Section A·Page 4
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, June 17, 1998
New rec center, Saferide on Senate summer agenda
By Liz Wristen
By Liz Wriston
Kansan staff writer
Many Student Senate members are not getting a vacation from their positions during the summer semester.
Members of the Senate and Student Executive committees, as well as a representative from each of the five other standing committees, will meet during the summer. Each member will hold his or her own office hours.
"Senate is working on a number of programs that we hope to implement for the good of the student population," said Kevin Yoder, student body president. "These ideas reflect the interests of the students and the areas they would like to see improvements made."
Student Senate is focusing on the construction of a new recreation facility. Yoder said the University hoped to build a center that would better fit student needs. During spring semester, Robinson Gymnasium building hours were 6 to 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, with fewer hours on Friday and Saturday. The building's limited availability for non-class-related use is associated with the increased number of classes that meet in Robinson.
Senate also plans to create a Student Senate outreach program. The new program would allow Senate members to volunteer with community organizations and to encourage other students to get involved in Senate activities. Student Senate members serve breakfast to the homeless Tuesday mornings at the Jubilee Cafe, 1000 Kentucky St.
Yoder said that his experience with the program had been rewarding for himself and for Senate volunteers.
"I think that working together, both for the University and in the community, has really drawn the members of Senate together," Yoder said. "I think that the program is a great experience for anyone
STUDENT SENATE ISSUES
New recreation center
Student Senate Outreach Program
Expansion of Saferide
Park-n-Ride program
Gaining membership to the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce
Privatization of KU on Wheels
Passing a health care resolution for graduate teaching assistants
For information about getting involved with Student Senate contact the Senate office,
400 Kansas Union, at 864-3710.
who is willing to donate their time for a worthy cause."
Senate also is working to expand the Saferide program for fall. New cars will be added on Friday and Saturday evenings during the regular school year. Senate also is working to set up a designated-driver program to reduce alcohol-related accidents. Student Senate hopes to offer Saferide in future summers as well.
"The better that we make the Saferide system, the more people will use it," said Nicole Skalla, transportation coordinator for KU on Wheels. "The program is available so that students who have been drinking can get a safe ride home, and with the addition of more Saferide cars, the program will be more efficient."
The Park-and-Ride program also will be instituted this fall. The program will allow students with cars to drive to school, park in the Lied Center parking lot and board a campus bus. The Park-and-Ride permit includes a parking sticker worth $75 and an annual bus pass worth $110. The permit can be purchased for $120.
Students who are interested in volunteering their time to assist community organizations such as Jubilee Cafe are invited to stop by the Student Senate office, 400 Kansas Union.
University alumna pays for old fines
State finds parking offender
By Liz Wriston
Kansas staff writer
A parking ticket awaits a student in the Memorial Stadium parking lot. Parking fines pose problems for many students. Photo by Joseph Griffin/KANSAN
Kansan staff writer
Unpaid parking fines can catch up with anyone.
That is what Stephanie Neiger, a
1990 KU graduate, discovered when
she received her income tax refund
this year with a $30 deduction.
Neiger, an Olathe resident, called the Department of Revenue to find out the reason for the deduction. She learned that while she was a student at the University, she racked up two parking tickets, each worth $15. The fines were not paid until this month.
"I learned that parking fines are something a person can never run from," said Neiger. "It's been eight years since I was a student at KU. I didn't realize that those fines even existed until I received the deduction. I'm glad that they are finally paid off."
Neiger said she received a notice in the mail about the fines, but it was unclear where they originated.
The notice came from the State of Kansas. If students have graduated from the University without paying their fines, and the University has not been able to locate the student for three years, the Parking Department writes off the fines. The fine information is turned in to the state, and the department receives reimbursement for the fines.
That is what happened in Neiger's situation.
"The Parking Department makes many attempts to get students to pay off their fines before they graduate," said Donna Hultine, assistant director of the Parking Department. "However, in some cases, students are
unaware of the existing fines, and they graduate without paying off their debts."
Hultine said that the University attempts to get students to pay their fines before graduating. Students with unpaid fines have their diplomas held until their fines are paid. Continuing students may not enroll in classes until existing debts are paid.
Regardless, Neiger passed through these barriers without paying.
"I graduated in January, and my diploma was sent to me in the mail," Neiger said. "I think that might be part of the reason that I didn't know about the fines. I wasn't given any notice about them."
