Tuesday October 15,2002 Vol.113. Issue No.39
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
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KANSAN
New associate athletics director will join KUAC Nov.4 p.1B
Jared Soares/Kansan
The Dread houses in the 1300 block of Ohio Street tie demolished. The four houses, built in the 1900s, were knocked down yesterday afternoon.
Battle over four houses ends with demolition to expand student housing
By Michelle Burhnn
mburhenn@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
A two-year dispute came to a final and destructive end within hours yesterday when the University of Kansas demolished four houses in the 1300 block of Ohio Street to make way for two new scholarship halls.
While onlookers gathered to watch as a bulldozer tore down the structures, one
opponent of the demolition stayed away.
"I will probably walk down there eventually," said Candice Davis, president of the Oread Neighborhood Association. "But it might be too hard to do that. We're not just talking about three houses. The University has taken the whole block."
Two apartment buildings are expected to be torn down later this week, said Lynn Bretz, director of University Relations. The lots will be cleared then and seeded for grass, Bretz said.
A long history
The demolition follows about two years of controversy surrounding the historic environs of the nearby Usher
"I hope that in the future the University will be able to better work with the community and reach better compromises."
David Roby
President of the All Scholarship Hall Council,Topeka
senior
House, 1425 Tennessee St.
In March, the state preservation officer ruled that the demolition of three houses — 1333, 1329 and 1323 Ohio St. would damage the environs of the
Usher House, which is now occupied by Beta Theta Pi fraternity. The Campus Preservation Board approved the demolition of the fourth house earlier.
In June, Chancellor Robert Hemenway appealed the ruling to the governor, whose Sept. 4 ruling allowed the University to tear down the houses.
Bretz said the University delayed the demolition to allow individuals to offer to move the houses to a different lot.
But the Oct. 7 deadline passed without much progress, Davis said, and she wasn't told when the University would demolish the houses.
SEE HOUSES ON PAGE 8A
Professors view test files as unfair edge
By Todd Rapp
trapp@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Kansanstaffwriter
Most student living organizations keep test files, which are compiled copies of test question and answer sheets, to help members of their groups perform better in exams. But, KU professors say access to the files creates an unfair advantage for students who have it over those who don't.
Greek chapters, scholarship halls and in some cases, residence halls, have pushed residents to bring or copy tests they have taken. These are then placed in test files to aid future students.
Kyle Anthony, vice president of Theta Chi fraternity and Wichita junior, said he considered test files useful but did not put emphasis on members of his chapter bringing them in. Anthony said men studied on their
own rather than using the test files because they had a limited library.
Being open just three years, Margaret Amini Scholarship Hall does not have a very complete test file. However, Kristin Baranek, hall president and Overland Park junior, said "We try to encourage people to add to the file, but some people don't contribute, and some contribute more than others."
Aubrey Montague, Miller Scholarship Hall secretary and Great Bend junior, said Miller's test files weren't useful or up-to-date anymore. She said it was more useful to go to an older resident in the hall and ask her questions.
Some professors have taken steps to prevent test files from being updated.
Aaron Showalter/Kansan
Dennis Dailey, professor of social welfare, took pre—
SEE TESTS ON PAGE 8A
Many student living organizations compile copies of test questions and answers, which they keep in a test file for the benefit of their residents. Some professors have begun taking steps to prevent the maintenance of these test files, because they say test files are an unfair advantage.
51-year-old finding her 'write' track to graduate
By Aaron Passman
apassman@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
When Candy Ruff graduates in May, her resume will contain more than just the typical student jobs.
In addition to being an undergraduate student in history, Ruff, 51, spent eight years as a social worker, worked 10 years representing Leavenworth County in the Kansas House of Representatives and in the meantime, wrote as a journalist. Before entering the Legislature, Ruff worked 10 years at the Leavenworth Times and she now writes a weekly Legislature column for The Topeka Capital-Journal Online (www.cionline.com).
Ruff graduated from high school in Springfield, Mo., then started college in Kansas City. Shortly thereafter, she began working as a social
worker, working with the Leavenworth County Council on Aging. She briefly returned to college in 1982 to finish a degree in public administration, but the death of her
Candy Ruff
brother that fall cut her time at college short.
Through a friend, Ruff got a job writing for The Leavenworth Times and spent 10 years as its lifestyle editor. Ruff stopped writing for The Leavenworth Times in 1991 but began working for the Capital-Journal a few weeks later, which eventually led to her career as a legislator.
Last year, Ruff was back at KU and enrolled in an online class, where Rob Curley, former Capital Journal online editor, gave a presentation that inspired her.
"I'm a print journalist, but the online class just opened up a new world to me." Ruff said.
"At that time they had Jeff Peterson, a Republican from Manhattan, doing a Legislature column, but I didn't like the one-sided aspect of it," she said. "So, I told Rob Curley that I thought maybe they should have a Democratic column also, and he told me to put my money where my mouth is."
Her column, "Ruff around the edges," runs each week the Legisla-
SEE RUFF ON PAGE 8A
Jared Soares/Kansar
Catherine Warren, Lake Forest, Ill., freshman, and Katie Carver, Colorado Springs, Colo., freshman, were assigned as roommates in Corbin Hall. Students who have been randomly assigned roommates often end up having an enjoyable experience or having big problems.
Roommates: love or hate relationship?
By Matt Stumpff
mstmpftpk@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Random roommate assignments can result in close friendships or disaster.
The department of student housing places students in rooms relying almost entirely on chance, said Misty Cloud, one of the department's assignment coordinators. She said the only criterion for placing residents was whether people wanted to allow visits from members of the opposite sex. Before this year, when student housing went smoke free, smoking and noise level preferences were offered as well.
The method brings varied results.
Katie Carver, Corbin Hall resident, said she was happy with the way the random assignment worked out for her.
"We are really good friends," she said.
"We are really good friends," she said. The Colorado Springs, Colo., freshman, said she had no choice but to have a random roommate assigned to her.
"I didn't know anybody going to KU," Carver said.
Carver's roommate, Catherine Warren, Lake Forest, Ill., freshman said she had more choice in the matter than Carver. She knew people who were going to attend the University of Kansas, but chose to have a random roommate.
"I wanted to meet new people." Warren said.She said her relationship with Carver worked because they shared many things in common.
Not all random roommate assignments have a happy ending. Chris Crandall, associate professor of psychology
said incompatible students could still get along.
"You need to spend time acquiring skills to get along," Crandall said. "And just like a marriage, some people do it and some don't."
Mike Haake and his freshman-year roommate didn't make the living arrangement work.
"We were completely different people." Haake, Olateh senior, said.
Conflicting drinking habits put a damper on the relationship.
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"Me and my friend were drinking in my room, and my roommate came in," Haake said. "Five minutes later, the RA walks in and busts both of us for drinking."
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SEE ROOMMATES ON PAGE 8A
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