Section A · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, September 25, 2000
Online sales cause University headaches
Continued from page 1A
wanted the bookstores to do about the advertising situation.
"They haven't given us any alternative except not to advertise our domain name," Reid said. "I don't know if it would do any good to advertise toward a different market. We don't sell textbooks to people in Russell, Kan."
The conflict between the two retailers resulted after the Athletics Department added an online component to its KU merchandise sales this summer. Previously, the department sold merchandise at events only.
Warren said the addition of KUstore.com to the Athletics Department Web site was a way for the department to earn higher returns on its investment in Internet technology. Besides providing information and selling merchandise, the department plans to ultimately sell tickets and accept contributions via the Internet.
He said the online store also served as a new source of needed revenue.
"The revenue to support our athletic programs has to come from somewhere, and our goal is to minimize the impact on ticket prices." Warren said. "The only way we can continue to operate is to identify new sources of revenue. We've maximized our revenues from the basketball program, and we reach a point where we have diminishing returns on some of our revenue sources."
Currently, both the University of Kansas Athletic Corporation and the Kansas Union Memorial Corporation receive a share of revenues from licensed merchandise sales. The Union receives 1 percent of all merchandise sales, while the KUAC receives 1.4 percent. If the Union or the Athletics Department sells an item, each receives both its shares and the retailer's share of the revenue.
All profits made from KUstore.com will go into the Roy Williams Educational Fund, a scholarship fund for athletes. Profits made by the bookstores go to the Kansas Union Memorial Corporation, which runs both the Kansas and Burge Unions.
While it was still too early to gauge the revenues earned from the department's online merchandise store, Warren said the KUAC brought in $200,000 to $400,000 annually from merchandise sales at sporting events. The KUAC earned about $4,000,000 profit during fiscal year 2000.
The bookstore earned about $129,000 net income last year, Reid said. He said he didn't think the Athletic Department's online merchandise sales would affect the bookstores' game-day sales, but it could lower sales generally.
"It could confuse people in the marketplace and decrease revenue at the Union," Reid said. "If the Union were to continue not showing a net income, it could result in increasing student fees to fund the Union."
Warren, however, said the competition between the two retailers could benefit customers.
"I think it will be a real benefit to students to see some competition on campus from a price standpoint," Warren said.
— Edited by Kimberly Thompson
point, but they do sometimes abuse that," he said.
GTAs, students try for comprehension
Continued from page 1A
Wojnowski said this typically occurred when students who didn't regularly attend a class placed blame on the language barrier so they could drop the class without suffering consequences.
Joy Wrolson, GTA in the theater and film department and a member of the Graduate Teaching Assistant Coalition, said it could be prejudiced to single out international GTAs for their language skills.
"To some extent, I think the problem lies with the student not being patient, taking the time to ask questions and waiting for a response," he said. "The general assumption is that English is spoken worldwide."
Eutalillo Munoz Jr., Topeka junior, said he didn't mind making an effort to overcome the language barrier. Munoz' Spanish 111 GTA, Jacqueline Canard, is from Ecuador.
"Other students don't understand where the TAs are coming from," he said. "Because they don't understand, they don't care."
Munoz said he hadn't experienced any problems with Canard.
"She relates to the class really well," he said.
Munoz added that when students complained about the difficulty of learning Spanish, Canard would tell
them how tough English was for international students to learn.
"She says that Americans aren't as proficient in foreign languages when they teach in other countries," he said. "International GTAs are required to be more proficient here."
Required to pass tests
Christa Hansen, Applied English Center coordinator, said student complaints hadn't created huge problems at the University for quite some time. She said that in 1984, when the Speak Test began to be administered, complaints lessened.
Hansen said international GTAs were required to pass one of the two English proficiency tests the University gives to be eligible to teach at the University — either the Test of Spoken English or the Speak Test.
ransen said that although the Test of Spoken English was offered internationally, most GTAs at the University also took the Speak Test, which is administered only by the University.
"The test makes sure lingual accuracy is understandable." she said.
Both tests evaluate English proficiency and consist of graduate students listening and responding to tape recordings. The tests differ, however, in the amount of tasks the graduate students must execute.
The Test of Spoken English consists of 12 tasks the student plays in different situations. These situations require the student to persuade, argue
or present an opinion. Students must score 50 out of 60 to pass this test.
The Speak Test consists of five graded sections which focus strictly on proficiency through a series of oral and written tasks. The tasks include reading a paragraph aloud, presenting opinions of random topics, sentence completion, telling a story after viewing a series of pictures and creating and presenting lesson plans and schedules. Students must score 240 out of 300 to pass this test.
Hansen said students who didn't pass the Test of Spoken English typically did not pass the Speak Test without seeking further training. In such a case, Hansen said, the student is required to take Classroom Communications for International Teaching Assistants, which is also offered through the Applied English Center.
