KU
Tomorrow's weather
Kansan
A slight chance of showers with a high near 70 and a low around 45.
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Sports: Pitcher Pete Smart is off to a strong start this year.
NY
FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2000
Inside: A Topeka couple advise students on coming out to their parents.
(USPS 650-640) VOL.110 NO.123
SEE PAGE 3A
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Manufacturer has recalled some inhalers
By Mindie Miller
writer@kanson.com
Kanson staff writer
Officials at Watkins Memorial Health Center are warning University of Kansas students that a manufacturer has recalled a commonly used asthma medication.
The recall is restricted to inhalers with designated lot numbers that were manufactured before Sept. 30, 1999, and have not yet been opened. Lot numbers and expiration dates appear on either the top or bottom flaps of product packages and on the canister label. The affected inhalers all have expiration dates of September 2001 or earlier.
Proventil albuterol inhalers, refills and several generic-brand inhalers are being recalled by Schering Laboratories because they may not contain an active drug.
Inhalers that already have been opened and are being used by asthma patients with good results, regardless of when they were manufactured, are not included in the recall.
Randall Rock, chief of staff, sai Watkins' pharmacy had dispensed the medication to students and would attempt to contact those students by telephone.
"Luckily, it is not the most commonly dispensed brand from Watkins, but there are those who are on this medication," he said.
He said Watkins was unsure how many inhalers it had prescribed
An inhaler that does not contain an active drug can cause serious problems for those who suffer from asthma, Rock said.
Tom Nienke. Mulvane senior, suffers from asthma but does not use the brand of inhaler affected by the recall. He said he used his inhaler at least once a day.
"I know if I've had to go without it, or if I run out, my chest will start hurting, and I'll get back pains," he
INHALER RECALL
Product: Proventil albuterol inhalers and generic albuterol inhalers manufactured by Schering Laboratories, including Major, Martec, Qualitest, Schein, Novopharm and URL
- Lot numbers. 7.BBS303 up to and
  including 7.BBS642; all lots starting
  with the prefix 8; Lots 9.BBS500 up
  to and including 9.BBS832
Date: inhalers manufactured before Sept. 30, 1999
Contact: Recall Services Center at 1-800-621-9760 or visit www.xrcall.net; if purchased at Watkins Memorial Health Center pharmacy, call 864-9512
Source: Schering Laboratories
said. "You just try and sit there and relax as much as possible, but it's kind of hard when you can't breath very well."
the recall was simply a precaution.
Robert J. Consalvo, director of external communications for Schering-Plough Corporation, said
"We had a manufacturing problem in the fall of last year that allowed the possibility that some canisters may not contain medication," he said. "We've corrected that problem and already recalled the product produced during that period."
He said there was only a
He said there was only a remote chance that medication produced before that period would cause problems. He said there had not been any adverse events reported in connection with the products subject to the recall.
Rock said students who used the medication should contact Watkins pharmacy by telephone or bring the medication into the pharmacy. He said the pharmacy would replace the medication at no cost.
Going nuts for squirrels
Campus critters often show no fear of humans but wildlife expert cautions that contact could be harmful
A squirrel returns to a tree on Campanile hill after finding a nut on the ground yesterday. While many squirrels living on campus are fed by students, they also must know how to collect food on their own. Photo by Justin Schmidt/KANSAN
By Meghan Bainum Special to the Kansan
When Robert Novak, Topeka junior, tried to feed a campus squirrel a few weeks ago, he was surprised at how close he could get to the little rodent. The squirrel didn't run away and even appeared to expect Novak's snack.
"It showed no fear of me," he said. "They don't care about people at all."
But while squirrels on the University of Kansas campus may act used to people, it is important for students and faculty members to remember that a squirrel is a wild animal, a local wildlife expert said.
Diane Johnson, director of Operation Wildlife, a Linwood-based nonprofit organization that cares for injured wild animals, said that it might be tempting for people to feed or try to touch the squirrels on campus. However, this can lead to big problems for people — and for squirrels.
Jonsson said squirrels that regularly got food from people became lazy about searching for food on their own. They become dependent on their human meal tickets, she said.
Despite this, it is not uncommon for people on campus to feed squirrels or treat them as pets.
Andrew Neumayr, Parkston, S.D., english morover, said he had an English graduate teaching assistant who adopted a squirrel outside Wescoe Hall.
"We'd be doing something, and he would look out the window and start rambling about squirrels," he said.
Johnson said many foods people fed to squirrels, including peanuts, could cause problems for the animals.
"Peanuts are junk food for squirrels," Johnson said. "It's
"Squirrels have bottom teeth about one inch long. They can inflict a healthy puncture wound."
Diane Johnson Operation Wildlife director
equivalent to you being fed candy bars all day. Wet peanuts can contain a toxin that will kill the squirrel."
The animals can be dangerous to people, as well.
Johnson said that squirrels were not aggressive animals but that they were highly territorial and might bite if cornered — and some of them carry diseases. Though there have been no reported cases of rabid squirrels in Kansas since the 1920s, there have been cases in southwest Kansas of squirrels' fleas carrying the bubonic plague, Johnson said.
While these diseases are not common, squirrel bites still can be nasty.
