Section A · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, December 1, 1999
Class learning U.S. variations of 'bon appetit,' edible traditions
Bv Amanda Kaschube
By Amanda Kashub
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Barbara Shortridge knows food — and she should.
Shortridge, associate professor of geography, teaches "Geography of American Foodways," which covers the history, sociology, agriculture and different types of food across the country.
"We don't all eat the same across the United States," she said. "There's a lot of regional variation, even among national chain restaurants, and that's what geography is all about."
Shortridge said she began teaching the class because the area of food studies had grown dramatically in past years. The class is open to all students, regardless of majors.
One student, Lucius Hallett, Dover, N.H., graduate student, said the class had taught him about the type of food Midwestern ate.
"It really imparts your eyes to why we eat what we eat," he said. "We have really been removed from our food — no one really knows what goes into a hamburger from McDonald's."
Shortrice has done extensive research on the Midwest region and the types of food people from there eat. Her studies have found the most popular are roast beef, potatoes -- mashed or baked -- green beans, corn on the cob and apple pie.
"When I first talked about savoring Midwestern food, my colleagues said, 'Oh, Midwestern cooking is just casseroles and Jell-O.' I wanted to prove them wrong," she said.
The class, which has been taught for two years, meets for lectures Mondays and Wednesdays. On Fridays, students meet in a conference room and share food and stories.
"It's important to look at what we're doing, what we're eating," she said. "I think students will eat anything."
Each student is required to bring food in for the entire class, and tell about its origins.
Marv Gage. Lawrence graduate
student, brought in a peach and cottage cheese kuchen, a German dish similar to coffee cake.
The food part is interesting because there is always a story behind it," she said. "There is always some sort of ethnic tradition that persuades them to bring it in. My grandparents always used to make kuchen — so I brought it."
Shortridge said the food had ranged from Czechoslovakian kolaches to American and French apple pies.
"We look at cooking habits and how different people eat through all the different foods," she said. "There are so many variations."
Hallett, who also is a chef trained in French cuisine, said he had learned a lot about the heritage and
tradition of food in the United States.
"It's good to point out what we do have, because we don't have a lot," he said.
Students are required to do a variety of food-related projects including a restaurant review, a comparison of McDonald's menus from across the nation and a research paper on a culture and its food.
Gage, who has four kids, said she enrolled in the class because she was interested in the cultural aspects of geography and because she had done a lot of cooking.
"I really haven't seen a class about food besides home economics in high school," she said. "It has been really fascinating."
- Edited by Jamie Knodel
By Chris Bormiger
writer @kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
By Chris Borniger
Student Senate may have come knocking, but few answered.
In an effort to reach more University of Kansas students, Student Senate convened its meetings this semester at some less traditional venues, including the residences of constituents — such as McCollum Hall, Delta Gamma sorority house and Naismith Hall.
When Senate heads into the spring semester, its previous home in the Big 12 Room of the Kansas Union will once again ring with the voices of student legislators. Three of the spring's six meetings will be there, while the other three will be in other buildings on campus.
Dede Seibel, student body vice president, said the alternating venues had not significantly helped bring students to meetings.
"In terms of being out there and showing these communities who we are, though, it was a step in the right direction," she said. "Even if it was just a couple of residents passing by, at least we made a step in improving our relationship with them."
University of Kansas graduate Julie Kingsburg prepares some jewelry to be sold at the Arts and Crafts Fair on the fourth floor of the Kansas Union. Kingsburg has a degree in metalsmithing and jewelry design and has been selling her work at the fair for 12 years. The fair will end tomorrow.
Photo by Joseph Griffin/KANSAN
Seibel said she wanted to continue to get more students involved with Senate by bringing it to them.
The Burge Union will be the location of the Feb. 2 meeting; Corbin Hall, the March 1 meeting; and Smith Hall, the April 5 meeting. It will convene at the Kansas Union Feb. 16, March 15 and April 26.
Jon Davis, Association of University Residence Halls senator, said he had heard a few positive responses about the meeting at McColum, where AURH is based.
Nonetheless, he said Senate needed to do more to raise awareness and increase voter turnout.
STUDENT SENATE
She's crafty
Tonight, Senate will consider:
A bill to allocate $1,248 to
OAKS, the non-traditional student organization.
Three bills to amend Senate rules and regulations
- A bill to allocate $3,925 to KU
  Filmworks.
Filthworks
A bill to allocate $166.55 to the
A bill to allocate $166.55 to the Course Content Subcommittee.
A resolution honoring Betty
Durbin Grimwood, who recently died. Grimwood directed the cultural exchange program between the University of Kansas and the town of Burris.
The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Wagnon Student Athlete Center.
Seibel said Senate actively was pursuing that goal. Committee members can now sponsor legislation, every Senate meeting features a forum for administrators and student organizations, and senators have visited 20 student organizations.
"We were meant to be the voice of students," he said. "We want them to see what Student Senate is all about."
She has considered allowing senators to serve their office hours in other, more visible locations on campus.
Seibel said the roaming meeting program had succeeded in educating senators about students' needs, but she hoped additional efforts at reaching out would curb the lukewarm reception the program got this semester.
"Hopefully, students will be more inclined to come see Senate work in the future," she said.
Edited by Matt James
University trying to scrape together for United Way
By Clay McCuistion
By Clay McCuslin
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas United Way fund-raising drive is $24,031 short of its $197,300 goal, but University officials hope to make up the difference by the end of the year.
A $1.34 million goal was set for Douglas County as a whole, with the University contributing to the total. Two weeks ago, the county board announced that the goal — according to their projections — would be met.
“It's unusual for KU to reach its goal, and we're fairly close,” said James Gentry, dean of the journalism school and chairman of the university.
Carol Leffler, assistant to the University Relations director, has served on the committee for four years. She said that during that time, KU had met its goal once. The other three years, it made 90-93 percent of the goal.
Leffler said 566 donors had contributed a total of $173,269 as of yesterday afternoon, and she expected more.
"Things continue to trickle in all throughout the end of the year," she said.
Gentry said the fund raising would last two to three more weeks. The KU campaign, which started in earnest in October, depends largely on pledge forms sent to staff and faculty of the University.
But KU students play a part, too. Jeff Weinberg, assistant to the chancellor and chairman of the countywide United Way fund-raising drive, said the first donation to each year's drive came from money raised by the Rock Chalk Revue. Rock Chalk is a philanthropic performance staged by student living groups each spring.
"It's all used in the county," Weinberg said. "Every cent is used for the community, which certainly includes every student in KU."
Money from the campaign is used for 29 different area programs, ranging from the Salvation Army to the Douglas County AIDS project and the Girl Scouts.
Leffler said the broad reach of the campaign made her service worthwhile.
"Rock Chalk is a significant part of the KU contribution," Weinberg said. "KU has always been a significant part of the United Way."
This year's revue brought in slightly less than $40,000. he said.
"It gives me a chance to be involved in something that affects the whole community," she said.
The United Way campaign takes a heavy financial load off community groups, Leffler said.
"Fund raising is incredibly difficult and incredibly time consuming for nonprofits," she said. "The United Way makes their jobs much easier."
Weinberg said the first distribution of money to local groups would be in January.
— Edited by Jamie Knodel
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