Volume 124 Issue 24
kansan.com
Friday, September 23, 2011
BIG 12 COMMISSIONER DAN BEEBE GONE
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JUST DANCE
THEY'VE GOT THE BEAT
UDC works to create dance careers
ALEXA RUSH
arush@kansan.com
If you think dancing isn't hard work,try taking a walk in the shoes of the University Dance Company members. They make the art of dance seem much easier than it is.
Dedicating anywhere from four to 20 hours every week to technique classes and company rehearsals, dancers learn the meaning of discipline. Managing their schedules between rehearsals, general education classes, working, and their home lives can definitely be a challenge, but learning this skill of time management pays off in the end for company members.
"We are a pre-professional dance performance ensemble and one of our main purposes is to reach out to the University and community through dance and share our art form with them," Libby Ingram, president of the University Dance Company said.
"Being part of the University Dance Company teaches you so much about things like responsibility and leadership, which can all be applied outside of dance," Ingram said. "Some people just don't understand how much time and effort we put into dancing. We are some of the most organized
people that I know and we are all passionate about what we do. This experience in college will translate into other areas of our lives."
With such a prestigious faculty, the members of the University Dance Company are set up for success.
"The dance faculty is phenomenal," Alyssa Mann, vice president of the University Dance company, said "We are so close with all of them since we get to work with them so much. There's a great connection, which is very important, that you wouldn't ever get in any other department."
There are many misconceptions about dancers who pursue a career in the dance world. Michelle Hefner Hayes, professor and chairperson of the dance department, said. Contrary to popular belief, Hefner Hayes assured that there are many ways to make a living with a dance major. She said that there are many career opportunities for dance majors and minors, which include working behind the scenes with lighting, getting involved in the education field, and even marketing and fundraising for dance.
"You wouldn't believe how many jobs are available in the dance world." Parents are always
The Big 12 seemingly escaped yet another apparent collapse, but this time the conference will continue under new leadership.
SEE DANCE 12
According to a statement from the conference, the Big 12 Board of Directors and Commissioner Dan Beebe have reached a "mutual agreement" for him to step down from the position immediately.
"I put all my effort into doing what was best for the Big 12. With great fondness, I wish the Big 12 Conference a long and prosperous future." Beebe said in a statement.
Beebes interim replacement will be former Big Eight Conference Commissioner Chuck Neinas; he will start working immediately. Neinas served as Big Eight commissioner from 1971 to 1980. Neinas currently runs his own consulting firm, Neinas Sports Services, out of his home in Boulder, Colo.
Beebe has been scrutinized for his handling of conference realignment, so the news of his resignation comes as no surprise. In the last year under Beebe's watch, the conference has lost Colorado, Nebraska and Texas A&M.
In just under a week, the Big 12 has gone from the verge of implosion to now discussing expansion. Thursday evening all nine remaining Big 12 schools pledged its allegiance to the conference going forward.
Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little and Athletics Director Sheahon Zenger issued a statement saying that the remaining schools "agreed to measures that will ensure the stability of the conference moving forward."
"The preservation of the Big 12 has been our primary objective as we worked to uphold the interests of KU, our student-athletes and fans," the statement said. "Tonight's agreement will enable us to again look at expansion as a way to solidify the conference's national standing."
Beebe's decision to allow schools to launch independent television networks helped save the conference from collapse in 2010. Beebe received so much praise that the Big 12 Board of Directors rewarded him with a contract extension through 2015 in November of last year. However, the decision to allow networks with unequal revenue sharing resulted in the launching of Texas Longhorn Network, which was backed by ESPN's $300 million investment.
The Longhorn Network apparently created so much animosity among the members that Texas A&M bolted to the Southeastern Conference. Texas &M President R. Bowen Loftin cited Texas' influence as one of the main reasons for leaving the Big 12.
CAMPUS
- Andrew Joseph
Hispanic cultures on display
CLAIRE MCINENRY
cmcinenry@kansan.com
Jose Luis Velasco grew up in Mexico, living in a home with dirt floors. After only two years of school, he could not continue to the third grade because he was needed to work on his family's farm. In 1979, at age 17, he left Mexico to pursue a better life for himself in Southern California.
