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CAMPUS
GOVERNMENT Proposed social media policy contains substantial changes
The Kansas Board of Regents' Governance Committee released a substantially revised draft Monday of the social media policy passed in December. The revised policy draft includes additional context surrounding academic freedom, constitutional rights and speech protected by other existing laws. It also makes clear that the definitions of social media and improper use are clear for the purposes of the policy.
"There was a big effort to underscore that freedom of speech and academic freedom are not being overturned by this policy," said Breeze Richardson, associate director of communications and government relations for the Kansas Board of Regents.
The workgroup was created by the Board to come up with recommendations to the original policy, which was highly controversial. Their policy was submitted to the Board before the April 16 meeting to discuss.
According to Richardson, the Board believes that this policy clears up some assumptions they had made about the context of the situation and states that it does not override any constitutional, or other, rights, as well as any university grievance review policies.
— McKenna Harford
"One of the largest concerns of the original policy was interpretations made by the staff and faculty ... over what would be considered improper use," Richardson said. "The Board has gone to great lengths to ensure that is clear [in the new policy]."
The Board of Regents will then make the final decision on the policy in the May 15 and 16 meeting.
the Committee's recommended policy has been published on the Regent's webpage, where comments and suggestions can be made. These will be taken into account at the May 6 meeting, where the Committee will review the final policy and recommend it to the Board. Richardson doesn't believe that any major changes will be made to this policy before it is recommended to the Board.
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Student organization purchase orders due
AMELIA ARVESEN
name@kansan.com
Student organizations have until Wednesday, April 30, to submit purchase orders to use the remainder of their funds allocated by the Student Senate out of the activity fee.
"I think we'll leave the office in good order so the new treasurers can have a good start to their year."
DREW HARGER
Student Senate Treasurer
This deadline will ensure the next Senate treasurer won't have $11,000 in unpaid bills — a number Treasurer
Drew Harger said he had to pay during his first months in office last summer.
"We hope to have a clean turnover," Harger said. "I think we'll leave the office in good order so the new treasurers can have a good start to their year."
This year, the Senate funded 172 student organizations with $50,000, a large difference from the $138,000 used to fund 174 organizations last year.
After every school year, Harger said money allocated for the activity fee is left unspent. He said the unused amount is then added into the Student Senate Reserve Account and a portion of that is given to student groups in the next year.
- Edited by Emily Hines
WHAT'S NEXT FOR STUDENT SENATE?
TUESDAY:
Elections Commission will hear complaints and move to certify the election results.
WEDNESDAY:
Executive staff will deliver final speeches at the Student Senate end-of-year banquet.
Committees will meet and new chairs will be elected.
SOMETIME THIS WEEK:
New executive staff will be chosen.
NEXT WEDNESDAY:
- Current President and Vice President will hand over their responsibilities.
UNIVERSITY
Able Hawks and Allies to host Accessi-Ball
news@kansan.com
JENNIFER SALVA
news@kansan.com
Able Hawks and Allies hosts its first dance on May 9, and members of the organization are hoping to create the kind of fun social event most college students want but students with disabilities don't always have access to.
"All the normal college things that people do, people with disabilities can do those things too," said Cynthia Marta, president of Able Hawks and Allies. "They can date, they can have sex, they can go to concerts, go to bars, they can dance, they can drink; (they) make all those decisions that every other college student does."
The Accessi-Ball will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Hancock Room of the Oread Hotel, and will include a cash bar, door prizes and a DJ to take song requests. Marta said the group is hoping about 100 students attend. The event is open to undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff at all ability levels.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Able Hawks and Allies was founded in 2004 with a mission to raise awareness of accessibility needs and institute progressive change for individuals affiliated with
the University. The group has about 25 recognized members; many other students participate in events from time to time.
The idea for the Ball came out of a discussion between Marta and Thomas Dirth, a club member, after they attended an event in which dancers with disabilities used Adaptive Use Musical Instrument software, which creates musical sounds based on movements of the body. Marta said she wanted to create additional opportunities for people with disabilities to dance after she saw how much the performers enjoyed themselves.
cerebral palsy shortly after birth, and usually uses a cane or wheelchair to help him get around. It was important to choose a location for the event, such as the Oread, that was not only easy to enter and exit, but also comfortable to be in with a physical assistive device.
"I would never use my wheelchair when going out because it was always crowded and difficult to navigate in those crowded places," Dirth said.
"People who use chairs or canes or other physical assistive aids were just like, 'man it was good to dance, and it was good to see people with other similar conditions dancing.' Marta said.
Dirth, a Ph.D. student in social psychology from West Point, Iowa, helped organize the Accessi-Ball. He developed
"They were like, 'I would love to do it again, but I have no idea when I would do it again because there aren't really a lot of opportunities for that to happen to someone who uses physical assistive devices."
Members of the 2012 Able Hawks and Allies.
Activities that other college students consider normal can be a challenge for someone with a disability. A loud environment and unusual or moving lighting can be over stimulating for an individual with a sensory integration impairment, and unfamiliar social interactions could cause much anxiety for an individual with a developmental or social disability.
For a college student who struggles with a social disability, it may be difficult to pick up on social cues that students without such a disability may take for granted. This can be particularly challenging in a social environment where topics like relationships and sex are discussed, because
such topics involve a lot of innuendo and non-verbal cues that can be difficult to interpret, Marta said. She hopes the Accessi-ball will create an opportunity for students who have questions about social interaction, drinking or relationships to feel safe asking them without fear of ridicule.
Isaak Daniels, a Ph.D. student in chemistry from Des Moines, Iowa, said his Asperger syndrome makes it hard for him to meet new people and maintain a fluid conversation. He said he knows that students without
"It wouldn't be functional to have two separate societies," Daniels said. "The goal is to recognize all of our personhood, because someone who is disabled might want to have fun with someone who is not disabled, if they have a friend or significant other."
disabilities can be shy too. That's why he thinks the social nature of the Accessi-Ball offers a good opportunity to socialize in a non-threatening environment.
Index
CRYPTOQUIPS 5
OPINION 4-
Edited by Krista Montgomery
SPORTS 8
SUDOKU 5
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2014 The University Daily Kansan
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