Section A·Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, March 30, 1998
Disgruntled students take feuds to court
By Rannie Wachter
rwacher@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Many students living in apartments begin battling with their landlords about possession of security deposits at this time of year. Other students must battle one another when a roommate moves out and refuses to continue paying rent.
When these situations arise, students often find themselves headed to small claims court.
Jay Coffman, Clerk of the District Court, said that small claims court was unique because it handles non-criminal cases, witnesses are paid to testify and no lawyers oruries are involved.
"The only way you can have a lawyer is if you bring a case against a lawyer," Coffman said.
He said that in small claims court the plaintiff has 15 minutes to argue a case. The defendant may then make statements, which Coffman said are usually brief. After listening to both sides, the judge makes a decision.
Coffman said that small claims court has jurisdiction on informal cases involving Algeria $1,000
"If you ever seen a people's court, it's still like that," Coffman said.
tion of non-criminal cases involving less than $1,800.
"If you've ever seen 'People's Court,' it's stuff like
If students need to file a claim involving a matter between $1,801 and $10,000,they will go to the limited civil court.
Shawn Rogers, an intern for Legal Services for Students, said that many students come to the office seeking assistance for small claims cases.
"There's really not that much we can do for them, because there's no lawyers allowed there," Rogers said. "We write demand letters to the landlords, and if we can't get our demands, we have to let them go to small claims court."
Jo Hardesty, director of Legal Services for Students, said that her office had to refer students to the court for a number of other matters as well.
"A lot of times, students will be fighting businesses over car repairs, or who was at fault in an accident." Hardy said.
She said that before students filed claims, she recommended that they watch a case being argued in court.
"We want them to know what they're getting into," she said.
Coffman said that before plaintiffs can argue a case to regain money, they must spend money.
Small claims court charges $19.50 to file a case involving matters of $500 or less and $39.50 for cases between $501 and $1,800.
"The fees will get outrageous if you're trying to collect like $200," Coffman said. "You're just trying to get your money back."
Sex, Judaism topic of discussion
Hillel Foundation sponsors programs on religious relations
By Sara Anderson sanderson@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Sex and religion.
The two subjects will go hand in hand as Jewish Sex Week begins tomorrow.
Events for the week, sponsored by the Hillel Foundation, continue through Tuesday, April 7. Programs will explore sexuality within the Jewish culture including different customs and practices specific to Judaism. This is the first time Jewish Sex Week has been presented at the University of Kansas.
Ayelet Goldberg, Hillel Foundation program director, said that the members of Hillel were excited about the week.
"We're taking an in-depth look at
one of the hottest topics on college campuses with the focus of how Jews look at it," Goldberg said.
Amy Ravis, co-coordinator of the week and Overland Park junior, said that each day would have its own theme and that the range of topics was diverse.
"It includes everything from issues of childbirth, purity and how men and women should deal with marital relations, but also issues of homosexuality in Judaism as well," Ravis said.
Goldberg said that the Jewish religion had definite values about sex that differed from other religions in both the modern and traditional sense. She said that the programs would explore these differences and variations within the three branches of Judaism.
"Each of the three branches, Orthodox, Conservative and Reform, have their own views too," she said. "We hope to educate as well as understand each other's views."
Goldberg said that the week was different from other programs that
addressed sexuality because Hillel was taking it from a different perspective.
"We're taking it from a Jewish point of view and focusing on the customs of the different sections," she said. "It should be fascinating for all students because a lot of it comes from traditions in the Old Testament."
Ravis agreed and said that all students were encouraged to attend.
"It will give them a chance to compare and contrast their own issues with those of the Jewish community in a safe and familiar environment," she said.
Goldberg said the programs would be of importance to students.
"Sex is something that is widely practiced but not widely talked about," she said. "So we need to do this to educate people."
Goldberg said that one of the main goals was to help students understand that there were definite views about sexuality within religions and to give them a place to discuss their ideas and thoughts.
"We want others to know that we
JEWISH SEX WEEK ACTIVITIES
Tomorrow
Speakers tell their stories as gay and lesbian Jews. Creation of a KU Panel for the National AIDS Quilt. 8 p.m. at the International Room in the Kansas Union.
Sunday
Rabbi Judith Beiner will discuss the female role in Judaism. I will in the Hilkid House.
Tuesday April 7
Singled Out. 8 p.m. in Naismith Hall.
All events are free and open to the public.
do have views," she said. "We want them to know that it's not something we hide from and that it's part of our culture. The focus of the week is to see the different aspects of Jewish sexuality and give people a forum to discuss it.
Faculty takes a break with new program
"We hope students will take with them an awareness of all the different points of view and have a place to discuss it with spiritual leaders and a place to get together and talk."
By Gerry Doyle
Kansan staff writer
While the University of Kansas' student body was kicking back on spring break, some faculty were kicking off a new program to bring the Internet to more classrooms.
The program, called Using Technology in Instruction, is aimed at assisting faculty in multimedia presentation and Internet applications, said Sue Nishikawa, coordinator of ASTUTE, which is organizing the workshops.
Professors were chosen by the heads of their schools based on interest and need for technology in the classroom. Nishikawa said.
The teachers selected will receive PC laptop computers worth about $2,300, Nishikawa said. The computers come with a variety of software such as Microsoft Office 97 and Netscape Navigator. They will run at 166 MHz and are equipped with a
Sandra Gautt, assistant provost,
said that the idea had originated from the chancellor's and provost's offices. The laptops will allow professors to use the technology in their classrooms, as well as being able to explore the Internet in their offices and homes, Gautt said. She said that the program was modeled from a similar effort at the University.
CD-ROM drive, a 56k modem and an Ethernet card. At a series of workshops, the faculty members will be instructed in the computers' use.
The high-powered systems, combined with the workshops, will give the faculty a much-needed advantage in dealing with technology, Nishikawa said.
"This is to help faculty develop skills for online development," Nishikawa said. "We hope that by becoming familiar with the Internet and its resources, they will be able to bring in those resources. We have not been able to do this before."
sity of Iowa.
Students should be the ones benefitting from their instructors' increased knowledge of the Internet and technology in general, she said.
"They will be able to do some things that they have been unable to do in terms of multimedia in the classroom," she said. "The goal is to take the concepts and information, and using technology, make them easier to present to students."
Ray Taghavi, associate professor of engineering and participant in the program, said that the computer and the workshop would be invaluable to him as a teacher. Taghavi said that even something small such as being able to create a Web page would benefit his classroom.
Being able to teach students how to use Internet resources will be another benefit of the program, he said.
"It's good supplemental help," he said. "It can't substitute for engineering classes, but you always want to learn new stuff. I've just never had the time. I'm just looking at this as an opportunity to spend three days to do something like this. If I just put two courses on the Internet, students immediately get the benefits."
"This is to help faculty develop skills for online development. We hope that by becoming familiar with the Internet and its resources, they will be able to bring in those resources. We have not been able to do this before."
Sue Nishikawa Coordinator of ASTUTE