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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
TUESDAY APRIL9,2002
ISSUE 126 VOLUME 112
New meal plans to include eateries on campus next fall
By Caroline Boyer
Kansan staff writer
The Department of Student Housing is working out the kinks in a program that would allow students to use their meal plans at all eateries on campus.
Late last fall, the Student Housing Advisory Board approved a $20 increase in students' contracted meal plan fees for next fall. The $20 would be added to the students' KUID cards for students to use at all campus eateries other than housing centers. The program is known as the Flex Plan.
The Department of Student Housing plans for next year's program to be a trial run. Ken Stoner, director for student housing, said the results of next fall's Flex Plan trial would help determine how the plan would work in the future.
"The goal is eventually to move meal plan monies to the Flex Plan so they can be used on campus," Stoner said.
Before that goal can be reached, though, the intricacies of the Flex Plan trial run will have to be worked out. Stoner said the department was still figuring out the details such as how to store money on the card.
"I think we're at the point where we need to make some changes. We need to partner up and give students what they want in terms
of options."
Jay Glatz
Director of Food Services at the
Kansas Union
Jay Glatz, director of food services at the Kansas Union, said giving students more options with their meal plans was a nationwide trend. He said sitting down for three square meals a day was already not an option for many students and allowing them to use their meal plans on campus would give them better flexibility to get a full meal.
"I think we're at the point where we need to
make some changes. We need to partner up and give students what they want in terms of options," Glatz said.
Some universities, such as Duke University in Durham, N.C., already allowed students to use money from meal plans outside of housing cafeterias. Since 1990, Duke University's meal plans have allowed students to use their meal plan points at 20 on-campus restaurants and for delivery from 11 restaurants in the area.
Stoner said the department was not considering extending the plan to area restaurants at this time because it was focused on fine tuning the details of an on-campus plan first.
The Association of University Residence Halls has been involved with setting up the program for two years. Autumn Ayers, AURH president, said the University was behind other schools in expanding the meal plans partially because the dining systems in the unions and in housing were separate.
"This is actually a big step for KU since the services are
SEE PAGE 8A
PRIDE WEEK
AARON SHOWALTER/KANSAN
Comedian Jason Stuart entertains his audience with mostly improvised material on a wide range of gay-related topics. Stuart's show, "Gay Comedy for the Whole Family," kicked off Pride Week last night at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
AARON SHOWALTER/KANSAN
Overland Park freshman Melanie Bonney portrays a Middle Eastern student being harassed by Wichita freshman Erika Edwards, left, and Topeka sophomore Laura Leonard during the "Tunnel of Oppression," and exhibit yesterday at Hashinger Hall that examined hate issues.
Exhibit offers insight to hate
Tunnel of Oppression shows viewers reality of intolerance
By Leah Shaffer Kansan staff reporter
A group of students emerged disoriented and shocked from the basement of Hashinger Hall yesterday afternoon. They had just emerged from the Tunnel of Oppression, an interactive exhibit that takes a direct approach to issues surrounding hate and oppression.
in the tunnel, participants observe people suffering from hateful acts and assume the role of the oppressed. Small groups of people are shuttled through a basement hallway and exposed to exhibits and expressions of hate through different media. The experience is created with use of live actors, video and sound, and addresses specific issues such as domestic violence, eating disorders and racism.
"I've never seen that before," said David Tit
terington, Prairie Village freshman, in response to one of the Tunnel's exhibits. "I feel a little more aware of the hatred that goes on."
Ins is the second year of the tunnel exhibit, which is sponsored by the Multicultural Resource Center and run by student volunteers.
Santos Nunez, director of the Multicultural Resource Center, said the tunnel was an effective teaching tool because of the variety of powerful audio and visual elements involved, which she requested not be revealed to allow for full impact upon participants. She said alarming people was not the purpose, though.
"Our goal is not to shock or scare people. We want to show people that oppression is alive and well." she said.
Nunez said students were often surprised OPPRESSION
SEE PAGE 8A
Two tax credits available for students and parents
By Adam Pracht and Melissa Shuman Kansan staff writers
The federal government wants to help you pay for college, if you'll let it.
With the tax-filing deadline approaching, University of Kansas students or their parents have the opportunity to get up to $1,500 back from the government when they file their tax returns.
