Volume 124 Issue 89
kansan.com
Friday, February 3, 2012
SISTERS ACT
A CELEBRATION OF RIGHTS
KELSEY CIPOLLA kcipolla@kansan.com
February is more than a month of the year to 30 former students; it's a reminder of the challenges women faced in the 1970s. This year marks the women studies department's 40th anniversary.
The group of 30 women, known as the February Sisters, locked themselves into the East Asian Studies building on Feb.4 1972, to draw attention to the University's unfair policies toward women. Their demands included a free daycare center for students and faculty, more women as administrators and professors, health services for women and the creation of a women studies department.
"It was a time when there was a lot of turmoil and a lot of ferment about civil rights, about women's rights, about anti-war," said Ann Schofield, a professor in the women, gender and sexuality studies department. "They were asking that they have more possibilities in their lives."
Protesters didn't even exchange names to avoid being tempted to turn each other in, said Tami Albin, the librarian for the women, gender and sexuality department, who has researched the event's history. They also came prepared to stay in the building for at least a week, she said.
After years of trying to discuss their demands with University officials, the sisters were moved to drastic action after a speech from feminist icon Robin Morgan several days
before. They quickly mobilized and a group of four women began scouting buildings the group could take over in protest.
In reality, the women only had to occupy the building for 13 hours. Administrators quickly reached out to them to begin negotiations, and most of their demands became realities, including the formation of the womens studies department, which launched a doctoral program this year, making the University one of only 18 that offers the degree.
Although Schofield and Albin both acknowledge that the University has made huge improvements in addressing issues affecting female students, problems still exist. Women still struggle to earn as much money in jobs as their male counterparts, and women's reproductive health services continue to be a hotly contested issue.
these women 40 years ago and were dealing with those same things today," Albin said. "The fight for women to have rights isn't over. It will never be over."
"What's important is that we have
The Commission on the Status of Women held a re-enactment of the famous lock-in on Wednesday in Wescoe. Students were invited to write their thoughts on what issues the University needs to work on and the problems women face today.
"We can't really actually chain ourselves in, so we're doing the next best thing," said JT Hammons, vice president of the CSW and a senior from Valley Falls. "We have our own 21st century demands."
Those demands include getting the University to introduce more domestic and sexual assault services, educate incoming freshman about healthy relationships and provide same sex benefits for faculty and staff.
"A lot of people are just apathetic," Hammons said. "They don't think about these things until the question was raised."
Edited by Amanda Gage
CHRIS NEAL/KANSAN
Anna Keeney, a junior from Overland Park, writes on a poster that addresses the major issues for women in today's world. Feb. 4 is 40th anniversary of the February Sisters' lock-in that drew attention to the University's unfair policies toward women.
EVENT
Brownback addresses trafficking issue
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
Gov. Sam Brownback shares his experiences of witnessing human trafficking in multiple countries from Uganda to North Korea during a lecture Thursday night in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Brownback encouraged students and local residences to take action by working with redemption programs and going to countries to see first hand the affects of human trafficking.
VIKAAS SHANKER
vshanker@kansan.com
Brownback shared why he thought human trafficking was an important issue to a crowd of more than 200 people at the event hosted by the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center.
Gov. Sam Brownback stressed the importance of community involvement while giving a talk and answering questions at the Kansas Union Ballroom about human trafficking Thursday night.
"It's important, it's key, it's happening in your world," he said. "You need to do something about it."
Brownback started to explore the issue of human trafficking when he
heard about occurrences in Sudan. He visited in 2004 and listened to anecdotal stories. Since then he has visited shelters in different countries with trafficking problems including Uganda, North Korea and Myanmar.
The U.S. Department of Justice defines human trafficking crimes as actions that "focus on the act of compelling or coercing a person's labor, services, or commercial sex acts."
Brownback wanted to give the audience an idea of how trafficking affects the people in these countries. "It's the worst you can imagine," he said.
However, Kansas is specifically considered a state with weaker laws, according to political science graduate student Laura Dean, who played an integral role in getting Brownback to speak on campus.
Brownback was an original co-sponsor of the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, a bill
that sparked reform of trafficking laws. The act was renewed in 2008.
Dean, 31, researched trafficking in Kansas and worked in a shelter for trafficking victims in Latvia. "Right now they go to half-way houses," she said. "But there are no shelters dedicated specifically to trafficking victims."
