THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2007
NEWS
3A
>> KU ENDOWMENT
Scholarship honors fire victim
BY ERIN SOMMER
esommer@kansan.com
Nicole Bingham was a Wichita senior at the University of Kansas when she died on October 7, 2005, in a fire at the Boardwalk apartment complex. Six days later, on what would have been her 22nd birthday, Nicole's mother, Nancy Bingham, established the Nicole Bingham Memorial Scholarship Fund in her memory.
The scholarship will be offered to students for the first time next fall.
It is for history majors, and students who apply must have a GPA no higher than a 3.5, which Nancy said reflected Nicole's coursework. The scholarship will be given on a need basis.
The scholarship will be offered for
the first time next fall. Last month, the fund for the scholarship reached $30,000, which is the minimum requirement for an endowment fund. Nancy Bingham said that each year, the scholarship would be awarded in the amount of interest that has grown from the $30,000. She said she expects this to be about $1,300 per year.
Nancy Bingham said that funds for the scholarship came from money she had saved for the rest of Nicole's education, friends and relatives of Nicole, and the Boeing Company, for which Nancy worked.
Lisa Scheller, senior editor of the KU Endowment Association, said history majors would receive an e-mail during the spring semester with information about how they could apply for the scholarship.
Nancy Bingham said she hoped the scholarship went to someone with interests similar to Nicole's.
Nicole planned to work in museum management after graduation. Nancy said Nicole was a happy person and her friends were the most important part of her life.
Nicole had a congenital heart defect, and Nancy said she was very careful about her health because of it. Nancy said that because of her heart problems, there was a 9-percent chance that her heart could stop at any moment. Nicole told her that if anything happened, it was important to her that she have a large memorial for her friends. Nancy said that this scholarship partly fulfilled that wish.
"She had been through a lot of things in her life. Really, a lot of trauma," Nancy Bingham said. "She
learned how to overcome them."
Nancy Bingham said she was grateful to the KU Endowment Association for its help with the scholarship fund.
"She was the love of my life," Nancy Bingham said.
Nicole was Nancy Bingham's only child.
"They dropped everything that they were doing so that they could put it together that day and let me sign on her birthday," Nancy Bingham said.
Nicole was one of three people who died in the 2005 fire at the Boardwalk apartment complex. Complex resident Jason Rose is serving a 10-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter, aggravated arson and aggratated battery.
Edited by Kaitlyn Syring
》 ELECTIONS
Putin wins amidst voting manipulation claims
LYNN BERRY ASSOCIATED PRESS
MOSCOW — Vladimir Putin's party won a crushing victory in parliamentary elections Sunday, paving the way for the authoritarian leader to remain in control even after he steps down as president.
The vote followed a tense Kremlin campaign that relied on a combination of persuasion and intimidation to ensure victory for the United Russia party and for Putin, who has used a flood of oil revenues to move his country onto a more assertive position on the global stage.
"The vote affirmed the main idea: that Vladimir Putin is the national leader, that the people support his course, and this course will continue," party leader and parliament speaker Boris Gryzlov said after exit polls were announced.
Several opposition leaders accused the Kremlin of rigging the vote, and
the Bush administration called for a probe into voting irregularities. Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov called the election "the most irresponsible and dirty" in the post-Soviet era.
With ballots from 54.7 percent of precincts counted, United Russia was leading with 62.9 percent, while the Communists — the only opposition party to win seats — trailed with 11.7 percent, the Central Election Commission said. Exit polls seemed to corroborate the partial results.
The Kremlin portrayed the election as a plebiscite on Putin's nearly eight years as president — with the promise that a major victory would allow him somehow to remain leader after his second term ends next year.
Putin is constitutionally prohibited from running for a third consecutive term, but he clearly wants to stay in power. A movement has sprung up in recent weeks to urge
him to become a "national leader," though what duties and powers that would entail are unclear.
Pollsters said United Russia's performance would give it an overwhelming majority of 306 seats in the 450-seat State Duma, or lower house. The Communists would have 57 seats.
Two other pro-Kremlin parties — the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party and populist Just Russia — also appeared to have made it into parliament, with 9 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively, in the early count.
One Liberal Democratic Party deputy will be Andrei Lugovoi, a former KGB officer and chief suspect in the poisoning death of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London last year. Russia has refused to hand Lugovoi over to Britain, and the Duma seat provides him with immunity from prosecution.
No other parties passed the 7 percent threshold for gaining seats in
the legislature. Both opposition liberal parties were shut out, predicted to win no more than 2 or 3 percent of the vote each.
Many Russians complained Sunday about being pressured to cast their ballots, with teachers, doctors and others saying they had been ordered by their bosses to vote at their workplaces.
Turnout was about 62 percent Sunday, the Central Elections Commission said, up from 56 percent in the last parliamentary elections four years ago.
The Bush administration Sunday called on Russia to investigate claims the vote was manipulated.
All seats will be awarded according to the percentage of the vote each party receives; in previous elections, half the seats were chosen among candidates contesting a specific district, allowing a few mavericks to get in. About 109 million people are eligible to vote.
Group to provide stress-free events
》 SUA
BY JEFF DETERS
jdeters@kansan.com
Student Union Activities is playing host to events throughout the week to help students have fun before the rush of finals week. It's the last week of SUA scheduled events for the semester.
On Tuesday, students can enjoy free cookies, cider, hot chocolate and massages at the Holiday Open House from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the fourth-lobby lobby in the Kansas Union. On Thursday, students can participate in a gingerbread house building contest, receive free massages and a free late night breakfast at the Hawk Nights Holiday Bash. And on Sunday, SUA and KU Dining Services will serve students Late Night Breakfast from 10:30 p.m. to
12:30 a.m. at Mrs.E's.