"Squirrels have bottom teeth about one inch long." Johnson said. "They can inflict a healthy puncture wound."
Randall Rock, chief of staff at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said that his staff had treated squirrel bites but that such cases were not common.
"There is not a squirrel-biting epidemic that I know of," Rock said.
Nonetheless Johnson said, people are more dangerous to squirrels than squirrels are to people. She said that squirrels only bothered people because people messed with them or tried to give them food.
"Yeah, they're cute," Johnson said, "but nature should be enjoyed from a distance."
Lilac Lane parking proposal defeated by University Council
By Ryan Devlin
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
University Council yesterday rejected a controversial proposal to convert 15 blue spaces on Lilac Lane to parking spaces for residents of Miller and Watkins scholarship halls by a vote of 17 to 15.
The rejection of the Lilac Lane proposal came after the University Senate Executive Committee forwarded the proposal to Council without a recommendation to approve. Shortly after, 11 faculty members who work in buildings near Lilac Lane sent a letter addressed to SenEx, Council and the parking board objecting to the proposal.
Several Council members expressed their lack of support for the idea. Alice Lieberman, associate professor of social welfare, said eliminating faculty parking on Lilac Lane would interfere with the ability of faculty and staff to do their jobs.
"We frequently have to leave and come back to our buildings," Lieberman said. "It's part of our job. If we can't find a parking space on Lilac Lane, we will be late for teaching our classes."
The students said that with the current parking situation on Alumni Place, where residents
Council eventually sided with Lieberman and the concerns of the faculty, despite hearing from a group of 20 students representing the scholarship halls.
of the scholarship halls park, and with the soon-to-be-completed Margaret Amini Hall, the proposal to allow Miller and Watkins residents to park on Lilac Lane made sense.
Nicole Skalla, Watkins Hall resident and member of the parking board, said that the decision to reject the proposal also neglected the issue of safety.
"We're disappointed," Skalla said. "I think it's difficult for faculty to understand that we sometimes have to park our cars three
"Faculty doesn't understand that it's a matter of convenience for them and a matter of need for us."
Hilary Wanke
Paul, Mina, sonhome
St. Paul, Minn., sophomore
or four blocks away at night.
Several of us have jobs and get
home late at night. We have to
walk past several bars and are often harassed by the patrons.
Hilary Wanke, St. Paul, Minn., sophomore and Watkins resident, said she also was disappointed with Council's decision.
"Faculty doesn't understand that it's a matter of convenience for them and a matter of need for us." Wanke said.
Council also voted to refer the parking board's budget for fiscal year 2001 back to the SenEx for revision.
See ALLOTMENT on page 2A
Enforcement of city ordinances could bite dog owners in the wallet
Angie Logan, KU graduate, pets her 4-year-old chocolate lab, Charlie, after giving him a treat yesterday. Logan said that the only problem she experienced with animals on campus was that their owners did not clean up after their pets. Photo by Matt J. Daugherty/KANSAN
By Sara Shepherd
writer.kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Pet owners. start scooping.
The KU Public Safety Office is stepping up its campus enforcement of city ordinances pertaining to animals — including the rule requiring pet owners to remove any excrement deposited by their animals on public or someone else's private property.
something else to do. It also is unlawful for people to permit their animals to run at large. A Lawrence ordinance says an animal at large is one that is not under the physical control of its keeper, such as by a leash or electronic collar.
And unless they are lab animals or trained dogs that guide owners with disabilities, pets are not allowed in campus buildings, according to University of Kansas policy.
Sgt. Troy Mailen said the Public Safety Office's goal was to educate pet owners that city ordinances pertaining to animals applied to campus property as well.
"It's kind of an educational campaign."
Mailen said. "We're getting the word out."
Mailen said officers would be patrolling areas on campus where pet owners frequented to distribute information and give warnings to people who are not in compliance with the regulations.
"If they fail to comply at that point in time, then further steps or measures will be taken." Maillen said.
The ordinances are not new, but they were revamped last year, Mailen said.
Violating one of the ordinances could net someone a citation through municipal court or the impoundment of their pet. Fines for animal at-large violations range from $30 for a first offense to $100 for the fourth offense in a 12-month period, in addition to court costs. The fine for removal of excrement violations is $10 per pile.
The ordinance also prohibits the common practice of tying a dog to a tree or bike stand
Under the old ordinance, dogs that responded to verbal commands didn't have to be on a leash. However, the new ordinance states that the dogs must be under physical control at all times, so playing fetch on campus now is prohibited.
while the owner is inside a campus building.
"If you're not going to be able to with that dog at all times, you shouldn't bring him," said Todd Cohen, assistant director of University Relations.
Cohen said that enforcing the ordinance probably would upset many students but that it had to be done.
Mailen said there had been ongoing concern about pets on campus. He said there were 15 animal complaints filed and seven citations issued for animals at large in 1999. So far this year, there have been six complaints and two citations.
There also have been at least two reports of doe bites on campus this semester.
Pat Pisani, executive director of Hilltop Child Development Center, said she was in favor of the increased enforcement of animal policies on campus. Pisani said that children from the center, ranging from infants to grade school age, often played outside and that the abundance of dog feces was a problem.
"Every grassy area on campus is filled with dog manure," she said.