MONDAY,MARCH 31,2003
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3A
KUnited candidate thrives on sporty competition
By Cate Batchelder
cbatchelder@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Boasting a dunk over a KU basketball player is usually limited to opposing teams. The bragging right normally doesn't extend to the student body—even potential student body presidents.
But with a little talent and help in the height department, Andy Knopp, a 6'7" Manhattan junior, got those rights. His freshman year, he dunked the ball over then senior guard Nick Bradford at a fundraising game in Allen Fieldhouse.
Knopp's Campus All-Starteam eventually lost by more than 20 points to former varsity players Bradford, Eric Chenowith, Kenny Gregory, Terry Nooner and Jerod Haase.
"He's going to love that for the rest of his life," said Nancy Knopp, Andy's mom.
Lindsey Gold/Kansan
Scott Silverman, Overland Park junior, coached the Campus
All-Stars. He remembers Knopp's dunk well, and also his thoughtfulness on the court. Knopp was one of the best players on the team but made sure everyone had equal playing time, he said.
"He's just like that — and not just in basketball,"Silverman said.
Knopp's history of sporting and gaming has helped him hone his leadership skills. And by making impressions along the way like Silverman's ago, he might garner a few votes in his race for student body president.
At a marathon Senate meeting earlier this semester, Knopp, business senator, snuck out to play at the Greek league's championship intramural basketball game. Knopp helped his fraternity, Theta Chi, to win by 1 point.
The next night, Knopp went on to win the championship Co-Rec, or Coed Recreational, basketball game and, by default, another championship T-shirt.
Andy Knopp, KUUnited presidential candidate and Manhattan junior, links his competitive nature to his history with sports. Athletic credits include a dunk over a former KU basketball player and pingpong victories against his mother.
"That's all I really play for," he said jokingly. "I get a lot of really cool T-shirts."
Meet the Candidates
Editor's note: To prepare students for Student Senate elections, The University Daily Kansas will profile each coalition's presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Knopp's campus involvement also has included writing for the editorial board at The University Daily Kansan during the fall of his sophomore year. He once wrote about pingpong, which may have been inspired by a rivalry in the game with his mother.
While growing up, they played on the pingpong table in their basement. It wasn't until high school that he finally beat her, which he said was one of the biggest accomplishments of his life, a real milestone.
"We looked at each other and said, 'Did that just happen?'' Knopp said.
Nancy Knopp said she used to give her son a pretty good run for his money until he overtook her. There's still a little tension.
"Just tell him, he thinks he can beat mom," she said jokingly.
Nancy said her son had always loved to compete, especially when playing board
games such as Monopoly and Risk. He would often frustrate her with his business savvy by cutting deals and making alliances.
"It's a characteristic that serves him well," she said. "Nothing's black and white with Andy."
— Edited by Lindsay Hanson
Workshop stresses togetherness to greek leaders
By Jessica Palmenio
jpalimenio@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Members of the fraternity and sorority system joined together to increase their cultural awareness with Seek Alliance Through Leadership and Diversity this weekend.
The Organizations and Leadership office organized an all-day leadership workshop Saturday at the Kansas Union to recognize the similarities and differences among the groups on campus and to create a better understanding of them.
"Most people work under the perception of a greek system, but we want them to think more as a greek community," said Bryant Smith, retreat facilitator.
The two facilitators were from CAMPUSPEAK, an agency that provides educational speakers for college campuses and groups.
Participants were required to apply for the retreat and were selected to ensure diversity in the group, said Angie Carr, coordinator of fraternity and sorority life.
Approximately 70 members and leaders of Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Associia
tion and the National Pan-Hellenic Council participated in the retreat.
Courtney Bates, Chicago senior and president of Alpha Kappa Alpha, said she thought it was important to make a connection among the three councils, but it would take a while to do.
"For the future of all of our organizations we need to work together," she said.
Some members participated in the program in order to improve their own chapters as well as the community as a whole.
"I wanted to try and gain some insight out of the program and
apply it to my chapter," said Steven Meyer, Liberty, Mo., junior and president of Delta Chi.
The group began the day with an exercise to discuss the stereotypes associated with the different organizations and chapters. Participants had to share a negative and a positive perception of each group, such as traditionally Caucasian, African American, Latin and Asian greek-letter organizations on campus.
The participants were divided into smaller groups and worked on exercises throughout the day.
At the end of the day, the group brainstormed action plans to improve the communication and understanding of the groups. The plans included ways to improve socially and administratively, and to improve the overall communication among the groups. Some ideas included coinciding office hours and a system-wide dinner.
Laura Dakhil, vice president for public relations of the Panhellenic Association said she thought the event was a success.
- Edited by Ryan Wood
Group distributes feminism buttons
It's a simple button: black with white writing stating "This is what a feminist looks like."
The buttons are being distributed on Wescoe Beach by the Commission on the Status of Women as part of Women's History month.
But the saying isn't limited to the University of Kansas campus. The "This What a Feminist Looks Like" T-shirts are featured on the cover of the March edition of Ms. magazine, Celebrities Ashley Judd, Margaret Cho, Camryn Manheim and Whoopi Goldberg are featured on the cover wearing the shirts.
The commission created the campaign in response to a survey done of University female students, said Katherine Rose-Mockry, program director for the Emily Taylor Resource Center and adviser to the Commission on the Status of Women.
A large number of respondents didn't identify themselves as feminists but still thought there wasn't equality for women, Rose-Mockry said.
"The idea was to dispel the myths that feminists are of a particular political orientation, don't like men, radical in their beliefs," said Rose-Mockry. "Really, anyone who believes in equality for women can be a feminist."
The majority of buttons have been distributed, but a few buttons remain, Rose-Mockry said.
Many students have been sporting the buttons on their backpacks.
— Jessica Hood
TIRED OF SPENDING AN ETERNITY WALKING ACROSS CAMPUS?
JOIN THE YELLOW BIKE PROGRAM
WHAT IS IT?
A COMMUNITY BIKE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO INCREASE ON-CAMPUS TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES FOR KU STUDENTS.
HOW DO I JOIN?
VISIT THE WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.KU.EDU/~YELLOW, READ AND SIGN
THE FORMS ,AND TURN THE FORMS INTO THE STUDENT SENATE OFFICE.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
ONLY $10 TO PARTICIPATE THIS SEMESTER.
HOW WILL I ACCESS THE BIKES?
TO ACCESS BIKES, ALL PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE A KEY
THAT OPENS ALL OF THE LOCKS SECURING THE BIKES.
WHERE CAN I RIDE?
ON THE KU CAMPUS. A MAP IS PROVIDED ON THE WEBSITE.
REGISTER NOW, ONLY 90 STUDENT CAN PARTICIPATE!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT HTTP://WWW.KU.EDU/~YELLOW
in association with
present a
SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING!
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Woodruff Auditorium
In Theaters April 4th
7:00pm Wednesday April 2, 2003
FREE ADMISSION while passes last*
*Students may pick up complimentary passes in the SUA Office, the day of show.
Seating is limited and not guaranteed. Please arrive early.
Arrive Early! Seating is first come,first served!
Q