Friday, January 28, 2000 The University Daily Kansan Section A·Page 5 University Council endorses sexual orientation resolution By Erin R. Barcomb ar Ryan Drillen wrriter@kanas.com Kansas staff writers University Council, a division of University Senate, endorsed a resolution yesterday to include sexual orientation in the Board of Regents' equal opportunity policy. Although sexual orientation is included in the equal opportunity policies of other Regents schools, including the University of Kansas, supporters would like the policy extended to all Regents schools. The issue stemmed from Emporia State University's decision last spring to approve an equal opportunity policy void of a sexual orientation clause, said Ben Walker. Nunemaker senator. He said the Regents likely would take up the issue in May. Korb Maxwell, student body president, said last week that adding a sexual orientation policy at the Regents level was important to him. "Is the Board of Regents ready to make this kind of statement?" Maxwell said. "We've been moving backwards, but I think we can take a step forward." The council also passed a bill that would give students taking final exams the same leeway for medical emergencies that they would receive for regular exams. If ultimately approved, the policy would allow students to work with professors to make up final exams missed because of a verifiable medical crisis of a friend or relative. "We've been moving backwards,but I think we can take a step forward." Korb Maxwell student body president The previous policy included missed exams during the regular semester but did not specifically address final examinations. Amy Cummins, graduate senator, said she thought that it was common practice for professors and students to work together in such cases, regardless of a policy, and that the new wording merely codified existing practices. A proposal to amend the University's credit/no credit policy was sent back to the Academic Policy and Procedures committee. The amended policy would allow students to exercise the credit/no credit option five to six weeks into the class rather than three to four weeks, as is the University's current time period. The proposal was returned because it did not address classes lasting fewer than the usual 16 weeks. Company breaks KU's advertising policy Note-taking business receives e-mail warning By Jim O'Malley writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer Commercial note-taking company Ushock.com's advertising blitz has run afoul of advertising rules at the University of Kansas. Ushock.com has been advertising on campus for student note-takers since the start of the semester. The ads appeared in graduate students' mailboxes, on desks in classrooms and in the University Daily Kansan. And students entering classrooms received fliers at the door. Jeannebell Johnson, assistant to the provost, said her office had received complaints about the ads from professors. Some were concerned that commercial note-taking could violate University policy and copyright law. Others complained that the way the ads were distributed broke the University's rules on advertising, she said. Tuesday morning, Johnson e-mailed Ushock.com to tell the company it was breaking the University's advertising "It's the way lecture notes have been advertised since the beginning of the industry, and it's how it's done at every institution I know about." Mark Werner Ushock.com's KU representative rules. She told Ushock.com it was inappropriate to ask University employees to distribute ads in graduate students' mailboxes. Johnson also told Ushock.com that University policy banned commercial advertisements from classrooms and that distribution of filers at classroom doors broke the rules by impeding entry. Tiffany Henson, Norwich junior, said there were fliers on every single desk in one of her classrooms last week in Wescoe Hall. She said that students had been sharing notes forever and that it couldn't be stopped. She said the money — $7.50 to $15 per lecture — was good, so she'd think about it. A representative from Ushock.com defended the company's actions. "It's the way lecture notes have been advertised since the beginning of the industry, and it's how it's done at every institution I know about," said Mark Werner, Ushock.com's KU representative. Werner said that he had tried to meet with University officials but that they seemed unwilling. Bob Minor, professor of religious studies, has signed up with Ushock.com as an experiment. By allowing Ushock.com to buy his lecture notes, he said, he knew his students would get good notes and be able to focus on listening. His strict attendance policy — a student with one absence can't get an A — should keep students coming to class. But professors whose courses were listed on another commercial note-taker's Web site without their permission were unset. David Alexander, assistant professor of entomology, said he didn't like commercial note-taking because he thought it was an important skill students should learn. Dietrich Earnhart, assistant professor of economics, said commercial note-taking without the professor's permission was stealing, and he told his students he would seek out and sue anyone selling notes to his courses. Student head count by race/ethnicity for fall 1983-1999
