6A the university daily kansan
news
monday,november 24,2003
Auction raises money, entertains
By Amanda Kim Stairrett
astairrett@kansan.com
kansan staff writer
William Clayton, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore, placed a bid on a date at the Black Student Union Date Auction on Saturday night. His friends Brandon McDowel, Kansas City, Mo., junior, Chris Stokes, Rochester, N.Y., freshman, and Mark Dupree, Kansas City, Kan. senior, stood by, deciding whether to place a bid. Organizers said the event was a success for the Black Student Union.
Kriston Guillot was a natural salesman during the Black Student Union's "Acquire an Acquaintance" date auction.
Sean Smith/Kansan
"She's pre-nursing, and she knows how to take care of a man," said Guillot, a business administration major and Shawnee sophomore, while introducing La'Pourchea McConico, Bonner Springs freshman.
Guillot co-hosted the event Saturday in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Guillot and co-host Jeff Dugas, Naperville, Ill., sophomore, are programs chairmen for the Black Student Union.
The winner of each auction got a gift certificate from several local restaurants including Hereford House, 4931 W. 6th St., and Mojo's, 714 Vermont St.
More than 50 bidders attended the event and paid $2 for a paddle.
"A beautiful person with a beautiful mind is worth more than this," Guillot said of McConico, urging bidders to go higher.
The event gave supporters an opportunity to win dates with more than 30 of the organization's members.
A biddder eventually won a date with McConico for $10.
"This is for a great cause, your cause, the Black Student Union."
The crowd was reserved until David Interiano, Wichita junior,
Kriston Guillot
Shawnee sophomore
was escorted to the stage amidst a Latin dance beat.
Before he reached the stage, a woman in a black strapless dress rose and held up her bidding paddle.
Guillot handed Interiano the microphone and he encouraged women to spend.
"Raise up your little thing," he said, flirting. "Don't be shy."
The music continued amidst a bidding frenzy as Interiano danced in front of the crowd.
The woman in the black dress danced to the edge of the stage.
"Going, going, hers," Guillot announced after several minutes of bidding.
She is recording secretary for the Black Student Union.
Guillot said the Black Student Union sponsored the event to help members interact and get rid of shyness. He admitted that he enjoyed upping the ante on several participants.
The woman in the black dress, Delia Kimbrel, Wichita sophomore, won a date with Interiano for $56.
"I had to break the ice," he said. "People were scared and skeptical to spend at first."
Guillot did not know how much money the group made yet, but he said he was pleased with the turnout.
Megan McCluney, assistant treasurer and Bonner Springs sophomore, said the organization didn't have any formal balls or dances, and "Acquire an
Acquaintance" gave everyone an opportunity to dress up and socialize.
"This is for a great cause, your cause, the Black Student Union," Guillot said to the crowd between bidding.
Guillot said the organization's next event was a pot lunch dinner
before winter break
He said the goal of the dinner was to let students know that they have a home in Lawrence. They meet at 7:30 p.m.Mondays at the third floor lobby in Elsworth hall.
Edited by Erin Riffey
Freshman predicts problems with roommate
Student deals with new roommate, less privacy at night, harder time keeping grades on upswing
By Johanna M. Maska
jmaska@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a series of stories about La'Pourchea McConico, a Bonner Springs freshman at the University of Kansas. Kansan staff writer Johanna Maska is checking in with her throughout her first semester.
College adjustments have thrown La'Pourchea McConico for a loop all semester.
The latest loop: a new roommate.
For almost three months McConico has been in a single room at Oliver Hall.
Her last roommate moved out at the beginning of the year.
Her living situation, she said was the only thing she hasn't had to worry about for the last three months.
But now, she expects some troubles.
"This room is my refuge," McConico said. "I come in here and escape from the world."
University residence halls require full capacity in the room unless the resident pays the stipend amount, said Diana Robertson, associate director for Student Housing.
"I don't care if it's my best friend from home moving in. She's still a roommate which will therefore invade my privacy."
