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Volume 128 Issue 69
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Kansan.com
The student voice since 1904
WEEKEND EDITION
SWIM AND DIVE
Team returns to Robinson for first time since December | PAGE 10B
Faculty welcomes social media policy revisions
SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkyRol
In a message sent to all University email accounts Monday, the University of Kansas asked students and staff to suggest any changes to the University's procedure regarding improper social media use.
The Kansas Board of Regents finalized a social media policy in May 2014. Each university in Kansas uses its own procedures to handle discipline. Those include Wichita State, Kansas State and Pittsburg State.
The procedure that the University of Kansas creates will not have any change on the Board of Regents' social media policy.
Over the summer, a committee met to determine how to implement the policy on Lawrence Campus. The committee had to create a procedure that assessed the scenario in which a staff member used social media improperly.
John Mayhew, president of the University Senate, wanted students to know that the procedure does not apply to
students or hourly student employees. These social media guidelines only apply to University faculty or staff.
"If the procedure is ratified by the University Senate, then the Provost office will add it to the policy library of the university," Mayhew said. "We're not changing the Board of Regents' social media policy. All we can do is come up with a policy that is fair to everybody if someone were accused of improper use of social media."
The University Senate will have a series of meetings regarding the social media procedure starting Feb. 12.
Campus groups not accommodative to all
"The No. 1 goal of the committee's discussions were to make sure that freedom of speech and academic freedom are accounted for and balanced against the Board of Regents' policy," said Marta Caminero-Santangelo, who served on the committee that worked to draft the procedure. "The committee drafted the procedure [and sent it to students] because it was satisfied with [the draft]."
Edited by Mitch Raznick
CHANDLER BOESE
@Chandler_Boese
While many students find it easy to join campus groups, for students with disabilities, joining a campus organization may require more than signing up for an email list or attending a monthly meeting.
Lauren Wismer, a senior from Overland Park who is deaf, attempted to join a number of organizations when she first started college, including AbleHawks and Allies, the KU Equestrian Team and a few campus ministries.
Some of the organizations she tried to join did make an effort to accommodate her.
"There were other members in the group that knew sign language and they would provide me with a written script of the service in the campus ministry," Wisner said.
Unfortunately, there were other groups in which Wismer
"I hate saying it happens, but sometimes when you tell someone that you have a disability, they kind of withdraw and you kind of get pushed to the side as if you can't do anything." Wisner said.
did not feel as accommodated. At some meetings she could not follow what was happening and had difficulty communicating her needs to those in charge.
Students who may need special accommodations can look for help at the KU Student Access Center, which is part of the Academic Achievement and Access Center.
Andrew Shoemaker, director of the KU Student Access Center, said students can submit requests for accommodations and it will do their best to fulfill them.
However, some students with disabilities are reluctant
SEE DISABILITY PAGE 2A
ANNA WENNER/KANSAN
Jameelah Jones listens to a senator's question just before she is voted in as the new director of diversity and inclusion at Wednesday's meeting
STAMP OF APPROVAL
Jameelah Jones answers a senator's question during Wednesday night's Senate meeting. Soon after, Jones was voted in as director of diversity and inclusion.
Full Senate approves first director of diversity and inclusion
ANNA WENNER/KANSAN
ALANA FLINN
@alana_fiinn
The proposed director of diversity and inclusion, Jameelah Jones, has been approved in full Senate and she will begin her duties immediately. Jones is a second-year graduate student in African and African-American studies.
Jones will be the first to hold this position. According to Jones, her position will include various jobs revolving around creating coexistence among all students and faculty on campus.
"I am generally the voice in Senate for the students of diverse populations," Jones said. "I'm drawn to social justice and ensuring that every voice matters and every voice is heard, no matter how small that voice may be in a room. If even one person is uncomfortable or underrepresented, that is enough for someone to step in and rectify the situation. That's how we keep students happy and keep them feeling like part of the family at the University of Kansas."
After reviewing 14 applicants, Student Body President Morgan Said said Jones was selected because of her positivity and drive to create change.
"Jameelah brings such a pos-
tive energy to the staff, especially in second semester as everyone starts to wear down on the year," Said said. "She's got exactly the spunk that we need to keep us all motivated and accountable. She was someone who was very vocal in the open forum last semester, and I admired that she was able to come forward and call Student Senate out, but also offer to help us right what has been wronged."
Jones chose to apply for the
"I applied because I really want to make a difference and I was happy when I saw this position still open," Jones said. "I want the opportunity to affect people and create a change."
newfound position right after the bill for the job passed.
To Jones, this new position has been needed in Senate for years.
"As we saw from last semester's Senate meetings, there is disconnect between
the Student Senate and the multicultural population on campus;" Jones said. "I think there needs to be a bridge for those who feel they are underserved. This position will create that bridge for those who need a voice."
During her acceptance speech, Jones said her first act as director of diversity and inclusion will be to create a connection between administration and multicultural students through the Cultural Competency Training.
"We need to ask the broad questions when we say diversity or multiculturalism," Jones said. "If there is not equal representation in all of these aspects, multicultural students will fall through the cracks."
Chief of Staff Mitchell Cota said this position was created to fill a void of a large concern on campus that the University and Student senates did not care about the rights of minority students.
"Right now she's working on cultural competency for the entire University," Cota said. "I think instilling a value of inclusion on campus is really relevant right now in a time of which there are protests and people advocating for these rights."
Edited by Emma Seiwert
Environmental group urges frackers for safer fix
ALLISON CRIST
@AllisonCristUDK
The Kansas Sierra Club is calling for a halt on the fracking until scientists can find injection wells that won't cause earthquakes, or a different solution entirely.
If some get their way, the days of hydraulic fracking in Kansas may be numbered, so long as the disposal process stays the same.
"Fracking" drills into rock formations and pumps a variety of chemicals, sand and water into these rocks under high pressure in order to extract oil and natural gases.
JOE SPEASE OF THE KANASS SIERRA CLUB/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The foundation beneath the floor of this person's home in south central Kansas has a crack that is getting wider and wider with each round of quakes.
However, the problem isn't with fracking, but rather the aftermath of leftover fluids being dumped into disposal wells; this process has actually been linked to earthquakes.
The places where these earthquakes have been occurring are located on or near geological faults. After the disposal process, the faults often unclamp and start sliding.
"When fluids are pumped into these [faults], they serve as
a lubricant and end up slipping and causing an earthquake," said Joe Spease, fracking chair
of the Kansas Sierra Club. In 2015 alone, Kansas has already experienced 10 earthquakes, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. Luckily for Lawrence, there have not been any earthquakes in Douglas County.
"Lawrence is about as earthquake-free as any place in the state because there are no major faults," said Don Steeples, KU geology professor and interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "The major fault in Kansas runs from Oklahoma, through areas like Manhattan and Wichita to Hays, all the way up to the Black Hills in South
One family was told by their insurance company that the growing crack in their house foundation would cost $30,000
Kansas residents in these earthquake-affected areas are starting to face issues with their insurance companies because their premiums don't cover earthquake damage. Spease said foundations in some homes have already begun to crack from the damage of past, small trembles.
Index CLASSIFIEDS 8A CRYPTOQUIPS 6A SPORTS 1B CROSSWORD 6A OPINION 4A SUDOKU 6A
Dakota."
SEE FRACK PAGE 2A
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