Hultine said that the University has cracked down on the non-payment of parking fines. Students' records will be checked for fines before they graduate or enroll in classes. The crackdown has lessened the number of instances like Neiger's.
When the fines are turned in to the state, the state attempts to match up the fines with the owner's social security number. Money may be taken out of the owner's tax refund, or in some cases, it may be taken out of a person's income check or bank account.
Neiger said that she thought the state matched up her social security number with the fines because she was self-employed and paid taxes on her business. She said that she was surprised that the University had not matched her name with the fines earlier because she has been a member of the University of Kansas Alumni Association since she graduated.
Neiger said this had been a learning experience for her.
"I learned that it's important for students to learn whether they have any unaccounted debts that they need to pay off," Neiger said. "If I had known that I had the fines, I would have paid them off when I graduated."
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Sat 10am-4pm Sun 1pm-4pm Call MASTERCRAFT today.842-4455
THE LIED CENTER OF KANSAS
MIAMI CITY BALLET Thursday, Sept. 24, 1998, 8:00 p.m.
ST. PETERSBURG PHILHARMONIC
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1998 8:00 p.m.
MINGUS BIG BAND with Kevin Mahogany
Friday, J 29, 1999, 8:00 p.m.
New York City Opera National Company in Puccini's MADAMA BUTTERFLY Saturday, February 27 & Sunday, February 28, 1999 8:00 p.m.
ITZHAK PERLMAN, VIOLIN
Saturday, April 10, 1999, 8:00 p.m.
SWARTHOUT HAMBER SEAT
FLECK/MARSHALL/MEYER
Béla Fleck, banjo; Mike Marshall, mandolin; Edgar Meyer, double bass
Saturday, Sep 26, 1998, 8:00 p.m.
ANONYMOUS4
ANONYMOUS 4
Sunday, Nov. 1, 1998, 3:30 p.m.
TRIÁNGULO Poquio D'Rivera, clarinet; Gustavo Tavares, cello; Pablo Zinger, piano
Sunday Jan 24 1990 3:30 p.m.
BRENTANO STRING QUARTET
Sunday 16, 1999 3:30 p.m.
ORION STRING QUARTET with Ida Kevafian, viola
Sunday, April 18, 1999, 3:30 p.m.
YOU COME FIRST! Season and Single Tickets are On Sale Now to Students
CULTURE CLASH
Friday, Oct. 2, 1998, 8:00 p.m.
Jones/Zone Dance Company WE SET OUT EARLY...VISIBILITY WAS POOR
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 19:00 p.m.
BALLET HISPANICO
Robert Wilson & Philip Glass MONSTERS OF GRACE
The Margaret Jenkins Dance Company TIME AFTER with Olympia Dukakis
Wednesday, April 7, 1999, 8:00 p.m.
STOMP
Friday, Oct. 23, 8:00 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24, 5:00 & 9:00 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 25, 1998, 3:00 p.m.
BROADWAY
AND BEYOND
Friday, Oct. 30, 1998, 8:00 p.m.
THE KING AND I
Saturday, Nov. 21, 200 & 8:00 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 22, 1998, 2:00 p.m.
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS
Tuesday, Mar 16, 1999, 8:00 a.m.
BRIGADOON
Friday, April 30, 1998, 8:00 p.m.
AMERICAN CHAMBER THEATER ENSEMBLE
CONCERT SERIES
Birthday Saturday, October 10, 1998, 7:00 p.m. (age 14 and up).
Toll Free Station Sunday, Oct. 11, 1998, 2:00 p.m. (all ages)
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Wednesday, Dec 9, 1998 7:30 p.m.
The St. Petersburg State Ice Baller in ROMEO AND JULIET
Saturday, Feb. 6, 1999, 2:00 p.m.; 7:00 p.m.
Theatre Sons Fill in DREAM CATCHERS
Thaibra Sons FIL in DREAM CATCHERS
Sunday, 21, 1999, 2:00 p.m.
SPECIAL EVENT Viorna da Moita International Music Foundation TAO CHANG, PIANO Sunday, Sept. 20, 1998, 3:30 p.m.
NEW DIRECTIONS SERIES
For details or more information please call the University of Kansas School of Fine Arts Lied Center of Kansas Box Office at (785) 864-ARTS. Hour: Weekdays 11:00 a.m.to 6:00 p.m. (except June 1 July 24: 12:00 p.m to 5:30 p.m).
Single tickets go on sale to the general public beginning June 15, 1998.
LIED FAMILY SERIES