Section B
The University Daily Kansan
Majors&Careers
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2000
For comments, contact Clare McLellan at 864-4810 or e-mail editor@kansan.com
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Graduation can require more than four years
By Becky Lake Special to the Kansan
Your parents want you to do it. Your professors might expect you to do it. Your older sister sure did it. Perhaps you wanted to do it as well. But then there was that nine-hour semester, those classes that weren't really necessary and those passing grades that, unfortunately, were.
Whatever the reason and whatever the expectations, graduating in four years isn't that common among University of Kansas students, and hasn't been for a long time.
"Out of the whole group of about 20 of us that lived on my dorm floor freshman year, I'd say maybe three graduated in four years," said Sarah Galloway, who graduated last spring.
Galloway's peer group is not far from the official statistics. Of freshman entering the University in 1993, only 23.4 percent graduated in four years. According to the Office of Institutional Research and Flanning, 47.1 percent of the class of '93 graduated in five years, and by the time six years passed, 53.1 percent had graduated. There's not much new here — the statistics have remained consistent for the past 20 years.
Delaying reasons
Diana Carlin, dean of graduate school and international programs, said the reasons students take longer than four years to graduate varied.
"There are many reasons," she said. "You have a certain cluster of students who naturally aren't going to graduate in four years. The bottom line is there is no single explanation. For each student who starts here and doesn't graduate in four, there's an individual reason."
Reasons for an extended stay at the University can range from lack of planning to lack of financial assistance. Some students simply need some time to figure out what they want to do in the world.
Aaron Champion, Overland Park senior, said his lack of direction in his first few years at the University affected his graduation time.
"It's very difficult for a freshman coming into the University who doesn't know what they want to do to get started on a four-year plan," said Champion, who plans to graduate in five and a half years. "As far as four-year degrees, it takes a certain kind of person, taking 15 to 18 hours a semester, to get through."
Still other students find they can't obtain the schedules they need to graduate. Danny Rogovein, who graduated in May, took six years to earn his B.F.A. in theater design. Rogovein said this was partly because he didn't get the schedules he wanted.
"It's a combination of probably not 100 percent effort and classes not being offered in a manner conducive to graduating in four years," he said.
Rogovein said costume design, a class necessary for his major, was offered every third semester, and he was not able to get into the class when he wanted. He had to wait a year and a half to take the class.
"The theater design program is kind of weird in that it's part fine arts and part CLAS." he said. "It makes it kind of weird in scheduling things."
Carlin said students needed to be flexible as to what classes they would take.
"If you say you're just going to take classes between 10:30 and 1:30, you're not going to get out of here on time." Carlin said.
In addition to flexibility in scheduling, Carlin said students should take advantage of the advising KU offers them.
"To try to increase the number of students who graduate in four years, I really think there needs to be good advising and flexibility of the student," she said.
See FOUR-YEAR on page 78
Yet being flexible and meeting regularly with an adviser can't overcome other obstacles prolonging the track to graduation. Many students work to support themselves through school, limiting the number of hours they can take per semester.
"A lot of students are self-supporting and may be not taking a full load because they're working 80-40 hours a week," she said.
Overcoming the barriers
Carlin said she recognized that work- ing was a factor affecting students.
Local merchant Mark Swanson has been self-employed since the age of 18. He and his wife now own Hobbs, Inc. and Spectator's in downtown Lawrence. Portrait by Jami Rooper/KANSAN
Owning business presents perils, prize
By Louise Stauffer Kansan correspondent
Every morning in Lawrence, entrepreneurs open their doors and take numerous risks, all for the sake of owning their own business.
Lawrence is a place where locally-owned businesses thrive, with owners varying in education, financial status, and experience. At a glance, the ingredient to a successful business seems simple; a darn good idea. But there's more to it than that.
"The best advice I can give you is to start small," said Jeff Morrow, professor of business. "Too many people go into business and spend way too much money at the beginning.
"When I started Yello Sub in 1979, it was just a hole in the business. Businesses that fall often don't start out in garages. You need to build up to it," he said.
Morrow owned Yello Sub until he sold it in 1988.
Mark and Kathy Swanson, owners of Hobbs, 700 Massachusetts St., and Spectator's, 710 Massachusetts St., also started small.
"Our first store was 800 square feet," said Mark Swanson, who has been self-employed since the age of 18. "Now Spectator's is 3,000 square feet."
Young entrepreneurs are learning from the example that role models have set. Today's entrepreneurs expect to start successful businesses earlier than the previous generation.
"People do want to get started younger," Morrow said. "But they need to have a few years of real-world employment first, and I think that they realize that."
Morrow is also the adviser of the student organization Students In Free Enterprise.
"There are so many opportunities for young entrepreneurs right now, such as The Rudd Family Entrepreneural Fund," he said.
The Rudd Family Entrepreneurial Fund is a private, nonprofit organization founded by Leslie Rudd. One million dollars was set aside and will be invested in a student's business plan that is approved by the Fund's Board of Directors.
To be eligible for the program, a student must be enrolled at the University of Kansas. Students interested in submitting proposals can
pick up applications and instruction forms through each School of Business faculty member as well on the Rudd Foundation Web site: www.rudd-foundation.org.
Business owners unanimously agree that having a strong work ethic is vital to starting a business.
"If you are wanting to own your own business, you need to go into it being prepared to work harder than you would for someone else," said Becky Bowers, co-owner of Penny Annie's Sweet Shoppe and Popcorn, 845 Massachusetts St., with her daughter. Swanson agrees.
"Owning a business is a lifelong commitment," he said. "When it's yours, you don't walk away. If it fails, we fail."
