Tuesday inside
Multicultural celebration
Campus multicultural leaders attended the Chancellor's Diversity Reception at Chancellor Robert Hemenway's house yesterday. PAGE 3A
Out for blood
The University's annual fall blood drive begins at a time when Lawrence-area blood banks are combatting a shortage of blood. PAGE3A
University's youngest
Nathan Mack, 15, is the youngest student enrolled at the University of Kansas. He'll be a true college freshman at the age of 17.PAGE 5A
Buffalo hunt
After a big victory over the Tigers, the Jayhawks still have a few things to work on before they play Colorado. PAGE 10A
Verbal commitment Russell Robinson,ranked eighth in his position by the Rivals recruiting service,has tentatively decided to call Karlasas home. Another player, A.J.Price,will announce today if he plans to pick Connecticut over Kansas.PAGE10A
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index
Briefs 2A
Opinion 4A
Sports 10A
Sports briefs 8A
Horoscopes 7A
Comics 7A
Vol.114 Issue No.29
KANSAN
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
The Student Newspaper of the University of Kansas
By Amber Byarlay
abyarlay@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas received its largest grant ever $17 million that will fund a new research center in Lawrence.
University receives $17 million donation to create environmentally cleaner chemicals
Massive grant collected
The grant, from the National Science Foundation, is part of a $30 million project that includes the University of Iowa and Washington University in St. Louis.
"In engineering education, this is winning a BCS Bowl; this is going to the Final Four," said James Roberts, the interim vice provost for research at the KU Center for Research, Inc.
KU Center for Research, Inc.
University officials announced the grant at a news conference at KU Life Sciences Research Laboratories yesterday. Money from the grant will be distributed over a five-year period. After that, the University will be eligible for another $17 million or more from the NSF, said
Lynn Bretz, director of University Relations.
2
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan.) and U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) spoke at the news conference. All three agreed the grant would help the University, the surrounding community and Kansas' economy.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Bala Subramaniam, distinguished professor of chemical and petroleum engineering, applauded the words of U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan.) during a news conference yesterday at the KU Life Sciences Research Laboratories.
mgcommunity.org
Sen. Roberts said for every dollar spent on research, the state's economy would earn $4.
would earn $4.
"What's going on in the lab and business is crucial to that state's winning or losing economic ability," Sen. Roberts said. He said the effects on the Kansas economy would be tremendous.
Sen. Roberts also said the research grant would allow the University to compete with the best schools in the country in terms of research.
competitive as the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse and now Memorial Stadium."
in terms of research. "Look out MIT and Johns Hopkins," Sen. Roberts said. "KU research is as
Twenty-two faculty members from the
SEE GRANT ON PAGE 6A
Fitness center opens after delays
By Danielle Hillix
dhillix@kansan.com
staff writer
Wet concrete and caution tape surround the front steps. There are as many construction workers as students. But make no mistake. The Student Fitness Recreation Center is open.
After five false starts and plenty of frustration, the recreation center opened to students yesterday. And all the illwill resulting from three months of delays was checked at the door.
"It's about time," Albert Briggs, Merriam freshman said. "But it was definitely worth the wait."
Briggs was among the first students who used the 98.000 square-foot facility and took advantage of its long hours of operation.
Unlike Robinson Center, which was only open to students before and after classes, the recreation center is open from 6 a.m. to midnight every weekday. This means students such as Briggs, who has a lot of time in between his classes when Robinson is closed, can now workout whenever his schedule allows.
Briggs' reaction seemed to be the consensus among students, Mary Chappell, director of Recreation Services, said.
The fitness center will get better when all amenities are completed and finishing touches are applied, Chappell
"All the students coming in have been amazed," she said. "They think it's great. And it's only going to get better."
"I can't wait for everybody to get in here. I can't imagine what it's going to be like."
Mary Chappell director of Recreation Services
said. The sound of power drills drowned out churning tread- mills as workers hurried to install flooring in the aerobics and martial arts rooms. The center continued to wait for flooring on the basketball courts and vendors were still tweaking hot water and television connections.
"I'm sure students will tell us what needs to be done," Chappell said. "But we're working on it."
Students who used the center yesterday said that the unfinished building did not detract from the center as a whole.
"This isn't too bad," Adam Sheridan, Shawnee sophmore, said. "It's nice to at least have the main parts available. I can get back in my routine now."
The center begins regular weekday hours today, opening from 6 a.m. to midnight. The center will be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.
Sundays:
"I can't wait for everybody to get in here," Chappell said.
"I can't imagine what it's going to be like."
— Edited by Scott Christie
The new Student Fitness Recreation Center opened yesterday. About 1,400 people visited the center on its opening day.
KitLoffler/Kansan day.
GSP-Corbin garage closes for repairs
The GSP-Corbin parking lot closed for repairs Saturday. Water was leaking through the garage's top level, causing the concrete to deteriorate. Repairs began yesterday, and reconstruction is scheduled to take 15 days.
By Zack Hemenway
zhemenway@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The already-difficult parking situation at GSP-Corbin Hall took a hit Saturday when the parking garage closed for repairs.
Donna Hultine, director of parking said the garage's moisture seal was not performing its function, and water was leaking through the garage's top level.
leaking through the leakage had potential danger to both residents' cars and the concrete of the garage structure. Initially, only 11 parking spaces were thought to be affected, but after the last wave of rain in the area, the parking department discovered the entire west side of the garage was leaking. Hultine said the department had to act.
"It was deteriorating so quickly that my next big fear was that concrete could
A construction crew will take off the current seal and top layer of asphalt, assess concrete damage, and make repairs. The job is scheduled to take 15 working days, and the crew is slated to work weekends. Hultine said the work was dependent on weather conditions and could take two to three weeks. Work on the garage began yesterday.
In the meantime, GSP-Corbin residents can park in the stadium parking lot. Their permits will also be honored, free of charge, in the Mississippi Street parking garage adjacent to the Kansas Union.
come down from the ceiling." she said.
Kate Crandall, Carthage, Mo., freshman and Corbin resident, questioned the timing of the construction. She said it made an existing problem worse.
"There's not enough parking as it is,"
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SEE REPAIRS ON PAGE 6A
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