University Daily Kansan / Tuesday, February 25, 1992
CAMPUS/AREA
3
Stressed-out KU students check into Watkins
By Katherine Manweiler
Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
Stress is a constant for college students, but the number of students complaining of stress-related symptoms at Watkins Memorial Health Center this month has doubled, said Charles Yockey, chief of staff at Watkins.
"This year, for some reason we started seeing severe stress-related problems three weeks into the semester," he said. "That's very unusual."
"It seems like more people are
aware of their stress or interested in getting help for their stress."
Unmanaged stress can cause health problems such as upper respiratory infections, ulcers, fatigue, insomnia or depression. Yockey said the use of alcohol could increase stress-related illnesses because it inhibited white blood cells, making the body more vulnerable to infection.
whelmed, a change in appetite, stomach problems and diarrhea.
Not everyone needs to see a doctor for stress, but if physical symptoms appear, it is important not to ignore them, he said. Symptoms include: fatigue, depression, feeling over-
"When (stress) starts interfering with your ability to get your work done, you need to see a doctor," Yocke said.
He said stress-related ailments rarely had long-term effects, but they often affected a student's ability to meet the expectations of classes and other responsibilities such as jobs and extra-curricular activities.
"The worst problem is what you accomplish with your schoolwork," Yockey said. "It's a vicious cycle. The
He said students often did not realize that they needed to lighten their schedules until it was too late.
more fatigued you get, the less you get done."
In the two weeks before finals, 15 to 20 students come to Watkins every day wanting letters of medical verification to drop classes. Yockey said.
Joyce Davidson, staff therapist at counseling and psychological services at Watkins, asked therapists saw about 150 students each week, and stress was
"It's a very frequent complaint."
Davidson said. "It tends to increase as the semester goes on and we're hitting a period of time of peak usage."
There is a waiting list to use the service, but Davidson said students always had access to a therapist in emergency or crisis situations.
She said students could deal with stress more effectively by balancing negative and positive attitudes.
"Very often, from the emotional side, students need greater skill at focusing on a variety of thinking patterns instead of concentrating on the negative," she said.
Davidson said students could think about positive aspects of their lives such as friendships or passing a test.
*The small things make a difference," she said.
Candyce Waitley, health educator at Watkins, said more than five students each week came to the health education department for information on stress management.
"One of the first things students need to do prioritize," Waittie said. "They need to be rational and realistic in their approach. There are only so many hours in a day."
Julie Denesha/KANSAN
Gently pounding a copper wine glass into shape, Bill Carmen, Warrensburg, Mo., senior, works on a project for his hollowear class. He said he got a little ambitious on his latest artistic endeavor. Carmen almost has completed his degree in metalsmithing, which he will add to his degrees in drawing and painting.
Metal work
Hillel says KU decrease in incidents bucks trend
Anti-Semitism rises elsewhere
Shelly Solon Kansan staff writer
The number of anti-Semitic incidents reported on college campuses have nearly doubled in four years, but a KU Jewish organization says that anti-Semitic events at the University of Kansas have decreased in the past two years.
The Anti-Defemalism League of B'nai B'rith in Omaha, Neb., said in its annual report that 101 anti-Semitic incidents were reported at 60 college campuses in 1991. It reported that 23 campuses experienced more than one incident.
The number of incidents has almost doubled since 1988, according to the report.
The league based its report on incidents that were reported by campuses or Jewish campus organizations. The incidents were directed at institutions, groups and individuals.
Daveen Litwin, director of KU HilieL, said there had been no anti-Semitic incidents reported to her this semester, but that students reported many significant incidents in 1988 and 1989.
Anti-Semitism on the rise
A number of anti-Semitic events followed the Ku Klux Klan's visit to the University in 1988, she said.
The Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith in Omaha, Neb., collected the following statistics based on reports of anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses:
| | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Number of Incidents | 54 | 69 | 95 | 101 |
| Number of campuses filing reports | 38 | 51 | 57 | 60 |
These include incidents such as vandalism, threats, verbal harassment and physical assaults reported to ADL by campuses or campus organizations.
Source Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith
Hillel documented 10 anti-Semitic incidents at KU and in Lawrence in 1988, eight in 1989, six in 1990 and four in 1991.
"It it seemed to start here with words and magnified to actions," Litwin said. "When anti-Semitism was tolerated at one level, it allowed other levels to occur."
She said the incidents were less intense than they had been a couple of years before.
"It is a relief that the organization can now concentrate on other things besides the constant presence of these incidents," Litwin said.
Incidents reported to Hillel included threatenment phone calls and swastikasandanti-Jewish messages being drawn on doors, hallways or buildings.
"For whatever reason, students are more likely to talk about the incidents with us first than go to other places," she said. "But we only report incidents that have been reported to the police or those that individuals agree to have included in the report."
John Mullens, KU police representative, said the most recent incident at KU to be documented by KU police included anti-Semitic messages written on doors and in hallways in November 1989 at Oliver Hall.
Mail-in payments due early August
Deadline for financial aid nears
Kansanstaffreport
Time is running out for students who need all the help that the Office of Student Financial Aid can give them.
Because of the new mail-in fee payment, it is more critical than ever for students to apply for financial aid by the end of the week.
Although March 1 is not the last day to apply for aid, applications received by this date will be given top consideration for financial aid awards.
With the mail-in fee payment system, enrolled students will receive a tuition bill by mid-July that will be due by the first week of August. Financial aid awards already will be subtracted from the bills.
Diane Del Buono, director of student financial aid, said it was critical that students apply early this year because of the earlier fee payment date.
"The sooner you apply and begin the
"The sooner you apply and begin the application process, the more likely you will get the money when you need it."
Diane Del Buono Director of student financial aid
application process, the more likely you will get the money when you need it." she said.
Because of the path an application follows, even those received early take six to eight weeks to process. But it could take as long as two to four months if problems arise.
Del Buono said that external factors slowed down the process. At least 30 percent of the applications must go through a verification check by the
"Some of the federal funding we receive is limited, and once it is allocated there is no more to give," Del Buono said. "Those who apply early are more likely to receive the aid they need."
She said that the office received 12,000 to 13,000 applications for the last school year. Of these applications, 9,400 students received a total of $4.4 million.
The office offers a new application this year that is free and easier to complete.
federal processing center.
The old application, which cost $6.75 to process, still will be used if students want to apply for a State of Kansas or a Kansas Minority scholarship.
The new application is offered due to a federal law that entitles students to complete federal aid forms for free.
Addison Parker, Topeka junior, said that he had sent the new application a couple of weeks earlier.
"I always get it in mid-February or March because you have a better chance of getting more money the earlier you apply," Parker said.