FallAfrican AmericanNative AmericanAsian AmericanHispanic AmericanWhiteNonresident AllenUnknownTotal
198378110524625020,1721,6471,01824,219
198479811229125819,9371,6751,36524,436
198577616232029720,1101,6871,42224,774
198678819134131221,0701,8131,30725,822
198771610638033821,6331,7841,34926,306
198867514841535921,1741,8201,42926,020
198964221946536821,2531,8761,49726,320
199064415852142421,4761,9331,28026,436
199167820456545221,1971,9861,57926,661
199268617863048420,7052,0481,73426,465
199369218065350620,1462,0671,88326,127
199469322169351419,3081,9521,95525,336
199572025373153719,1991,7701,82625,036
199673523774055219,4831,6331,49424,874
199774624272157720,0681,5341,22025,108
199873824377059420,2841,4461,08025,155
199970123777460520,5231,5471,01925,406
Jason Williams/KANSAN Source: Board of Regents demographic report Minority enrollment lags behind campus growth By Ryan Blethen By Ryan Blethen writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer Minority student growth on campus is not keeping pace with the overall growth of the campus population, according to the Office of Institutional Research and Planning. This is especially true among the African-American student population. But Native-American, Asian-American and Hispanic-American populations have gone up. Since 1983, the University has been tracking the ethnic breakdown of campus. Alan Cerveny, director of admissions, said the University had improved in its ability to attract minorities to campus. But the numbers show differently. Since 1983, the number of minorities has risen from 1,382 to 2,317. At first glance, it appears to be an improvement. But when compared to overall growth, minority numbers lag. The number of white students has climbed by 1,187, while minority enrollment has gone up by just 935 students. In that time, African-American enrollment fell from 781 in 1983 to 701 in 1999. In the same time frame, Native-American enrollment has gone from 105 to 237; Asian Americans have grown the most from 246 to 774 and Hispanic Americans from 250 to 605. Of the 1,398 faculty members, only 41 are African American, eight are Native American, 83 are Asian American and 30 are Hispanic. The number of minority faculty remains low even after Chancellor Robert Hemenway pushed for an increase of 200 minority faculty members by the year 2000. The lack of minorities is an issue that bothers Alex Morales, Kansas City, Kan., senior. He sent the lack of minorities did not enter his mind when he decided to attend the University. Once here, he said, it put a damper on his college experience. On an optimistic note, however, Cerveny said the University could recruit minorities more easily than other Kansas schools because it was an international school. In an effort to attract and retain minority students, the University has set up programs and organizations to help minorities. The Office of Multicultural Affairs assists in many ways, including the Step program, which helps first-year and transfer students adjust to university life. University Admissions offers Success 2000, which starts next week. It will give minority high school students with good grades a chance to spend the night on campus. "There are options here at the University, and we do have a sense of culture and spirit that we try to capture with our on-campus programs," Cerveny said. What's on the syllabus is what you're going to be reading. What you're going to pay, however can be up to you. That is, if you shop at VarsityBooks.com. At VarsityBooks.com you can save up to 40% on your textbooks, get them in one to three business days, and all of this from a Web site that's completely reliable and secure. So there you have it, you decide. SAVE UP TO 40% ON TEXTBOOKS. Savings off distributor's suggested price. Books delivered in no more than three business days. Some restrictions apply. See site for details. Kathy's Alterations Kathy's Alterations Suits Evening gowns Leathers 865-2824 9th & Mississippi All kinds of clothing alterations Express service available The KU FIT program offers fitness classes and personal training sessions. Fitness classes include Hi/Low aerobics, Step Aqua classes Funk, Boxina, Tonina, Yoga, Dance-influenced classes, and much more! Attend any of our 50+ classes offered weekly for only $60 a semester! STOP BY 208 ROBINSON TO SIGN UP OR CALL 864-3546 FOR MORE INFO! CHECK US OUT ON THE WEB AT WWW.UKANS.EDU/ RECSERV STUDENT SENATE