UN I V E R S I T Y D A I L Y K A N S A N
Monday, November 7, 1994
5A
Lawrence's poor lost among students
Student census data makes identifying indigent difficult
By Carlos Tejada Kansan staff writer
KU students might be overshadowing people in need in the Lawrence community.
Lawrence is the poorest community in Kansas, according to the 1990 U.S. Bureau of Census. KU students, who make up 34 percent of Lawrence's 66,000 residents, are the reason. Temporarily moving into Lawrence, most students hold part-time jobs or receive money from home, showing little or no income when they complete their census forms. Students take up a majority of the city's low-cost housing for four to six years. Then they leave, so they don't become part of the poverty cycle that plagues the underclass in other American cities.
But a recent report from a Lawrence City Commission-appointed study group says the numbers created by students hide the real numbers of poor in Lawrence, especially elderly couples who live in substandard conditions.
"If you're trying to do a study about how many low-income people we have, it completely throws us off," said Mayor Jo Andersen.
A poor underclass does exist, said Shirley Martin-Smith, former city commissioner and head of the city's Housing Study Group. It's just overshadowed by students. The group, which was made up of city housing
officials and private business owners, found that about 83 percent of the city's 953 elderly households that rent homes are low income households.
A low-income household earns less than $41,500 a year, which is the city's median family income.
"There may be some older citizens who really need help," said Martin-Smith, president of Martin-Smith Personnel. 100 E. Ninth St.
Martin-Smith said that because figures estimating low-income households were often skewed because of students, the city had a hard time planning how to help those actually in need.
"The intent is never to exclude students from the plan," she said. "But there were so many components to the issue of housing that we had to break the data down."
The study, which the city commission reviewed on Oct. 11, also showed that the city's housing that was officially set aside for low-income families often have long waiting lists. Students tend to occupy the housing units low-income families normally would use, and their overwhelming presence allows landlords to raise their rental rates. This brings up rental rates around the city, including those of low-income families.
The solution is to educate low-income families of existing aid programs, Martin-Smith said. This is especially important for elderly couples, who tend to shy away from government help.
"They were raised to help themselves and not go to the government for help," Martin-Smith said.
College students Non-students Other students
Students make up Lawrence's 66,000
34% of residents
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Elderly renters
Low income elderly households
More than half of elderly households in rental housing earn below $41,900 a year, which is the city's median income. The high number of students in Lawrence are living in housing that normally would be occupied by low income households.
Source: Housing study group
Last-minute experiment helps KU student win
Campbell squirted two cans of neon-pink Superstring between a screen and the inside wall of a plywood duct. He then turned on the air conditioner and flipped on the sound meter.
Brian Rock, assistant professor of architectural engineering, said Superstring's sound-
The semester-long project, which was conducted in Broadcasting Hall, was part of Campbell's fifth year studio requirement.
By David Wilson
Kansan staff writer
The Superstring did it. No other material absorbed sound better, Campbell said.
"NO COUPON SPECIALS"EVERYDAY
proofing ability was impressive.
Using a sound level meter, he measured the vibrations coming from the duct.
"Which is much the same way fiberglass works," he said. But the problem with fiberglass is that some studies have shown it to be a health risk, Rock said.
Before Campbell shut down his experiment, he tried one more material just for fun: Superstring 2, the foam-in-a-can party favor squirts out a thin string of foam the same way a can of Easy Cheese squirts out a string of pasteurized processed cheese.
"That turned out to be the best stuff." he said.
But don't expect to see air-conditioner repair technicians carrying Superstring in their utility belts anytime soon. "Many areas need study," Rock said.
Klas Campbell had spent 12 hours over two days stuffing the outer shell of a plywood air conditioning duct with carpet pieces, fiberglass and foam packing peanuts.
Campbell said NASA used a material similar to Superstring to reduce vibrations on joints inside spacecraft.
A group of judges from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers were also impressed.
"I'm looking for work," he said.
"It was part theory, part experiment," he said. Rock theorized that air pockets inside the strands of Superstring, in addition to the spaces between the strands, made it an ideal sound absorber.
Campbell said he would use his prize money to pay off debts and to interview for jobs after graduation.
BRIEF
Lawrence native to stand trial for attempted robbery
A paper Campbell wrote about the experiment — including his use of the Superstring — won third place and $2,500 in a nationwide contest sponsored by the group.
Campbell, a fifth-year architectural engineering student from Lidingoe, Sweden, wanted to find the most effective muffler for the incessant groan created by central air conditioners.
Beers was apprehended by Lincoln police after escaping from an Arkansas county jail Aug. 30.
If convicted on any counts, Beers would have to serve his sentence in Nebraska before federal officials could try him on other charges related to his escape from the Arkansas jail. He could also face charges in Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas if officials in those states decide to pursue the matter.
In the continuation of Beers' preliminary hearing Friday, Judge Hack Lindner ruled that Beers would be tried for attempted robbery, second-degree attempted assault, theft by receiving stolen property, fleeing to avoid arrest, terroristic threats and use of weapons to commit a felony.
Lawrence native and former escaped convict Chad Beers will be tried Nov. 16 in Lancaster County, Neb., District Court on six separate charges stemming from a batched burglary attempt of a Lincoln, Neb., convenience store and a high-speed chase on Sept. 7.
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A vote for Troy Findley is...
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