ROCKY
Today's and tomorrow's weather Today: Scattered thunderstorms with a high of 84 and a low of 58. Tomorrow: Showers with a high of 68 and a low of 44.
The University Daily Kansan
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Tuesday, September 19, 2000
Sports: The Kansas volleyball team stormed to a 3-0 victory against Missouri-Kansas City. See PAGE 1B
SEE PAGE 1B
Inside: Two Kansas athletes were victorious in their Olympic events Sunday.
SEE PAGE 5A
(USPS 650-640) • VOL. 111 NO. 17 For comments, contact Nathan Willis or Chris Borniger at 864-4810 or e-mail editor@kansan.com
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Chain stores set up shop in Lawrence
By Matt Merkel-Hess writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
National corporations are increasingly looking to Lawrence as another link in their chains.
Ingo Lawrence is another link in the chains. Eddie Bauer, American Eagle, Talbots, Gateway Country Store and another store from Gap Inc., which owns the Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy, will open during the next six months. The Gap, currently at 647 Massachusetts St., will move to a new location on the same block, and another Gap Inc. store will move into 647 Massachusetts St.
These stores are moving to Lawrence because of the expanding population, the burgeoning Kansas City-Topeka corridor and the student population, said Severin Roberts, director of operations and research at Information Pathways Inc., a Lawrence company that primarily supports smaller businesses.
"It's a college town, so there are a disproportionate number of people spending more money than they make in this town, and everybody wants a piece of that," she said.
NEW BUSINESSES
Eddie Bauer will open Sept. 28 on Massachusetts Street.
The Gap, currently at 647 Massachusetts St., will move to 643 Massachusetts St. Nov 21.
- Another store from Gap Inc., which owns the Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy chains, will move into 647 Massachusetts.
Tallots is scheduled to open in January 2001 at 648 Vermont St.
American Eagle is scheduled to open Nov. 14 at 619 Massachusetts St.
Gateway Country Store, a computer retail store from Gateway Inc., is under construction near SuperTarget, 3201 Iowa St.
Except for Gateway Country Store, which is under construction near SuperTarget, 3201 Iowa St, the new stores will be clustered on the 600 block of Massachusetts and Vermont streets.
Bill Sepic, president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, said the addition of national businesses to the downtown would foster a better
business environment and keep Lawrence residents at home for their shopping.
"People enjoy the environment that Lawrence provides; they like the idea of Massachusetts Street and the idea of local entrepreneurs." Sepic said. "And most certainly the national retailer will be able to satisfy the other needs people have."
Sepic said a balance of local and national stores was important.
"If you don't maintain the balance downtown, it could result in a mall," he said. "This addresses the need without consideration of a regional mall."
Randee Brady, director of the KU Small Business Development Center, said the flavor of downtown Lawrence could change with more national businesses.
"Many of the independents are very focused on the local market and very responsive to changes in the local area," Brady said. "When you get too many of the national chains downtown, Lawrence will look like every other town."
— Edited by Kimberly Thompson
The new Talbots is being built at 7th and Vermont streets and will open in January 2001. A variety of new businesses will be springing up in downtown Lawrence in the next few months. Photo by Aaron Lindberg/KANSAN
By Rob Pazell
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Stephanie Rejba didn't think anything of the solicitors that came in with her roommate Sarah last week.
They said they were selling magazine subscriptions for points in a journalism class. They even gave her a ride to an ATM so she could pay cash, which would give them more points.
Rejba, Kansas City, Kan., freshman, and other students living on the fourth floor of McCollum Hall didn't suspect the magazine subscriptions they bought last week were shady until they realized that they didn't get a receipt and that soliciting is illegal in residence halls.
"We don't know if they're legit," Rejba said. "We don't know if we're going to get our magazines or if it was a scam."
Ken Stoner, director of student housing, said University policy states that solicitation of any kind is not allowed in residence or scholarship halls. This includes magazine subscriptions, filers or anything that can be slid under a door.
Stoner said students should report anything out of the ordinary.
"Periodically, we get solicitors going door to door without permission or authorization," Stoner said. "We get called, and we try to put a stop to it as soon as possible."
Rejba's roommate, Sarah Colteryahn, Stilwell sophomore, said two men solicited her on her walk home from class to McCollum Hall. They began by asking her, "Are you nice?", and when she said yes, they began their sales pitch. The solicitors, who called themselves Trey and Jay, drove her back to McCollum Hall in a BMW with tinted windows.
"I invited them back to the dorms," Colteryahn said. "I didn't expect them to come and harass my friends."
After soliciting Colteryahn and Rejba, the two men started going door to door. Colteryahn said the two men hit on many of the girls they talked to and that Jay kissed one of her friends.
