TODAY'S WEATHER: Partly cloudy with a high of 65. SPORTS: Kansas is victorious against No.4 Arizona
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
TALK TO US: Contact Kursten Phelps or Leita Schuttes at (785) 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com
MONDAY
DECEMBER 3,2001
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
ISSUE 65 VOLUME 112
Low income leads officers elsewhere
KU Public Safety Office is shorthanded because it struggles to compete
Michael Campbell Special to the Kansan
Chad Kleppin didn't mind working for the KU Public Safety Office, but because of financial reasons, he now works for the Shawnee Police Department.
Shawnee Police Department. Keppin, who worked for the KU Public Safety Office from 1997 to 2000, said he left that job and went to work for the Shawnee Police Department because they paid $8,000 more each year and had better benefits. During his tenure with the KU Public Safety Office, he paid about $300 each month for family health insurance. He now pays just $15 each month.
now pays for the KU Public Safety Office has lost officers to better paying departments in recent years, said Maj. Chris Keary of the KU Public Safety Office.
Departments in local area cities such as Eudora and Baldwin pay officers more money. As a result, Keary said the University of Kansas had become like a training ground for other departments.
"It has been a constant process the last several years," Keary said, "Well-trained officers leave for betterpay. We are giving appointments to people not in law enforcement, giving them training and making them desirable for other departments."
LOCAL SALARIES
Starting salaries of police
officers:
Keary said University police offi
KU Public Safety Office
$24,928
Eudora
$30,160
Odiahe
$31,000
Shawnee
$32,000
Overland Park
$33,264
Baldwin City
$33,280
Lenexa
$33,634
SOURCE LOCAL POLICE DEPT
cers find themselves constantly short-staffed because of the high rate of turnover. He said the department is three people short of its full complement of 28 commissioned officers.
Rodger Oroke, KU's director of general services, said newly-hired officers were only staying about 18 months. That figure includes nine weeks at the police academy, seven weeks of in-house training and 12 weeks riding with a training officer. Officers are only working on their own for the KU Public Safety Office for about a year before leaving.
"That is no time in terms of stability or understanding how the University operates." Oroke said.
Despite the problems, Keary said the KU Public Safety Office still had enough experienced officers to conduct investigations and train new hires, but that the department has had to cut back on some of its programs like bicycle patrol and crime prevention presentations.
Oroké said the University had paid officers 5 percent retention supplements in 2000 and 2001. Any attempt to get a permanent raise in the near future would be hampered by the state's current budget woes, according to state Rep. Barbara Ballard, associate vice chancellor for student affairs, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee.
Ballard said the state was facing significant projected deficits for the 2001 and 2002 fiscal years.
It is going to be harder to get a raise for anybody," she said, "Generally, the Regents get less than they ask for. It wouldn't be out of line to say that they will get less than they ask for this year."
Keppin said lack of overtime pay is another problem facing the department.
Kleppin said if officers worked time after the end of their shifts, they would not receive extra pay. Instead, the officers would solve the time discrepancies by spending less time on their regular shift.
DANCING FOR A GOOD CAUSE
"It's a big morale issue," he said.
Kleppin said he didn't think current system was good for the department.
AARON SHOWALTER/KANSAN
Keri Horner, Sioux Falls, S.D., sophomore (left), dances the evening away along with Maggie Morris, Salina freshman (center), and Marci Deuth, Salina freshman (right). The fund-raising event for the House that Greeks Built took place Saturday night at the Kansas Union Ballroom.
Students get groovy to help fund program
by Jeremy Clarkson Kansan staff writer
One hundred students descended on the ballroom in the Kansas Union Saturday to watch dancing groups that included the Crimson Girls and the Unity Dance Troupe. The Crimson Girls taught the students the Rock Chalk Chant and the fight song.
A Queers and Allies-sponsored mini drag show was part of the festivities as the evening continued.
Students raised $3,000 during this year's Dance-a-Thon, House Party 2, a Greek fund-raising event that benefits the House that Greeks Built, a project in connection with Habitat for Humanity.
Contact Campbell at 804-4010
The money raised from the event will help cover some of the costs of
Mark Ruder. Interfraternity Council vice-president for philanthropy and community service, said students who raised more than $45 per person or $80 per couple in the dance were eligible for prizes, randomly drawn throughout the night.
