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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
Kansan
Cool, partly sunny and the beginning of a cooling trend.
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Online today
Would you like to offer a helping hand in the community? Trinity Respite Care has opportunities available.
Monday
November 23,1998
Section:
A
Vol. 109 • No. 67
http://www.idir.net/~trinity/index.html
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Sports today
The football team lost in Iowa. The women's basketball team picked up wins in Hawaii. The men's basketball team won in Lawrence. Check it out.
SEE PAGE 1B
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Making a career of caring
Some KU students pass up higher wages at department stores and restaurants to spend their time helping others
Stephanie Martell, Trinity Respite Care client, and Rochelle Silan, Norton senior and Trinity care provider, read a cooking magazine during a trip to Dillon's. As a care provider, Silan is paid to spend four hours each week with Martell.
Graphics by Jason Benavides Photo illustration by Corie Waters
(USPS 650-640)
Story by Melody Ard
The red letters on signs in front of the new Steak 'n Shake entice students to be a server or cook for $10 an hour.
Down Iowa Street, the new JC Penney,
Sears and Kohl's department stores all have
"help wanted" signs in their windows.
The big department stores dwarf small agencies fighting for the same employees in Lawrence's shrinkine labor pool.
Trinity Respite Care, 2400 W. 31st St., is a Lawrence social service agency struggling to find students and others to fill open positions from an increasingly tight labor pool. Trinity hires people to be in-home care providers for Lawrence-area residents with disabilities or other health problems.
The agency usually hires University of Kansas students, but the hiring slowed this fall, not because there is not a demand for care providers, but because there simply aren't enough workers.
Nancy Slabaugh, branch manager of Mantpower Temporary Services, 211 E. 8th St., said most businesses in Lawrence and Douglas County were struggling to fill their vacancies.
"We are in a competition with Steak 'n Shake and Kohl's," Lisa Ellis, social worker at Trinity, said recently. "Right now we have a hold on new clients because we don't have enough providers to meet the need."
"The labor market here is very tight," she said. "Almost everyone here who can be employed is employed, and the department
stores have had a tremendous effect because they draw from the same pool. We are just all vying for the same people. It's tough, very tough."
It has been especially tough to find social service workers who earn close to minimum wage for jobs that can involve physical labor and emotional attachment to the clients.
Trinity's 80 care providers, including about 40 students, were already working over 6,000 hours each month for existing clients, and the agency had to direct some people looking for in-home care to other agencies.
"If we absolutely can't help them within two weeks,we give them another place to call," she said.
Ellis acknowledged the agency could not keep up with the $8 hourly wages offered by other area businesses but said the nonprofit organization offered a haven for those students tired of the smell of grease or the hassle of angry customers.
Trinity pays providers $6.25 an hour. The wage comes from a $1-an-hour fee from the clients, funding from the United Way, grants and private donations, Ellis said.
Money isn't the way the agency attracts employees. There are other significant advantages the job offers, including work schedules, experience and insurance for full-time employees.
See AGENCY on page 5A
Nancy Slabaugh branch manager of Manpower Temporary Services
"Almost everyone here who can be employed is employed, and the department stores have had a tremendous effect because they draw from the same pool. We are just all vying for the same people. It's tough, very tough."
Condition of students hit by truck improving
By Keith Burner Kansan staff writer
The conditions of three KU students hit by a truck early Saturday morning in downtown Lawrence are improving, area hospital officials reported.
Justin Barron, Clinton Rousseau and Mark Talley, all 20, were hospitalized at about 2 a.m. after they were struck by a northbound truck while crossing Massachusetts Street near Sixth Street, Lawrence police said.
Rousseau, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore, was taken by helicopter to the University of Kansas Medical Center after the accident.
Talley, Leawood sophomore, and Barron, San Ramon, Calif., junior, were taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Barron later was flown to the Med Center
Barron and Rousseau both were placed in the Med Center's intensive-care unit in critical condition, said Virginia Taylor, a Med Center nursing supervisor.
Both students still are in the intensivecare care, but they were upgraded to serious condition yesterday after weekend surgeries, she said.
