TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2002
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3A
NEWS
Student seeks her own religion
Vonna Keomanyvong
vkeomanyvong@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Every face in the crowd and name in the phonebook has a story behind it. Each week, Kansan writer Vonna Keomanyong tells the story of a randomlyselected KU student.
When it comes to her religion, Nicole Hirner is on a quest to find one.
The Peachtree City, Ga., freshman, said she did not want to make a decision about her religion until she came to college.
where you meet so many different people and I didn't want to make that snap decision I wanted to experience life first."
"College is a life-changing experience," Hirner said. "This is where you."
She said she believed in a higher power, but did not practice any religion. Hirner's mother is Jewish and her father is Catholic. She spent most of her life learning about Catholicism and Judaism. From ages one through seven, she went to a Catholic church. But she decided that she did not want to continue studying Catholicism so she enrolled in Hebrew classes at age nine.
After four years studying the Hebrew language, Hirner said, she started to question her faiths because she did not believe in
praying through someone.
"I came to the realization that as much as I love being part-Jewish, I didn't know if I really wanted to be a part of it," Hirner said.
Nicole's father, Bill Hirner, said Catholicism and Judaism did not cause friction between his family and his wife's family. He said the families celebrated together on Catholic and Jewish holidays including Christmas, Easter, Hanukkah and Passover.
Hirner said her multi-religious roots allowed her to have an open mind.She said she liked celebrating both holidays.
"I get two for one—I learned about both religions," she said.
In their family life, Hirner and her father have learned not to let religious beliefs interfere.
"Religion is not a factor in our relationship." Bill said. "It can be a factor in other cultures and other countries but when you have a strong family relationship like ours,you don't have to choose one religion over another."
Bill said he wanted his children to make their own decisions.
"We gave her the opportunity to learn and we gave her guidance," Bill said. "As long as she's happy, I'm fine with that."
Although Hirner is not sure whether she wants her pursue Catholicism and Judaism, she said the two religions made her more open to other ideas.
"People live their life by their religion. So as I find one, I'll want
Jared Soares/Kansan
Nicole Hirner Peachtree City, Ga., freshman, is trying to choose a religion. Hirner's mother is Jewish and her father is Catholic. Hirner and her parents celebrate Jewish and Catholic religions together.
to do the same. If I can't find one then I'll make up my own called Nicole-ism."
Edited by Melissa Shuman
University begins student space club
By Jenna Goepert jgoepfert@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
A new University of Kansas club is recruiting students from all disciplines to learn about space exploration.
The nation's only existing student chapter of the American Astronautical Society began meeting at the University this semester and is trying to spark interest in the space industry among students. There are about 30 members.
"This isn't meant for just engineering students," said AAS president Suzy Thompson of the students she wants to recruit. "We call them closet space cadets."
Thompson, Youngstown, Ohio, graduate student, said students were participating in a program to develop a satellite which will be sent into space.
Members discuss space-related issues of national importance and NASA trivia. Organizers want to bring in speakers for an aerospace colloquium and are planning trips to national conventions and movie viewings.
The group will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday at 2027 Learned Hall to watch "The Dream is Alive," an I-MAX film in which
"We call them closet space cadets."
Suzy Thompson President, American Astronautical Society
the group's faculty adviser, Trevor Sorensen, appears.
The national organization began in 1954. Jim Kirkpatrick, national AAS executive director, said previous student groups failed because interest faded when faculty advisers left.
He said KU's club likely would not meet the same fate because it had strong direction from Sorensen, associate professor of aerospace engineering and vice president of education for AAS.
The national organization has about 1,500 members, several hundred of which are students, Kirkpatrick said.
Students who join the University's chapter before Oct. 31 will have their $35 national AAS membership fees waived. They will also receive subscriptions to Space Time magazine, the AAS journal and an autographed picture of an astronaut. For more information contact Suzy Thompson at astronut@ku.edu.
Edited by Katie Teske
University will stop printing timetables to save money
By Kyle Ramsey
kramsey@kanan.san.com
Kansan staff writer
Students looking for the Spring 2003 timetable will be able to find it only online.
The registrar's office will post the timetable of courses to the
University's Web site today, but unlike past semesters, the timetable will not be available in its traditional paper form.
The timetable lists information about class times, teachers, rooms and prerequisites.
The registrar's office decided to publish the resource only online
this semester to avoid spending money on unused printed timetables during a budget crunch.
"I'd rather cut paper than cut
Not printing the spring timetables saved enough money to keep the registrar's office fully staffed, said Richard C. Morrell, University registrar.
people," Morrell said.
The registrar's office printed 35,000 timetables last fall, 32,000 timetables last spring and 6,000 timetables last summer.
Although the timetable has been available online for several years, the Spring 2003 version will include new enrollment
information such as open seats, added or removed classes and changes in course requirements. The timetable's Web page will update the information every 30 minutes.
The timetable's Web site can be accessed at www.timetable.ku.edu
www.timetable.ku.edu.
Enrollment services will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 864-5462 to help students access the online timetable. Advising for the Spring 2003 semester begins Oct. 21.
— Edited by Erin Ohm and Adam Pracht