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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
Kansan
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April 8,1999
Section:
A
Vol. 109 • No. 126
Check out this site to learn about the science behind roller coasters and other amusement park rides.
http://www.learner.org/ exhibits/parkphysics
Sports today
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Ryan Robertson was the sixth overall pick in the USBL draft by Kansas Cagerz.
SEE PAGE 1B
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Smart card bank choice not limited elsewhere
By Kristi Reimer
kreimer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
(USPS 650-640)
While students have the option of using their KUIDs as debit cards, they have only one option for their accounts Commerce Bank.
But Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pa., has developed a way to provide smart-card technology to students while allowing them to choose their banks.
"The University didn't want to shut any particular bank out," said Wendy Buterbaugh, president of Pioneer Systems Inc., which developed the program at Penn State. "Students have a choice and can shop around for the best financial services."
"Every time a student uses ATM on campus, the financial institutions pay a transaction fee to the university," she said. "But they save money because now they don't have to issue cards."
The "open-card" system is the first of its kind, Buterbaugh said. In preparing to implement the program, Pioneer asked local banks to participate. Those who signed on paid a fee for the right to market to students on campus. They also have access to technology allowing students to use their ID cards in ATMs and for point-of-sale purchases.
Pioneer manages the program and provides the data processing for Penn State. Butterbaugh said her company was
"This is the future trend," she said. A smart card combines identification features with financial services. In addition to the banking options, students can use cash-to-card machines to place money on the card's account.
Lindy Eakin, associate provost at the University of Kansas, said he was intrigued by the open-card program but didn't know if the University would be able to do the same thing.
working with other universities that were interested in the system, including Northern Michigan University and Southern Illinois University.
"We're certainly watching what the
Smartcard options
See TECHNOLOGY on page 2A
Students at Penn State will be able to use their student IDs as ATM cards, and they may choose what bank they want to work with. At KU, however, only students with accounts at Commerce Bank may use their KUIDs as ATM cards.
KU administrators say that an open card system is possible in the future, but it is financially and technologically unrealistic right now.
dishonest mechanics.
Heather Fields/Kansan
Local mechanic teaches auto care basics
The cuts of a car engine lie on the floor.
About 20 metal chairs surround it. Slowly, they fill with people who are eager to learn.
Pistons, a radiator, four wheels, a front and rear axle and scattered pieces of brakes are a few of the items that combine to create a patchwork vehicle.
Byron Edmondson, owner of Byron's Autohaus, talks about cars to an auto mechanics class for beginners. Next week the class will learn how to change the oil in some of the students' cars. Photo by Kate Levenson / KANSAN
This was the scene last night at Byron's Autohaus, 640 N. Second St., as students gathered for a class on auto maintenance and repair.
Ikuyasu Usui, Japan junior, said he was going to buy a car soon and wanted to know how to take care of it.
The program was sponsored by the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center and cost $15.
Joy Weroha, Lawrence senior, can change the oil in her car and change a flat tire but wants to learn about car mechanics so that she wouldn't get ripped off by
"I'm worried that my car could break down between here and Kansas City," he said. "I see cars stalling on the side of the road — I don't want to be like that."
took this class so I could be more independent and not taken advantage of by the auto repair industry," she
said. "It happens all the time and anyone who does it is a fool."
Byron bennondson, owner of Byron's Aulenaus and teacher of the class, has been a mechanic for the past 25 years and has taught the class since 1985.
Edmondson teaches the class in three sessions, the first of which began last night. The sessions will continue the next two Wednesdays.
At the first session, Edmondson laid out old car parts in relation to where they fit in a car engine and explained how they worked.
The second session includes changing the oil of one of the student's cars, and in the third session, students are shown how to change a tire, jump start a car and some basic tune-up methods. Edmondson said the tips were helpful for people who didn't know anything about cars.
Katherine Rose-Mockry, director of the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center, said she had received a lot of positive input about the class, especially from women.
Rose-Mockry said that men were certainly welcome to the class but that usually more women attended.
Rose-Mocky that a lot of men hadn't had experience in car repair, either, but that traditionally women weren't considered very handy around engines.
"While growing up,young women often don't have the same experience maintaining and fixing cars," she said.