"We're missing lots of things like victim service protection," Dean said. "Many victims suffer STDs or are pregnant when they come in."
makers can set aside personal differences and help curb trafficking.
"I think what we really need to be doing nationally as a country right now, is focusing on policies that created pools of trafficking victims," he said.
Kansas is known to be a hub of trafficking in the United States. Dean said that Kansas' location and economy make it a major transportation area for victims.
"There's a major highway that runs from Canada to Mexico that traffickers use," Dean said about Interstate-35, which runs through south-eastern Kansas. "The agriculturally based economy also makes it a place for forced labor and trafficking."
While I-35 crosses Kansas, Interstate-70 crosses the whole state horizontally - it stretches from Utah to Maryland. The two highways intersect in Kansas City, which has one of the highest numbers of trafficking arrests in the country.
Brownback encouraged the audience to get involved in the issue on a global level.
Brownback said he hopes law-
"Pick an area and focus on it," he said. "...give (victims) a name and a face."
He also said he talked to Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little, who was in attendance, about raising money for a center of human trafficking on campus where students can earn degrees that would help them eliminate trafficking.
After the event, Dean said she was glad a large crowd showed up and that Brownback had some good points. "I think he showed his knowledge on the subject," she said. "It was a great opportunity to share his experiences."
Brownback hopes his talk raised awareness of trafficking.
"I hope they get the scope of what's happening," he said. "And I hope some of them were motivated."
Edited by Nadia Imafidon
KU police's power surprises student
RACHEL SALYER
rsalyen@kansan.com
Kendall Pierce saw the red and blue lights and immediately thought about running.
"I didn't though," said Pierce, a junior from Benton. "At the time I didn't even go to KU,and I knew I was drunk, but I didn't think the campus police could do much."
Pierce and a friend were walking along West Campus Road on their way home after a night of drinking in fall 2009. Both were underage, and neither were expecting minor in possession citations.
"I knew the campus cops could make sure students weren't causing trouble," Pierce said. "I didn't know that they could give people who aren't students tickets, and I didn't know they could give tickets like the city police can."
Pierce, like many students, was unaware of the powers University police hold.
"The University police have as much authority by state law as any other police officer in the state of Kansas within their jurisdiction," said Chris Keary, University assistant chief of police.
The only tickets issued on campus handled exclusively by the University are parking tickets. All other tickets issued are the same as any citation given by Lawrence police officers. Keary gave the example of a speeding ticket, saying that one issued by University police will be handled at the Douglas County Courthouse and the fine will be the same as if issued by city police.
Campus police jurisdiction extends to all property owned or operated by the University, board of trustees, the endowment association, athletic associations, student groups associated with the University and fraternities and sororities, though Keary said the University generally lets the LPD handle calls
- have the authority to transport transplant organs and emergency medical supplies
- have four marked police cars, four unmarked police cars and one suburban
According to Kansas statutes, KU police jurisdiction also extends to streets, properties and highways immediately adjacent to campus.
DID YOU KNOW
UNIVERSITY
POLICE:
"We can also enter other jurisdictions when asked to do so by the governing police department," Keary said. "Years ago we used to go to Manhattan to help with the KU and K-State games, because they asked us to, and when we were there, we had the same powers they did."
Keary said the University and LPD also made a legal agreement in 1999 that KU police may enter and make stops in the others' jurisdiction if a crime is observed by an on-duty officer. Both LPD and the University can also enter others' jurisdiction while in pursuit, or if there is reason to believe a person who committed a violation is in other jurisdictions.
- currently have 26 officers but are budgeted for 28. These are not the same as campus police officers under Kansas Statutes
from the Greek community.
Pierce thinks if he had known that information beforehand, he might have behaved differently.
"I was polite," Pierce said. "But if I would have known to take it as serious as if anyone were else were stopping me, I probably would have done things a little different."
CLASSIFIEDS 11 CRYPTOQUIP 4 SPORTS 12
CROSSWORD 4 OPINION 5 SUDOKU 4
All contents, unless stated otherwise. © 2012 The University Daily Kansan
Edited by Nadia Imafidon
Today's Weather
SUA's Spring Campus Series is featuring the film "Immortals" tonight. Go see an inexpensive movie with your friends.
Showers and a chance of thunderstorms. Winds gusty from the east.
"it's raining men, hallelujah!"