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Volume 128 Issue 54
Monday. December 1, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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Kansan.com | The student voice since 1904
Watkins Health Services offers free HIV testing
CHANDLER BOESES
@Chandler_Boese
Student Health Services and the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department will be providing free HIV testing today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kansas Union.
This is part of several events Watkins Health Services and community partners are hosting for the World AIDS Day today.
The most common misconception that folks can have about HIV is that it could never happen to them," said Jenny McKee, a health educator at WHS.
However, of the 1 million people living with HIV in the U.S., one in six are unaware they have the disease, according to the county health department.
Individuals who wish to be
tested can go up to the WHS table on the jayhawk Walk on the fourth floor of the Kansas Union. They will be escorted from the tables to private testing rooms, McKee said. The Health Department will also offer free testing services at the Lawrence Public Library from 3-5 p.m.
This year the health department, the Association of University Residence Halls and WHS will also be hosting a screening of "Dallas Buyers Club," a movie about a man diagnosed with AIDS in the '80s. Before the movie, a Kansas resident will speak about his experience living with HIV.
The event will be held in the Ellsworth Hall living room at 7:30 p.m.
Additionally, WHS will be giving out safer-sex kits and information on HIV
"It is important for students to learn about HIV because HIV still exists and not just in Africa, but right here in the U.S. and Kansas and Douglas County," McKee said.
According to the health department's news release, there were about 3,800 Kansas residents living with AIDS in 2012. Thirteen-to 24-year-olds are especially susceptible to the infection, McKee said. One in four new HIV infections occur in this age group.
prevention measures for students, staff and faculty.
McKee said the first step that people can take to protect themselves is to get tested. Additionally, she advised anyone who is thinking of becoming sexually active with a new partner should have a discussion about
HIV FACTS
- About 1 million Americans live with HIV
1 out of 6 don't know they're infected
— 3.800 Kansans reported having AIDS in 2012
3,800 harrises reported having HIV 68 percent of Douglas County adults report they've never been tested for HIV
- 1 in 4 new HIV infections occurs in people of ages 13-24
Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department and Jenny McKee, Watkins Health Services health educator
testing before sex.
testing before. "If they haven't been tested but have been sexually active in the past, refuse to be active with them until they do get tested," McKee said.
Barrier methods such as condoms and dental dams are also an important part of prevention, McKee said, as
WHS provides resources for students year-round as well, McKee said. Its medical staff can answer any questions or test for
long as they are being used correctly. Lubrication also makes sex safer, as well as making it more fun, McKee said.
infections. Condoms cost 50 cents for a pack of three at the Watkins Pharmacy and Peer Health Educators passes out safer sex kits for Condom Sense Fridays, which is every Friday when school is in session.
Edited by Yu Kyung Lee
New program aims for more students to study abroad
MARK ARCE
@Mark_Arce13
The Office of Study Abroad is in its first year of a new initiative to increase the number of students who study abroad during their time at the University.
The initiative, called "Mapping Study Abroad to the Major" or Study Abroad Curriculum Integration, is a collaboration between the Office of Study Abroad and departments across campus to increase the number of study abroad opportunities in all degree programs. In particular, the initiative is looking to help students deal with common barriers they may have when thinking about studying abroad, such as finances and degree progression.
Alexander Lawson, a sophomore music education major from Lawrence, said both finances and completing his degree are potential obstacles for him studying abroad.
"I really want to eventually, but it's just figuring out when." Lawson said. "It's figuring out how am I still going to graduate in four years, but get those credits that are necessary."
The new plan is looking to make things easier for students like Lawson who want to study abroad but are concerned about finances or about finding a program that works with different majors.
"Curriculum Integration was the plan that was developed to really work toward ensuring every student who goes abroad or whose exploring study abroad knows that there are
programs that they can do that directly apply to their degree and will maintain their progress towards a degree in a similar fashion as if they were here on campus," said Angela Perryman, director of the Office of Study Abroad.
