WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2002
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3A
Provost asks for more departmental budget cuts to cover shortfall
By Kyle Ramsey
Kansan staff writer
A request for departmental budget cuts went out to school deans at the University of KAnsas Tuesday in the wake of a heated 2002 legislative session regarding reductions in the state budget.
Provost David Shulenburger asked school deans to cut their budgets in response to Gov. Bill Graves' Aug. 15 announcement that the state budget be reduced by $41 million. The cuts equal
about 1 percent of the state's overall $4.4 billion budget for fiscal year 2003.
The statewide cuts mean an additional $1,177,594 in cuts for the Lawrence campus, or about 1 percent of the campus's state general-fund budget.
The University of Kansas Medical Center was also asked to reduce its budget by $825,126.
Shulenburger said the cuts aimed to help offset a predicted $108 million deficit in the state's budget during the next six
months. After that time, the governor could announce another cut.
"He believes he cut enough so he won't have a cash flow problem at the beginning of the year," Shulenburger said.
Although it's uncertain whether more shortfalls will be announced, the Provost is asking deans to prepare now for the possibility of another cut.
Of this year's tuition increase, only 4 percent will be allotted to close gaps created by the state.
budget shortfall. Shulenburger said the 4 percent was set aside to maintain the University's operation costs. Other revenue collected from the increase would go to enhance KU departments and services.
Stuart Bell, dean of the School of Engineering, did not have available the exact figure his school was responsible for cutting, but he did say the 1 percent campus-wide cut would be felt in his school.
"As those roll down to the different schools and then different departments," he said, "they have an effect on the programs we can support."
Bell said no matter where the slice was made, whether it be staff, faculty or academic programs, the effects would trickle down and ultimately affect students by increasing the work load of those still employed by the University.
For example, students could see a reduction in academic services or longer lines during advising.
Bell compared the school's budget to a home budget. Budget trimming begins with cutting non-essential costs and then moves to essential programs and positions.
"Eventually you begin cutting out lunch and supper." he said. "That eventually has a heavier impact on your programs."
Contact Ramsey at
Kevin Stout, Poteau, Okla., freshman, uses the Navy to pay for his education.
Chris Burkett/Kansan
kramsey@kansan.com.This story was edited by Amanda Sears.
Freshman navigates difficult path to Kansas
By Vonna Keomanyvong
Kansan staff writer
If it weren't for the Navy, 20-year-old Kevin Stout may have never gone to college.
Although a lot of kids face financial hurdles when deciding on their college plans, few people experience what Stout and his family experienced.
Stout learned at an early age about the essentials of life. He and his parents lived off less than a $1,000 a month.
"My parents had to give up two of my older brothers and my older sister for adoption because they didn't have any money to take care of them," Stout said.
Stout grew up in a lower-middle class neighborhood in the small town of Poteau, Okla., which he calls a "hick-me-tropolis."
"We didn't have a car so we would walk," he said. "The longest we had to walk was maybe an hour to the Wal-Mart Supercenter. The walk never bothered me because I was used to it."
But despite his income status, Stout always wanted to go to college.
"In order to get a good job, you need some sort of degree. So I was going to do whatever I needed to do to get scholarships or loans," he said.
At first, Stout's dream of going
to college almost became reality when he was offered a full scholarship to the University of Oklahoma. But his hopes crumbled when he found out that the scholarship would barely cover the cost of a four-year degree.
But that still did not stop him from going to college. After Stout graduated from high school, he enlisted in the Navy.
Even joining the Navy seemed to pose problems for Stout, who at about 5'8" and 120 pounds, seems an unlikely candidate for the military.
"I get picked on for being the little guy all of the time," Stout said. "But it doesn't bother me because I've always been that way. Usually, I try to make jokes about it or turn it around and say that they're overgrown giants."
Bill Hobbs Sr., the father of one of Stout's best friends, said that Stout had always been ambitious.
"He was like a mad scientist." Hobbs said. "He used to build his own radios and computers. There are a lot of kids who are smart but he actually uses his smart."
Despite his size, Stout said he wanted to prove to everyone that he could excel in the Navy.
"I joined because I didn't feel like getting shot at," Stout joked.
"No really, any remote threat or
death doesn't outweigh the benefits of remaining in the service. In the service you have a steady job, good pay and if you work hard, you can move up."
"Even though he was picked on for being small, he didn't give a dang about what people thought," Hobbs said.
Stout is part of a Navy program called the Seaman to Admiral-21 program. Stout took a 9-week course at the Naval Science Institute in Newport, R.I., where he learned about weapons and basic ship engineering.
After he passed the course,
Stout enrolled at the University of
Kansas to begin his degree. The
program gives students $10,000 a
"It's nice that I can work on my degree without the distraction of having to work another job to make ends meet," Stout said.
Despite the obstacles, Stout is content with how he turned out.
"I'm the only normal person left because everyone thinks I'm weird," Stout said with a laugh. "I don't know. I think they're weird. I yam, what I yam."
Contact Keomanyvong at vkoemanyvong@kansan.com. This story was edited by Matt Norton.
Students pinch pennies by trying off-brand food
By Matt Stumpff
Kansanstaff writer
When looking to stock their pantries for the school year, students will do the Malt-O-Meal walk for cereal but won't usually cut corners everywhere to save a buck.
Local grocery stores offer a variety of off-brand versions of name-brand foods but at lower prices. These products are often alternatives for students on budgets.
Jim Lewis, owner of Checkers, 2300 Louisiana, said prices are so high on national brand cereal that customers are always on the lookout for the cheapest. Lewis said customers had already depleted a cardboard bin full of about 300 to 400 packages of marked down cereal that the store put on display last week.
"We sell a lot of what's cheap," Lewis said.
A wide variety of off-brand cereals await students at almost every grocery store in Lawrence. An example of off-brand cereal is Malt-O-Meal's Tootie Fruities which has a taste similar to Fruit Loops.
"There's not that much of a taste difference," Tara Pierce, Lenexa freshman, said.
Pierce said she doesn't mind off-brand cereal but can't eat some other generic food items.
John Olson, store director of Hy-Vee, 3504 Clinton Parkway, said products with the name "Hy-Vee" on them have as good a quality, if not better than national products. He said if someone didn't like the store's ketchup, it would be because of preference, not lack of quality.
"Some people just like to see the Heinz name on the bottle," Olson said.
jessica Summers, Springfield,
Mo., sophomore, said she would
n't buy most off-brand food.
"I have to have Kraft cheese. I don't like the off-brand stuff," Summers said. "I also have to have Dole juice."
Summers said she mostly bought name-brand food, but a decreasing bank account may force her to change her ways.
For those students who prefer all off-brand food, Aldi, 3025 Iowa, offers almost exclusively off-brand food.
Mike Haake, Olathe senior, said his kitchen was packed with items from Aldi.
Haake said the crowd at Aldi differs from other grocery stores in the area. He said he doesn't usually see students shopping at the store. "It's usually older people," Haake said.
Contact Stumpff at mstumpff@kansan.com. This story was edited by Jessica Hood.
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