La Pourchea McConico experienced one of the benefits of having friends nearby as they helped her prepare for the "Acquire an Acquaintance" Auction Saturday night. Her new roommate was in the process of moving in last weekend, which was a new and uncomfortable experience for McConico, who wasn't used to sharing a room.
Ariel Tilson/Kansan
La'Pourchea McConico Bonner Springs freshman
Special requests can be made to complex directors. McConico knew she wanted her own room, she said.
But when she found out it would cost an extra $600 for the year, she said she knew she didn't have the money.
So McConico wearily awaited the day a new roommate would be assigned. On Friday it happened.
"A dude stuck his head in," McConico said. "He asked if I was La'Pourchea and then told me the girl with him was my new roommate."
Although McConico thinks she's a great girl, she is still hesitant.
friend from home moving in," McConico said, "She's still a roommate, which will therefore invade my privacy."
McConico said her personal space was sacred.
McConico introduced herself to her new roommate.
"I don't care if it's my best
She's used to having it - she had the largest room in the house growing up.
Her brother and sister sometimes leave stuff there, she said. But other than that, it's still hers.
"I know you spoiled," McConico said.
But with the new life she's leading, McConico said it's even more important that she has her space.
"I don't come home until 9." McConico said. And by then, she said, she just wants to relax.
"My whole thing is I have people coming in and out all the time." McConico said.
"When my grandmother comes, we sit in the room and talk," McConico said. "I don't want to ask anyone to leave, but I want to talk to her alone."
She worries that this will be difficult to do with a roommate.
Her privacy has also helped her study lately, she said.
The problem is one of anticipation, McConico said, and she knows it.
After a rough first round of tests, her grades have been improving.
McConico said it's almost as it right after she's gotten her grades back up, she's reaching another roadblock.
roommate in particular, it's just the room being occupied.
She's not worried about the
"I just keep telling myself: There are compromises in life, this is just one of them." McConico said.
—Edited by Michael Owells
FAREWELL Lecture series finishes up with Smith
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
Smith told the audience about his 10 rules for a popular pursuit among historians and non-academics alike: ranking American presidents. Smith said ranking was something anyone could do.
Smith's outlined his 10 rules and gave examples from history of presidents they applied to, quoting sources from Winston Churchill to Oscar Wilde.
Smith's first rule is that history rewards the risk-takers. Smith said presidents who make bold moves, like Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase, are ensured a greater historical legacy.
"The path of least resistance does not lead to Rushmore," Smith said.
Three other rules led into an extended comparison of Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. Smith sees the two as kindred spirits with opposite ideologies, describing Roosevelt, a Democrat, as the first "compassionate conservative" while giving Reagan the title of "radical republican."
"Roosevelt promised freedom through government, while Reagan promised freedom from government," Smith said. "Both succeeded within the context of their time."
Smith did not disclose his own ranking, leaving that duty up to his audience.
"Americans have been revising the estimation of presidents for as long as we've had presidents," he said, returning to the point with his 10th rule: "Greatness is in the eye of the beholder."
Smith agreed with previous presidential series speaker Gergen's assessment of George W. Bush, echoing Gergen's statement that the jury was still out on the current president. He said there were a few certainties about Bush, however.
"We already know that this is an important president," he said. "He has presided over an historic centralization of power."
Justin Brown, Overland Park freshman, said he liked that Smith's speech addressed many presidencies.
"He established a certain criterion for judging presidents," he said. "It did a nice job of bringing the series to a close."
the four-lecture series, which was free, brought more than 5,000 people to the Lied Center the last four Sundays.
The Dole Institute, under interim director Stephen McAllister, plans to continue the series next year. It may be the "cold day" when Smith is leaving, but he made it clear that he's not worried about the future of the institute he created. After an extended ovation, he returned to the stage.
"I know that great things are going to happen at the Dole Institute," Smith told the still-standing crowd, 25 years to the week he first met the Senator.
Edited by Neeley Spellmeier
kansan.com
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