THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
PAGE 5
THE UNIVERSITY BABY KANSAN
opinion
Send your FFA submissions to freeforall@kansan.com
FREE FOR ALL
To those debating over whose major is best, I'm a social welfare student and I just want to remind you that money doesn't buy happiness.
Lawrence couldn't even win the Take Charge Challenge? I thought we were supposed to be the hippies!
To the kid who watches the same movie every lecture, please pick a new one. I'm getting bored.
If I plagiarize, I pay the University to kick me out of school. When professors plagiarize, I pay them to stay at the University. We all need good role models right?
The Kansan editor is kind of a bitch. Editor's note: You're welcome.
Sorry FFA writers, but not every annoying girl is in a sorority, and frat guys DON'T ride bikes.
Seriously? I'm all for you handing out
Bibles to students but don't attack me
at 8 a.m. right when I get off the bus.
I go to the University of Kansas.
Obviously I don't read the Bible.
I'm a fratter AND an engineer.
betterthanallofyou
As an engineering/CLAS dual major, I can attest that engineering courses make liberal arts look like high school.
To end the battle, basketball is a real sport. Quidditch is a made up sport from a movie.
My friend just told me he'd burn down Wescoe Beach if you didn't put his FFAs in. For the love of Wescoe, put his FFAs in.
Editor's note: We don't negotiate with FFA terrorists.
Wouldn't you rather have the University cop cars transform into an Autobot? I don't want the Decepticons taking over campus.
To all the people complaining about all the attention on Tebow, stop giving it to him. Just sit back and watch him lose.
Let's be honest quidditch, the most action and fame your broom could ever hope to get would be sweeping our floor at halftime.
True Jayhawk fans don't yell "Wooooooo!" during the Rock Chalk chant. Seriously guys, cut it out.
To the kid who had his one-night stand take you to the bar to find another girl, maybe you just weren't that good.
West Virginia in the Big 12? And I thought these bad ideas couldn't get worse than Mizzou leaving.
Watching a squirrel fall from the top of a tree and survive, awesome! Watching it miss landing on the frat kids, not as cool.
I wish I had a Bible cannon. The truth hurts, doesn't it?
I like to imagine that there's a little man who lives in the Campanile and rings the bells.
I'm still an hour away from Columbia and the air already smells like loser.
EDITORIAL
Health should not be sacrificed for a grade
Students in some University of Kansas academic programs feel overworked, and their health suffers from it.
An in-depth Kansan story that ran in April highlighted the stories of an architecture, a computer science and a mechanical engineering major and the dangers of students sacrificingleep and working excessive hours on class work.
I love when I walk faster than a guy with legs twice as long as mine because he wouldn't step on the cracks of the sidewalk.
The architecture student developed kidney stones as a junior from more than 100 Rockstar energy drinks she consumed in one semester. The same student avoided sleep for a project by sticking a methylphenidate patch — originally prescribed for ADHD — on her back every eight hours for three
days.
An engineering student was hospitalized when he buckled in pain after days in the workshop with Red Bull drinks and little sleep. He was diagnosed with diabetes at age 21. The dedication he needed to put in his school and extracurricular work threatened his health and his relationship with his girlfriend, now wife.
The generally accepted rule for the time a student spends for one college credit is three hours of work outside of class. For a 15 credit hour schedule, students are expected to attend class for 15 hours and spend 45 hours on class work per week. This time does not include extra-curricular activities and part-
Piling long hours of work on students to prepare them to construct tomorrow's buildings, cars and computer programs is often considered to be a normal part of the educational process. Engineering and computer science requires incredible devotion to detail, while architecture also involves an "open-ended process" that's always in a student's mind, according to the dean of architecture John Gaunt.
time jobs.
"It requires a tacit understanding of the program," he said.
Students usually know the time requirements of classes and projects.
These examples of over-
the administration is alleviating students' workloads. But professors and administrators must work together to help students graduate with the skills they need without harming their health. More awareness will help students better manage their time and maintain their mental and physical wellness.
worked students are not representative of most students in engineering and architecture, but professors and administration understand that students work long and odd hours.
But when the curriculum affects students' health, along with condoning unhealthy study habits, schools at the University must start reminding their students of the importance of time management and the risks of using harmful methods to stay awake.
Most students try to succeed in classes for their fields of study. A student ultimately needs to figure out the line between working hard and still having the energy to recover from tough exams and mentally draining projects.
The Office of the Provost must consider this an issue as it reshapes academics with a "Bold Aspirations" strategic plan. By decreasing the total number of general education credits necessary to graduate,
Vikaas Shanker for The Kansan Editorial Board
POLITICS
Get involved in campaigns sooner rather than later
November is almost here, and that means it is just a little more than a year until the 2012 general elections. Even a year out, the election season is already in full swing. Republican Presidential hopefuls have already held a handful of debates, and the early primaries are just a few months away. This is about the time when campaigns start looking for volunteers and staffers, and if you were looking to get involved with a campaign, it may be the time. The sooner you get involved, the better.
