Friday
August 30, 2002
Vol.113. Issue No.8
Today's weather
87°
Tonight: 68'
Tell us your news Call Jay Krall, Brooke Hesler or Kyle Ramsey at 864-4810
KANSAN Football opens season tomorrow against Iowa State Cyclones p. 7A
Budget cuts hurt services, supplies
By Jenna Goepfert
Kansan staff writer
Course instructors and office supply store employees are the next to feel the effects of campuswide budget cuts.
The cuts have left some professors discouraged from providing classroom materials for students, struggling to afford teaching assistants and instructing
much larger groups of students
The University of Kansas is also eliminating its Office Supply Store in Strong Hall—and several employees' positions.
Kathy Jansen, office supply store manager, said the changes to the store wouldn't save as much money as predicted and would place strain on other departments, which soon would have to order their own office supplies at the end of September.
"If we really felt this benefited the University, if we really, truly felt it'd make things better,we'd say,'All right.'"she said.
"When you start cutting services, you've gone beyond cutting the fat," she said. "All the budget cuts have affected the support of the University, and when you hurt that support, you hurt the mission of the University."
Felix Moos, professor of anthropology, agreed the cuts were affecting University goals.
Last week, Moos chose not to distribute photocopied articles and handouts to his classes.
"The departments in the college are being asked to return money to central administration," he said. "This means, in the case of the anthropology department, that we are being told to be careful with Xeroxing materials for classes."
Moos has taught at the University since 1965. He said he had seen cost-cutting efforts before, but this year's had been one of the most serious attempts.
"It will really cut into the bone of what the University is all about," Moos said
Moos also said he had been unable to hire a teaching assistant to assist him with reading students' assignments because of the tight budget.
Ruth Ann Atchley, assistant professor of psychology, said her department had to make a number of policy changes in response to less funding.
"I'm teaching a course that's open to 300 students that used to be open to 100 students solely because I'm trying to help generate more funds for KU," she said.
She said she didn't want to provide less of a service to her students because of cuts and worried new faculty would be lured away because of discontentment with the state's lack of support for the University.
"If you are going to have a state institution that the state feels proud of, then the government and state needs to pay for it." she said. "It's a simple idea."
Lynn Bretz, director of University Relations, said she acknowledged the discomfort the cuts have caused, but said Gov. Bill Graves' did all he could to preserve higher education in his latest cuts.
"Everybody's feeling the pinch, and there's no doubt about that," Bretz said. "But we're doing our very best to protect the academic mission at this University."
She said students would always come first, but cuts in areas such as office supplies and telephone budgets would have to be made.
Tom Volek, associate professor of journalism, agreed the long term solution was ongoing state funding.
"Nobody likes to raise tuition," Volek said. "I've got a daughter who's a fifth year senior, so I'm paying more, too."
"But it's tough to argue, because we're a real bargain as a University, even with the tuition increase."
Contact Goepfert at igoepfert@kansan.com. This story was edited by Andrew Vaupel.
The pedestal where greek letters once stood is empty outside the building that used to house Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Displaced members are staying in apartments while the fate of the house is decided.
Aaron Showalter/Kansan
Fraternity loses charter
ATO forced to close chapter at the University after debt, member loss
By Todd Rapp
Kansan staff writer
Low membership and debt will result in the loss of a fraternity at the University of Kansas.
Alpha Tau Omega was notified yesterday morning by the national chapter that they would no longer be an operating chapter at KU.
Wynn Smiley, chief executive officer for Alpha Tau Omega, said the fraternity lost its charter but it would not be officially announced until September after the Alpha Tau Omega Board of Directors' meeting.
Financial debt and a trend of diminishing new member classes forced the fraternity to move out of its house, 1537 Tennessee St., last May. The Richmond Property Group took possession of the house and leased it to Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.
Bob McKenney, program assistant for fraternity and sorority life, said the fraternity was forced to remove 30 members from the house in 1997 because of a hazing incident.
Smiley said, despite the efforts of a
In 1994, the house underwent renovations costing more than $1 million. Because of the loss of members, the house was not able to afford payments toward the remodeling debt. Since then, the chapter has experienced problems recruiting enough men to keep up with the payments from the renovation
tew dedicated undergraduates, the lack of new members was the main reason for the loss of the charter.
"Unfortunately, there is a large group of men who were not willing to or couldn't put forth the effort to recruit new members," Smiley said.
