In the span of a week, four computers had been stolen from high schools in Lawrence and Basehor. Officials said it was difficult to understand the motive because the type of machines being taken were not “hot” on the black market and needed to be plugged into the home systems to be effective as teaching tools.

Jim Dumas, a member of the Kansas Board of Regents who was currently living in New Jersey, said he had not decided finally whether to resign his regents post. Earlier, he had said his job change, from the Kansas City area, would force a resignation. But he said he had rethought the issue and as an executive of Western Electric might be able to stay on the board. Dumas was a former KU basketball starter from Topeka High.