There are plenty of ways you can help a campaign. Volunteer jobs run the gambit, from helping pass out information at campaign events to helping plant signs on busy street corners close to election day to helping run phone banks. Campaigns, especially for statewide elections, are even looking for paid representatives in cities throughout the state, but these jobs require a large amount of time.
Where do you even start when looking to get involved with a campaign? Well, it begins with research. Research not only the candidates, but also the issues. That way you can have your views on the issues defined before getting your feet wet. Whatever level of election
you want to look at, from local to national, you want to find a candidate that best represents you. Don't support anyone you wouldn't vote for on Election Day. Also, if you really want to join a campaign to win, there are a couple of ways to look into your candidate's chances (getting involved in a campaign that's already dead in the water would not be good for job security). First, take a look at polls. They can give you a good idea of where your candidate stands. If those aren't available, take a look at the FEC's campaign finances website. Candidates with more cash on hand often have a better chance of staying in the election longer and stand a decent chance of winning.
Next, find the candidate's district or election office. If the candidate you want to work for is an incumbent, look for his or her district office. A new candidate usually has election offices throughout the state. If you want to work for a national
campaign, the best place to start would be in the local party offices. But these are often temporary offices and, at least here in Douglas County, won't open up for a couple of months.
Working for a campaign in college is a great way to build real-world experience, network and build up your resume, regardless of your party affiliation. Last year, I worked as a press assistant on the primary campaign for Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). It involved some odd hours and plenty of work, but a victory on election day was incredibly rewarding.
For those who aren't interested in serious involvement, I suggest they still start to pay attention. As people start to enter the local races and national candidates begin to dwindle, everyone who wants to make an informed vote next November may want to start watching the debates and reading the papers. Who knows, maybe an issue or candidate will begin to stand out to you, and you may want to get involved.
Boyer is a senior from Lawrence in political science and journalism.
Follow him on Twitter
@AlexBoyer90
CAMPUS CHIRPS BACK
Is a long distance relationship a good idea?
Follow us on Twitter @UDK. Opinion.
Tweet us your opinions, and we just might publish them.
falthompson
@UDKH Different I got hoes ...in
Different area codes, area codes
hanson377
@UBK_ Opinion horrible idea.
Any sense of intimacy in a long distance relationship is simply an illusion. Humans need tangibility.
**BUDK. Opinion of course it isn't a good dea, but if you love someone have to be in a long distance relationship, go for it.**
jeffsanoubane
laurendrummond
@UDK. Opinion It's a good idea. It is hard, but when you do get to see each other, the time seems more special than if you see them everyday.
FASHION
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fashion designer Ralph Lauren, left, and wired Ricky Lauren attend "Lincoln Center Presents: An Evening With Ralph Lauren" at Alice Tully Hall on Oct. 24 in New York.
Lauren honored at special event
Some call him a fashion legend. Others view him as a philanthropist.Most can agree he is an inspiration to all.
Ralph Lauren is without a doubt one of the most celebrated American designers. To commemorate his many fashion and philanthropic achievements throughout the years, Oprah Winfrey hosted an "Evening With Ralph Lauren" Monday night at the Lincoln Center in New York City.
This lavish black-tie affair, which included a dinner, a question and answer segment hosted by the queen of interviews herself, and a runway show that featured close to 50 looks from Lauren's spring line, raised more than $7 million jointly for the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem and the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts.
Not one to regularly provide interviews, Lauren attracted media moguls who were eager to talk to the fashion icon, such as Anderson Cooper, Barbara Walters and Cohen.
What started out as a small necktie business, known as Polo, has now become one of the most well-known household names for American apparel. From Western-inspired blue jeans to Great-Gatsby-worthy preppy sportswear, Lauren is the quintessential American designer.
Polo Ralph Lauren became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in 1997 under the recognizable symbol
By Lizzie Marx
lmarx@kansan.com
RL and by 2009 the fashion house earned a revenue of $5 billion.
Lauren talked about his uprising from humble beginnings to achieve the American Dream through hard work and determination.
"I'm living proof if you work hard enough, you can accomplish something in this country," Lauren said Monday night, according to the Associated Press.
Although Ralph Lauren is mainly known for his impeccable designs, he has also gained acknowledgement as a notable philanthropist.
His charity, the Ralph Lauren Foundation, supports several different initiatives in cancer care, education and service in undeserved communities.
The Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention provides screening and treatment services for several different types of cancer for the residents of Harlem, an area in New York that has one of the highest cancer mortality rates in the United States.
The Lincoln Center Foundation strengthens fashion-related events throughout the year through supporting New York City's growing design community.
Raising money for two favorable charities has never been this fashionable.
Marx is a sophomore from St. Louis in journalism.
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THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Members of the Kansan Edward Board are Kelly Strode, Joel Peterson, Jonathan Shorman, Vikas Shamker, Mandy Manty and Steffen Penn.
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