Tomorrow's weather
The University Daily Kansan
Scattered showers with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
the 40s
Sports: A lack of hits and a lack of runs led to a lack of wins last weekend for the softball team.
MONDAY, APRIL 10, 2000
SEE PAGE 1B
(USPS 650-640) • VOL. 110 NO. 12
Inside: 19 Marines were killed Saturday in an aircraft crash in Arizona. SEE PAGE 7A
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Candidates pitch plans for safety
By Erin R. Bancomb
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
To keep the crime rate on campus dropping, coalitions and candidates have programs they want to see become realities.
A Student Senate bill that would have converted the campus lighting fee — which expires at the end of this academic year — to a comprehensive safety fee failed in Student Senate committees two weeks ago. That leaves
room for new programs and ideas that would depend on University of Kansas money.
Sam MacRoberts and Carrie Depenbusch are presidential and vice presidential candidates for Students First. They said they wanted to increase the number of emergency phones, especially Haworth and Melott balls
the Lied Center and Daisy Hill area and near sororities, such as Delta Delta Delta.
"Even though the sororities aren't on campus, the University knows students live there," MacRoberts said.
Part of a plan developed by Marlon Marshall, United Students candidate for student vice president, would increase late night patrol in order to curb problems with personal safety and automobile theft.
Ben Walker, United Students presidential candidate, said it was important for KU Public Safety officers to patrol on foot as well as in cars.
Walker said he thought increasing lighting
More information
Stories on other
Student Senate
elections issues.
See page 5A
and blue phones, such as the Campus Safety Advisory Board had been doing, was a good idea.
Although campus safety is important, Ben Burton, Delta
Force presidential candidate, said he thought that campus was safe. Burton cited a Kansan article reporting that the number of campus crimes was dropping, according to the KU Public Safety Office.
Moreover, Burton said that the Campus Safety Advisory Board was doing a good job handling the issue. The main problem, Burton said, was whether students felt safe on campus.
The platform for independent candidates for president and vice president Tyler O'Neal and Cesar Mori includes providing 24-hour security booths on campus in addition to more lightning, said Ayman Azzeh, campaign manager and Lawrence junior.
Burton said he favored campus safety escorts, like the SafeWalk program spearheaded by 1988 Delta Force presidential candidate Emily Heath
"I would like to see more community, student-to-student kinds of things." Burton said.
Walker said student escorts would increase the perception of safety, but that trained officers were needed to patrol dark parking lots to prevent auto theft.
Azzeh said the candidates also would like to crack down on alcohol on campus for safety purposes.
"We cannot be risking having crime for some people to have some fun," he said.
Safety could come in the form of a drunk bunny, said David Jack, vice presidential candidates for the Resume Builders.
The bunny (Nathan Tyler, liberal arts and sciences candidate) would patrol parking lots at night and would be available during passing periods to hold student's hands when crossing the street.
Student dies in collision with train
Two survive; roommate's status is critical
By Mindie Miller writer@kanson.com Kanson staff writer
Ryan J. Travis' family remembers him as an avid sports fan with an outgoing personality.
Travis, a Beresford, S.D. freshman, was killed early Saturday morning in a car-train collision east of Lawrence. He was 19.
Travis was the son of Richard and Judy Travis. Richard Travis said yesterday that he and his son
liked playing golf together and traveling to ball games.
"He was a general sports enthusiast," he said. "He liked the Vikings and the Twins."
He said his son enjoyed social situations and was very intelligent.
"In spite of his GPA there, he was extremely smart," he said. "He would absorb everything he heard."
Two other people in the car were injured. Travis' roommate, Jeffrey J. Mitchell, 19, also a Beresford freshman, was taken by helicopter to the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition yesterday afternoon. Another person in the car, Johnson County Community College student Nathan C. Roy, 20,
of Stockton, was taken by hellcopter to Overland Park Regional Medical Center's trauma unit. He was released Saturday afternoon.
the scene of the accident, which occurred shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday near the 1600 section of North 1500 Road.
Travis was pronounced dead at
Sgt. Blake McCall of the Douglas
County Sheriff's Department said the westbound vehicle carrying the three students had come to a stop at the railroad crossing gates. He said the first officers at the scene interviewed one student who was still conscious.
"He told the officers that while they were sitting there, a car came up from behind them, drove around them, and went through the gates," McCall said. "So they decided to do it, too — only they didn't make it."
McCall said the westbound Chicago-to-Los Angeles Amtrak passenger train, the Southwest Chief, was traveling 60 mph when it struck the black Nissan Altima the students were travelling in.
See INVESTIGATION page 5A
Snoring usually a symptom of something deeper
By Warisa Chulindra
By Warisa Chulindra
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Some mornings, Bill Phillips wakes up to complaints from his roommates about his snoring.