Around 25 percent of University undergraduates participate in a study abroad program before graduation, according to the Office of Study Abroad. During the 2012-2013 academic year, a total of 1,321 students studied abroad.
Within five years, the office is looking to increase the total number of participants in study abroad to more than 1,500. Last spring, the office announced it would try to increase the undergraduate participation rate in study abroad to 30 percent within the same period. The University also joined with the Institute of International Education's Generation Study Abroad Initiative, which seeks to double nationally the number of undergraduate students who participate in international academic study abroad programs, internships or research opportunities.
Perryman also said the office is trying to get more students to study abroad for longer periods. Perryman said in addition to more immersion opportunities, semester-long programs are more cost efficient since students will pay similar rates abroad as in Lawrence and may have more access to financial aid
STUDENTS ABROAD IN 2012-2013
SEE ABROAD PAGE 2
Europe: 761, 61%
Central/South America: 173, 14%
Asia: 157, 13%
Australasia/Pacific islands: 66, 5%
Middle East/Africa: 45, 4%
North America/Caribbean: 16, 1%
Office of Study Abroad
MIKE HUTMACHER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
A woman holds an application for a marriage license at the Sedgwick County Courthouse in Wichita on Nov. 13. The ACLU has expanded it lawsuit against Kansas' ban on same-sex marriage to include more rights, like filing taxes together or receiving benefits together, for couples.
Same-sex lawsuit expands on rights
KELSIE JENNINGS
@KeclJen
Two weeks after same-sex couples could get marriage licenses in Sedgwick and Douglas counties, the American Civil Liberties Union has now amended the lawsuit to include more rights for same-sex couples.
"Plaintiffs seek to marry and to have their marriages recognized ... and to provide the same legal shelter to their families, as different-sex spouses."
MARIE V. MOSER
Same-sex marriage case
The Marie v. Moser case filed in October by ACLU only targeted, and succeeded,
Although couples can now get married, they still are not able to file taxes as a married couple, adopt their spouse's last name on their driver's license or list their new spouse as a dependent on their health insurance plan. These problems were outlined in the amended filing of the lawsuit.
"Plaintiffs seek to marry and to have their marriages recognized for the same emotional, romantic, and dignitary reasons, and to provide the same legal shelter to their families, as different-sex spouses," the lawsuit said. The lawsuit states that the same-sex couples'
in getting same-sex marriage licenses in the two counties, but the amended lawsuit, filed on Nov. 26, aims to address some of the benefits still denied to same-sex couples.
"When I heard the news that they were legalizing it in Kansas, I was like, 'Oh, yay, the movement's moving forward,' but I feel like it's going to happen either way," Garrett said. "It's just a little step at a time."
Jay agreed with his brother that same-sex marriage should be legalized.
14th Amendment rights to equal protection and due process are being violated by their marriages not being recognized by state departments.
The amended lawsuit is now filed against the secretary of the Kansas Department of Revenue and the directors of the KDOR's Division of Vehicles and the State Employee Health Plan. The lawsuit still includes the original defendants, who were the court clerks of Sedgwick and Douglas counties and the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The amended lawsuit also added three more same-sex married couples; two of the couples had married in other states. These three new couples have had trouble having their marriages recognized by the tax, health
"I think if we deny it, it's against someone's right to actually get married," Jay said. "Like my brother said, someone has to start somewhere in Kansas, and it's going be a domino effect, I think."
Freshmen Garrett and Jay Fornicola, twin brothers from Chicago, said they both support same-sex marriage.
Edited by Yu Kyung Lee
Index CLASSIFIEDS 9 CRYPTOQUIPS 11 SPORTS 10 CROSSWORD 11 OPINION 4 SUOOKU 11
insurance and driver's license agencies.
All contents, unless stated otherwise, $ \copyright $ 2014 The University Daily Kansan
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