FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15.2002
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3A
Peer educators try to fund program
By Lindsay Hanson
lhanson@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
A group of campus peer educators has hit a road block in the attempt to expand its program.
Last week, Student Senate tabled legislation to fund KU Peer Educators.
Although Watkins Memorial Health Center has used a peer health education program to certify students as public educators for years, the group registered with the Student Organizations and Leadership Development Center this year to garner more visibility on campus in hopes of recruiting more members, said Carol Seager, director of Watkins administration.
But when the KU Peer Educators approached Student Senate last week for $713 in unallocated funds, the money that goes to newly established student groups, the finance committee was skeptical.
All University students pay $91 for a student health fee at the beginning of each semester.
The committee tabled the proposal to investigate why the student health fee hadn't provided ample funds for the group as it had in the past.
"We have been funding them for years and we're going to continue funding them," Seager said.
The group approached Senate to increase existing funds to expand the program, she said.
But KU's Peer Educators
differs from other student organizations, said Mike Appleby, senior member of the finance committee and Lawrence junior.
He said the group had fundraising restrictions, unlike other student groups. He said he voted against the bill because Watkins had recommended the group not solicit funds from other health professionals.
Susan Hochman, KU Peer Educators coordinator and Midland, Texas, junior, said the group had decided on its own not to solicit funds from sources outside the University.
"It was against our better judgment," she said.
Appleby said another strike against the program's quest for Senate funds was its office location at Watkins.
"I actually like the idea of the program," he said. "But they're an arm of Watkins; they're not a student group."
KU Peer Educator gives health presentations to student groups, including many fraternities and sororities and during campuswide events, such as next week's Great American Smoke Out. Presentations address sex, alcohol, stress management, nutrition and other student-related topics.
Hochman said the group hadn't decided whether to continue to pursue Senate funds.
Senate will readdress the KU Peer Educators bill at Wednesday's finance committee meeting.
Edited by Jessica Hood
Greeks select governing councils
By Todd Rapp
trapp@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
The Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Association are about to take on a new slate of leaders.
The Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Association held elections for their executive boards over the last two weeks, and the recently elected members will take charge of the ruling bodies Nov. 21.
The new presidents are Egan Waggoner, Beloit junior and Lambda Chi Alpha member, for the Interfraternity Council, and Shelby Gigous, Topeka junior and Alpha Chi Omega member, for the Panhellenic Association. The vice presidents for recruitment in the two organizations are Andrew Wymore, Leawood junior and Sigma Alpha Epsilon
member, for Interfraternity Council, and Stephanie Cameron, Springfield, Mo., junior and Delta Gamma member, for the Panhellenic Association.
The two organizations govern the individual chapters at the University of Kansas, and serve as the link between the national bodies of the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Association. The Interfraternity Council represents fraternities. The Panhellenic Association represent sororities.
Gigous said the most important thing for her to do first was to get to know her executive board. She said she didn't have plans for future projects because she has yet to work with her board, but she did have a personal goal for her executive board.
"I want women in the Panhellenic community to know who their executive board is. I want all of us to get out there and show
people what we do for them," she said.
The executive boards don't just affect the internal workings of the Greek community. If the president and executive board do a good job getting their message out, they can do a lot to fight stereotypes, said Blake Shuart, current public affairs vice president for the Interfraternity Council.
"When we get people who are able to coordinate effective programs — even though they are coordinated by the greek community — they are open to everyone and can impact them positively," said Shuart, Topeka senior.
Bob McKenney, program assistant for the fraternity and sorority life, said the boards can project a positive image of the greek community.
"If you get a strong board with new ideas that can open them up for interaction with other organizations," McKenney said. "But if you get an apathetic board, a board that takes pride in the Greek system to the point that they exclude other organizations, then a problem can arise."
McKenney said the newly elected boards had as strong of leadership as always this year. The people elected for the positions have been successful in chapter positions in their own houses.
"We definitely have a lot of experience coming in. We aren't bringing in blind dogs, so the outlook for the next term looks pretty good." McKenney said.
Gigous said that she hoped to follow in the previous boards' examples.
"They have done so well, and if I can just build on that, this next year will be fabulous," Gigous said.
Students focus of tuition-based projects
Edited by Andrew Vaupel
By Molly Gise
mgise@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The latest round of tuitionfinanced projects will directly benefit students, University of Kansas officials said yesterday.
Better wages for student employees, additional staffing for the Freshmen-Sophomore Advising Center, more money for Career Counseling and Planning Services and classroom improvements were the projects outlined at a press conference yesterday.
Funding for these projects comes from the tuition increase that went into effect this fall. The University allocated $8.6 million
of the tuition money for improvements.
Student Body President Jonathan Ng said that students should see results from the tuition increase that took effect this fall.
Starting next semester, the University will increase the starting wage for student workers to $6 per hour. Of the 4,801 student jobs, 1,056 pay less than $6 per hour.
"Students can make more money flipping hamburgers at Wendy's than they can at an on-campus job," said Senior Vice Provost Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett.
The University will spend $150,000 to improve student wages. Students who make
between $6 and $10 per hour could see raises of about 50 cents per hour.
The Freshmen-Sophomore Advising Center will receive $116,000, which will pay for three additional full-time advisers, a secretary and more computers, McCluskey-Fawcett said. The additional staff members will allow the center to help about 1,000 more students, she said.
Career Counseling and Planning Services will move from Watkins Health Center to the Burge Union to be in the same building as University Career and Employment Services.
The move, which involves relocating Legal Services to a renovated office in the Burge, will cost
$185,600.
The University set aside $500,000 for classroom improvements, like the refurbishing of the two lecture rooms in Wescoe Hall.
If the budget cuts go much deeper, money for enhancements may be used for maintenance and to fill gaps left by the state's lack of funding. Ng said.
"In order for there to continue to be enhancements," Ng said, "the state is going to have to do their part to make sure we're funded adequately."
For more information about where tuition money is spent, go to www.ku.edu/-senate.
Edited by Matt Norton
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