Smiley said that the Alpha Tau Omega's national headquarters was planning to renew its charter at the University in about five years.
Hoffman said even though Alpha Tau Omega would no longer be a member of the Interfraternity Council at KU, the members of the house were planning to get together in the next few weeks to discuss future courses of action.
Contact Rapp at trapp@kansan.com. This story was edited by Christina Neff and Andy Samulson.
Cure the 'Munch E's' at Hashinger
Jennifer Berry, Pittsburgh sophomore,bought some snacks last night at Munch E's; a new convenience store in Hashinger Hall. Munch E's is open until 10 p.m.to serve the nighttime snacking needs of Daisy Hill.
By Matt Stumpff
By Matt Stumpff
Kansan staff writer
Hashinger Hall residents don't have to walk far when they start feeling hunger pangs at odd hours of the day.
Aaron Showalter/Kansan
A new convenience store, Munch E's, opened this semester on the second floor of Hashinger. Students from nearby residence halls on Daisy Hill are slowly showing up at Munch E's door to buy everything from jumper cables to pantyhose to frozen pizza.
The convenience store's name is the first thing customers notice.
"I think it's very appropriate considering the name of the dorm," said Tyler McNally, Osage Beach, Mo., freshman. "Let's go over to Hash for some munchies."
McNally walked to Munch E's after class Wednesday before going back to his room in McCollum Hall. Amanda Healy, Chicago freshman and fellow McCollum resident, helped McNally pick out a pair of sunglasses at Munch E's.
Munch E's allows students to buy food after the dining halls close. The convenience store opens at 10:00 a.m. and stays open until 10:00 p.m. every day. The latest any of the dining halls stays open is 7:30.
Korbe said she thought the store could improve its selection and bring in more customers.
Brian Powell, Barnhart, Mo., senior said the store's grocery section should be expanded. He pointed to the store's shelf
customer "If we sold cigarettes, we'd get a lot more people coming in," Korbe said.
space which allowed for only one loaf of white and one loaf of wheat bread to be stored.
Ken Stoner, director of student housing, said Munch E's allowed the housing department to offer convenience store services as an alternative to the sack lunches available at E's Express, which is located adjacent to Munch E's.
sourced.
"Like, if I take that loaf of bread," Korbe said. "What happens if the next person wants one?"
Students pay for items at the convenience store with cash, credit card, or the
$20 available for purchases on the KUID for students with meal plans.
Jen Stimple, Des Moines, Iowa, junior has been a cashier at E's Express since Fall 2001. Stimple said the crowd at both services should improve with time.
"Last year, people didn't really start coming in until second semester." Stimple said. "I don't know if it's freshmen being intimidated or if they just don't know it's here."
Contact Stumpff at mstumpff@kansan.com. This story was edited by Ryan Malashock.
By Caleb Nothwehr
Kansan staff writer
The dean of students and the student body president are hitting the beach for office hours.
Richard A. Johnson, dean of students, and Jonathan Ng, student body president, will answer questions from students from 1 to 2 p.m. each Wednesday at Wescoe Beach.
The two will position themselves near a sign that reads "Your Dean and Student Body President are here to talk." In case of inclement weather, the two will answer questions at the Kansas Union.
Johnson
Johnson started the program last year, then called "The Dean is in," in an effort to make himself more available to students.
Ng
"This is an opportunity to get out and into where the students are," Johnson said.
Johnson and Ng got the idea to team up while both of them were answering questions from tables last spring in the lobby of the Union.
"Hopefully this gives students a double opportunity to get a student leader's perspective as well as an administrator's perspective," Johnson said.
During previous Wescoe Beach office hours, Johnson has received questions regarding classes, tuition and the University's leadership.
Ng said the hour on the beach serves as a good opportunity to help clarify the budgeting process for students.
"I can answer questions in terms of where the money is going," he said.
Ng said he would also like to address other important issues facing the student body, such as the status of KU Info.
Meagan Whisenhunt, Great Bend sophomore, is a first-year student at KU and said she thought the office hour would benefit students, especially if they didn't know where Ng and Johnson's actual offices were located.
"This is a good opportunity to comfortably ask questions in a comfortable setting." Whisenhunt said.
In his first outing Wednesday, Ng said the service had been well received.
"I thought it went pretty well," Ng said. "We're both in a position where we can help directly or lead students to someone who can help."
Contact Nothwehr at cnthwehr@kansan.com. This story was edited by Andy Samuelson.
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