UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday. February 25.1994
7
Students get a taste of real world
University research assists companies
By Susan White Kansan staff writer
Engineering faculty and graduate students are doing more than just University research on West Campus.
Tim Johnson, associate research engineer for the Center of Excellence and Computer Aided Systems Engineering, said the center does research for Kansas City area companies whose names are kept confidential for competitive purposes.
The center conducts system engineering research for these companies, Johnson said. Students doing the research are paid by the University.
"We focus on the design and consideration of whole computer systems used by these companies," Johnson said. "In other words, we look at the design of the systems from end to end. We consider the whole life of the pro-
Most of the research work was done by the graduate students, Johnson said.
cess."
"Some students help design or update software products," he said. "Others help develop research plans and investigate what the companies may want to use in their systems."
Johnson said one of the center's main projects this year was to design a computer program to help a Kansas company create its annual marketing plan with less hassle.
Huseiny Sevay, Cyprus graduate student, said he was working on a different program at the center that would help a Kansas hydraulic press company quickly solve its customers' problems.
"Alarge portion of the problems that the company's service department deals with are done by phone," he said. "During the call, the service technician needs to have easy access to the customer's records plus know how to fix the customer's problem."
They have to assess a lot of information but do not have an easy way to
access it," he said. "They need to have an expert system on one side of the phone to fix the problem."
The program would enable the technician to be more helpful to the customer without having to recall everything about the product and the customer from memory. Sevay said.
Johnson said the research center was a valuable asset to the graduate students.
Scott Woodward, systems engineer for the research center, said that as a graduate student last year, he created computer models of company operations.
"They showed the manufacturing as well as the business operations of the companies," he said. "Looking at a model representation is the best way to figure out how a company works."
"They get a taste of real world jobs while earning an income," he said. "They are forced to treat it like a real job because they are expected to have tangible results and work so many hours each week. The research will also provide professional connections in their fields."
Election preparation begins early STUDENT Spending Limits
Even though Student Senate elections won't be until April, the elections commission is already busy making changes and working with candidates.
The commission sets recommended budgets for the campaign, hears complaints and makes sure the elections run smoothly.
The commission cannot make spending limits mandatory, because of a court ruling that made it unconstitutional to set spending limits.
Jennifer Ford, elections commissioner, said limits would put all the candidates on an even playing field.
Last night was the first candidate workshop about campaign rules. The workshop was held mainly for the benefit of the presidential and vicepresidential candidates. Spending limits, filing requirements, expense and campaign activity reports, campaign procedures and violations procedures were discussed.
STUDENT SENATE
Workshops on March 29 and 30 were mandatory said Ford.
Ford said there was one major change from last year's election.
"Upon a request from OAKS, we decided to leave two polls until 7 p.m. on the first day of elections," she said. "This will help non-traditional students and other students get to the poll."
Another change required each coalition to check for complaints daily, and weekly hearings on the complaints would be held. Ford said.
Scott Moore, chair of the elections commission, said that most complaints were about campaign signs being sabotaged or about a coalition having two signs on one board.
Moore said that last year's election was more negative and personal in nature, but he said he didn't think that would be the case this year.
"This year, candidates are on different platforms but there aren't any personal conflicts," he said. "It makes our life easier if the candidates want to be elected, not just beat each other."
The elections commission hopes to have a high voter turn out this year, said Moore.
"Last year it was high because there was three coalitions and one independent group," he said. "It helps to get
Recommended spending limits for 1994 Student Senate elections:
Total possible for colection — $2,575
Spending of last year in a winning coin
Independent president and vice president
-$1,000
President and vice president of coalfaction — $700
Coalition expenses per senatorial division. 1.25
Independent senator — $200
the voters out."
A smooth election is another goal of the commission. Moore said.
"We hope it will be unbiased on our and the candidates part," he said. "It will help that we have an experienced elections commission. We can learn from our mistakes."
Moore said that the worst thing that could happen in the election would be for someone to get hurt.
"I don't want anyone to get hurt, personally or physically," he said. "I was disgusted with the negative propaganda last year. I hope that the coalitions will run on the merits of their platforms. Student Senate elections should not be a reflection of our government."
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928 Mass. Downtown Park in the rear
SERENGETI DRIVERS
NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK.
Clever use of white space can be extremely effective. Use it to your advantage in your next
ad. To make it work for you, just be sure you place your ad where students look first.