THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2011
PAGE 3
ORDINANCE FROM 11
Wendland thought the legislation will help Lawrence in a greater way than only protecting individuals, "The city of Lawrence would be saying to potential citizens, students, retirements, and more importantly perhaps businesses, that our community protects its citizens because we want everyone to be productive, and healthy and happy."
The legislation will take effect immediately. There will be a second reading approved to add that gender identity must be consistent.
Mike Denver, Aron Cromwell, Hugh Carter and Bob Schumm voted in favor of the ordinance. Mike Amyx voted against.
Edited by Adam Strunk
CAMPUS
Author gives talk on Google issues
Siva Vaidhyanathan took a strong stand for corporate social responsibility on Tuesday in the Digital Media Lecture Series, "Be Evil: Google and the Perils of Corporate Social Responsibility."
Vaidhyanathan, an accomplished media scholar, cultural historian and professor of Media Studies and Law at the University of Virginia, recently published a well-received yet controversial book entitled "The Googlization of Everything."
"What I'm trying to get to is that the hypocrisy doesn't matter to me," Vaidhyanathan said. "The hypocrisy is an uninteresting story. The question is how do we relate to the ethics of corporate social responsibility."
Vaidhyanathan talked extensively about the ability of corporations to mistreat their users in a radically growing transparent society.
Throughout the lecture, Vaidhyanathan referenced Google and how they relate to this problem.
corporations.
He encouraged people to use a de-mystification process when going through Google and other
"The biggest danger with Google is when we don't understand it," Vaidyhynathan said.
Vaidhyanathan also outlined that one of the main reasons we are having this discussion is because of "public failure."
"I thought it was interesting and provocative, and I hope it made people think," professor of communication studies Nancy Baym said. "What we can take away from that is to question what corporations do."
Ryan McCarthy
RESIDENCE FROM 1
said that she likes to take advantage of her "little moments" to connect with the women on her floor.
"I might be studying and then take a bathroom break, and during that walk down the hall, I look for open doors and people to chat with." Bhakta said. "It wasn't the longest moment, but at least I talked with somebody."
Vickie Blanco, a senior from Overland Park, worked as an residential assistant in Templin Hall for two years. Blanco said that meeting everyone and making a family made life as a residential assistant the most rewarding job she had ever had.
"I'm still best friends with a lot of the kids who were on my floor," Blanco said. "They still make an effort to make me a part of their lives."
BALANCING ACT
Being a residential assistant goes beyond fostering social interaction.
Residential assistants are required to work a weekly three-hour shift at the front desk of their hall and in their academic resource centers. They must be on-call during the day for two or three hours every week. They also have night and weekend shifts every month. They have to be in the building for 12- or
Additionally, residential assistants are required to be full-time students and must maintain a 2.5 grade point average.
48-hour periods to handle any situations that arise.
"We're still students first, then we're RAs," Nobo said.
Juggling personal life, school work and floor relationships can, at times, be overwhelming.
"If you are a very stressed person, and you let things get to you, this job will quickly catch up to you." Nobo said.
He said it was important to take advantage of free time and to lean on other residential assistants and professional residence life staff, such as complex directors, for support.
Sometimes, however, students find that maintaining a balance isn't going to work out.
"I realized last year that I didn't have the time that I thought I was going to have, and my schedule just keeps getting more and more demanding," Blanco said. "It really was hard to leave the job, but it was something that needed to be done."
Blanco is currently applying to medical school and decided last spring to not return for a third year as a residential assistant.
Jocelyn Crist, complex director for McCollum Hall, said that students were often nervous to tell their bosses they wanted to
"But we understand that it's not for everyone." Crist said. "Some of it's school, some of its their style, some of its just that they want to be with their friends some more. Some just don't like communal living after a while."
BAD COP?
leave early or didn't plan on returning to the position.
Besides being a friend and a student, residential assistants also have to deal with students who are breaking the rules.
According to the University's Clery Act Annual Security Report, there were 899 referrals and nine arrests for alcohol violations in student housing in 2009 and 238 referral and 17 arrests for drug violations.
Jennifer Wamelink, associate director for residence life, said that it was a residential assistant's responsibility to confront a situation, correct it and document everything that happened; not administer punishment.
Wamelink said that under the Student Code of Rights and Responsibilities, residential assistants must ask and receive permission to enter a resident's room if they think someone is violating a rule unless they think someone is being harmed. However, she encouraged students to cooperate with residential assistants.
"If students are being uncooperative, the next level is to get law enforcement involved," Wamelink said.
While residential assistants receive training on how to handle various situations, they often end up having to think on their feet.
"It's one of those things where you don't know how you will handle it until you're put in the situation." Bhakta said.
SETTING THE TONE
Both Bhakta and Nobo will be back at the University for their fifth year of school next fall.
While Bhakta plans to remain a residential assistant, Nobo said he'll take time focusing on a required practicum for his social welfare major.
It's a job Nobo said he hates to leave, but he had a great experience.
Crist said that she thought not every residential adviser was happy with the position, but she said that every student found some value in it. '
"I think that every single person, whether they've loved the job or hated it, will tell me that they've learned something," Crist said. "They walk away learning something about how to deal with people or themselves."
Edited by C.J. Matson
A BIRD IN THE HAND
IFSSICA IANAS7/KANSAN
Magician Mike Super, winner of NBC's Phenomenon performs a trick during Tuesday night's performance. The event was josted by Student Union Activities and the Home- coming committee.
MARRIAGE FROM 1
of the Kansas' Federalist Society, an event sponsor, agreed with Carpenter's analysis.
"I think by the next generation it's probably going to be a moot point," she said.
Horner said the case would make its way to the Supreme Court within 10 years.
"It will come down to a 'yes, we're going to recognize same-sex marriage' or 'no, we won't throughout all of the states," Horner said.
Stephen McAllister, professor of law at the University, moderated for the panel.
The event was also sponsored by OUTlaws and Allies and KC Legal.
The debate has moved toward "the decency of recognizing human dignity," McAllister said. "For my kids' generations, they'll look back and wonder what the big deal was."
Edited by Jason Bennett