Kansan
Weather
Today: Partly cloudy with a high of 73 and a low of 56.
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy with a high of 72 and a low of 54.
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Wednesday, October 11, 2000
Sports: Kansas Athletics Director said yesterday football coach Terry Allen would return as coach of the Jayhawks next year.
See page 1B
(USPS 650-640) • VOL. 111 NO. 32 For comments, contact Nathan Willis or Chris Borniger at 864-4810 or e-mail edito@kansan.com
Online: Log on to www.kansan.com/chat at 8 p.m. to chat about Terry Allen's future and other news topics.
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Students pitch ideas for new rec center
By Kursten Phelps
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Planners of the new student recreation center wanted to know what students thought the center should be like, but only about 10 students showed up last night to tell them.
The Organizations and Leadership Lecture Series sponsored a town hall meeting last night in Elsworth Hall for students to voice their opinions to the Recreation Center Program Planning Committee.
The discussion ranged from the type of equipment that students wanted to suggestions about landscape and design.
The development of a new recreation center started in April 1999 when the student body approved a referendum to construct a new building. In January, the Board of Regents approved the $17 million building and its location south of Watkins Memorial Health Center.
The Kansas Legislature in May approved the proposal, including the $15 student fee increase that went into effect this fall.
In July, the Ken Ebert Design Group of Manhattan was selected to design the building. Construction is set to begin this summer or next fall, and the building should be complete in Fall 2002.
The students who attended the meeting said they would prefer a more health club-style environment*
RECREATION CENTER
warner happened; In January, the Board of Regents approved a $17 million recreation center to be built south of Watkins Memorial Health Center. In May, the Kansas Legislature approved the project, and an architecture firm was selected in July.
What it means: Students paid $15 more in required fees this fall to pay for the building. Next fall, the fee increases to $34.
What's next? The Recreation Center Program Planning Committee will meet and begin designing and planning the building. Construction is tentatively set to begin this summer or next fall and be completed in Fall 2002.
than Robinson Gymnasium provided.
"What's lacking in Robinson is that you really can't relax there and sit back over a juice until you recover before going home," said Nathan Bliss, Lawrence junior. "If you're going to have it truly for students, then by God, have a section with a juice counter, where you can watch ESPN and play checkers if you want. That's a recreation center."
The consensus from the students was that space should be dedicated to free weights, cardiovascular machines and other exercise equipment. The machines in Robinson, they said, were inadequate.
See FORUM on page 3A
Mary Chappell, director of recreation services, talks to students about the new recreation center. The Organizations and Leadership Lecture Series sponsored a town hall meeting last night at Ellsworth Hall to get feedback from students about the new addition. Photo by Brad Dreier/KANSAN
Health center to receive flu vaccine late
Kansan staff writer
By Jennifer Valadez
As flu season approaches, a nationwide delay in distribution of flu vaccines has left Watkins Memorial Health Center without any of the vaccines.
"We're not sure when the shipment will be in," he said. "No one in town has received their ships either."
But Bill Smith, health educator at Watkins, said that although he was uncertain as to the vaccine's exact arrival date, it should arrive at the end of this month.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a formal recommendation for health care providers to focus vaccination efforts on high risk individuals because of the delay.
Those considered at high risk include people older than 65, the chronically ill and health care providers who administer the shot.
Smith said he didn't know if the delayed shipment to the University of Kansas and the Lawrence community was the result of the CDC recommendation.
"I don't think that's the case," he said.
"They're trying to get the young vaccine distributed to as many providers as possible. Once we do get the vaccine, we'll schedule clinics to get them to the students. We're not sure if we're getting the full amount requested, either."
Smith said once the vaccine was available it would cost $5 for students.
he said that no cases of the flu had been reported on campus but urged students to take the necessary precautions. Although the shot is the best way to prevent contracting the flu, Smith said students should wash their hands regularly, avoid sharing items with others that could pass germs and avoid smoking and second-hand smoke. They should also cover their mouths when coughing and sneezing and avoid alcohol use.
Jesse Bobbett, El Dorado junior, said he had received his vaccination before coming to the University this year. He also said it was important that the current shortage be taken care of as soon as possible.
"Avoiding contact with others is kind of hard in the university environment when you're in classes with everybody," Smith said.
But he said steering clear of the flu could be difficult.
Smith said according to CDC reports, approximately 80 to 85 million doses were produced last year for distribution in the United States, and this year's numbers were uncertain.