SUA schedule
Shawn Bowers, SUA director of public relations, said the events were scheduled to make things a little easier for students during finals week.
**Tuesday:** Holiday Open
House from 12 p.m. to 2
p.m. in the lobby in the
Kansas Union.
**Thursday:** Hawk Nights
Holiday Bash from 9 p.m. to
1 a.m.
**Sunday:** Late Night Break-
fast from 10.30 p.m. to 12.30
a.m. at mrs. E's.
Health Center will have a station where students can make their own stress balls so that they can relieve some stress during finals week. Students can also have their pictures taken with Santa for $1. All proceeds will go to the United Way. Students will receive a 20 percent-off coupon from the KU Bookstore.
"I think students should something the week before finals to get their minds off studying even if it is only for a while."
Lauren Lakebrink, Liberty,
"Our organization is all about giving back to the students, and we hope that this is a good stress-relieving way to do that," Bowers said.
Bowers said Tuesday's open house would be a bit different from last year's. There will be stations where students can make ornaments and holiday cards, and Watkins Memorial
LAUREN LAKEBRINK Special events coordinator
Mo., junior and special events coordinator, said she was looking forward to having some holiday fun before her two finals next Monday. She said that to relieve stress
she usually watched a movie or rested for an hour but that this year she would make cards and ornaments for loved ones before she returned home.
"I think students should do something the week before finals to get their minds off studying, even if it is only for a while." Lakebrink said.
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS
Are you a Student AND a Parent?
Kansas University Student Parents
JOIN KUSP
Friday Dec 7th 6 p.m.
Stouffer Place Community Center
Stouffer Place Community Center
learn about
no-cost child care opportunities, non-traditional student advocacy projects,
building community, family-night out, outreach programs and more
for more info write to jamie kahn at rue1@ku.edu or call sonia hall at 785 727-8520
Potluck dinner at 6 pm, meeting at 6:30. Everyone welcome children and families!
December 3,2007
Come join us for worship on Sundays at 5 And Spaghetti for the Soul on Wednesdays at 6
We are celebrating our 45th year at KU!
For more information contact
lutherans@ku.edu or
www.kulutherans.com
We are Reconciling in Christ Community, ALL ARE WELCOME.
Lutheran Campus Ministry
LAST of the "Presidential Politics from the Inside" Study groups hosted by Dole Fellow Jerry Austin
Tuesday, December 4th 7-8pm Kansas Union Jayhawk Room (5th floor)
We're joining together to allow members to trade/buy/sell textbooks, talk about schedules, & learn about each other's organizations.
Major John Hansen is a 25-year Army veteran. He will discuss the way military service members receive information and how they vote in the U.S. and overseas. 4pm Tuesday, Dec. 4th at the Dole Institute of Politics
Cost:
Students $35 and non-students $45
($5 late fee for registration after January 26)
Non-credit course
Time: Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm Beginning January 31 for 10 sessions at the ECM 1204 Oread (I block north of Kansas Union)
Applications due December 18th at 5:00p.m.
Full-time position begins May 19th at $9/hr (approx $3300/Summer)
Contribute to Student Success!
Food, Prizes, and some Socializing! Casual Dress**
Registration 10am-4pm at the ECM
Contact: The JCM office at 843-4933
Human Sexuality in Everyday Life With Dr. Dennis Dailey, KU Professor of Social Welfare
December 4, 2007, 3 p.m. - International Room, Level 5, Kansas Union
December 4, 2007, 7:30 p.m. - Centennial Room, Level 6, Kansas Union
Contribute to Student Success!
Become and Orientation Assistant
Building Blocks for Future Jayhawks
CHANUKAH BOWL
TUESDAY NIGHT
DECEMBER 4TH
ABWA & FINANCE CLUB LAST MEETING OF THE SEMESTER
Attend a Meeting to learn more:
CAAS is hosting Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week Dec. 3 - Dec 7
CAAS will be on Wescole Beach all week accepting monetary donations for the EKAN food pantry turkey and ham drive. They will also hold a clothing drive; volunteer teens may donate used coats, mittens, gloves, bats, etc.
Do Your Part
MILK
CCO's Mentor in the Lives of Kids (MILK) program is holding a toy drive on
Nov. 19th in the KS Union from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
The toys will be given to 1,000 members of the Boys and Girls Club at MILK's Holiday party on
December 5.
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
University of Kansas Chapter of Students for BARAK OBAMA Student outreach
event
WHAT: Student Outreach Event Socializing with fellow supporters. Free Pizza
WHEN: December 4th, 7:00 pm CT WHERE: 925 Iowa St. Suite L.
WHO: University of Kansas Students for Bank Of Obama
TUESDAY DECEMBER
funded by:
SENATE
PAID FOR BY KU
VSA Fall Variety Show
Who: Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) When: Friday. November 30,2007 Where: Kansas Union Ball Room Time: 6pm-10pm
-Please come support VSA's spectacular variety show which includes hilarious skits, magnificent performances, and best of all, anauction full of available beautiful bachelors. MINIMUM BID for a great date for the night is at least $25 per girl of your dreams.
-This event is also asking for CANNED FOOD ITEMS or MONEY DONATIONS at the door. Each donation will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win a great prize.
-All proceeds will go to VSA charity funds & Salvation Army. Thank you for your support and consideration for the unfortunate.
we are still in need of more performers & auctionees for the event.If you would like to be part of the phenomenal show, please email Jenny at cldoan@wichita.edu or contact us on our facebook group called, KU VSA 2007-2008. The more performances & auctionees, the longer the fun lastsand don't forget that it all goes to a great cause.