THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.115 ISSUE 92
WWW.KANSAN.COM
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 10.2005
ADMINISTRATION
Tuition on the rise
School of Social Welfare faculty proposes differential tuition
BY NATE KARLIN
nkarlier@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Insufficient state funding had led the School of Social Welfare administrators to propose a tuition increase plan. By next semester the school could be the last specialized school to adopt a differential tuition increase.
The plan would be similar to the differential tuition plan proposed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said Melanie Hepburn, assistant dean of social welfare.
The differential fee would fund additional scholarships and financial aid and enhance learning resources, such as expanding the international programs and teaching resources.
The climate of the state legislature has not been as supportive of higher education as it could be." Hephurn said.
Ann Weick, dean of social welfare, has been meeting with students to discuss the differential fee since last fall.
Beginning next semester, students would pay an extra
$10 per credit hour. The fee would increase to $20 per credit hour in the 2006-07 school year and then cap off at $30 for the 2007-08 year. The plan has not called for a specific time limit, Hepburn said, unlike the CLAS proposal, which would only exist for the next 20 years.
Students were concerned about the fees, but they still wanted resource expansions, Hepburn said.
that social welfare students didn't show great support to an e-mail that was sent out, but she wanted them to understand the benefits of the fee.
Jayme Shilkrot, a Minneapolis, Minn., senior who served on the dean's advisory committee, agreed
"If the students can all pull together, this is the only way we'll get the stuff," Shilkretr said.
Increasing the fee over the next three years should be more helpful to the students because it won't catch them off guard, she said. The increase will ease them into the differential tuition.
Molly Nelson,
"The climate of the state Legislature has not been as supportive of higher education as it could be.
Melanie Hepburn
Assistant dean of social
welfare
welfare
SEE WELFARE ON PAGE 4A
BELIEFS
Evolution discourse continues
BY TY BEAVER
tbeaver@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Conservative members of the Kansas Board of Education are again toying with the idea of changing the science curriculum to include creationism. People all over the state are weighing in on the validity of evolution in the classroom because of religious beliefs.
The appearance that religion disputes evolution and other scientific knowledge is a common perception, some opponents of creationism say. But many people in both religious and scientific circles see no conflict between scientific theory and faith.
Christians differ on the stance of evolution within their faith. Catholicism officially recognizes the theory as scientifically sound.
"There cannot be a conflict between faith and reason, because we cannot have a contradictory God," said Vince Krische, head pastor of the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center, 1631 Crescent Road.
The Catholic Church teaches mitigated evolution, Krische said. Mitigated evolution is the belief that evolution explains the ascent of physical creatures, but that the soul of each person is a direct creation of God.
Reacting to an atheistic definition of evolution can give people an easy reason to dispute science. Krische said.
Most mainstream Catholic and Protestant churches have no problem with evolution, Krische said. Several Protestant groups, however, don't find evolution sound.
Kelly Sanders, Omaha, Neb., junior, said her Christian faith was based on a personal relationship with God in which a literal interpretation of the Bible in the correct context was important.
Evolution doesn't have to exclude God, Sanders said. She said she wanted intelligent design, the idea that nature shows evidence that it was created by an intelligent being, taught with evolution in high schools. She said she was afraid evolution didn't push the concept of divine influence.
There are also religions that take no stance on the issue. Wiccans and pagans do not require belief in evolution or intelligent design, said Chelsea Johnson, president of the Wiccan-Pagan Alliance.
For Adrian Melott, whether a religion approves of evolution isn't the question.
"Religion doesn't take issue with evolution, people take issue with it," Melott, professor of physics and astronomy. said.
The ordained Unitarian minister said many disagree with evolution because of a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. It gives an ideology that requires people to believe something against evidence, Melott said.
"It's a general phenomenon of people hijacking Christianity and the Bible," Melott said.
Wednesday Worship
SEE DISCOURSE ON PAGE 5A
Kit Leffler/KANSAN
The Rev. Thad Holcombe, campus minister for the Ecumenical Christian Ministries, stands outside Danforth Chapel. Holcombe led four Ash Wednesday services yesterday. Tim Stauffer, lola sophomore, attended the 4:30 p.m. service. This was the first Ash Wednesday service he had participated in. "I've always seen the people with the ash crosses on their foreheads, but I never knew what it was all about," he said. Ash Wednesday begins the 40-day period of Lent, which ends on Easter.
HOUSING
Timothy Conroy, 35, Kirkwood, Mo. Senior, has been asked to leave Hashinger Hall, where he currently resides, because of a past criminal record. Conroy plans on moving back home to Kirkwood with his family and picking up his last few semesters of school at St. Louis University.
Hashinger evicts felon from hall
BY ERIC SORRENTINO
esorrentino@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Conroy, 35, Kirkwood, Mo., senior, said his departure was due to a previous felony conviction that happened seven years ago when he robbed a Quizno's in St. Louis with a BB gun. He said a Missouri vocational rehabilitation facility made it possible for him to come to the University of Kansas.
The Department of Student Housing asked Hashinger resident Timothy Conroy to leave the building Monday.
"I came back to KU to finish up my degree in one semester." Conroy said.
Conroy said that nowhere on the Student Housing application did it say that a convicted felon could not live in the residence halls. He said that he would hire a lawyer and planned to file a lawsuit against the University for a breach of contract.
According to Student Housing terms and policies, a resident may be asked to leave the building if the resident's continued presence in the residence hall may cause danger or a threat of danger to property, the resident, or others in the residence hall.
Diana Robertson, associate director of Student Housing, said the University adopted a policy after a 1993 court case Nero v. Kansas State, which prohibited individuals from living in University housing if they had been committed or charged with a violent crime.
"Our duty is to balance the needs of the residents on the whole against the potential threat of one." Robertson said.
Robertson said she could not comment on any of the specifics of any student's situation in the department.
The application for undergraduate admission at the University does not ask any questions about previous criminal record. However, individuals would be asked in applying for a student hourly job or a full-time staff position on campus, said Lynn Bretz, director of University Relations.
Conroy said Student Housing gave him an eviction letter Monday stating that the department learned about his second-degree burglary in Missouri. Conroy is not allowed to visit Hashinger Hall or any Student Housing facility without being suspect to trespassing charges or arrest. Conroy said the contract gave him the right to appeal, but he did not plan on doing so.
Conroy attended the University from 1987 to 1992 but dropped out a semester before he was supposed to graduate. He said he had an oppor-
SEE FELON ON PAGE 5A
All contents, unless stated otherwise,
© 2005 The University Daily Kansan
Right-hand ring rage You don't have to have someone to get a sparkly stone on your finger this Valentine's Day. But if you can't afford your own ring, a Jayplay reader is giving away hers. See details on page 26 to enter the giveaway.
❤️Price of Love
Want to celebrate Valentine's Day this year, but don't have a lot of cash? Check out The University Daily Kansan's guide to your lovely day. PAGE 8A
Game show glee
Check out today's and tomorrow's episodes of "The Price is Right" and catch some familiar faces. See the KU Men's Glee Club sing for Bob Barker and walk away with a few parting gifts. PAGE 8A
The streak continues Senior Forward Wayne Simien helped the men's basketball team hold off the Wildcats, 74-65. He contributed 23 points as the Jayhawks notched their 29th straight victory against the Wildcats.PAGE 1B
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