Rarely in the world of words at Kansas University had one clause caused so much concern. The clause had been inserted into a contract for graduate teaching assistants the previous summer and gave administrators the authority to cancel appointments 30 days before an assistantship began. Many graduate assistants already were upset about how that would affect their tenures for the coming spring and fall in light of state-mandated funding cutbacks. Administrators said the clause was needed to allow for budget-cutting flexibility.