Friday, February 6.1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 11
Lawrence's sister in Japan sends students in exchange
Kanagawa visitors visit KU campus during February
By Marcelo Vilela
By Marceto Viltea
mvilela@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Twenty-eight students from the University of Kanagawa in Japan will call the University of Kansas home for the next month.
The welcoming session for the Japanese students took place yesterday at the Centennial Room in the Kansas Union.
American KU students welcomed their Japanese peers and practiced speaking Japanese.
The Kanagawa students will stay at the
University until March 2.
Chancellor Robert Hemenway also welcomed the students, who arrived Wednesday after a 16-hour trip.
"Our relationship with Kanagawa University is one of the most cherished and important relationships we have with any foreign university." Hemenway said.
Hemenway said he had a special affection for students from Kanagawa because he visited the Kanagawa school last year.
Kanagawa is one of Lawrence's sister cities. The University of Kanagawa and the University of Kansas have had a regular partnership program since 1981.
Because the sister-city program is a two-way exchange, KU students study abroad on the Kanagawa campus.
"They help you out when you're there, so I thought I could return the favor," said Matt Bachand, Yorktown, Va., senior, who spent a year in Japan.
The Japanese students' first impressions of the KU campus were positive.
Reiko Abe, a student from Hakone, Japan, said compared to Japan, the Lawrence campus was huge and the city roads were wide.
The Japanese students all have a basic knowledge of English.
While in Lawrence, they will take four hours of English classes each day.
Hansen said the students also will attend a Kansas basketball game.
They'll stay with Lawrence families and visit the Nelson Art Gallery in Kansas City, Mo.
"They come to study English and learn about American society and culture," said Christa Hansen, coordinator of the student exchange program. "They will stay in the dorms, so they'll have a KU roommate."
The Japanese students are scheduled to spend Valentine's Day weekend with their host families in Lawrence.
Yoshio Kanaya, professor of business administration at Kanagawa University said he hoped the program would continue
Chancellor Robert Hemenway speaks to Japanese students as Tatsuo Tanaka, of the Consul General of Japan, looks on. Hemenway welcomed the students yesterday in the Centennial Room of the Kansas Union after they arrived on Wednesday. Photo by Genff Krieger (KANSAN)
as long as possible.
Tatsuo Tanaka, of the Consul General of Japan, came from Kansas City to welcome the Japanese students to the KU campus.
He said he felt like an alumnus from the
University, and he praised Midwestern hospitality.
"The outside weather is a bit cold, but the Midwestern people are very warm," Tanaka said.
Journal set for first issue
Luminary to showcase research, fiction, poetry submitted by students
By Susio Gura
sgura@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Starting this spring, undergraduates at the University of Kansas will have the opportunity to have research, fiction and poetry published in an academic journal.
The Luminary, a publication paid for by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Nunemaker Honors Center, will publish the work of undergraduates in all disciplines and departments. The first issue will be printed in late February and will contain abstracts of papers that will be presented at an undergraduate research symposium.
The publication's semester budget is $750, which is funded by the College and the center.
"We have a small amount of discretionary funding that we use for visiting lecturers or in supporting issues that need help," said Barbara Schowen, director of the University honors program.
"We will probably continue funding especially if we publish the works of the symposium again." Schowan said.
Excess money from the undergraduate research awards fund for the symposium was also used to support the publication, because the first issue will contain abstracts from the symposium.
Soren Larsen, graduate student in anthropology, organized the effort to begin the publication after working with the Nunemaker Honors Society. Larsen
worked on a similar journal at the University of Montana.
"The journal is for undergraduate scholars to display their creative work and research," Larsen said.
The February issue will contain only works from the symposium. An April issue will display a more diverse range of undergraduate work.
The Luminary staff consists of 30-40 undergraduate students who work as editors, copy editors, graphic designers and managers.
"We acquired our staff through calls for participation to various departments, sent out flyers to the center for organizations and sent out e-mails through the honors center." Larsen said.
Aaron Profitt, Overland Park freshman and copy editor for the publication, said he heard about the publication through the Nunemaker Honors Center and began attending meetings.
Between 500 and 700 journals of the Luminary will be printed in February, and the staff will deliver them to various departments at the University.
The Luminary is seeking manuscripts to be reviewed for publication. Academic and research work, fiction, non-fiction and poetry are welcome. Papers should be no longer than 6000 words.
"We are looking for major research work and eventually we would like art and photographs." Profitt said.
The acceptance rate for the Luminary depends on the number of submissions, Profitt said.
"If we don't get many submissions our choice is limited," he said.
The manuscripts can be dropped off in the Nunemaker Center or in the Organizations and Leadership Development Center in the Kansas Union.
Literature professor focuses on diversity of perspectives
African-American view permeates course work
By Emily G. Forsyth eforsyth@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
Cheryl Lester doesn't want just to teach American Literature. She wants to change the world.
Lester, associate professor of English and American studies, is teaching American Literature II with a different emphasis than the course has had in the past, focusing primarily on literary works by African Americans.
"One of the things I emphasize in my courses is diversity, alternative viewpoints and previously neglected groups of people," Lester said.
Lester said her interest in exploring alternative points of view stemmed from her childhood, when she was growing up in Detroit in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The students in her class began the semester by reading A People's History of the United States, 1492-Present, which Lester said is American history told through ordinary people's viewpoints.
"Students need a sense of the American historical past in order to understand American literature." Lester said.
"The reason for my selection has to do with my own commitment to teaching alternative history and alternative points of view," Lester said. "I'm particularly interested in African Americans. It's a research expertise of mine."
Hurston, James Baldwin and Malcolm X, as well as Mark Twain.
The second section of the course will focus on literature written primarily by African Americans. Students will read works by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale
In the third part of the course, students will choose a particular media to study, such as literature, music, television or film.
Students will also be expected to write an autobiography, which will examine their families' histories in relation to American history. Through the autobiography, Lester said she wants her students to consider the point when they first realized race was a significant aspect of American culture.
"I think these days with television and film, children know that color means something before they're out of preschool," Lester said. "I don't know if people reflect on the fact that it makes a difference to how they're perceived when they walk into Dillons grocery store; that it makes a difference whether they can get their hair done in Lawrence or whether the blue jeans at The Gap are tailored to their bodies or not." Lester said.
Richard Hardin, chairman of the English department, said he appreciated Lester's approach.
"I've spoken with her about her idea of the American Lit. survey before, and I think she has a very interesting way of going about analyzing the body of knowledge that is American literature," Hardin said. "One is asking the question 'what is
"Students need a sense of the American historical past in order to understand American literature."
Cheryl Lester associate professor of english and american studies
Cheryl Lester
American,' and the other one asking the question 'what is literature.'
Tim Rupp, Garden City senior, said the class was not what he had expected, but he was learning a lot.
"I thought we were going to read Faulkner and Hemingway and all that stuff. Everybody is supposed to read to be culturally literate at some point in time, which would have been fine with me." Rupp said. "But, this is a pleasant surprise."
Rupp said the class forced students to become aware of what has shaped them in their American experience and to analyze their belief systems and prejudices.
"It opens your eyes to the American experience for minorities, which is completely different from the American experience that I've had as a white male with blue eyes," Rupp said.
Lester said she hoped that the ideas she presented in class would help to make an impact.
"The more we know about ourselves and about other people, I think the more democratic our society will be," Lester said.
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