"I definitely think it's important because it can be spread very easily," he said. "They need to do something about the shortage because there's going to be a lot of sick people."
"They will continually assess that as they progress through the season," Smith said.
— Edited by Worries Chilladura
Hitting the books
Shu-Fang Ni,
Touliu, Taiwan
graduate student,
reviews for a
statistics exam
at Watson Library.
Many students were at
the library yesterday to prepare for midterms. Photo by Jamie
Roper/KANSAN
Residents want 2-for-1 permits at Sunflower, Stouffer Place
By Rob Pazell
Trisha Kroll was frustrated because she and her husband were paying for two parking permits to park at Stouffer Place and Sunflower apartments.
She went door-to-door at the apartments with a petition, trying to gain support for what she thought was the only fair option for the nontraditional student families on a limited income who live there — two parking permits for the price of one.
"A lot of people that live here don't have incomes," she said. "It's a huge extra expense that doesn't seem necessary."
Kroll, president of the Stouffer Neighborhood Association and a student assistant for housing maintenance, has been trying for three years to convince the parking board to allow Stouffer/Sunflower residents to purchase two-for-one parking permits. A single permit costs $75. She presented a petition to the parking board at its first meeting Oct. 3.
By Rob Pazzol
writer@kansas.com
Kansan staff writer
"The parking department didn't feel we had much of a voice." Kroll said. "So we went around the neighborhood, presented a petition and sent it to parking."
student Senate passed a resolution Oct. 5, 1990 requesting two-for-one parking passes for married housing. The resolution said that requiring residents to buy two passes incurred unnecessary expenses and created a situation contrary to the mission of Stouffer Place and Sunflower apartments.
Kim Fuchs, Student Executive Committee chairwoman, said that because the resolution was nonbinding, the parking board wasn't required to make any changes.
Donna Hultine, assistant director of parking, said two-for-one permits had come up as an issue for both the 1979-1988 and 1988-1999 school years. She said it never got out of the rules committee because parking is self-supporting and it costs the same to make a space for each and every student.
Fuchs said that many students had approached Senate to inquire about the progress of the resolution, and that Senate would reiterate its support by writing another resolution. The parking department has the final say, however.
"Even though we feel that the parking department must do it, they don't have to," Fuchs said. "We can't make them do anything."
"There are students who would like it to happen," Fuchs said. "But ultimately, it's not our decision."
Morris Faiman, chairman for the parking rules committee, said the committee planned to discuss the resolution at its next meeting.
"It has ramifications across campus," Faiman said. "I can assure you it will be discussed, and something will be done."
"If the committee allowed that to go through, there's so many other arguments that people can make," Hultine said. "They just didn't want to set a precedent for giving free passes for the inability to pay."
- Edited by Shawn Hutchinson
International students watch election closely
By Leita Schultes
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
More than six percent of students on campus won't be eligible to go to the polls this November. But they are just as interested in the political process as many of their voting peers.
They are the international students who come to the University of Kansas, immersed in a new culture under a new political system. And although they view campaigns and debates from the fringes, they do have opinions.
associate professor of political science. International students tend to be especially knowledgeable about American foreign policy, he said.
Some international students know more about the U.S. political system than their American peers, said Leonardo Villalon,
Frances Tan, a senior from Malaysia, agreed.
"I follow the political stuff." "Dan said. 'But you know what I can't do anything about it.'"
Villalon said international students,such as Tan could find campaigns different from their expectations.
"What frequently surprises international students is how little choice there is," Villalon said.
He said politicians in some foreign countries had very distinct platforms, while presidential candidates in the United States aimed for middle-ground policies that appealed to
Some students, though, just are happy to be in the United States during such a politically
Tan added that one difference between the United States and Malaysia was that U.S. politicians ran on an individual basis. There is more unity in Malaysia, she said, where entire political parties are voted in and out of office.
the entire population.
"For us, I think it's more of a contest because your whole government is on the line," she said.
"That's a bit of disillusionment for some," he said.
Villalon said the power of money also surprised international students. They often don't realize that wealth helps a candidate win an election.
Kondwani Kankondo, a graduate student from Malawi, Africa, said he had been following the campaigns in order to feel competent as a journalist.
"To understand the people, you need to know what governs them, what drives their societies," he said.
exciting time.
Kankondo said the campaign had been relatively positivo this year, and he did not understand the reasons behind voter apathy, a common problem in the United States.
.
But in at least one way, Kankondo is like many other people in the United States the few weeks before the election: His main interest is who will win.
— Edited by Amy Randolph
---
4