as “rumor control,” a place where students could call to get accurate information about anything happening on campus. As Pat Kehde, a former director, recalled, “It was always thought of as a place where we would give you the straight scoop, not the bureaucratic runaround.”

That was particularly important in the unsettled ’70s, but it’s still important today. Over the years, the questions to KU Info perhaps became less weighty, thereby making the service seem less vital. If that is the case, maybe university officials should work to raise the profile of KU Info as a clearinghouse for any number of questions related to the university. It’s a cinch callers to KU still can encounter plenty of “bureaucratic runaround.” KU Info could be touted as a place where people can get answers or at least a solid referral to someone else who can help them.

Internet resources answer a lot of questions these days, but sometimes people just need someone to talk them through an issue and provide some accurate information. Why not build on KU Info’s 35-year tradition of providing that service on campus?