6A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
STATE
FRIDAY,APRIL 26,2002
The University of Kansas The University Theatre in cooperation with the KU Department of Music and Dance presents the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical with a point of view
Rodgers Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC
Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Book by Oscar Hammerstein and Joshua Leger*
Adopted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel
Tales of the South Pacific by James R. Michener
7:30 p.m. April 19 - 20 & 26 - 27, 2002
2:30 p.m. April 21 & 28, 2002
Crafton-Preyer Theatre
Musical Direction and Conducted by Allison Gaines Choreography by Mionnene Kubik | Scenic Design by Brian Clininn Lighting Design by Beth Collins | Costume Design by Raron Dyszelski Directed by John Staniumes
Reserved seat tickets are on the UB ticket offices: University
Theatre, 643-5922, Lied Center, 644-BRTS; S10 Office, 864-7499; and on-line at
www.kutheatre.com; $15.8 @ 14 public, $10 all students, $15.8 @ 11 senior citizens;
VISTA & MATER Access are required for phone and on-line orders
The Friday, April 26, performance will be signed for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
The University Theatre is partially fonded by the UU Student Senate Activity Fee
Experience the magic and romance of the trip. And get a ten while you're doing it! Buy a ticket to The University Theatre production of South Pacific and get three (3) free tans at the Lawrence Athletic Club
Attend the production and register to win a one-year Platinum Family Membership to LRC $1,204 value
For more information, call The Inversity Theatre Ticket Office
State unemployment drops
The Associated Press
TROY, Kan. — Unemployment across the state dropped slightly in March, and it even improved in Doniphan County, where the jobless rate had been the state's highest.
But the Department of Human Resources reported Tuesday that seasonal trends were largely responsible for the state's figure declining to 4.6 percent, from 4.7 percent in February. The seasonally adjusted national rate was 5.7 percent.
Unemployment in Kansas remained higher than it was last year. The rate for March 2001 was 4.3 percent.
Bill Layes, chief of labor market information for the state, said manufacturing, transportation and utility sectors were the only exceptions to an otherwise good jobless report.
Layes said the May and June
t熟 traditionally increase as students begin looking for summer employment.
March was an uneventful month in the state's four metropolitan areas, where only Topeka and Lawrence saw marked improvement in the labor market.
Topeka's unemployment fell to 3.8 percent in March from 4.1 percent in February. The Lawrence area jobless rate dropped to 4.2 percent from 4.5 percent.
Elsewhere, Wichita's jobless rate was unchanged at 5.6 percent. It compares to 3.9 percent a year ago and reflects the heavy losses exacted on the aviation industry during the recent recession. The unemployment ranks grew by 60 in March, standing at 16,400. The area is Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties.
Layes said the Wichita area figure factors in most of the loffos announced by the aviation industry last year and this winter.
The Kansas portion of the Kansas City metropolitan area —
defined as Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami and Wyandotte counties also saw its rate remain unchanged for March, at 4.9 percent.
Total employment stood at 1.38 million for March, with the number of unemployed Kansans dropping by 2,400 to 65,700.
In addition, the number of initial unemployment insurance claims in March was 11,279 compared to 13,520 in February. Claims stood at 9,700 in March 2001.
Statewide, spring weather and the start of outdoor construction projects helped to improve the picture, as it typically does. The jobless rate has dropped or remained unchanged from February every year since 1983.
The department said Kansas' non-farm payroll grew by 12,400 jobs in March as outdoor work began to ramp up. Government posted the biggest gains, adding 5,500 jobs, primarily in work on new school additions and outdoor maintenance.
Kansas schools cut funds, jobs
The Associated Press
WICHITA — School districts across Kansas are slashing jobs and programs as the state continues grappling with a projected $700 million budget shortfall that could mean reduced or stagnant education funding.
School officials for three of the state's largest districts — Wichita, Shawnee Mission and Lawrence — each discussed budget cuts during meetings Monday night.
todial and lunch period aides,
clerks and paraeducators.
Wichita school board members Monday got a first look at a ranked list of proposed budget cuts that would eliminate 178 jobs, including nearly 100 teaching positions.
In Wichita, the job cuts include assistant principals, elementary band and orchestra teachers, classroom teachers, social workers, librarians, nurses, counselors, electricians, painters, cus-
Wichita school officials say they hope to take care of the job cuts through attrition, a gradual reduction in personnel, if state lawmakers decide not to reduce state aid to school districts and maintain the same per-student state aid of $3.870.
The suggested cuts — totaling about $8.1 million, or 5 percent of the district's budget — were identified by committees of staff and community members.
Superintendent Winston Brooks told the school board Monday that the district would have to cut $10 million in programs even if it gets the same amount of funding because of other rising costs such as health insurance.
If the Legislature decides to cut state aid, discussions would turn to layoffs and closing schools.
school officials said.
The Shawnee Mission school district announced Monday that it already had started implementing spending reductions the district staff recommended in January.
The cuts include money for 10 school nursing jobs, the district's foreign-language center and almost $300,000 in library books and subscriptions.
School officials in Lawrence are anticipating up to $4.5 million in spending cuts and say fee increases could be needed in the 2002-03 school year to balance the budget.
The school board voted Monday not to renew the contracts of 65 nontenured educators.
The board also voted to cut "extra-duty pay" to more than 150 district staff for such assignments as coaching sports, leading pep bands and tutoring students.
Hiring writers
photographers
Deadline April 26
Expand your world one class at a time
Johnson County Community College can open up a world of knowledge and career opportunities with:
- award-winning faculty
- small classes
- affordable costs
- 50+ career programs
- transfer programs with four-year schools
Summer classes start June 3.
Call 913-469-3803 or visit us at www.jccc.net.
Learning comes first at JCCC
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd.,
Overland Park, KS 66210-1299
www.jccc.net