THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY,MAY 1,2009
NEWS 3A
CEREMONY
'Hats off' for Hemenway's 14 years as chancellor
BY JENNIFER TORLINE jtorline@kansan.com
Chancellor Robert Hemenway is well-known for the straw hat he wears to commencement. But he has worn many other "hats" during
his 14 years as chancellor.
Friends, colleagues, students and alumni will celebrate all of Hemenway's hats on Saturday during "Hats Off to
Hemenway
Hemenway," a program commemorating his time as the University's leader.
There's Professor Hemenway
the english teacher with a passion for literature whose office shelves are filled with hundreds and hundreds of books.
But there's also "Chancellor Bob"
— the approachable man, a parent and grandparent himself, who keeps his door open to students and faculty and supports their activities and research.
And then there's Chancellor Hemenway — the University's 16th chancellor, who has held the office since 1995.
The free program will be held at 3 p.m. in the Lied Center. It will feature video clips, speakers and mini-performances from the Oread Singers and the Marching Jayhawks.
"The focus of the program is the amazing growth that occurred at the University across the board
during his 14 years," said Mary Burg, executive assistant to the chancellor and the event organizer.
Burg said the program would feature the areas the chancellor has influenced during his tenure: academics, research, service, campus development and traditions.
Burg wouldn't reveal too many details about the program — many of the guest speakers and performances will be a surprise even for Hemenway.
Bob Dotson, a 1968 graduate who studied journalism at the University, will emcee the program. He is an NBC news correspondent whose special reports, "American Story with Bob Dotson," tell of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Dotson has worked with Hemenwav during his tenure, and
HATS OFF TO HEMENWAY
WHAT: A program commemorating Hemenway's 14 years as the University's chancellor
WHEN: 3 p.m. Saturday.
Doors open at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Lied Center
HOW MUCH: Free. Seats are first come, first served.
has returned to the University for several speeches and journalism events. Dotson said he was impressed with Hemenway's style as a teacher and mentor, and the way he related with others.
"I think people will remember him as a seemingly ordinary guy who had wonderful ideas and got them done," Dotson said. "The supposedly ordinary people are the ones who make this country what it is. They're the ones who get things done."
More than 200 students, faculty and staff have been preparing for this program since shortly after Hemenway announced he was stepping down. Jack Wright, professor of theatre and film, will direct the program.
"He's a student's chancellor," Wright said. "He has always made himself available to students and has become one of their favorites."
Student body president Adam McGonigle agrees. McGonigle, Wichita junior, and several other former student body presidents
will offer a few remarks at the end of the program about the mentorship Hemenway has provided for students.
It's important that the community and the University at large have the opportunity in one large setting to thank the chancellor for his work and personally celebrate everything he accomplished," McGonigle said.
- Edited by Justin Leverett
Check out The Kansan on Monday for an in-depth report on how Chancellor Hemenway has made his mark at the University.
SWITCH (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
Colin Riesman, Overland Park senior, winner of Chancellor for a Day, listens as Secretary to the Chancellor Gay Lynn Clock reviews Robert Hemenway's busy schedule.
"It was a good thing to donate some money, or to do anything to help people who are less fortunate," Riesman said.
Gillaspia said the raffle raised about $600 for Jubilee Café.
"We don't have a constant flow of money coming in, so every year we pay for the necessary amount of food to feed the 6,200 low-
income and homeless people that we serve every Tuesday and Friday morning," Gillaspie said.
Gillaspie said he hoped Chancellor for a Day would become an annual event.
"I hope it continues to grow to be something that people want to be a part of and something to help the dialogue between administrators
and students," Gillaspie said.
Gay Lynn Clock, secretary to the chancellor, who set up Riesman's schedule, said it was a chance for a student to see the inner workings of the chancellor's daily life.
"It's valuable for students to see how much work it actually is," Clock said. "It's a very challenging position."
It wasn't Riesman's typical Thursday morning routine, but it was interesting to see what a day in the life of the chancellor was like, he said.
"It's pretty cool how the chancellor is in charge of everything and helps run such a big organization," Riesman said.
ARTWORK (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
"Without cancer research I wouldn't have a parent," Bluvas said.
She said her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991 and her cancer resurfaced in 2001 and 2003. She said her mom was currently in remission but the urgency to find a cure was still on her mind.
Bluvas and her relay team have raised $1,395 for the event.
Sierra Falters, Lincoln, Neb,
senior and relay captain, said the
student advisory board hoped to meet its goal of $2,000 before tonight's relay, but said she was proud of the amount it had already collected.
Falters said all art would be for sale and the proceeds would benefit the American Cancer Society. The relay is open to the public and the student advisory board's art exhibit can be visited from 6 to 10 p.m.
Edited by Grant Treaster
SWINE FLU (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
Johan Bagwitz, Kristianstad,
Sweden, senior, first contacted officials at his university in Vaxjö. The university responded that it would be supportive if he decided to leave.
Bagewitz said officials he spoke with Tuesday at the Office of Study Abroad told him the University of Kansas would be supportive of him choosing to leave if he was able to arrange to finish his final projects in Sweden, which he said his professors allowed him to do.
"This is my personal decision," he said. "No one has forced me to leave, but everyone has been supportive of my decision."
Bagewitz said that he had arranged to leave on Saturday, but that he was waiting to decide if he wanted to go.
"I don't really know what could make me stay, though" he said.
Bagewitz said he began worrying about the swine flu after speaking with friends studying in Mexico.
Although cases of swine flu have been reported in Europe, he said international students considered the threat to be higher in Kansas.
"The U.S. is way closer to where it all started," he said. "I think it is safer to be in Sweden than in the U.S."
Bagewitz and others said the decision to leave was a difficult one.
More information about the University's assessment of the flu situation can be found at alert. ku.edu.
CRIME
"I'm kind of divided," Tabarand said. "It's mixed feelings because I'm happy to be going home, but kind of sad to be going so quickly."
Edited by Justin Leverett
Car slams into crowd gathered for Queen's Day
BY CYNTHIA BOLL Associated Press
APELDOORN, Netherlands — Bright skies and a festive Queen's Day mood brought thousands to a street corner to greet their popular monarch, many of them wearing the bright orange national colors and funny orange wigs.
As Queen Beatrix and her family passed by in an open bus, a black car suddenly burst through police barriers, catapulting spectators
into the air before it slammed into a stone monument.
Five people were killed and 13 wounded as the queen and her family looked on in disbelief Thursday. The speeding car passed within a few yards of their bus, but none of the royals were hurt.
Officials called it a deliberate attack on the House of Orange, the monarchy that has symbolically ruled Holland since 1815 and is widely respected if not revered.
"I think that it has become
clear that this happened with premeditation," Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said.
Neither he nor law enforcement agencies would give a motive. But Dutch media, citing neighbors, said the assailant was recently fired from his job and was to be evicted from his home. Police identified him as a 38-year-old Dutch man with no history of mental illness or police record, but would not release his name.
"The man said that his action
was aimed at the royal family," said prosecutor Ludo Goossens. Officials in Apeldoorn said the suspect had a map of the queen's route.
The driver apparently acted alone and was not linked to any terrorist or ideological group, authorities said. No explosives were found in his car or home.
"What began as a great day has ended in a terrible tragedy that has shocked us all deeply," the queen said.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Police officers surround a car moments after it slammed into a monument in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, Thursday. Dutch television is reporting at least 14 people injured after a car careened into spectators watching Queen Beatrix's motorcade amid celebrations for the national holiday of Queen's Day.