WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16. 2005
NEWS
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Museum takes steps to lure more students
BY NEIL MULKA
nmulka@kansan.com
KANAN STAFT WRITER
It's 8 p.m. Thursday and more than 100 students are milling around the Spencer Museum of Art for Student Night. Japanese dance rock echoes off the walls as students' conversations flow with the pouring of the green tea being served.
Genevieve Boyle, Salina sophomore, overlooks the party as Rachel Larson, Tescott sophomore, and Alex Garcia, Atchison freshman, help themselves to refreshments. Boyle is a member of the Spencer Museum of Art Student Advisory Board, which arranged the Tradition and Modernity Student Night at the museum.
This Student Night, entitled Tradition and Modernity, was part of a larger attempt to attract more students to the art museum and make them feel that the museum is theirs, Kristina Mitchell, education director, said.
"I think that it went fantastic," said Carey Woltkamp, student advisory board member and Olathe senior. "I think one guy who worked there said they have about eight people come in on a Thursday night and now we had a couple hundred."
A student advisory board was formed in November to get more student input on the art museum's programming, Mitchell said.
The board is planning a campus-wide survey expected to come out in the fall with the help of a "Marketing and Media Research" class, taught by Denise Linville, assistant professor of journalism. But nothing has been finalized on what the survey will entail, Mitchell said.
She is replacing Andrea Norris, who was fired March 2, 2013.
Saralyn Reece Hardy, the art museum's director starting March 4, said she was looking forward to the survey as part of her plan on listening to students.
The focus on getting more student input has been something that members of the Spencer staff have been wanting to do, Mitchell said, adding that with a
"Our capability as a museum is directly related to our adaptability." Hardy said.
new director coming in, it was a good time to try new things.
"I think now we're in a position to do this with support all around." Mitchell said.
The art museum could do more to increase student attendance, Cayla Witty, Wakefield sophomore, said.
lack of advertising was a problem that they would try to solve.
"A lot of students think this is just another academic building," said Witty, who attended last week's Student Night.
"It doesn't matter if your collection great." Mitchell said. "If students aren't coming to see our collections or expositions, then we're not doing our jobs."
ON CAMPUS
There will be another student night to go with an upcoming Surrealism exhibit Thursday, May 12.
Advisory members said that a
Edited by Kim Sweet Rubenstein
- Ecumenical Christian Ministries will sponsor a University forum "Electronic Voting Systems: Technical Problems and Potential Solutions" featuring Doug Fletcher, chief technical officer for Pivot International. The forum will take place at 12:30 p.m. today in the ECM, 1204 Oread Ave., north of the Kansas Union.
tinis
- The Center for East Asian Studies will screen the movie "Bright Future" as part of an East Asian Film Festival at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at the Spencer Museum of Art auditorium. Call 864-3849 for more information.
- The Office of Study Abroad will hold an informational meeting on studying abroad in Japan at 3:30 p.m. today at room 4034 in Wescoe Hall. Contact Stacie Vincent at 864-3742.
Ecumenical Christian Ministries will sponsor a Veggie Lunch from 11:30-1 p.m. tomorrow at the ECM, 1204 Oread Ave. Contact Sarah Dees at 812-1051.
Student Union Activities will sponsor an afternoon tea from 3 to 4 p.m. tomorrow in the Kansas Union lobby. Contact Megan Wesley at 864-SHOW.
- Student Union Activities will sponsor a screening of "I Heart Huckabees" at 7 and 9:30 p.m. tomorrow and Friday at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union. Tickets are $2 or free with an SUA Movie Card. Call 864-SHOW for more information.
Note: The University Daily Kansan prints campus events that are free and open to the public. Submission forms are available in the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauffer-Fint Hall. Items must be turned in two days in advance of the desired publication date. On Campus is printed on a space available basis.
Student Union Activities will host an evening of speed dating from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight at the Hawk's Nest in the Kansas Union.Call 864- SHOW for more information.
♦ The Center for East Asian Studies will sponsor a screening of "Lost In Translation" as part of an East Asian Film Festival at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Spencer Museum of Art auditorium. Call 864-3849 for more information.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics welcomes Jim Hooley and Andrew Littlefair, who will give a lecture on "Stagecraft Stories: How Advance Work Builds Presidential Image" as part of the Presidential Lecture Series at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Dole Institute.Call 864- 4900 for more information.
CORRECTIONS
- Yesterday's The University Daily Kansan contained an error. The article, "Perkins aids fundraiser," stated today's times to donate were 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wesco Beach and at the Kansas Union fourth floor. The correct times for today are 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mrs. E's and 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Oliver Hall Dining Center.
- A 19-year-old KU student reported her license plate stolen to Lawrence police between 9 p.m., Feb. 12 and 4:45 p.m., Feb. 13 from the 1300 block of Kentucky Street. The license plate is valued at $5.
♦ A 64-year-old KU professor reported a stolen Apple Powerbook to the KU Public Safety Office between 6:50 and 7:20 p.m., Feb. 10 from Lot 3 behind Strong and Bailey Halls. The laptop is valued at $3,000.
PHILADELPHIHA — A promising young boxer who got the break of a lifetime when he was selected by NBC's upcoming reality TV program, "The Contender." committed suicide.
Boxing reality show contestant kills himself in front of girlfriend
Police said 23-year-old Najai Turpin shot himself in the head at 4 a.m. yesterday while sitting with his girlfriend in a parked car outside the West Philadelphia gym where he trained. Investigators were unsure why he took his life.
- An 18-year-old KU student reported a missing wallet to Lawrence police sometime between 11 and 11:15 p.m., Feb. 13 from the 1500 block of 23rd Street. The wallet and items in it are valued at $59.
Produced by reality TV mogul Mark Burnett, "The Contender" will follow the lives of 16 boxers competing against each other for a chance at a million-dollar purse.
An NBC spokeswoman said the producers, cast and crew of "The Contender" were shocked and saddened by Turpin's death. The program scheduled to debut March 7, will go on as planned.
ON THE RECORD
The episodes involving Turpin had already been taped.
NATION
Percy "Buster" Custus, a trainer who had worked with him since Turpin was 12, said the boxer had enjoyed his experiences with the show but seemed troubled in recent weeks. He said Turpin abruptly left a training camp in the Poconos and returned home to Philadelphia, saying he missed his family.
The Associated Press