C
SPORTS: The Kansas men's basketball team, coming off a loss at Iowa State, will play Colorado tomorrow, PAGE 9.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL.102, NO.109
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
KANSAS STATE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOPEKA KS 66612
FRIDAY,FEBRUARY 26,1993
(USrew)
NEWS: 864-4810
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
Classes canceled at snowed-in KU
Paul Kotz / KANSAN
Some students used their time off from classes yesterday to jump off the Parking Facility into a 1.2-foot pile of snow, which was plowed off the top level. Michael Orcutt, Charleston, S.C., senior, jumps off the northwest corner of the garage while Amanda Large, Newton sophomore, and Kristin Hoyne, Fenton, Mo., freshman, watch. Large and Hoyne jumped next, then James Pattillo, Boston senior, and Orcutt jumped. Orcutt prepares to land in the pile.
Students plunge from top level of Parking Facility
Michael Orcutt, Charleston, S.C., senior, watched a Bobcat plow some snow into a big pile on the side of the Parking Facility.
He then looked at the top of the garage and got an idea. He elimbed the five flights of stairs to the top of the garage and looked around. He was almost as high as Allen Field House. He could see the rooftops of Robinson Center and the Burge Union.
He then got a running start—and jumped.
"I was leery before the first jump." Orcutt said, "but after I was done I wanted to do it again."
Amanda Large, Newton sophomore, and Kristin Hoyne, Fenton, Mo., freshman, watched as Orcutt and his friend, James Pattillo, Boston senior, jumped for the first time.
"When we were at the bottom of the garage, it really didn't look that bad," Large said. "But it sure looked far from the top."
Hoyne, who tried later, said she was scared but was "in a crazy mood."
"You have to try something at least once," she said. Hoyne and Large held hands when they jumped off the ramp.
"I didn't scream because my roommate was screaming for me." Large said.
"When we landed you could hear that 'poosh' sound effect. 'she said. It was cool."
Large said landing in the snow did not hurt.
Dan England
See related stories, Page 8.
Unsafe roads lead to closing
By Jess DeHaven Kansan staff writer
A snowstorm that damped several inches of snow on Lawrence yesterday caused the cancellation of an entire day of classes for the first time in eight years.
It also was only the fifth time in 20 years that an entire day's classes had been canceled, said Harlan Roedel of University Relations.
Ed Meyen, executive vice chancellor, decided early yesterday to cancel classes.
Rodger Oroke, university director of support services, advises Meyen on conditions around campus. He said treacherous road conditions were an important factor in canceling classes for the entire day.
"The buses weren't able to get through, and they play a key role in this weather in getting students to classes," he said. "The major snowstorm was still in our midst at 5:30 to 6 a.m. It wasn't safe to drive the hills and streets to class." Lawrence police said that despite the snow, there were
Lawrence police said that despite the snow, there were relatively few accidents.
"We've had no more than the ordinary amount of accidents," Sgt. Mark Warren of the Lawrence police department said. "We have more accidents when there's only two or three inches of snow because people don't use caution." Lt John Mullens said that the KU police had been called to only four accidents by yesterday afternoon and that the
The Douglas County sheriff reported no accidents.
"If you keep in mind that we normally have 25,000 to 28,000 students on campus at 3 in the afternoon and on a day like this we only have a few thousand on campus, it's easy to see that there is less traffic and fewer accidents," Mullens said.
Mark Akin, KU Weather Service forecaster, said eight inches of snow fell on campus yesterday. He said that snow might fall again on Sunday but that total accumulation would be less than one inch.
John Stockham, Meriden junior, said he did not know classes were canceled until he reached campus. He tried to call the KU Information Center, but it was busy.
Some students trudged up to campus even though classes were canceled.
"It's not a big deal to me," he said. "I just wish I could have slept in."
Kansan staff writers Dan England, Todd Selfert and Blake Spumey contributed.
See story, Page 3.
Source: Kansan staff research
Andrew Hodges / KANSAN
Rock Chalk Revue opened last night, and months of rehearsing and refining the one-act musicals ended for the cast. Take a look at the backstage preparation before the first spotlight hit the stage.
Miss Black Kansas expresses pride in her heritage
Black is more than a skin tone, she says
By Angelina Lopez Special to the Kansan
Representing a slave woman, she winds a head wrap around her hair and speaks of that woman's strength.
Dressed in black, she talks softly,
representing a Black woman with no
idea who she is, where her roots lie or
what her future will be.
She then pulls on the skirt of an African woman and talks about that woman's pride.
"In the end, I realize that, being a Black woman, I am all these things," said Karen Blackwell, Miss Black Kansas 1963. "I have all these women in me, and that's who I am."
This is how Blackwidw, a Wheaton,
Il. freshman, will define herself in the
creative expression category, one of several judged events at the Miss Black USA pageant in Washington this weekend.
"My parents think I'm too bold, too daring. 'Blackwell was
But Blackwell has made it a point to communicate the pride she feels for her Black heritage and community. For the talent display category, she will recite a dramatic reading she wrote, titled "Mishead." It is an angry blast against those who would define the word Black as evil, wicked, harmful, soiled or dirty.
"My teachers would always say to me, Why do you always write about Black things?" she said. "I'd say, 'Oh sorry,' and then stop writing about Black things. Then I'd think, Why am I writing about white things? I'm Black!"
Blackwell has been writing short stories and dramatic pieces since she
"I've had problems with that," Blackwell said. "Light skinned or dark skinned, it's just the same. It's so funny that people are like, 'How dare you be prejudiced against me,' and then they turn around and be prejudiced against people that are lighter skinned."
Story continues. Page 7.
Blackwell said she thought that being Black was not simply a skin tone but was an integral part of who she was. Because of that, she enjoys exploring all the facets of being Black and wants to educate herself about her heritage and her role in modern society.
was 12 years old. She said that many things inspired her but that she wrote a lot about the conflicts between light-skinned people and dark-skinned people.
To do that, she has become involved in several Black student groups on
karen Blackwell, Wheaton, ill., freshman and Miss Black Kansas, emcee a fashion show Tuesday. She will participate this week in the Miss Black USA pageant.