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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
TALK TO US: Contact Leita Walker, Jay Krall or Kyle Ramsey at (785) 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com
KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
FRIDAY
MAY 3,2002
ISSUE 144 VOLUME 112
New codes adopted to help rid Towers of the roach problem
By Caroline Boyer Kansan staff writer
In response to a survey of cockroach problems in Jayhawker Towers, the Department of Student Housing is adopting new spraying policies to better control the pests.
The department is responding to the continuing problem by changing spraying methods and making it easier for officials to ensure that tenants are keeping their residences up to health and safety codes. This stemmed from surveys Sue Lyn Johnson, Tower A resident, sent to other residents in March after she had a cockroach problem in her apartment.
Eric Grospitch, assistant director for the department, said apartment cleanliness was still the main issue. He said the Student Housing Advisory Board had requested a rewrite in the department's policies in the student housing handbook.
"It will give us some teeth in the situation, so we can say I'm glad you've decided to live this way, but it's affecting your neighbors and you'll have to change."
Eric Grospitch assistant director of Student Housing
The former policy was written as more of a request for residents to keep apartments clean, Grospitch said. The new policy will allow the department to take residents through the disciplinary process if it is found that they are not keeping up to health and safety codes during semester cleaning inspections. The first action taken against the resident would be a warning. Other potential disciplinary action according the department's handbook includes probation and removal from student housing.
"It will give us some teeth in the situation, so we can say 'I'm glad you've decided to live this way, but it's affecting your neighbors and you'll have to change,'" Grospiitch said.
The department will also change its spraying policy. If one apartment requests a spraying, the neighboring apartment that shares a kitchen wall will be required to be sprayed as well.
Johnson had a problem with roaches in her apartment, despite passing her cleaning inspections. Johnson, Lawrence graduate student, wrote to the department and conducted a survey in her tower to see if her neighbors were also having problems. She sent 75 surveys and got back 10 replies, with at least seven indicating roach problems.
"I just needed to do it for myself to take care of myself, and the primary motive was my concern about myself and my fellow tenants." Johnson said.
Grospitch said he had thought that the issues with roaches from last year had been taken care of. He said he hadn't heard of any pest problems until Johnson gave him the surveys.
"What she has done is help us get the ball rolling," Grosnitch said.
Jason Hwang, Tower C resident, said he had had some cockroaches at the beginning of the year, though he was able to take care of them with Raid. He said he thought that if a resident was asked to have their apartment sprayed, the resident should be willing to comply.
"What do you have to lose by getting sprayed?" Hwang, Overland Park sophomore, said. "Sure it may be a pain in the short-run, but in the long-run it's definitely a good thing."
The department is investigating getting some bids to have a contractor come in to spray unilaterally, but Grospitch said it may be hard to set up with the budget cuts.
Johnson said she was happy that the department was willing to work with the tenants.
"I think they've gone to exceptional lengths to provide a better quality of living for the towers," Johnson said.
Contact Boyer at cboyer@kansan.com. This story was edited by Sarah Warren.
Students evacuate Haworth and Malott Halls because of a gas leak. Students said the smell of gas yesterday was overwhelming, and that it gave them headaches. Less than an hour later, officials declared the buildings safe for students to return to.
AARON LERNER/KANSAN
Gas leak forces evacuation
By Adam Pracht
Kansan staff writer
Students and professors were evacuated from Haworth and Malott halls as the smell of natural gas began to fill the air just after 11 a.m. vesteday
The exact cause of the smell was not identified, but the buildings were deemed safe less than an hour later.
Teresa Scalise, Des Moines, Iowa junior, said she was worried when occupants were evacuated.
"It was kind of scary when it happened," she said. "I'm glad they got us all out of there, but apparently it's fine now."
Alicia Peterson, Shawnee Mission junior and teaching assistant, said the lab she taught was just beginning when the call came to
evacuate. She said the evacuation went smoothly.
Captain Nathan Stover, acting battalion chief for the Lawrence/Douglas County Fire Department, said that at about 11:15 a.m., people in Haworth and Malott halls called emergency numbers to report a sulfur smell.
Members of the KU Public Safety Office, Facilities Operations and Environment, Health and Safety arrived as the students were evacuated.
Mike Russell, director of Environment, Health and Safety, said they checked Haworth then Malott halls and found the levels of natural gas were too small to be measured by their instrumentation. The human nose was more sensitive than their instruments and that's why the gas was detected, he said.
Officials declared the area was safe at about noon, and students returned to class.
Russell said they hadn't found the exact source of the gas leak,but said a pipe delivering natural gas to both buildings had a small crack.
Russell said that Facilities Operations as well as Environment, Health and Safety would be looking for the source of the leak.
