CITY COMMISSION CANDIDATES DISCUSS STUDENTS' CONCERNS
A meeting featuring all eight candidates will be held tonight and is open to the public. LAWRENCE 13A
HAWKSOVERPOWER CATS IN MANHATTAN
Marcus Morris scores a career-high 15 points. SPORTS 11B
THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSA
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2009
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLUME 120
CREATING A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
The Hale Achievement Center will feature 24 tutor rooms and 16 staff offices, and its construction is an expansion of the Wagnon Student Athlete Center. the associate athletics director for student support, Paul Buskirk, said that the dev elopment would help student athletes succeed academically and athletically.
[ibbay Napoli/KMIS]
Athletes to get new study space
Large study areas, tutoring rooms could create calmer atmosphere for student athletes
BY ADAM SAMSON asamson@kansan.com
The Hale Achievement Center is getting a makeover.
By June, the construction that led to detours and a loss of spaces in the Burge Union parking lot will be completed.
Athletics Director Lew Perkins went to Paul Buskirk, associate athletics director of student athletic support services, and told him the Athletics Department would have
the opportunity to create a new academic facility that could benefit student athletes for the next 20 years.
The new facility, located in the Wagnon Student Athlete Center, will have 24 tutor rooms and 16 staff offices that can be used for tutoring at night. There will also be some larger study areas and an atrium space where students can do homework.
"Honestly, space and doors is all I want." Buskirk said.
Katie Martinicich, Shawnee senior, described the current Hale Achievement Center as an open environment where it could be hard to concentrate.
Martinecich, who has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll three times, said the construction of the new facility showed how the Athletics Department continued to make academics a vital part of the student athlete experience.
"Not only does it stress how
important our athletic department feels academics are for us as kids, it also just gives us other ways to achieve success in the classroom." Martincic said.
On Monday through Thursday nights, Buskirk said, the Hale Achievement Center transforms into a "beehive."
"Our operation has changed and grown in expectations," Buskirk said. "We outgrew this space long ago."
The growth of the student athlete support services is visible. Last fall the student athletes averaged about 1,000 hours of tutoring a week.
Buskirk said he saw the opportunities to achieve at a higher level.
"I'm hoping and expecting that the space gives us the opportunity that we can be more accommodating to the times of when students
SEE HALEON PAGE 6A
SUA
Veterans, experts discuss Iraqi film
BY BETSY CUTCLIFF
bcutcliff@kansan.com
Students can learn about the Iraq war from a variety of perspectives tonight in the Kansas Union. Student Union Activities is hosting an Iraqi documentary about the war, and a panel of veterans and professional experts.
Through the event, SUA wants to encourage dialogue about the war; said Arnold Phommavong, Spring Hill, Ark, senior and SUA assistant coordinator for social issues.
The film, "Dreams of Sparrows," is a documentary directed by Hayder Daffar of the Iraqi filmmaking group Iraq Eye Group. The film presents the views of Iraqi civilians in Fallujah after U.S. forces entered the city.
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According to a 2008 press release from the U.S. embassy in Iraq, during the first two years of the war in Iraq, Fallujah was known as a hotbed for insurgents and the deadliest place in the country. Daffar filmed scenes for "Dreams of Sparrows" after the 2004 U.S. assault on the city.
The discussion afterward will consist of six panelists: a student from the Collegiate Veterans
SEE SPARROWS ON PAGE 6A
rows"
DETAILS
WHO: Hosted by Student Union Activities
WHAT: "Dreams of Sparrows"
WHEN: Tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Woodruff Auditorium, Kansas Union
COST: Free
Grad student discusses American Indians in media on C-SPAN 2
Rhonda LeValdo,
Rhonda LeValdo,
Acoma, N.M.,
graduate student,
recently appeared on C-SPAN 25"Close Up at the Newseum" to discuss the role of American Indians in american society
and media. Le- Valdo, who teaches video production at Haskell Indian Nations University, also hosts a weekly radio show, "Native Spirit,"
on Kansas City's 90.1 KKFI and was recently recognized as a runner-up in YouTube Project: Report, for which she produced two original videos.
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
BY KEVIN HARDY khardy@kansan.com
Although about three million American Indians live in the United States, they are underrepresented in national media, according to Rhonda LeValdo The Acoma, N.M., graduate student spoke about the issue on C:SPAN 2s "Close Up at the Newseum" on Friday.
LeValdo's work aims at changing the involvement and perception of American Indians in the media. The segment also featured a news video that she had produced for the PBS OnLine NewsHour. LeValdo teaches video production as an adjunct faculty member at Haskell Indian Nations University, in addition to studying journalism at the University of Kansas. She said teaching was a great way to encourage more natives to get involved in the mainstream media.
As an Acoma Pueblo, LeValdo said she thought it was important for her and other American Indians
"I don't think people realize children see these mascots and then grow up to believe them to be true," she said. "Were lawyers, doctors and journalists."
Barbara Barnett, assistant professor of journalism, said underrepresentation was an issue for many minorities, especially American Indians.
to be involved in the media in order to counteract longstanding stereotypes. She said she worried that people associated American Indians with sports mascots.
"Native Americans are pretty much invisible in the media," Barnett said.
Barnett said stereotypes were one of the largest barriers American Indians faced in the media. She said stereotypes were often effective in advertising because they were easy to remember.
"It kind of puts people in pockets," Barnett said, "and you don't really get to know them very well."
index
Jeff Harjo, executive director of
Read this story online to see videos of Rhonda LeValdo's work.
the Native American Journalists Association, said the only way to change perceptions of American Indians within society was to have more American Indians such as LeValdo working within the media.
Harjo said LeValdo's work was making American Indian journalists more valuable to members of the mainstream media.
"We're having stories about us natives written by non-natives who don't understand what it is to be an Indian," Harjo said.
"I wish we had about 100 more rhondas." Harjo said. "The world
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SEE C-SPAN ON PAGE 6A
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2009 The University Daily Kansan
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