JACK
Tomorrow's weather
The University Daily Kansan
Partly sunny. High around 90 and a low around 64.
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Wednesday, September 6, 2000
Sports: The Kansas football team is in high spirits despite Saturday's disappointing loss to Southern Methodist.
SEE PAGE 10A
(USPS 650-640) * VOL. 111 NO. 10 For comments, contact Nathan Willis or Chris Borniger at 864-4810 or e-mail editor@kansan.com
Inside: The University of Kansas Medical Center may partner with Menninger clinic.
SEE PAGE 3A
University sets record
Freshman class has 116 National Merits
WWW.KANSAN.COM
By Karen Lucas
writer@kanson.com
Kanson staff writer
This year's freshman class already has made history.
A total of 116 freshman National Merit Scholars—the most ever at the University of Kansas—have enrolled this fall, said Todd Cohen, assistant director of University Relations. Forty-six scholars are from Kansas while the other 70 are from out-of-state.
"We're very pleased that all these out
This year's number is 15 more than the 101 freshman National Merit Scholars in last year's class. The University enrolled 63 in 1998 and 90 in 1997.
standing students chose to come to KU when they could have gone to any school in the country," said Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett, associate provost.
McCluskey-Fawcett said she thought the increase could be attributed to various factors.
"We have attracted many excellent students in the past and that attracts other excellent students to come here," she said. "Also, the staff in the Office of Admissions and Scholarships have worked very hard to recruit these students."
Alan Cerveny, director of admissions, said about one-third of the state's National Merit finalists opted to enroll at the University.
"We're pleased with the number of home-state National Merit Scholars that have chosen KU," he said.
Chris Boyle, Overland Park freshman and National Merit Scholar, said he was impressed with how he was treated
while visiting KU.
"When I toured here, it felt like home," he said. "I toured a lot of schools that seemed to be working too hard to try to impress me. When I finally got to KU, they were much more open, and the entire campus seemed like one big family."
Cerveny said he thought the increase in National Merit Scholars would benefit recruiting.
"I certainly think this is a big boost for our recruiting program," he said. "Prospective students and parents are always looking for signs of quality, and the fact that a record number of national merit scholars are choosing KU when they could attend most any institution is certainly a clear sign of our academic quality."
The National Merit Scholarships are based primarily on students' PSAT scores, the types of courses they took in high school and their grades, Cerveny said.
Edited by Warisa Chulindra
Evening blazes cause damages to garden store
By Lauren Brandenburg and Jessie Meyer
Kansan staff writer and Kansan campus editor
a fire broke out at 6:19 p.m.yesterday and tore through a potting shed at the Sunrise Garden Center.
Lawrence Fire and Medical Battalion Chief Dan Morrow said the fire at 1501 Learnard Ave. involved some chemicals stored in the shed, but the cause was unknown at this time.
Jim McSain, chief of Douglas County Lawrence Fire and Medical Department, said at the time of the fire, the business was closed, no damage to the building.
one was inside the building and no one was injured.
The fire did not reach the greenhouse,but was concentrated in a shed that was connected to other buildings in the complex.
"They were able to contain it to the southeast section of the building that was completely involved when we got there."
Morrow said. "The section of the building that was involved was very seriously damaged."
Six trucks were sent to the scene — three engine units, a ladder unit and two medical units. They were able to bring the fire under control in under 20 minutes, but it took the firefighters longer to go through the building and put out all the smoldering rubble, Morrow said.
The estimate of damage was unknown, Morrow said.
Frank Lemus, who has lived across the street from the store for more than 20 years, said he was preparing dinner when he heard the sirens. "There were really high flames." Lemus said. "I've never seen something like that."
Lemus has been a customer of the garden center for years. He said he bought flowers and plants there in the summer.
it is a very popular, very nice, very well-run business," Lemus said.
— Edited by Amy Randolph
Firefighters respond to a call at 1501 Learnard Ave, where the an area of the Sunrise Garden Center caught fire. The blaze caused damage to a potting shed at the center. Photos by Brad Dreier/KANSAN Small groups of firefighters get close to the fire to control it in this potting shed. The cause of the fire was unknown, but firefighters had to use caution with chemicals stored in the shed.
Nyauna Crossdule, Kansas City, Mo., senior, chats with Robert Rodriguez, Academic Services Coordinator for the McNairy Scholars Program, as they both select fruit and cheese from a light buffet. The two attended the Athletes of Color Reception, an event for minority students to meet minority athletes. Photo by Craig Bennett/KANSAN
Event encourages minority interaction
By Leita Schultes
Kansan staff writer
Feedback was positive for the first Student Athlete of Color Reception Tuesday night.
"I'm very happy, because of the people who showed up," said Santos Nunez, assistant director of the Multicultural Resource Center. "We had a good mix of athletes and non-athletes."
The goal of the reception was to encourage dialogue between students of color and student athletes of color.
"This is just our first of many steps of having our students come together," said Robert Page, interim director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
Nunez said she heard hoped to make the reception an annual event.
Those who attended said it was important for multicultural students to interact because they represented a minority on campus.
Nikki White, junior center for the women's basketball team, said she often forgets how many African-Americans are on campus.
in a lot of our classes we don't see
other black people." White, Memphis.
"Once you develop your own little crew, it's hard to go out and meet other people," Smith, Kansas City, Mo. said.
Smith said she wasn't on the rowing team her first year at the University of Kansas, so she was able to meet non-athletes. But she said football players had a harder time branching out because they put in longer hours and were more isolated.
Sophomore rower Jasmin Smith agreed.
Tenn, said. "In a lot of my classes I'm the only Black person."
"We're interested in bridging the gap between the students and the athletes," non-athlete Nyama Crosdale, Kansas City, Mo., senior, said.
Only one suggestion was offered for next year. Rodneikka Freeman, Atlanta, Ga., freshman forward for the women's basketball team, said she thought the reception should be held earlier in the year to meet more people.
Edited by Amy Randolph
Rental proposal under review
By Matt Merkel-Hess
Kansan staff writer
A proposed housing ordinance was sent to the Lawrence Planning Commission for review at last night's City Commission meeting.
The proposal, which the planning commission will hear on Oct. 25, would reduce from four to two the number of unrelated people who can live in single-family neighborhoods.
The ordinance was proposed by Lawrence residents who wanted to reduce party houses in family neighborhoods, provide affordable housing for families and keep children in city-center elementary schools.
Holly Krebs, Student Senate
Rights Committee representative, said the city should wait for the recent nuisance-house ordinance to take effect before considering the proposed ordinance.
"If you restrict students they will be forced to live in apartment complexes," she said. "With higher demand apartments could charge higher prices."
Arly Allen, Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods representative, said the proposed ordinance was meant to revitalize neighborhoods.
"Our whole point is to bring families back into neighborhoods," he said.
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Alen showed charts of rental properties in city-center neighborhoods
See PROPOSAL on page 5A