Wednesday, February 17, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 3
Students offer input on alcohol abuse
By Nadia Mustafa
Kansan staff writer
Representatives from student organizations discussed options for improving methods of preventing alcohol abuse yesterday
At a discussion led by David Ambler, vice chancellor of student affairs, eight students from student organizations such as Student Union Activities, the Association of University Residence Halls and Greek organizations debated how to prevent underage drinking and alcohol abuse.
Josh Burdette, AURH representative and Belle Plaine senior, said students drank because other students were doing the same
thing.
"The they have heard all the doomsday stories, but when there is a set norm, people start migrating towards that," he said.
Ambler said the University was going to try to educate students more effectively.
Ambler said he would offer challenge grants to student organizations that devised ideas for nonalcoholic activities by matching funds through the Coke contract.
Courtney Rowland, Alpha Delta Pi sorority social chairwoman and Wichita sophomore, said there weren't enough alcohol-free weekend options for students.
"You've got to show that not everybody does it," Ambler said. "Just like sex, this generation did not invent alcohol."
He said he wanted students to vote for a new recreation center on campus so that students would have an alternative for social activities.
kevin Tuttle, Watkins Memorial Health Center peer health educator and Leawood senior, said the best way to prevent alcohol abuse was through education.
"If people truly understand what excessive alcohol does to their bodies, that would be a good way
"If students see that we can have something better than Robinson Gym, it would really mushroom," Ambler said.
to reach them," he said.
Hope Bruce, Watkins peer health educator and Shawnee freshman, said punishments for underage drinking should be harsher such as mandating community service.
drink as idiots."
"People come home throwing up, and they're not able to get up the stairs," she said. "People wouldn't go out every night to the bars and get drunk if there was a more severe punishment."
Zora Mulligan, SUA graduate adviser, said the University needed to change its approach toward preventing alcohol abuse.
"I hope KU breaks out of the regular model and makes student outreach fun," she said. "It's important to not color all people that
the exhibit will be displayed throughout the fourth floor of the Kansas Union in display cases from February 8-19.
SUA Fine Arts brings you an exhibition of seven pieces from the Gordon Parks 1998 photography competition.
Call 864-3477 for more information.
GORDON PARKS
Public hearing may pave way for Lawrence bicycle paths
By Katie Burford
Kansan staff writer
Creating a core of interconnected bicycle paths should be the focus of efforts to make Lawrence a more bicycle-friendly city, a consultant of Transportation Systems Inc. said last night at a public hearing in the Kansas Union.
The hearing was scheduled to present the results of a $24,000 study commissioned by the city to establish the feasibility of adding bike paths to 11 designated roads.
Mark Kenneally, an engineer with Transportation Systems Inc. of Kansas City, Mo., presented the study's findings to a group of 23 people, which included students, city officials and Lawrence residents.
Brandon Deines, Hoxie sophomore, said he came to the meeting because it was an issue that affected him.
"I live at Sunrise Village on West Sixth Street," he said. "I'd like to ride to school, but unless I ride at low traffic times, it's not feasible."
The roadways under consideration are Naismith Drive, Louisiana, Vermont, Connecticut, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Sixth, West Ninth, 11th, 15th and 19th streets.
The results Kenneally presented were a compilation of public response and a bicycle compatibility index study. The BCI rating of
a road reflects factors such as traffic volume, lane width and traffic speed.
Kenneally said it was important to consider that they were using a "retro-fit" framework. This means that changes to the road to accommodate bike paths couldn't necessitate the widening or repaving of roads.
He said the purpose of the study was to look at specific streets, consider the options and develop a checklist of criteria for considering other roads in the future.
This is the third public hearing related to the issue of making Lawrence safer and more accessible for cyclists. The public response results presented last night were gathered from the first public hearing and response boxes placed at various sites around the city.
Clay Comfort, chairman of the Lawrence City Commission's bicycle advisory committee, said it had received 346 responses. Only 92 of those responses were calculated in last night's presentation. The committee will be compiling the remaining responses before it presents the study results to the City Commission in late April.
Commissioners will ask questions and discuss the study results at the April meeting. The public can attend, but no public comment will be heard.
The meeting will take place after the April 6 City Commission election.
Faculty may gain salary increase
Continued from page 1A
depend on the amount of tax cuts and how much money the state allocated to a transportation program.
"It is difficult to accomplish a lot within the current budget scenario." Findley said. "I have a great concern for faculty salaries, but there are a lot of variables."
korb Maxwell, SLAB legislative director, said that a 7.5 percent increase in faculty salaries was too much for many legislators and that only 60 percent favored an increase. But he said he thought student lobbyists were successful in lobbying for increased financial aid.
Representative David Adkins, R-Leawood, said he would vote for anything if it benefited the University of Kansas. He said that there would be more money available for state-based financial aid this year but that he was concerned about funding for technology.
Adkins said many legislators had the impression that faculty members were overpaid and underworked.
Adkins said he was glad to see student lobbyists in the capitol because it was easy to vote against legislation that would benefit students when legislators did not personally know any students.
"It says a lot when students are saying that the quality of the faculty means something," he said. "Few, if any, legislators understand why it is important to maintain good faculty."
"Symbolism and perception is something we all vote on," he said.
The Kansas Union is Planning a Building Addition...
Come hear the preliminary plans from the Architectural Consultants!
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17TH 5:30-6:30 P.M. KANSAS UNION BALLROOM
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o r y s e s m d d n y
d it e y s t y u n
I s o t y e
ke n m p r g k
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m y o l I e
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Jayhawk Special!
Buy one 20 oz. burrito & get the 2nd one FREE!
exp. March 15, 1999
We now Deliver! 865-0700
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WEDNESDAY Dance Party!
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- Friday - Retro 80's night, $2 $^{50} pitchers & $2 $^{00} wells
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