CAMPUS / AREA
University Daily Kansan / Tuesday, February 11, 1992
3
Students lobby legislators The pressures
Gov. Joan Finney addresses 120 members of the Associated Students of Kansas at the Statehouse in Topi
TOPEKA — Students from the Board of Regents schools, including about 40 University of Kansas students, traveled to the Kansas Statehouse yesterday to address higher education concerns.
Joe Cinalli, KU director of ASK, said students spoke to about 90 percent of the legislators.
"The day went well," Cinali said. "We spoke to some very supportive people and others who were not as supportive, but took time to listen."
The students lobbied for higher education on Lobby Day, sponsored by Associated Students of Kansas. They also attended a rally and heard a speech from Gov. Joan Finney that left some students disappointed.
State legislators were the main target of about 120 students from six u-niversi
Students lobbied legislators in the morning and late afternoon. Meetings were scheduled with most of the legislators, but students spoke with legislators whenever and wherever they could, including on elevators.
Alan Lowden, Senate president, and Kristin Lange, Senate vice president, spoke to State Sen. Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, in an elevator about increased services for tuition increases.
Cinalli said student lobbyists spoke to the legislators from their schools' areas and hometowns.
Shelly Witt, Chapman freshman,
said her experience with one of the
representatives was not what she expected.
"The guy threw other issues in our face," Witt said between sessions. "He didn't want to listen, and it crushed my heart and now I'd go back after this afternoon and try again."
John Schwartz, KU assistant director of ASK, said students met with the legislators in groups of five or six.
Between lobby sessions, Finney
spoke to the group on the second floor of the Statehouse.
"As governor, I must represent the entire state and look to see what is in the best interest for the entire state," she said.
Finney did not directly respond to specific higher education issues. She spoke on a variety of topics — including the proposed casinos on Native American reservations, and environmental issues — telling the assembled students that water conservation would be the largest concern for them in the 21st century.
"We have to learn to control water, share water and have an adequate
supply in the future," she said.
When she spoke about education, Finney concentrated on elementary and secondary school issues.
Schwartz said he was disappointed that the governor did not concentrate on the problem.
"She was using this arena as a politi-
sion, he said. "She was not
[assumed] to be."
John Shoemaker, Topeka junior,
agreed.
"If the Governor speaks to a student lobbying group, she should gear her speech to them," he said. "Several times I lost total attention or felt like laughing."
Cinalli said the governor's actions with her proposed budget were more important than her speech. The budget was fair considering economic conditions, he said.
Finney delivered her speech after a studentally.
At the rally, the six main goals of ASK were outlined. The goals include Youth Education Services, capital improvements, 100 percent fee waivers for graduate teaching assistants, financial aid, increased services for increased tuition and maintenance of the state's commitment to higher education.
The pressures of belonging
By Shelly Solon Kansan staff writer
Students struggle with identity
Claudia Calabrese said that when she was 8 years old, she suddenly realized that she was different.
Calabrese, whose mother is African American and father is white, spent most of her childhood with her mother's family. People in her mother's community accepted people regardless of their race, she said.
"It's like Steve Martin does in 'The Jerk,' said Calabrese, Evanston, III, junior. "You know how all of a sudden he realizes he's not like the Black family he lives with, that's what happened to me."
"When I was little, I used to say that my mom and my brother, who is darker-skinned, were Black, and my dad and I were white," she said. "Even when I didn’t understand what I was, I knew I wasn’t quite like other Black people."
However, it was not until Calabrese came to the University of Kansas that she began feeling uncomfortable.
"Here, especially recently, people act like I'm a natural phenomenon," she said. "People seem to find hard to grasp that a Black person and a white person can really produce offspring."
Calabrese is one of many students of African-American mixed heritage who have dealt with the pressures of belonging. Some of the students say they are most comfortable with African Americans, but most struggle with identity and acceptance.
Like Calabrese, Andrea Gentry,
Takeda junior, did not understand her
shoe's fit.
"Kids would call me Oreo or zebra, and I would laugh," Gentry said. "I didn't understand what they meant. I
thought everyone's family was like mine."
She said her identity problems continued when she entered an African-American college.
"I was all into
"I'm Black and I'm proud," she said,
"But then I had to stop and wonder about that. I had to realize that I'm half white and half Black."
Gentry said that she had been accepted more by African Americans, but that she sometimes had to defend herself.
"They'll say things not realizing that I'm white too," she said. "Most people can't tell me mixed, but I'm always aware of both sides."
Andrew Chilson, who is also African American and white, was adopted by white parents as a child. He said it had been difficult for his white family to understand what it was like being of mixed races.
Chilson, Gibson, Okla, freshman, said he had both African-American and white friends but felt more comfortable with African Americans.
"Because there's a bit of Black in you, Black people accept you," he said. "Because there's a bit of Black in you, white people cannot accept you."
