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Construction continues at the Sigma Kappa house, 1325 W. Campus Road. The renovations were started when it was discovered that the house needed a sprinkler system. When construction is finished, there will be a dedication ceremony. Photo by Joseph Griffin/KANSAN.
With new requirements and improvements several fraternity and sorority houses are...
Undergoing Renovation
Sigma Kappa is one of several houses being renovated this summer. The renovations of the house are scheduled to be completed by August 9. Photo by Joseph Griffin/KANSAN.
By Kristi Hartley
Kansan staff writer
One sorority house and two fraternity houses will be renovated as a result of a requirement by the city of Lawrence for sprinkler systems.
All fraternity and sorority houses in Lawrence must have sprinkler systems by April 6,2000, said Rich Barr, Lawrence Fire Marshall.
The Sigma Kappa sorority house, 1325 West Campus Road, is undergoing a $500,000 addition. The kitchen is being extended and study rooms and sleeping areas are being added above the kitchen, said Kalissa Kaufman, vice president of the Sigma Kappa advisory board.
The new space will increase living capacity from 68 to 78 people.
The construction to the Sigma Kappa house was prompted by the sprinkler system requirement. Kauffman said.
She said that Sigma Kappa would have a dedication in November to coincide with their founder's dav.
Kaufman said the Sigma Kappa construction would be finished by Aug. 9 in time for fall rush.
"In essence, it's a whole new house," said Lloyd Hanahan, vice president of Gamma Omicron Inc.
The Kappa Sigma fraternity, 1045 Emery Road, is undergoing a $2.8 million renovation.
Hanahan said that the exterior remained intact, but that the entire interior was being totally renovated.
Kappa Sigma will have 18 seniority suites. Upperclassmen are given first choice of the suites. The suites are set up like apartments with private baths. Hanahan said.
"Hopefully that will be an encouragement to stay at the house," he said.
The Kappa Sigma house will be ready Aug. 9 for its members to move in.
Hanahan said a dedication is planned for Oct. 10 when Bob Gould and Dave Evans would be inducted into the Kappa Sigma Hall of Fame. Gould and Evans were alumni and the architects for the renovation.
The construction of the new Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house,1301 W. Campus Road, will be completed Aug. 1 or Sept. 1, said John Parker, chairman of the Sigma Alpha Kappa building committee.
Students have many choices in terms of living on campus. The fraternities and sororities are feeling pressure to be competitive with the rest of University housing, Parker said.
Fraternity members can take advantage of an internal phone system with voice mail and call waiting features. Each living room will have two to four Internet hook ups.
The Sigma Alpha Epsilon house will have four sleeping rooms, 35 living quarters and a library. There is more education space in the new fraternity house, Parker said.
"Our guys were leaving just to study." Parker said. "We've created more quiet places. Students are encouraged to stay and study."
Students view international news shows via satellite
by Mariana Paiva
Kansan staff writer
International students taking summer courses can have a taste of home at the University of Kansas.
Each day the Ermal Garinger Academic Resource Center receives news programs from about 64 countries through a satellite-TV program called Scola.
The center, located in 4069 Wescoe Hall, posted a calendar for the Scola satellite program, which allowed students to watch news programs from any of the countries listed.
During the fall and spring semesters, most of the programs are recorded weekly to be checked out later by students. During the summer, news from 16 countries, including China, Japan, Spain, Russia and France, will be recorded.
"The goal of the program was to enhance foreign language learning, but it turned out that international students are the main ones checking out these tapes now," said Tyler Johnson, Topeka senior and research assistant.
WEB SITE
For more information and a complete listing of the KU Ermal Garinger Academic Resource Center's listing, check out the web site at: http://www.ukans.edu/gr/>
Johnson said that students recently have asked if the center would broadcast the World Cup games. Although there is some demand for other programs, only news will be shown.
The center also has audio and computer facilities and a large collection of foreign movies and CDs. Students may choose different titles from the center's catalog or from its home page. Although students cannot check out Scola tapes, movies and CDs can be checked out for a dav.
The center can be a cheap entertainment solution for many students because it is free. However, many students do not know about the center or its resources.
Wang-Sheng Tsou, Taiwan sophomore, said that he was unaware of the center until his English 101 teacher assigned a video to his class.
Kyros Hadjikyrou, Kyrenia, Cyprus senior, said he stopped watching news from Greece at the center a couple of years ago when the center interrupted transmission of Cola.
"I didn't know they were showing it again. I may have to go back and check out what kind of programs and movies they have now." Hadikvroul said.
Although some students visit the center for entertainment, the center's main goal is to promote awareness of other languages and cultures.
"During the summer, there are a lot of students who come here to either enhance their language skills watching foreign movies, or to catch up and remind them of what they learned in high school before classes start in the fall semester." Johnson said.
Students can view the center's list of catalogs by accessing its homepage at http://www.ukans.edu/-egarc/ .
Natural History Museum shows wildlife photography
KU museum one of only four U.S. tour sites
By Ellissa Harris Kanson staff writer
Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas' Natural History Museum is where the wild things are.
the 1997 British Gas Wildlife Photography Contest, ranging from caterpillars to elephants, are on display.
Winning wildlife photographs from
WEB SITE
More information on the museum can be found at http://nhm.ukans.edu/
The contest is one of the most prestigious because it includes photographers of all ages worldwide, said Tom Swearingen, Natural History Museum director of exhibits.
The annual contest is held by the Natural History Museum of London and
The 85 pictures on display include images of seals in a sandstorm, wart hogs drinking and a chameleon catching its prey.
the BBC Wildlife Magazine. It is sponsored by British Gas. More than 19,000 slides from 68 countries were submitted.
The contest's different categories, including The Underwater World. Wild Places and Garden Wildlife, encompass a variety of images from nature. They provide an educational focus for the exhibit. Swearingen said.
"It brings to people beauty,exceptional photos and it points out situations in the world that people need to be aware of."
The contest is held to increase interest in the exhibit but also because photographing wildlife in its natural habitat is educational, said Brad Kemp, assistant director of public affairs for the Natural History Museum.
"It brings to people beauty, exceptional photos. And it points out situations in the world that people need to be aware of." Swearingen said.
Tom Swearingen Exhibits Director
The museum held its second wildlife photography contest last April. The winning images from that contest also are on display.
n said that choosing his favorite photo was difficult.
The exhibit is a rare opportunity for those interested in wildlife photography because the museum is one of only four U.S. locations to hold the exhibit, Swearingen said. The
"It's which pictures entertain you, and make you daydream a little bit," he said.
exhibit will run until Sept. 6 on the fifth floor of the Natural History Museum. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
More information on the museum can be found at http://nhm.ukans.edu/.
images from the 1997 British Gas Wildlife Photography Contest are on display at the Natural History Museum. The contest includes photographs from all around the world and by photographers of all ages. The exhibit will run until Sept. 6 on the fifth floor of the museum. The museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Photo by Joseph Griffin/KANSAN.
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