Many students studying business see advantages and drawbacks of owning their own business.
"I would like to get into owning my own business eventually. There is a lot of risk involved, but the payoffs are substantial," said Greg Jarrell, Lawrence senior in business communications.
Risk taking is a thing all business owners experience.
"The risk is high." Swanson said. "I am constantly nervous, and there is always pressure, but that's what makes it good."
Most beginning entrepreneurs need to take out loans to start their business endeavors.
"Make sure you have a good credit report." Morrow said.
Swanson likened owning a business to having a child.
"No matter how many times your mom tries to tell you what they're like, until you have one yourself you'll never understand," she said.
Becky Bowers is the co-owner of Penny Annie's Sweet Shoppe and Popcorn, 845 Massachusetts St. "If you are wanting to own your own business, you need to go into it being prepared to work harder than you would for someone else," Bowers said.
Web site wizards ride online business wave
John Nguyen works on his two Web sites from his workstation at Joseph R. Pearson Hall. John started the site bluedojo.com two years ago and started the site vsacentral.com this semester. Photo by Craig Bennett/KANSAN
Bv Mimi Nauyen
By Mimi Nguyen
Kansan correspondent
These days, every business seems to have a Web site.
However, in our high-tech world, more businesses are based solely online. With this increasingly popular trend in business, some Jayhawks are also jumping on the wagon to start e-businesses.
Three men with University of Kansas ties have started Digital Evolution, a full-service Internet provider. The company consists of Neal Charma, 24, who has an MBA from KU, Dale Hazlett, a 29-year-old graduate student working on his MBA and Law degrees, and Jasvindarjit Singh, 30, who holds degrees in Computer and Electrical Engineering as well as an MBA.
Their site, www.digitalev.com,
has been in operation since
November. It specializes in
Internet applications, databases,
corporate portables and multimedia for businesses.
John C. Nguyen, 23, is the creator of blue DoJO Studios, an online Web design firm. Nguyen is a '99 graduate in Chemistry and Biochemistry. He originally intended to enter medical school, but he found his niche in Web design and started his own Internet business two years ago with the help of his brothers, Jim, Wichita senior, and Hung, Wichita sophomore.
The site. www蓝联dojoestudios.com, specializes in helping students and businesses set up their own Web sites. The brothers also operate and the online community www.vsacentral.com, which serves as a forum for different chapters of Vietnamese Student Association. The site offers chat rooms, message boards and activity listings for members to interact and embrace Vietnamese culture.
the two groups began their
TIPS FOR STARTING A WEB BUSINESS
Submit business for listing on at least 400 search engines.
Advertise to 5,000 customers each month on Web sites that target prospective customers.
■ E-mail customers. Make sure customers can easily join an e-mail list so they can receive announcements and offers to keep them returning and purchasing.
businesses for separate reasons.
manages for separate reasons. The Digital Evolution group did because they weren't comfortable with the idea of working under someone.
"It's risky to trust someone with your destiny," Charma said. "You could be laid-off, or become a result of downsizing because of a merger."
See INTERNET on page 78
Multiple majors demand motivation, commitment
By Adam Pracht
Ask most college students if they would take 18 hours a semester or give up their precious summer vacation to go to summer school, and they might look at you as if you had just asked them to test a new parachute-free skydiving technique.
Kansan correspondent
You won't get that look from Kodi Tillery, Kansas City, Kan., sophomore. She is a double major in broadcast news and English.
Tillery came to the University of Kansas last year with 22 credit hours. She said she hoped that a double major would help her achieve her career goal of becoming an anchor for a news program.
Double majors are rare, said Pam Houston, director of program coordination in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She said that of the 214 seniors who graduated this summer, only 14 had two majors.
"It will really give me an edge on other people when I search for a job," she said.
Sally Frost Mason, dean of liberal arts and sciences, said few tried for two majors because it was hard work.
Frost Mason characterized the typical double-major student as a hard worker and fairly focused in the work they want to do.
Frost Mason said getting two degrees is possible, but requires self-motivation and good planning. The core classes for most CLAS majors are identical, and some classes may apply to both majors.
"It doesn't hurt to be very bright, but I wouldn't say that's the only criteria here," she said.
However, if the curriculum is not carefully planned, it is possible that two degrees may take more than the usual four years.
"We don't encourage that if we can help it." Frost Mason said.
Despite the extra work, there also are significant benefits. Frost Mason said she encouraged the extra work for the broader range of curriculum, ideas and the diverse courses that a double major would open up to the student.
Working on a double major doesn't have to mean students put the rest of their lives on hold. Tillery still manages to find time for social interaction, working for a TV station and helping to organize the Pre-Journalism club.
"I think that if you have more than one interest, it's really good," Tillery said. "If you can handle it, then I recommend it."
There are many combinations for students' double majors. Psychology combined with human development and family life is probably one of the most common, Houston said. Many students also choose a foreign language as their second major or choose two majors in closely-related fields.
Students also have the option of a minor in a variety of fields; the college alone offers minors in 27 different fields and the
professional schools offer some minors as well. Completing a minor is a viable option for students who feel they don't have the time for a double major. Minors require much less commitment, as most require only 18-21 hours of credit in classes specific to the minor.
For underclassmen, the Freshman-
Sophomore Advising Center is available
for more information at 864-2834.
Upperclassmen should contact CLAS
Undergraduate Services at 864-3500.
Students also can contact advisers in both
majors they are considering.
Of course, there can be too much of a good thing. Some students seek more than two degrees.
"Just today we had a student come in that was wanting to declare his fourth major," Houston said.
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— Edited by J. R. Mendoza
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