"They say they want to get up and hit me," said Phillips, a Kenilworth, Ill., junior. "Sometimes it can be embarrassing, but I can handle it."
Snoring is caused by an obstruction in airways in the back of the throat.
Kandall Rock, chief of staff at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said snoring did not necessarily indicate health problems, but could present a social problem, disrupting the slumber of others.
But snoring and daytime drowsiness could be a symptom of sleep apnea or upper airway resistance syndrome, he said. People with sleep apnea experience short periods without oxygen while sleeping, which can cause sleep deprivation, chronic fatigue and long-term heart and lung problems.
Although snoring itself isn't hereditary, it runs in some families with narrower airways, said Bob Whitman, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Being overweight also increases the tissue in the back of the throat, which may cause snoring. he said.
"Not everyone who's overweight snores, and not everyone who loses weight improves their snoring," Whitman said. "It depends on the case. There are thin people who snore horribly because of their narrower airways."
People should be evaluated by a doctor to determine treatment, Rock said. He said nasal strips that some people used were not effective. Doctors may refer snorers to a pulmonary doctor, an ear, nose and throat doctor, or a sleep clinic for overnight observation.
At a sleep clinic, snorers are hooked up to a polygraph machine, and their brain patterns, eye movements, chin and leg muscle activity, breathing, and chest and diaphragm movements are monitored.
Michael E. Garrison, sleep disorders specialist and supervisor of the Sleep Disorders Center, said 65 percent of its patients were men and 35 percent were women. A majority are overweight, he said.
"In my experience, people who snore usually do not get quality sleep," Garrison said. "And it's a sign of an underlying problem."
For mild cases, people need only to sleep on their sides instead of their backs. Temporary snoring can be caused by allergies or drinking.
Illustration by Kyle Ramsey/KANSAN blows to prevent airways from narrowing or
The most common remedy for snoring was a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device, a mask worn over the nose with a fan that
( blows to prevent airways from narrowing or collapsing. Garrison said.
Pride Week to raise awareness, celebrate uniqueness
By Doug Pacey
By Doug Pacey
writer@kanson.com
Kansas staff writer
Lawrence Pride Week 2000 begins today. "Pride Week is a time for the queer community to come together and celebrate our uniqueness and contribution to the community," said Matthew Skinta, director of Queens and Allies and Lawrence junior. "It's also a week to heighten awareness. It rails against society. Whether or not you agree with us, we still take pride in ourselves."
Lawrence Pride Week 2000 begins today
The festivities begin tonight with a performance by comedian Julie Goldman
and will continue tomorrow evening with a panel discussion titled, "Queer Lawrence: Where we've been, Where we're going."
Wednesday night brings something more active, a fundraiser at Tremors Night Club, 729 New Hampshire St., featuring the band Crue. The event will raise money for the Douglas County AIDS Project, said Jen Parson, Pride Week coordinator and Marietta, Ohio senior.
Friday also is full of activities with a drag show and presentation scheduled to take place.
"The drag show aids in heightening awareness and creates a gathering for our community." Skinta said. "Drag has been a part of the queer community for quite a long time."
The drag show will be at noon in front of the Kansas Union.
Parson said she was looking forward to the drag show and wanted it to be what it was intended for — "a big party."
Friday evening, Shane Windmeyer, co-editor of the book Truth and Brotherhood: Being Gay in a College Fraternity, will speak.
"The book is about a place where gecko life and queer life intersect," Skinta said. "Greek life is one that is stereotypically considered to promote masculinity in fra
ternities and femininity is sororities. Homophobia goes hand in hand with this."
Skinta said he did not think that homophobia was any more prevalent in the greek community than in the campus community.
The week concludes with a march at noon Saturday beginning at Sixth and Massachusetts streets and finishing at South Park with a gathering until 4 p.m.
"Shane is great, I've heard that Goldman is fantastic and the drag show is always a highlight," Skinta said. "It should be a good week."
- Kimberly Thompson contributed to this story.
PRIDE WEEK EVENTS
Monday
7 p.m. Comedian Julie Goldman, Big 12 Room, Kansas Union
7:30 p.m. Discussion: "Queer Lawrence: Where we've been,Where we're going," Big 12 Room, Kansas Union
Wednesday
Fridav
9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Party at Tremors, 729 New Hampshire St., featuring Cruse.
Noon 7th Annual Brown Bag Lunch Drag, Kansas Union Plaza 7:30 p.m. Shane Windmill Presentation - "Truth and Brotherhood Being Gay in a College Fraternity," Frontier Room, Burge Union
Saturday
12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Pride March and Gathering, Starts at West Sixth and Massachusetts streets and ends at South Park.