Leslie Davis, Salina sophomore said she identified with African Americans regardless of her Asian heritage.
"Irealize I'm Korean too, but I was raised predominantly Black," she said. "I has basically have the same background. I was exposed to the same culture."
By Jenny Martin Kansan staff writer
Five candidates are being interviewed on campus this month for the position of vice chancellor for research, graduate studies and public service.
A search committee was formed last fall to interview applicants for the position. Howard Mossberg, former pharmacy, is the interim vice chancellor.
The candidates will spend about two days in interviews with the search committee and administrators from the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Kelley Hayden, assistant to the interim executive vice chancellor, said the five candidates were chosen by the committee from a pool of 75 applicants. The position will not necessarily be filled by one of the five candidates.
Mossberg said he had been asked to serve as interim vice chancellor until the search committee could find a qualified candidate.
Howard Mossberg was appointed interim vice chancellor last summer, after Frances Horowitz accepted the position as president of the graduate school at City College of the City University of New York.
Although the committee chose to interview the five because of their qualifications, the other 70 applicants have not been eliminated, Hayden said.
The 15-member committee, responsible for selecting and interviewing the candidates, is made up of faculty, staff, students and classified and unclassified representatives.
"It was never my intention to remain in the position," he said. "When I left the School of Pharmacy I made a promise to go back."
Bidding to start in Union remodeling
Mossberg said that the candidates were from diverse backgrounds and that the
After the interview process, the committee will submit three recommendations to Del Shankel, interim executive vice chancellor. Shankel and Chancellor Gene Budig will appoint one person to the position.
Shankel said they would like to have the recommendation by spring and finish.
John Dobson of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, was on campus Feb. 5 to 7. Dobson is currently the school's interim vice provost for research and advanced studies, and interim dean of the graduate college.
By Erik Bauer
Aaron Bloch, vice provost at
Bloomington University in New
York,
visited on the last week.
Kansan staff writer
As Jim Long walked through the main level of the Kansas Union, he eagerly described how it would look once major renovations were complete.
Long, director of the Kansas and Burge Unions, said the main entrance was too narrow. A new door will improve the flow of traffic, he said.
The Kansas Union will receive a face-lift that will include a plaza.
He talked about the long-awaited changes as he flipped through a few, large pieces of poster board that contained tile, carpet and wallpaper samples that could determine the new color scheme of the Union.
"We feel that the Kansas Union is as important and vital to the life of the University now as it has ever been in its 67-year history." he said.
He also said that part of the main floor, from the edge of the smoking lounge to the Student Union Activities office, would be blocked off for construction at the beginning of April until sometime in August.
After 2 p.m. today, general contractors will be allowed to bid for the job of remodeling the Union, a $4 million follow-up to the $6 million Phase One renovation.
services were consolidated on the third floor, and the bookstores were consolidated on the second floor. Also, the electrical, mechanical and air-conditioning systems were updated.
Phase One, which began in 1987 and was completed in January 1989, created office space for the Organization and Activities Center. Food
Phase Two of the Union remodeling master plan, which was conceived in 1984, will expand and improve upon some present features of the Union, including the construction of a plaza in front of the Union, a patio dining area on the third floor, an increase in the size of the main lobby, an improvement in the accommodations of the information counter, post office, and SUA box office, and a relocation of banking services to the main lobby.
Other changes include:
- Upgrading aging mechanical and electrical systems;
- Upgrading the fire alarm system:
- Improving the structural services for people with disabilities; and
- Removing asbestos.
Long said the removal of asbestos would not present a significant problem.
Both SUA and Maupintour Travel Services will move temporarily to Burge, which is now undergoing new construction in order to accommodate the two.
Dean Newton, president of SUA.
said the changes would not affect SUA adversely.
"I think our program will be about the same, if not better," Newton said. "I'd say better."
Students will have to purchase concert and movie tickets at Burge in the day and at the post office information counter at the Union at night.
The art gallery also will move to Burge and will return in Fall 1993. Maupintour, SUA and the art gallery will move out of the Union during spring break.
When the construction is completed in August, more construction will take place, closing down the smoking lounge on the north side of the
With expanded and modernized office space, SUA and Maupintur will return to the Union in the fall.
A new smoking and TV lounge will be completed by the beginning of the fall semester.
main lobby. Banking services, for example, will be moved during this stage of the construction, and the new entrance will be added.
Long said the completion of the north area of the main level was scheduled for the summer of 1993.
Don't miss your Valentine kiss
The Union was built in 1925. Different plans for renovation and 'emodelling were carried out in 1852, 1960, 1965, 1969, after the fire in 1970 and in 1989.
Send the FTD*
Hearts & Flowers*
Bouquet.
Or the FTD*
Flower Basket
Bouquet. Be sure
your Valentine gets
one. Send early! Just
call or visit us today.
OWENS FLOWER SHOP 9th & Indiana Streets Lawrence 843-6111