"It's a humongous maintenance headache, that's for sure." he said.
Lt. Schuyler Bailey of the KU Public Safety Office said there was not a danger to students and that no one reported any ill effects from the gas.
Contact Pracht at apracht@kansan.com. This story was edited by Jenna Goepfert.
Drive-in movie to follow Day on the Hill
By Jessica Tims
Kansan staff writer
After the rescheduled Day on the Hill, Student Union Activities will turn parking lot 91 east of Memorial Stadium into a 1950s style drive-in theater tomorrow night.
Aaron Passman, Towanda junior and SUA spectrum films coordinator, said the drive-in movie would take the place of Floating Flicks. In past years the SUA had sponsored a film that was projected onto a screen floating on Potter lake.
"People were getting kind of tired of Floating Flicks," he said. "The drive-in is something different, I think, because a lot people haven't been to one."
National Lampoon's Animal House will be the film projected onto the 15-by-20-foot screen. Passman said it was chosen because most people knew what the movie was about.
Passman said the SUA hired Convention and Entertainment Systems from Kansas City to set
"It is funny," he said. "It is the mother of all college movies."
up the screen and projector. He said the company would use a low FM frequency that would allow viewers to listen to the movie on their car radios. He said that sound would also be projected over the crowd for those who would like to sit outside on blankets or in lawn chairs.
Before the movie, the annual Day on the Hill will take place in the same parking lot. Day on the Hill was originally scheduled for last Saturday, but was postponed because of rain.
Dawn Patterson, program advisor for the SUA, said that King James Version was the only band scheduled to play last weekend that would be unable to perform tomorrow.
Patterson said the band was scheduled to play another festival this weekend, so Thulium would take their place.
"They have sent us press stuff for the last two years, and we have been looking for a place for them to play." Patterson said.
The show will open with KJHK's Farmer's Ball winner Hardaway followed by Thulium, No Lessons, Hotsauce, Emilia Dahlin, and The Anniversary.
Dav on the Hill schedule
Farmer's Hardaway 12 p.m.
Thulium 1 p.m.
No Lessons 2 p.m.
Hotsauce 3 d.m.
Emilia Dahlin 4 p.m.
The Anniversary 5 p.m.
All times are approximate.
All times are approximate
Drive-in movie
National Lampoon's Animal House 9 p.m.
Day on the Hill will begin at noon and last until 6 p.m. The drive-in movie will start at 9 p.m.Both events are free and open to the public.
Contact Tims at tjims@kansan.com. This story was edited by Brandon Stinnett.
Wichita senior Lillian Wu, left, and Lawrence junior Jun Kuribayashi rehearse a duet for Simple Symphony, a piece in the upcoming University Dance Company concert. The dance, co-choreographed by associate professor Muriel Cohen and instructor Patrick Suzeau, will be performed to music played by the University Symphony Orchestra.
SARA SHFEPHERD/KANSAN
features University dancers orchestra conductor to make final appearance
By Jessica Tims Kansan staff writer
This weekend will mark Brian Priestman's final appearances as conductor of the University Symphony Orchestra.
Priestman, who came to the University 10 years ago, will lead the orchestra in concerts with the University Dance Company and University Choir.
"I am 75; it's time I live my life," he said. "I am anxious about what happens next."
Priestman said the first half of the concert would feature the dancers on stage with the orchestra in the pit. For the second half of the show, the orchestra will move to the stage and perform with the University Choir.
Brandi Scallorn, Lee's Summit,
Mo. junior and president of the dance company, said performing with live music was different than the recorded music the dancers were accustomed to.
"There is a lot of fear," she said. "A lot of times live music is slower. The CD is generally faster. There is a lot of anxiety about it. But the orchestra is beautiful and wonderful, and they will be great."
In addition to his solo, Suzeau cochoreographed "Simple Symphony"
Scallorn said the company and the orchestra would practice together twice before the production. She said the company began practicing in January with CDs of the music.
Patrick Suzeau, professor of dance, will perform a solo, "Winsome Wench and Handsome Hero Vanquishes Vile Villain."
Each of the four movement has a different mood, with a dark middle section.
with professor of dance, Muriel Cohan. Suzeau said after hearing the music, he and Cohan decided to choreograph a dance to it.
"The second is very rhythmic and the end is very exuberant," he said. "So it made for contrast and we wanted to go with that."
The concerts will be at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow and 2:30 p.m.on Sunday at the Lied center. Tickets are available at the Lied Center, Murphy Hall and SUA box offices and are $7 for the public and $5 for students and senior citizens.
Contact Tims at jtims@kansan.com.
This story was edited by Brooke Nesler.
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