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THURSDAY, JAN. 17, 2002
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN - 5A
University demands conflict with religious observances
By Maggie Koerth
Kansan staff writer
Winter break can be a stressful time for students who celebrate Christmas. Traveling, baking and shopping must be balanced with both secular and religious rituals, leaving little time for relaxation.
But Asma Rehman thinks these students have it easy. The Kansas City, Mo., junior is Muslim. Ramadan and Eid, two major holidays of her religion, also usually fall in December, but Rehman doesn't get a break from school to celebrate.
Instead, she often finds herself juggling school work with family and religious expectations especially this year, when some major celebrations of Ramadan were during finals.
"This was the worst Eid I ever spent," Rehman said. "Normally I go home all the time, as much as possible, and I really couldn't do
that this year."
Rehman said school requirements caused the biggest problem on the Night of Power, when Muslims believe Muhammad received the Quran. Rehman said this night was important and that most Muslims spent the entire night in prayer.
"A lot of kids couldn't go this year because they all had finals the next day," she said.
Muslim students aren't the only ones whose holidays conflict with school. Andrew Zidel, a Minneapolis, Minn., native who graduated from the University of Kansas in December, said Jewish students also had problems juggling holidays and classes.
"For most people it is very important for them to be in services," he said. "They fall right at the beginning of school, so it's something that makes a lot of people, especially freshman, homesick."
Zidel said students sometimes
didn't know whether school or religious observances should be their highest priority.
Daniel Breslauer, professor of religious studies, said KU policy required teachers to reschedule tests or give extensions to students who missed class for religious reasons. However, he said the students were responsible for letting teachers know they would be gone. Usually one to two weeks notice was required.
Susan Shafer-Landau, executive director of Hillet, said the campus group, which serves Jewish students, tried to educate students by sending them guidelines about the KU policy in the fall. The guidelines also advised students on planning and getting ahead in their studies so they wouldn't fall behind during the holidays.
Contact Koerth at
mkoerth@kansan.com. This story was edited by Anne Mngnemeier.
By Summer Lewis Kansan staff writer
Popular sex class moves to spring
For the first time in six years, Dennis Dailey, professor of social welfare, is teaching his well-known "Human Sexuality in Everyday Life" class during the spring semester.
"I hoped that in my last few years I could teach the undergraduate human sexuality class because the students need this kind of education," Dailey said.
Dailey said he would offer the course during the fall and spring semesters for at least the next three semesters to accommodate students who wanted to take the class. Six years ago, Dailey stopped teaching the class during the spring because the School of Social Welfare needed him to teach graduate-level courses, and he was preparing for retirement.
He said he was glad to be teaching the class both semesters again.
Dailev came to the University
of Kansas in 1969 and started teaching sexuality in 1981. After teaching the sex education class to undergraduate and graduate students at KU for 20 years, Dailev will be retiring in one or two.
"After a year or two, I might come back every now and there to teach but don't know for sure yet," Dailey said.
Dailey has reached out to those wanting to learn about sexuality through a discussion on men's misuse of power in relationships, a radio program about the urge for sex, an intimacy workshop for couples and human sexuality classes.
"He opened my horizons," said Trusha Bhatt, Overland Park junior, who took the class last fall. "I was shy before taking his class, but now I feel more comfortable talking about sexuality in my relationships."
Bhatt said Dailey used a unique approach that reached his students and helped them to remember his lectures.
"He uses his own personal
experiences to help students understand the subject." she said. "When you are teaching sexuality, this makes the class very interesting."
Ann Weick, dean of social welfare, said that she didn't know if Dailey's position would be filled after he retired because of the tight budget.
"Everything is about budget," Weck said. "This year, we are in a serious budget crunch and can't predict the next year or two."
At this point, Dailey said this spring's class has reached its maximum enrollment capacity of 500 students. For those students who were unable to enroll in this semester's class, Dailey will teach a non-credit, 10-week course from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave. The course costs $35 for students and $45 for nonstudents.
Contact Lewis at slewis@kansan.com. This story was edited by Joanna Miller.
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