SYMPHONY AT LIED CENTER
Young pianist makes debut. SYMPHONY 17A
PROGRAM TO AID SNOW REMOVAL
Volunteers can help disadvantaged LAWRENCE16A
KANSAS COULD EXTEND WIN STREAK AT IOWA ST.
THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 23
GAME DAY 10A
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2009
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLUME 120 ISSUE 84
BUDGET
BY BRIANNE PFANNENSTIEL
bpfannenstiel@kansan.com
Lori Ann Pearson knew the University was making budget cuts. She knew Gov. Kathleen Sebelius had plans to cut funding for higher education by $120 million and she knew some jobs would probably be lost. But she had no idea that hers would be one of them.
"It was an absolute and total surprise," Pearson said. "We knew budget cuts were coming, but I was just floored."
Pearson's was one of 11 positions cut. Seven of them were in the Department of Student Success. The University had planned to fill 110 other positions, which now must remain vacant.
Pearson will retain her position as office manager in the Office of Multicultural Affairs until June. She has worked at the University off and on for the past 20 years. She said University staff members had offered to write her recommendations in order to help her find another position in the University.
"While this is a difficult time, the University is approaching it
with a lot of forethought and care for their employees," said Robert Page Jr., director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
He said the University was required only to give employees 30-45 days' notice before a layoff, but it notified employees six months before their positions would end to give them time to find a new job.
"The meeting when I had to tell Lori that her job was being cut was the hardest part because it did not have anything to do with performance," Page said.
Lynn Britz, director of University Communications, said the availability of elective classes might decrease because of the cuts. Some courses usually offered every semester might now be offered only every other semester. The University is also limiting the number of academic conferences it will send faculty to and has started putting such resources as the Oread Newsletter online to save on printing costs.
Bretz said that after this round of cuts, the University would meet the $10.8 million state-mandated budget cut.
in Missouri...
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon visited three public universities Wednesday to announce a new budget agreement between the state government and the schools. He said the state's public universities will receive the same amount they received in fiscal year 2009 as long as the universities pledged not to raise tuition prices or academic fees during the 2009-2010 school year.
"This means everybody has to pull together," Bretz said. "It's not ideal, but it's how you get through tough times."
Carnez Williams contributed to the reporting of this story.
— Edited by Justin Leverett
CULTURE
Students celebrate 'year of ox'
BY BETSY CUTCLIFF bcutcliff@kansan.com
Swing like it's spring
The year of the ox begins Monday and the CSSFA will hold cultural workshops and a gala Sunday evening in the Kansas Union to celebrate what Ailun Li, Beijing sophomore, said was one of the most important holidays in southeastern Asia.
Red paper lanterns and dragon costumes will help in the Chinese New Year this Sunday as the Chinese Students and Scholars Friendship Association celebrates with food, folklore and dancing.
"It's pretty much like our Christmas." It said.
Nancy Xiao Liang, Luoyang, China, sophomore and vice president of CSSFA, said she expected about 300 guests to come feast on traditional Chinese dishes such as fish, braised pork and Chinese Tangyun dumplings.
The CSSEA is a student organization created to bring the Chinese students on campus together with the community and promote Chinese culture, according to the group's president, Luyan Wang.
SEE CHINA ON PAGE 6A
Mychal Augustine. Hutchinson freshman, watches a ball fly past him during agame of tennis with friends behind Robinson Center Thursday afternoon. The courts were filled with students yesterday due to the unseasonably warm weather.
Ryan Waggoner/KANSAN
NONTRADITIONAL
Married students view college experience differently
BY MICOLE ARONOWITZ
maronowitz@kansan.com
Fulton, Bakersfield, Calif., junior,
doesn't have much free time on his
hands because he is not only a
student, but also a husband and a
father.
Frank Fulton doesn't go out after class on Friday nights. Instead, he stays home to wash and iron his clothes.
Married couples such as the Fultons have become the minority. Omri Gillath, assistant professor of psychology, specializes in intimate relationships and said that as a general trend, fewer people were getting married.
"This degree is not just for me, it's for my family," he said. "It's something I have to do."
Gillath also said he had seen an increase in couples seeing marriage consultants prior to getting
"My priority is to take care of home first. To make sure the bills are paid and there is food on the table."
anxiety and uncertainty, he said, students look for a safe haven, which companionship can provide.
This could change because Gillath said the state of the economy could affect people's decision to get married. During times of
"You want to get married for the right reasons," he said. "Make sure you are both ready."
FRANK FULTON Bakersfield, Calif., junior
about marriage and was focused on school. He said that when he met his wife, Latonya, he knew the moment was right. The Fultons married in 2007.
married.
Fulton said that after leaving the military, he wasn't thinking
"I felt very overwhelmed," Fulton said.
Fulton had to miss the first day of classes this semester because Latonya went into labor.
He remembers thinking critically about the future on
married in 2007.
"I was scared," hesaid. "I thought, Wow, how am I going to balance this? I don't know how I am going to manage this."
the drive home from the hospital.
Fulton's schedule keeps him busy
His day begins the night before Both he and his wife iron their clothes in preparation for the morning routine. He wakes up around 6:30 a.m. to commute from Topeka to Lawrence for class. Afterward, he works at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Topeka in the vocational rehab department. Finally, he returns home to tend to household chores, cook and take care of his son.
from sun-up to sun-down.
Fulton said he didn't get to sleep until midnight at the earliest.
Fulton said that his military experience helped prepare him for juggling his personal and educational endeavors, and that students
frank Fulton, Bakersfield, Calif., junior, attends class in Blake Hall. Fulton and his wife are adjusting to life with a newborn baby.
index
Jenny Terrell/KANSAN
SEE MARRIAGE ON PAGE 6A
Classifieds. . . . . 8A Opinion. . . . . 5A
Crossword. . . . . 4A Sports. . . . . 12A
Horoscopes. . . . . 4A Sudoku. . . . . 4A
All contents, unless stated otherwise; © 2009 The University Daily Kansan
OBAMA SIGNS ORDER TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO
Military will have to move the approximately 250 detainees held at Guantanamo Bay prison within a year. POLITICS|7A
weather
TODAY
37 15
County
SATURDAY
26 18 Snow showers
SUNDAY
33 19
Few snow showers