Taylor would not comment on the extent of the students' injuries.
A Lawrence Memorial Hospital nursing supervisor said that Talley, who had been placed in the hospital's intensive-care unit, was in good condition and moved to a regular room yesterday.
Police said the driver of the truck did not stop, but after interviewing witnesses, officers were able to track down the truck a few minutes after the accident.
Police said they stopped a Dodge truck being driven by a Leavenworth man in his mid-40s within minutes of the accident.
They said that both the man and the truck matched descriptions given by witnesses.
Police detained and interviewed the man but did not arrest him. They said they still were investigating the accident and that the case has been forwarded to the district attorney.
Alcohol may have been involved in the accident, police said. They said that whether the students' conditions improved was an important factor in determining which, if any, charges would be filed.
Library will close early to fix power problem
Watson Library will be closed tomorrow night and Wednesday as University employees try for a second time to replace a broken electrical transformer.
Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr has received mixed reactions to his role in the Clinton impeachment hearings. KRT photo
The library's original transformer stopped working Oct. 29. Bob Porter, associate director of facilities operations, said the University had been powering the library with a generator.
The University received the new transformer Friday. Safety concerns will force the library to close for 48 hours while the new transformer is put in.
On Nov. 13 and 14, the University closed the library to attempt to install a new transformer it bought from Lyons Electric in Lyons. However, Porter said, that transformer did not work.
University officials chose to close the building early for Thanksgiving break to avoid inconveniencing students trying to finish projects and study for finals.
"We regret this interruption in service," said William J. Crowe, vice chancellor for information services and dean of libraries.
The library originally was scheduled to be closed on Thursday. It now will close at 8 tomorrow night.
The library will be open on Saturday and Friday.
Tammy Chulindra, Topeka sophomore, said she doubted that very many students would be on campus to know whether the library was open.
"I am trying to get all of my stuff done before then," she said. The library book drop will remain accessible for returning materials during the time the library will be closed.
Potential users of Watson Library on Friday should call 864-9800 to confirm the reopening.
KU reaction to Clinton hearings muted
By Chad Bettes
Kansan staff writer
Many people in the University of Kansas community appear to be indifferent to the impeachment hearings regarding alleged perjury by President Bill Clinton.
The hearing began last week with testimony by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr.
Burdett Loomis, professor of political science, said the hearings were boring and were not bringing out much new information.
"Even Democrats agree there is perjury, but they are saying, 'So what?' Loomis said. "It's not something they advocate, but it's not a high crime or misdemeanor."
Tiffany Keenan, Great Bend graduate student, said she followed Starr's testimony only sporadically Thursday. She said the hearings should conclude as soon as possible.
"The hearings are taking away any bit of image the president has left." Keenan said.
She said she would prefer the investigation to take place after Clinton finished his term, despite thinking he committed perilure.
"He is a regular person after he is out of office, but he should be on a
pedestal in the meantime," Keenan said.
Ward Cook, president of KU Young Republicans and Mission Hills senior, agreed that Clinton might survive the impeachment hearings. But he thinks Clinton should be responsible for his actions.
"It's a disgrace that a president can perjure himself and get away with it." Cook said.
He said he did not have an opinion
"It was a remarkable perform-
Loomis said Starr deserved points for stamina during the 12 hours of questioning Thursday.
about Starr before the hearings, but thought he had done an excellent job in presenting the case before the House Judiciary Committee.
He proved he is an unbiased and fair man," Cook said. "And I don't think he's enjoying this. Who would put themselves through this process?"
ance." Loomis said.
"Everyone's looking for a way to finish this thing," Loomis said. "Clinton would have accepted almost any deal a couple of weeks ago. Now, he is in a better position."
Loomis said the House had several options, ranging from voting against impeachment in the Judiciary Committee to sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial.
Conventional wisdom says it is more likely the charges will die, Loomis said. He said a deal probably will be made for a censure or reprimand, with Republicans joining Democrats to stop the impeachment while publicly rebuking Clinton for his conduct.
Criminal charges could be filed after Clinton leaves office, regardless of the congressional hearing's outcome.