Two tax credits are available to reimburse taxpayers for money spent on tuition and fees for higher education. The HOPE Scholarship Credit offers up to $1,500 for students in their first two years of higher education, and the Lifetime Learning Credit offers up to $1,000 per return for any education after high school. The two cannot be claimed for the same person in the same year.
Adam Fisher, Hays sophomore, might have been eligible for the HOPE credit, but he didn't know how to check. Fisher sent in his tax forms three weeks ago with the line for education credits blank.
Fisher said his mom helped him complete his tax returns after getting forms from the post office. Neither Fisher nor his mother were
Unfortunately, many students and their families are unaware of the credits, so they miss out on the benefits.
"Pay attention to how much the government is keeping, and not just what the refund
Pat Duerksen
Director of H & R Block Premium tax service
is."
aware of the possible tax break. Next year, as a junior, he may be eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit.
Pat Duerksen, Director of H & R Block Premium tax service, 1201 Wakarusa Drive, said students should be aware of the tax credits that are available to them.
"Pay attention to how much the government is keeping, and not just what the refund is," she said. "Be a consumer, and know what you're really paying."
Claiming the credit
A tax credit is a reduction in the amount of taxes owed. Since many people who work have their taxes withheld from their paycheck, a tax credit at tax filing time often means a rebate of those taxes already paid. Tax filers can only get TAXES
SEE PAGE 3A
Students to vote on free papers, representation of greeks
By Sarah Hill Kansan staff writer
Two referendums will ask students whether they want to continue the readership program and include greek housing in the off-campus constituency.
Students will decide the fate of the Student Newspaper Readership Program and give input about increased representation for Greek housing during Student Senate elections this week.
The readership program, which started last year, gave students with valid KUID cards the chance to read USA TODAY, the Lawrence Journal-World, the New York Times and the Kansas City Star.
Student Body President Justin Mills said Student Senate charged students $6.50 in student fees for the newspapers last year. When Senate reevaluated the program's costs, it found it had over-budgeted for program expenses. Mills said the budget had been determined by researching what schools, similar in size to the University of Kansas, had spent for their readership programs.
"We overestimated the costs for last year by about $100,000," Mills said.
This year's referendum will ask students if they want to continue the program at a rate of $5 in student fees. Mills said excess money from this year's budget would be spent on adding newspaper stations on campus and maintaining current stations.
The second referendum will designate residents of greek housing as off-campus residents in the Student Senate Rules and Regulations. Students living in greek housing are represented by Panhellenic Association and Interfraternity Council senators, who are appointed by the organizations and not elected by students.
Andy Knopp, Interfraternity Council president and engineering senator, collected more than 1.100 signatures for the student-generated initiative.
Knopp said he thought students and senators wanted greek representation, and he was excited to hear what students had to say about the issue.
"The initiative on the ballot is just a way to rectify a situation that excludes a specific group." he said.
Elections will take place Wednesday and Thursday.
Contact Hill at shil@kansan.com. This story was edited by Joanna Miller.
Student Senate referendums:
Referendum A
The Newspaper Readership Program makes four (4) newspapers available Monday through Friday - USA Today, the New York Times, the Lawrence Journal-World and the Kansas City Star. These papers are available for students without charge from lock boxes opened by swiping a valid student KUID. These boxes are located in at least 20 locations on campus, including some university residence halls. Do you favor continuing the $5 campus fee each fall and spring samester to fund the Newspaper Readership program? Yes, I do support this referendum.
Yes, I do support this referendum.
No, I do not support this referendum.
Referendum B
Should Student Senate Rules and Regulations be amended in the following manner?
2. 1.2.E Five (5) representatives from the off-campus community elected by the students who live off campus, but who are not residents of a residential fraternity or sorority
Yes, I do support this referendum. No, I do not support this referendum.
INSIDETODAY
COMING IN TOMORROW'S KANSAN
CAMERA ON KU ...2A
STATE NEWS ...8A
WEATHER ...6B
CROSSWORD ...6B
For more senate election news, see page 3A.
STUDENT ELECTIONS: Complete coverage of the coalitions' debate.
CAMPUS VANDALISM: The Boots Alumni Center was damaged during the weekend.
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at 119 Stauffer-Flint Hall.
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