WEDNESDAY,APRIL17.2012
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3A
Car accident gives insight
Student's near-death experience teaches her to learn, live
By Adam Pracht
Kansan staff writer
A few inches was all that separated Sarah Wulfkuhle from death in a car accident five years ago.
Yet the Berryton sophomore has not let her brush with death keep her from experiencing life and helping others.
Wulfkuhle slid off a country road near her home because of loose gravel and slammed into a bridge.
"The only thing I remember right before was a flash of the bridge just right before I hit it," said Wulfkuhle. "I never lost consciousness, but I closed my eyes and when opened them up I was like, 'Oh, you know, it's just a dream.'"
But Wulfkuhle opened her eyes to find her jaw broken from where the steering wheel hit her face. Her ankle was broken and bleeding as well.
The dashboard pinned her legs in the car, but fortunately a farmer found her and called the ambulance and her parents.
Wulfkuhle's mother, Janet Wulfkuhle, said that daughter was still able to speak when she
Faces in the Crowd
Every face in the crowd and every name in the phonebook has a story behind it. Every week, Kansan writer Adam Pracht tells the story of a randomly selected KU student.
arrived at the accident site.
"When I got down there and the first words out of her mouth were, 'I'm sorry, mom,' I thought, 'Who cares? You're OK.'" she said.
Janet said she was still concerned about her daughter as rescue workers tried to get her from the car.
"They had to cut her out of the car, and I could not watch that."
Janet said. "I was really afraid when they pulled her out what sort of injuries she had."
Now that Wulfkuhle has fully recovered, she is working toward a degree in occupational therapy to help people with permanent disabilities to function every day at home and at work. She has helped her grandfather who has Parkinson's disease to do everyday tasks like dialing a phone and getting out of chairs. She also works helping a quadriplegic doing tasks that he is not able to.
Wulfkuhle spent a year in rehabilitation. Her law had broken loose from the socket, and it was wired shut as it healed from surgery. Doctors told her that if the steering wheel had hit higher on her head, it could have been fatal.
"I realized that I was inches away from dying," Wulfkuhle said. "And I realized that life is precious and it can be taken away from you at any second."
She has recovered from her injuries to enjoy her love of athletics and the outdoors.
if it changed my activity, then it would be almost kind of like
JILLIAN THORPE/KANSAN
losing my life because I wouldn't be doing anything," she said.
Hardships haven't stopped Sarah Wulfkuhle, Berryton sophomore, from helping others and enjoying the outdoors. Wulfkuhle's plans for the future include a career in occupational therapy and a skydiving trip this summer.
Contact Pracht at apracht@ kansan.com. This story was edited by Anne Morgenmeier.
Students take over homecoming; aim for change
By Caroline Boyer Kansan staff writer
A group of students and administrators is hoping to turn around the poorly attended homecoming events of years past.
To improve the campus event, the dean of students' office formed the 2002 Homecoming Steering Committee, made almost entirely of students.
bake Shuart, public relations chairman for the committee and
Topeka sophomore, said the goal was to have a bigger parade this fall and to add new events to homecoming week. The theme for next year is "Traditions Anew in 2002: A Hawk of a Good Time."
"We hope that, through hard work and lots of new ideas, we will be able to improve student perception of homecoming and give students a good reason to become active in next year's events," Shuart said.
Richard Johnson, dean of students, pushed to form the committee to make homecoming a popular activity, as it is at other universities.
"It's not about going to a bowl or having a great football team. It's about supporting the University and having pride in the University," Johnson said.
Homecoming duties have been moved from SUA to Johnson's office. Students applied in February to become one of two directors for the committee, or
chairs of sub-committees.
The committee is considering planning events such as a carnival, a flag football tournament and a 5K run the Sunday before the homecoming football game to benefit charity. The events would be paid partially with a University fund, but a finance committee would raise donations and sponsorships.
Genevieve Gordon, committee co-director and Wichita junior, said the committee hoped to
create an atmosphere of school spirit for homecoming week.
To contact the committee with ideas or to volunteer, send e-mail to gegordon@ukans.edu or Mnf096aol.com. To check out the progress of plans for next fall's homecoming, go to www.ku.edu/~stlife/homecoming/index.html.
Contact Boyer at cboyer@kansan.com. This story was edited by Sarah Marsh.
'Dry clean only' garments may be inappropriately labeled
By Melissa Shuman Kansan staff writer
A couple of months ago, Marina Burton was confused when dry cleaners would not take one of her dress shirts, even though it said "dry clean only."
The cleaners said they were worried the fabric and plastic buttons would not react well to the dry cleaning solvent.
Burton, a Toppe junior, said since high school, she has been
confused about dry cleaning, and now avoids clothing with a dry clean only label.
"Even when you follow the label that says 'dry clean only' they won't clean it," said Burton, Topeka junior.
Scott Shmalberg, president of Scotch's Cleaners, 1029 New Hampshire St., said people couldn't rely on the labels because some clothes labeled "dry clean only" wouldn't survive the cleaning process.
When cleaners use the dryclean method, they wash the garment in a cleaning solvent instead of water. After the machine drains the solvent, the clothing article comes out dry.
Melissa Gullion, manager of Pride Cleaners, 2540 Iowa St., said plastics, leathers, and anything with beads or sequins were difficult to dry clean. She said many customers didn't understand their clothing could be laundered instead.
The laundering process uses water like a regular washing machine, and most cleaning companies charge less for laundering than dry cleaning.
The Federal Trade Commission regulates care labeling laws that require a manufacturer to label a garment. Manufacturers must have a basis for the care instructions and prove clothing wasn't harmed when cleaned.
and Kasold Drive, said manufacturers had become better about care labeling in recent years, but there were still problems, like color fading and breakdown of materials.
Many cleaners will test the solvent on a small section of the garment to find out if the fabric can withstand dry cleaning.
Diane Palmer, manager of Hygienic Cleaners, 15th Street
Contact Shuman at mshuman@ kansan.com. This story was edited by Jeremy Clarkson.
Kim Wilcox appointed as new dean of CLAS
By Rachel Keesee
Kansan staff reporter
The president and chief executive officer of the Board of Regents has been named dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, provost David Shulenbururger announced Monday.
Kim Wilcox, a former University of Kansas faculty member, will resign his current position and replace interim dean Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett on July 15. McCluskey-Fawcett will return to her position as associate provost for academic services.
Shulenburger said Wilcox's skills would benefit CLAS.
"Kim Wilcox has an extraordinary record as professor, researcher, mentor and administrator," Shulenburger said. "He has been an effective advocate for all of higher education."
witcox was a CLAS faculty member from 1984 to 1998, when he became interim director of academic affairs for the Board of Regents. In 1999, he was promoted to executive director, a title that changed to president and CEO in 2001.
CLAS is the largest of 14 schools at KU.
Wilcox will be paid $165,000 said Todd Cohen, assistant director of University Relations.
As CEO of the Board of Regents, Wilcox's base salary was $136,814 and a $12,000 car allowance, the Board of Regents budget office said.
Wilcox said the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences played a pivotal role in defining KU.
"I am honored to be asked to assist the College as it leads the University into the future," he said.
Lase Ajayi, Lawrence sophomore and CLAS member, said although she thought McCluskey-Fawcett did well as dean and should have applied for the permanent position, she would support Wilcox.
McCluskey-Fawcett said she did not apply because she knew she would return to the provost's office after serving as interim dean.
"I've worked with Kim since 1986, and I think he's just the person the College needs as a leader right now," she said.
Contact Keesee at kreesee@ kansan.com. This story was edited by Justin Henning.