Thursday, November 16, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Lawrence gets singled out
By Matt Merkel-Hess writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer.
Looking for love in all the wrong places? Well, you don't have to look far to find other singles in Lawrence, according to Money magazine.
The personal finance publication ranked Lawrence fourth in the category of "most single people" in its 14th annual ranking of livable cities. In the singles ranking, Lawrence trailed Bryant-College Station, Texas; Gainesville, Fla.; and Bloomington, Ind.
Money named Portland, Ore., as the most livable city in the country, drawing on information such as education, commute time and entertainment options.
KU students had mixed reactions to the ranking.
Stephanie Mehring, Overland Park
junior, said she wasn't single, and she thought big cities would be a better place to be single.
"You just have one type of person here," she said. "I guess it just depends on what you're looking for."
Ryan Haga, Tulsa, Okla., graduate student, said there were plenty of things to do in Lawrence. As a student, however, Haga said it was difficult to find time to go out and meet people.
"As far as meeting people to go out with, I meet more at work than at KU," he said.
Mary Kellerman, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore, said she didn't mind being single because it was easy to meet people at parties and on campus.
"It's a college town, and you've got a huge concentration of single people," she said.
Adrienne Smith, Ellinwood senior, said Lawrence wasn't the greatest place for singles. Smith, who is single, said the ranking
meant more for outsiders looking at Lawrence than for the people who live here.
"There's really not that much to do," she said. "And people don't tend to be overly friendly and willing to approach others if they are interested in dating someone."
McSweeney, who is not single, said the University and its students contributed to the mix of people and things to do.
"Lawrence just has an energy to it that makes people want to get out and do things and meet people," he said.
But Darren McSweeney, Wichita junior, said he thought the music scene, bars, parties and the ease of meeting other students made this a great town for singles.
"People here are really laid back and interesting to be around," he said. "If you can't meet someone in Lawrence, you've got a problem."
— Edited by Shawn Hutchinson
Jamie Brahm, Overland Park senior, files a silver coin shape that she'll make into a necklace, which could be displayed, along with other students' work, in Germany. She is one of seven metal students who will be traveling to Germany for an exhibit in November. Photos by Selena Jabara/KANSAN
Chris Slater,
Overland Park
senior, soders a silver necklace that may be displayed in an exhibit at the Ostholstein Museum in Germany. Seven students from the senior metalsmithing department and seven professors will have work shown in the exhibition.
Students design display jewelry with dream theme
By Jennifer Valadez
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Students in Matti Mattsson's advanced metals class have been learning the importance of maintaining balance.
This fall, Mattsson, a visiting instructor in the art of metalsmithing and making jewelry, has been instructing the class of seven seniors on designing boats. The boats and some student-designed jewelry will be part of a critique at 5 p.m. today at Potter Lake.
"I chose boats because they need to be balanced, and the water critique will prove that," said Mattsson, who is from Finland. "If it's wrong for the water, it's wrong for the person who will be wearing the jewelry."
"My designs are based on the stars and the moon — the night sky," said Cord Criss, Prairie Village senior.
Along with designing the boats for the critique, students also have designed jewelry that has a different theme.
Students will travel to Eutin, Germany, Lawrence's sister city, and display their jewelry designs in an exhibition Nov. 24-26.
Criss said the inspiration for his designs came from his dreams. He said he started thinking about his dreams in conjunction with the theme of the exhibition in Germany, which is "Dreams and Poems."
"I started thinking of dreams I had had that were vivid and inspiring," he said. "I just thought about floating up into the sky and what that symbolizes."
Courtney Starrett, Overland Park senior, said the brooch, pendant and ring she designed were based on the design of carnivorous plants.
"I took that from the shapes and curves of the plants as well as dreams," she said. "They were in my dreams, so I researched them and got the designs from that."
Both Criss and Starrett said they had enjoyed the experience.
"It's been really good because his perspective of the world is a lot different than ours because he's from a different country." Criss said. "In terms of being a professional in jewelry, he brings a lot because he's had a lot of experience and that's been really invaluable."
"It's been wonderful to have outside input and a different way of teaching," she said. "It's really interesting to have someone from a different country. It's been a good mind-expanding experience to look at things differently than we usually do here."
Starrett said she also appreciated the unique perspective Mattsson brought to the class.