"Women aren't seen as being very good with mechanical things." Rose-Mockry
Catherine Lewis, Merriam junior, took the class to help her handle her sometimes troubles '85 Chevrolet Caprice. Lewis said that men probably were encouraged more in their youth to learn about mechanics, but they weren't necessarily any less naive when it came to cars.
said. "And often women don't see them themselves as being very good with them. That's not necessarily the case."
Edmondson said that there always had been several more women than men in his classes.
"Women are just more ready to admit it,"
"Here in Lawrence, there have been women that have come in to the shop who know as much as I do," Edmondson said. "But then again, there are women who don't know anything about cars and don't want to know anything."
she said, "Most men won't."
Edited by Melody Ard
Proposition B defeat safer for Missouri students say
By Jamie Knodel
jknodel@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Some KU students who call Missouri home feel that the state will be safer because a proposition that would have allowed Missouri citizens to carry concealed weapons failed.
Proposition B was defeated by a narrow 52 to 48 percent margin Tuesday.
Some students said that they were surprised that the vote's margin was so small and that they had expected the proposition to pass.
"Although the public questioned the utility of the proposition, they seemed willing to make the changes," said Jason Holsman, Lee's Summit, Mo., senior. Holsman said he planned to move to St. Louis after his May graduation.
Opponents of Proposition B were relieved the measure was defeated and said that they believed that allowing citizens to carry concealed guns would present safety issues for citizens.
Anne Weischaar, Kansas City, Mo., graduate student, said that passing the issue would have made Missouri more dangerous. Opponents also said that safety issues would arise because requirements for carrying concealed weapons would be more relaxed.
"I don't feel that people carrying around weapons like that promotes safety," said Elaine Gluck, St. Louis, Mo., freshman.
Supporters of the proposition said that by allowing individuals to carry guns, however they would be able to protect themselves against criminals.
"There is an element of prevention that comes along with the passage of this proposition." Holsman said.
He also said that he thought that had the measure passed, it would have been a good opportunity for the state to take a stand.
"There are good and bad sides to every issue. With this issue it is hard to tell which side weighs heavier," Holsman said. "But the government has been complacent too long."
Missouri's vote Tuesday was the first time in the nation that the issue to carry concealed weapons was decided by voters.
In the thirty-one states that allow concealed guns, legislators approved the measures.
Gov. Mel Carnahan's spokesperson, Chris Sifford, said that the governor was pleased with the voters' decision to uphold the state's ban on concealed guns.
- The Associated Press contributed to this story
Edited by Clint Hooker
Fun on the beach
Xayiphone Mingboupha, Amarillo, Texas, junior; Phil Black, Overland Park junior; and Minda Ryan, Kansas City, Kan., junior; add the finishing touches to their sand sculpture of a fish. Student Union Activities held a sand sculpting contest yesterday in front of Wescoe Hall. Photo by Rachel Marta Orr/Kansas
HIV-positive activist urges testing and responsibility
By T.J. Johnson
fjohnson@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
nut Room in the Kansas Union last night.
With a message of education and empowerment, Marva Miller, an HIV-positive woman, spoke to about 25 people at the Walnut Room in the Kansas
Miller gave background on her life, experiences with HIV and her nights on how people
Miller founded Women on a Mission, or WOAM, in Kansas City after learning that she was HIV positive in 1994. WOAM works to empower women to take responsibility for their health in regard to HIV and to prevent spreading the virus which causes AIDS.
The main focus of her message was that
Miller: Promotes HIV education and empowerment.
should deal with the disease today, particularly in the context of a relationship.
"What would make me happy is if one person got tested," Miller said. "I want everyone to know that, what I'm living with, you don't have to have."
women needed to take preventative steps to ensure their own health. These steps include insisting on HIV testing of partners in a relationship, she said.
"Why not do some prevention on the front end?" Miller said. "As a woman, we have a special role because our men look to us for guidance. If I'm good enough to be in a relationship, we're good enough to get tested.
Miller talked about the process of learning she was HIV positive and telling her children and the people around her.
She first learned of her infection when she received a letter from the health department after donating plasma.
what is the first thing you think of when you get a letter from the health department?" Miller asked. "Itain'ta job offer."
Miller said after she told people about her infection, she started to experience the difficulties of being HIV positive. She said she
See ORGANIZATION on page 2A