Kris Velasco, a junior from Wamego and Jose's son, is reaping the benefits of that better life his father sought years ago. As the first person on both sides of his family to attend college, Velasco knows the importance of supporting Hispanic students. With Hispanic Heritage Month underway, Velasco helped the Multicultural Education Fund distribute money to student groups hosting events throughout the month.
Miguel Camacho, president of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO), said these events on campus are important to bring exposure to HALO and the Hispanic community.
HALO kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 16 by showcasing Hispanic dance and music, two things Camacho said are very important to the Hispanic culture
GROWING UP HISPANIC
Velasco knows all about the importance of these traditions, having
grown up in the Hispanic community of Temecula, Calif. Velasco said he never felt like a minority because everyone was like him. It was common to speak Spanish at home and English at school and have an immigrant parent.
Once Velasco and his family moved to Wamego when he was 15, that all changed. As one of three non-white kids at his new school, Velasco, for the first time, felt ashamed of his culture.
"Being the new student and being the minority student as well, I kind of tried to blend in as much as I could since I am lighter skinned," Velasco said. "Rather than just trying to challenge them and make them see the real side of being Hispanic, I didn't want to stand out
even more.
The unity of Hispanic culture on campus is evident to non-Hispanic students as well. Sarah Stern, a junior from Lawrence, was vice president of HALO last year but now
HISPANIC CULTURE AT KANSAS
Once Velasco got to the University, he started to look at his Mexican culture in a different way, with the help of Hispanic Heritage Month activities.
"Coming to KU it was really great to see not just Mexicans, but people from other Hispanic countries fully embracing their heritage," Velasco said. "It was really easy for me to accept my own culture when I saw so many people celebrating it and people I could identify with."
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH EVENTS
Sept. 24 - Festa Cultural: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Throught Music. 7:30 p.m. at Swartwhistle
Sept. 28- Feria Hispana: Music,
dance, food and dresses, 1-6 p.m.
South Park
Oct. 9- KU alum and ESPN.com writer George Kiball will talk about boxer Roberto Duran. 7 p.m. at the Sabatini Multicultural Resource
- Center
Oct. 11. Watch party for Mexico vs. Brazil soccer game at Cielito Lindo Mexican Restaurant.
Oct. 16. La Catrina Quartet will perform at the Lied Center. $5 for students, $21 for non-students.
Center.
works with the Student Coalition for Immigrant Rights. Stern values spending time with the Hispanic community on campus and in Lawrence and she wants every student to see how important this culture is.
"When you say Hispanic or Latino, there's so many different cultures within that from each country," Stern said. "Each one has its own really rich tradition and it's really important to recognize and distinguish between those different cultures and not just lump them all together as Hispanic."
Edited by Sarah Champ
NICK SMITH/KANSAN
Freshman Drew Carlburg of Fredonia signs up for information to help with United Way causes. The 2011 United Way fundraising was held on campus in front of the Kansas Union.
FUNDRAISING
United Way fund raises $100,000
BOBBY BURCH
bburch@kansan.com
University students tossed footballs and donated money outside the Kansas Union yesterday afternoon as part of the United Way of Douglas County's fundraising kickoff event.
Kellen Bolt, a senior from Iola and co-director of the University Center for Community Outreach, encouraged students to contribute to the United Way's efforts in supporting Lawrence non-profit organizations.
"I don't think many stu
dents think of themselves as a part of the Lawrence community — I really didn't until I started getting involved," he said. "I don't think they realize how much the United Way does and helps to make the Lawrence community as strong as it is. It's here making the city a more attractive place to live."
After several preliminary donations, including a $62,000 gift from Rock Chalk Review, the United Way is well on its
CLASSIFISDS 11 CRYPTOQUIPS 3 SPORTS 12
CROSSWORD 3 OPINION 4 SUDOKU 3
SEE UNITED WAY 12
Don't forget
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2011 The University Daily Kansan
The Legends of the Phog basketball game is this Saturday.
Today's weather
Facts done by University students. For a more detailed forecast see page 24.
HI: 72
LO: 50
4
Nice fall weather.