"We have been working a lot to go to Germany, and I hope they will be able to sell their work there," he said. "What's most important is to go through this process and the critique. Germany is a good place because they have a history in metalsmith jewelry, so they'll know what good work is."
Mattsson said he hoped the students would gain valuable experience through both the critique and the trip to Germany.
Student Senate continues work on new center
By Kusten Phelps
writer@fanson.com
Kansan staff writer
Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of five stories examining Student Senate's impact on students.
- Edited by Katie Teske
The crammed weight room in Robinson Gymnasium soon will be relieved by a spacious recreation center.
"Senate's had a huge impact," Marshall said. "A recreation task force was created through Student Senate that dealt with issues about the rec center. It looked at how students felt about Robinson, and we found out there were indeed some problems."
In the April 1999 Senate elections, nearly 70 percent of voters
Senate was also involved in determining the fee, which will increase to $98 next year. Marshall said Senate had worked
Watkins Memorial Health Center, and that is largely because of Student Senate efforts, said Marlon Marshall, student body vice president.
But Simpson said the fee increase and new recreation center had a-negative effect on students, too.
"The that fee increase came right before a set of tuition increases, and I think it hurt our credibility going to the statehouse," Simpson said. "Several legislators told me it was hypocritical that we were decrying a dollar increase in tuition rates when we had increased our own fees $49."
Senate could allocate money to canoe club
"Id like to think that throughout the process, they've been No. 1 as far as making suggestions," Chappell said. "We take everything they say quite seriously and to heart."
hard to limit the fiscal impact on students by not increasing the fee all in one year.
- Edited by Kimberly Thompson
Mary Chappell, director of recreation services, said Senate representatives and other students were crucial members of the recreation planning committee.
"There were very specific things promised in the referendum, and I hope those are provided," Simpson said.
Erin Simpson, off campus senator who opposed the 1999 referendum, said now that the new recreation center was moving forward, it was Senate's responsibility to keep its promises.
Kansan staff writer
By Kursten Phelps
the amount to $5,105 before passing it.
The group registered as a student organization last week but has participated in regional and national competitions for 26 years. The team — made up of mostly of engineering students — design, build and race concrete canoes.*
Jennifer Jones, St. Louis senior and team member, said the group had sought its funding from corporate and private sponsors. Covering the rising cost of materials has led to poorer contest performances, she said.
The Concrete Canoe Club kept its hopes for Student Senate funding afloat after two Senate committees passed a bill to allocate it money last night.
The original bill for $7,535 was approved by the University Affairs Committee, but the Finance Committee reduced
"If we get this funding and do well this year, it's something we can take back to these corporations," Jones said. "Corporations will be more likely to sponsor us in the future."
Ben Burton, Finance Committee member, said he wasn't against the group, but he didn't think it should be granted Senate money because it was geared toward engineering students. He said their work was "an academic project," and their request was "creative labeling and creative accounting."
But Olivia Stockman, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences senator and co-sponsor of the bill,
said even though the team used concepts engineering students learned, participation was voluntary, and the students did not receive academic credit.
To be enacted, the bill must be approved by Senate at its 6:30 p.m. meeting Wednesday, Nov. 29 at the Kansas Room in the Kansas Union. In other business:
The Student Rights and University Affairs committees approved a bill forgiving a $140,000 loan Senate granted to KU on Wheels in 1986 to cover a budget shortfall. If Senate passes the bill, KU on Wheels would not have to repay the loan to the Senate reserve account and could keep its money in its own interest-earning reserve account.
The Student Rights and University Affairs committees approved a bill requiring senators to attend at least one meeting of their constituents a month. Appointed senators of groups such as Black Student Union and the Association of University Residence Halls would be exempt from the rule because they already attend regular meetings.
The University Affairs committee voted against a resolution requesting Lawrence to repeal its ordinance outlawing skating and skateboarding on Jayhawk Boulevard. The Student Rights Committee approved the bill, but it will not go to Senate because it was not passed by two committees.
The Finance Committee approved a bill increasing the student health fee by $6 to $92 starting next year. The bill must be approved by Senate Nov. 29 before it can be put into effect.
The Finance Committee approved a bill to grant the Black Student Union $5,230 to cover expenses for the Big 12 Conference on Black Student Government.
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