Volume 124 Issue 90
kansan.com
Monday, February 6, 2012
the student voice since 1904
STUDENT SUCCESS AT FOREFRONT
HANNAH WISE
hwise@kansan.com
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
STATE OF THE UNION JAN.24,2012
The State of the Union address sets the federal government agenda for the year. President Barack Obama made higher education a key agenda item "putting colleges and universities on notice."
"I call every state to require that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18."
Obama
24.6%
DO
NOT
"At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit card debt, this Congress needs to stop the interest rates on student loans from doubling in July."
Obama
NATIONALLY
STUDENT LOAN DEBT: $1,000,000,000
$672,000,000
CREDIT CARD DEBT:
AFTER JULY 1 = 6.8%
INTEREST RATE
CHANCELLOR BERNADETTE GRAY-LITTLE
Obama
CURRENT 3.4%
NTEREST RATE
STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY JAN.11.2012
The State of the University was given via a video emailed to all students and faculty. Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little further outlined the University's "Bold Aspirations" plan. Provost Jeffrey Vitter elaborated on her remarks in an interview.
"And colleges and universities have to do their part by working to keep costs down."
2012 IN-STATE TUITION : $8,468
2011 IN-STATE TUITION : $8,024 RAISED BY $444
CURRENTLY 80%
"We seek to increase our first-year retention rate to 90 percent. We want a six-year graduation rate of 70 percent."
— Gray-Little
Vitter said the University aims to increase admission standards to make KU a more challenging and attractive school to potential students. He said by having students leave high school more prepared for college will increase the likelihood that they will continue to graduation. He said the new "Bold Aspirations" curriculum being developed is aimed at keeping students on degree tracks to graduate quickly and save money.
GOVERNOR SAM BROWNBACK
STATE OF THE STATE
JAN.11.2012
The State of the State was focused primarily on the state's taxes and budget. The state budget for the 2013 fiscal year was released and details the governor's plans for the state's universities. Vitter said the University is pushing forward with its "Bold Aspirations" plan despite state wide budget cuts.
"States also need to do their part by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets."
Obama
"
2012 FISCAL YEAR
TOTAL FUNDING FOR
REGENTS UNIVERSITIES : $2,221,406,219
UNDING CUT BY $39,902,340
2013 FISCAL YEAR TOTAL FUNDING FOR REGENTS UNIVERSITIES $2,181,503,879
IS SPLIT BETWEEN SEVEN UNIVERSITIES
ESU
$83,568,760
PSU
$100,401,173
FHSU
$104,300,367
TOTAL FINANCIAL AID
2012: $22.2 MILLION
FUNDING CUT BY $700,000
2013: $21.5 MILLION
LAWRENCE
Graduate revitalizes Keno's
KELSEY CIPOLLA
kcpolla@kansan.com
Papa keno's has had a rough couple of years, but the man who resuscitated Jefferson's wants to turn the pizzeria's reputation around.
Brandon Graham, the new owner and a 2002 KU graduate, has experience reviving a flailing Lawrence favorite. He bought Jefferson's last April after the owner failed to pay close to $47,000 in taxes.
In 2008, the restaurant closed for a month while former owner Greg Keenan worked to settle a $170,000 tax debt with the state. Then last year, 25 employees filed complaints with the Kansas Department of Labor saying they had not received payment.
Graham, who also owns several Mr. Goodcents locations in Kansas, purchased Papa Keno's two weeks ago. Keenan still owns the Overland Park location.
"What we look for are local
Growing up in Lawrence, Graham and his business partners have fond memories of Papa Keno's, as well as Jefferson's.
Starting this week, Graham is updating the restaurant's interior and equipment, but the menu will stay the same. Graham said he isn't worried about the business, despite the pizzeria's bad publicity in recent years.
favorites that have a lot of potential and that have a solid foundation, but just need some help reaching their full potential" Graham said.
"Local institutions with lots of history have a nostalgic pull for us," Graham said.
"I think that we will capitalize on the fact that there is new ownership and that we do things a little bit different," he said. "I think that's going to play for us positively."
The bad memories of Papa Keno's haven't faded for everybody, especially Lorus Byers, one of the former employees who filed a claim against Keenan. He
"Hopefully the new management can change the structure of the business, and the way employees are treated," Byers said.
withdrew his claim when Keenan accused him of faking time cards because the amount of money he was owed wasn't worth fighting over, Byers told The Kansan for a story on the owner last year in April.
Byers said that although people liked the food, he thought Keenan's methods made it morally difficult for the community to support the restaurant.
Matt Snively, a junior from Kansas City, Kan., said he has always been a fan of the restaurant's massive slices of pizza and wasn't aware of the scandals surrounding the restaurant.
"I wasn't aware of the restaurant having any issues, but the pizza is good," Snively said. "It won't stop me from eating there in the future."
Edited by Nadia Imafidon
RACHEL SALYER
rsalyer@kansan.com
Endangerment case sent to trial
A Douglas County judge decided Friday a University student would stand trial on two child endangerment charges after allegedly choking his
CRIME
Benedict
numerous times, causing her to lose consciousness.
Trevor Benedict, 19, and his defense asked District Judge Sally Pokorny for a case dismissal during a preliminary trial after Benedict's 17-year-old former girlfriend, the victim in the case, testified on Benedict's behalf because the numerous choking acts were consensual.
CLASSIFIEDS 11
CROSSWORD 4
Pokorny denied their request, and said the victim could have died during the 30 or 40 times the choking occurred throughout the relationship, in which the couple also cut each other with razor blades.
The girl told the judge she did not believe Benedict should be criminally responsible for what occurred, and they developed a tap-out system to ensure she would not be harmed while he choked her.
Douglas County Detective Jay Armbrister testified on Wednesday that hand-written documents found in Benedict's backpack between Benedict and his former girlfriend showed there were times she wanted him to stop choking her, but he didn't.
Benedict faces additional charges in a juvenile case because the prosecution contends he was not 18 when some of the incidents occurred.
A trial date has not been set.
CRYPTOQUIPS 4
OPINION 5
SPORTS 12
SUDOKU 4
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2012 The University Daily Kansan
Don't forget
Edited by Pat Strathman
Tomorrow is Resume Review Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University Career Center. Stop by Room 110 in the Burge Union.
Today's Weather
Sunny with west winds around 5 mph.
5
Still a little chilly,wear a coat
如