"They went up and down the hall saying they were friends of mine, then solicited them." Colteryahn said.
Megan Maise, St. Charles, Ill., sophomore and fourth-floor resident assistant at McColum Hall, said that the solicitors had brochures with no prices listed and that they administered a receipt to only one of the seven or eight girls who subscribed. They only took checks from a couple residents and asked that the checks be made out to two different places, London International Magazine and Worldwide Circulation Inc.
Maise and four other students filed a police report. They also called both companies to confirm their orders last Tuesday. The companies told the residents that if they didn't get the receipts in three to five working days, they would get their money back.
Colteryahn said the two solicitors probably made close to $800 off her and her hall mates.
"They were really smooth, and we just didn't think about it too much," Colteryahn said.
- Edited by Shawn Hutchinson
Professor uses unique teaching methods
Bob Nunley, professor of geography, uses meditation to evaluate the amount of effort students put into his Principles of Human Geography course. Nunley said he received few complaints but that he allowed students to challenge his grade decisions. Portrait by Selena Jabara/KANSAN
By Jennifer Valadez
writer@kansan.com
Kansas stt writer
Robert Nunley sits against the wall in his office with his eyes shut, his thumbs and forefingers together and his feet crossed above his knee.
— a formal meditative pose. Nunley is deciding his students' grades.
Nunley, professor of geography, has taught at the University of Kansas for 39 years and decides his students' final grades after having meditated on them individually, using a formal form of voga meditation.
"It is done between 4 and 5 in the morning," he said. "I sit there until I totally comfortable that a tentative final grade is right."
Nunley said that although he was contemplating, he was in a hypnotic state closer to sleep than to alert consciousness. He said the state of programmed meditation affected the outcome he reached.
"I don't compare one student's work in class with the others, but with personal performances," he said.
In addition to the way he determines final grades. Nunley conducts his classes uniquely as well. For example, he does not administer tests and quizzes for evaluation. Instead, students are assessed by their overall performances in the class.
"I'll discuss with any student any question except grades," he said. "Students do not really know where they stand unless it is at failure."
Matthew Makens, Hutchinson junior, is in Nunley's Integrated Microcomputer Systems class. He said he liked how Nunley focused on individual effort rather than going strictly by exams and quiz work.
Nunley's classes, which are Tuesdays and Thursdays, consist of one day of in-class discussion and the other in an online chat room.
"At first it was shocking, but after you think about it, it's intriguing," he said.
Nunley said that after assessing each student at the end of the semester, he gave students a chance to appeal the result if they were not satisfied.
"I have an obligation to grade — but grade in a way that's more open," he said. "I would love to have every student get an A."
See PROFESSOR on page 3A
UNITY dance troupe celebrates hip-hop, embraces diversity
By Leita Schultes
@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Their filer asks for "fellas with mad skilz and ladies who can work it out." Their hope is to embrace diversity through hip dance.
Betty Olson and Raheisha Nard are this year's leaders of UNITY, a hip-hop dance troupe open to all races and genders. Tryouts for UNITY will begin at 7 tonight in the Hashinger Hall dance studio.
Eve Bradley, Shreveport, La., senior,
started the group five years ago. At the
time, she said, being a cheerleader or aCrimson Girl were the only options for people interested in dance.
"I grew up with hip-hop, and it's just a part of my life," she said. "I just wanted to make up a dance troupe for people who loved hip-hop and hip-hop dance."
But more important than dancing was bringing together people from all cultures, Bradley said. In its first year, UNITY's 20 dancers represented many races, and last year's dancers were African-American, Caucasian, Asian-American and Native-American.
"But when we performed they couldn't say anything," she said. "Although we were diverse as a people, our hip-hop was still hip-hop."
Bradley said she had heard the same reaction at first. But people are embracing
Hip-hop traditionally is an African American art form, and some people war-
UNITY TRYOUTS
■ Tonight: 7 in Hashinger
Hall dance studio.
■ Thursday: 7 in Hashinger
Hall dance studio.
the group now, she said, and they are beginning to see beyond race and respect the dancers for their dance moves.
Last year, there were 13 UNITY dancers, but only two
"I basically tell them that they need to grow up," she said.
it to remain an exclusive cultural icon, Bradley said. But hip-hop should be for everyone, she said.
were men. Olson, Nevada senior, said she would like to see more even numbers this year, which would enable the group to do
Olson herself is a dance major, but she said experience was not required. The dance will be taught tonight, and tryouts will be Thursday.
more partner work.
Olson said she hoped the troupe would perform at Wesco Beach this fall. Last year, UNITY performed in Kansas City, at private parties and at the Unity Ball. UNITY dancers also have opened for Rock Chalk Revue.
5
.
"We just want to have fun and dance it up," Olson said.
- Edited by Casey Franklin