Hansen said that the course helped GTAs improve their teaching skills in addition to improving speaking skills and that she had seen dramatic changes in students who had taken the course. She also said the TAs deserved credit for their work.
"From what I can tell, I do think international TAs add a lot to the classroom experience," she said. "They're to be applauded because they're asked to use another language at a high level, and they do it well for the most part."
Edited by Clav McCurstion
Believe in evolution? Pro Choice?
Believe in the dignity of every human being?
We Do Too!
And, Yes, there's a Bible Study for us at K.U.
Every Thursday "Radical Christians" gather for an indepth look at the Bible on these and other critical issues of our time. Join us as we challenge the status quo and deepen our faith in Christ.
Thursdays 8-9pm E.C.M. Building Info: Heather Hensarling, United Methodist Campus Ministry, 841-8661.
Aladdin Café
Vegetarian Cuisine, Hummus, Flalfal, Tabuli, Gyros, Kabobs, Baklava
Coupon
Buy one entree or sandwich get the 2nd one
1/2 price.
Offer expires 11/30/00
9th & Mississippi 842-5921
"Quality Professional Services for Men and Women"
Hair • Tanning • Nails
Facial • Massage • Waxing
Since 1988
REDKEN MATRIX ESSENTIALS
FEMINISM: is it a cult?
Leonard Magruder, President of Sons and Daughters of Vietnam Veterans-KU Chapter, interviews Dr. Tim Miller Professor of Religious Studies in the new series
"The University Under Fire"
CABLE CHANNEL 19 • 7:30-8:00 PM•
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25•
(any student can join, call 843-3737, no dues)
Authentic Home Cooked Mexican Food Open since 1989 Daily Lunch and Dinner Specials Specialty Mexican Beers A Lawrence Favorite!
Mon - Thurs 11 - 2, 5 - 9 (785) 843-4044
Fri - Sat 11 - 10 23rd and Louisiana
Sun 12 - 9
kansan.com
The Etc. Shop
Orthopedic Prescriptions Filled
The Etc.
Shop
The Cobbler's Bench
Shoe, Boot & Leather Repair
*24 hour Drop off*
*Dillon's on 6th & 23rd*
Hy-Vee on Clinton Pkwy
711 W. 23rd St, Ste 31
The Malls Shopping Center
Lawrence, KS 66046
785 843 0950
785-843-0959
20 %
OFF all shoe
repairs!
Excludes
all retail stores
Hours:
Tue. - Fri;9 AM- 6 PM
Sat. 9 AM- 1 PM
928 Mass. • 843-0611 Bridgman
Guest speaker, Catered Lunch, Band, Comedian and fellowship. Come join us for a few hours as we open the Bible to see a glimpse of God's plan for each one of us to be "The Man" of impact in our families, on our campus and in our community.
"You the Man"
Men's Forum 8000
Saturday, September 30th
1:00am-3:00pm
Lied Center
For more information or registration, please call: Steve Stevenson at 839-9623
Regal Price $ 100 - Corp & Supplementary Price $ 100 - Tenn $ 5
Regal & Price $ 100 - Corp & Supplementary Price $ 100 - Tenn $ 5
Monday, October 2
KU 96 S
Attention Pre-Business Students:
The deadline for applying to the School of Business for Spring '01 is
info
NOW!
FREE
GIFT PACKAGE
($55 VALUE)
With Purchase of Perm, Color or Hi-Light!
ULTIMATE DAY OF BEAUTY $150 (Approx. 6 Hours)
2108 W.27th St.
843-8467
DELUXE DAY OF BEAUTY $115 Amps 472 Hours
Hours; Tues-Wed-Thurs 9-8 • Fri 9-6 • Sat 9-5
ARTEC
• Liter Volumizing or Smoothing Shampoo
• Liter Volumizing or Smoothing Conditioner
NOW $20
(Reg. $45)
BACK ROW (left to right): Emma Martin, Sue Shoup, Larry Isaac; Becky Isaac, Robyn Watkins, Stefanie Lockwood • MIDDLE DROW (left to right): Donna Conrad, Leslee Ray, Heather O'Neal, Dee Dear Pursel, Ingrid Pepper • FRONT ROW (left to right): Holly Green Jessica Schmidt, Carmen Smith, Kori Walburn, Kelly Vawter • NOT PICTURED: Nicole Misson
MATRIX BIOLAGE
- Liter Normalizing Shampoo
• Liter Detangling Solution
NOW $20 (Reg. $35)
- Litter Hydrating Shampoo
• 16 Oz. Conditioning Balm
NOW $20 (*Reg.* $35)
NIOXIN
• Liter Shampoo
• Liter Conditioner
NOW $35
(Reg. $65)
FULL SERVICE
SALON FOR BOTH
MEN & WOMEN
Design Your Own Gift
Certificate Package!