Jen Bacani, Panhellenic Association vice-president for philanthropy and community service, said more money was raised than was expected. Gamma Phi Beta sorority raised $560, the largest amount of the event.
the house that Greeks Built, a program where members of the Greek community build a house for a family in need. This year, the project built a house at 1721 Atherton Court for Maureen Mulally and her 2-year-old son Avery.
Robert McKenney, Clinton, Mo., senior, and Molly Whitehair, Abilene senior, said they spent Thanksgiving break asking their friends and family members for donations. Whitehair said she was hoping she could raise $80, but was surprised when she and McKenney raised $338.
Bacani said the dancers were tired at the end of the evening, but she hoped the dance-a-thon would become an annual event because in the previous two years the event had been successful.
"Everyone was so nice and just gave me money," she said.
been successful. "It's encouraging to see everybody raising money," she said.
Contact Clarkson at 864-4810
New center to help students find housing
Opening in Fall 2002 the Student Senate office to give answers and advice
By Courtney Craigmile Kansan staff writer
KU students planning to move off campus will have help finding a place to live when the Student Senate builds an off-campus living resource center next fall.
"It's a place where students can go to find out about apartments in Lawrence and how to set up utilities," said Kyle Browning, student body
deal with. Browning said the Senate allotted $17,000 from the Senate reserve fund to build the center. It will be on the fourth floor of the Kansas Union in the Organizations and Leadership office. It won't open until next fall, when renovations in the Union are complete.
It also could tell students which apartment complexes were best and which landlords would be difficult to deal with.
vice president
"We don't really know where to start looking," she said. "We don't know where to live, to get it furnished or unfurnished, and how to get utilities."
Sarah Hemmerling, Hutchinson freshman and McCollum Hall resident, said she was considering moving off campus in the fall with a friend.
She said she would definitely use the center to help her answer those questions.
Browning said the center will have a director who will work about 20 hours a week. The director could be a student, but doesn't have to be.
The center will be open more than 20 hours a week, and also will help incoming transfer students find a place to live, Browning said.
Contact Craigmile at 864-481P
Student's book helps children handle issues of stress, fear
By Eve Lamborn Kansan staff writer
A children's book that landed in local bookstores a week and a half ago is a KU student's response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
would go to town to address "It was the result of my own grief. When Sept. 11 happened, I was just devastated," Kelly said. "I was glued to the TV and wrapped up in negativity. Everyone was so upset and scared, and I couldn't concentrate. But I was able to focus on this."
Leigh Kelly, Lawrence senior, worked with Lawrence illustrator Teresa Kelley, 41, to publish the book Safe Space. Kelly designed the book to help children deal with fear caused by traumatic situations, and she said a portion of the proceeds would go to local children's charities.
The book, which Kelly, 35, describes as a nursery rhyme, teaches children skills to handle stress, such as deep breathing and safe place imagery. She said psychologists taught those skills to people working through traumatic experiences.
The book has pages where children can draw their own safe spaces and encourages adults to talk to children about fear issues.
"The more people I told about it, the bigger it got," she said.
Kelly said she woke up one morning with the story idea in her head. After receiving positive feedback from an Olathe elementary school class, but rejections from publishing companies, she decided to publish the book through her own company, Writework Studios.
screens.
Teresa Kelley, the book's illustrator, said she depicted the terrorist attacks indirectly by picturing people looking up in fright and showing a kneeling firefighter on a television screen.
"We wanted to get the message out without causing unnecessary fright," she said.
A psychology major with two children of her own, Kelly said she had already planned to write children's books before the attacks happened. Future books will help children and parents talk about mental health issues like depression and self-esteem.
Mike Kopf, a clerk at Borders Books Music & Cafe, 700 New Hampshire St., said that the book was one of the newest items in the store and that the store had sold at least 10 copies so far. It's available in paperback for $8.95.
Contact Lamborn at 864-4810
FRIDAY CONCERT
CHRIS BURKET/KANSAN
Rivers Cuomo, guitarist and lead singer for Weezer, plays for a crowd of more than 10,700 people who packed Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday night.
COMING IN TOMORROW'S KANSAN
INSIDETODAY
U.S. NEWS ... 5A
HILLTOPICS ... 10A
WEATHER ... 8A
CROSSWORD ... 8A
HONOR SOCIETIES: Groups like Phi Kappa Phi have benefits, but you pay for them.
TUITION HIKES: What students are saying and how to get your voice heard.
rne University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of the Kansan are 25 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at 119 Stauffer-Flint Hall.
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