Friday, October 16, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 7
Haskell legislation leads to hope, concern
By Steph Brewer Kansan staff writer
New legislation has Haskell Indian Nations University president Bob Martin looking to the future and Haskell employees looking for answers.
The Native American Higher Education Improvement Act, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Vince Snowbarger, R-Kan., passed through the U.S. Senate this week.
Martin said the bill was a step forward in Haskell's evolution into a four-year university. But the teachers' union, the Local 45 National Federation of Federal Employees, said it had not received enough information to support it.
If signed into law, the act would allow Haskell and the Southwestern Polytechnic Institute in New Mexico to be exempt from federal hiring regulations and to establish their own personnel systems.
"This will provide us with the flexibility to recruit and retain staff," Martin said.
However, current staff aren't as pleased with the bill. Local 45 president Mike Tosee said the union's main objection was the way it was
"People would like to understand it better," he said. "We've been ignored."
handled by Snowbarger.
Tosee said the union had attempted several times to contact Snowbarger but received no response.
Martin said the change would cause some apprehension and resistance on campus but that it ultimately would improve education at Haskell.
In a letter to President Clinton, Snowbarger important passage of the bill was important to students at the two federally-operated Native American universities.
NATIVE AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT
What: A bill that would allow
Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute to create demonstration projects to develop their own personnel systems.
Sponsored by Kansas Congressman Vince Snowbarger
■ Passed House of Representatives Oct. 6, 1998
■ Passed Senate Oct. 14, 1998
■ Will become law in 10 days if President Clinton has not vetoed it or signed it.
Tosee said union employees were not necessarily against the legislation but that they were disillusioned by the lack of response from Snowbarger. He said Martin had responded
to their concerns by saying planning would been when the bill became law.
"It could be a good deal." Tosee said.
"We don't know. Anybody would like to know what they're getting into."
Memorial service to take place for alumnus victim of crash
A memorial service will be held this weekend for a University of Kansas alumnus who was killed in the Swissair Flight 111 crash in September.
By Chris Fickett
Kansan staff writer
Friends and family of Kevin S. Kief, a 1988 graduate in economics, will be in Lawrence this weekend to remember Kief's life, his appreciation of the outdoors and his simplistic nature at the memorial.
Kief's friend Chris Arth has set up a memorial scholarship fund in Kief's name, and a tree will be planted in his honor at
Kief: Died in the September crash of Swairisw flight 111.
Potter Lake, where Kief often relaxed or ran with his dog, Jake.
Arth said that the scholarship would be
awarded to third or fourth year students who majored in finance, international business or journalism. Contributions to the scholarship fund can be sent in memory of Kleff to St. Lawrence Catholic Center.
Kief and Arth graduated from Olathe South High School in 1983.
Laura Montgomery, Kief's friend, said Klef was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
After graduating, Kief married Susan Hermann in 1989 and pursued a career in the grain trading industry with the Harvest Oat and Bunge Corporation in Minneapolis. Mim
When Kief and Hermann divorced, Kief returned to Lawrence before accepting a position this summer at the Continental Grain Company in New York.
Kief was flying on Swissair Flight 111 to Geneva, Switzerland, on business.
Kief's co-workers at Continental described him as intuitive and successful.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at St.
Lawrence Catholic Center, 1632 Crescent Rd.
Kief's family has requested that contributions be sent to the scholarship fund in lieu of flowers.
Student researches device that tracks missing people
By Julie M. Sachs
Kansan staff writer
A KU graduate student is researching the effectiveness of a device that originally tracked the migration patterns of animals and now is used to find missing people.
CareTrak, established in 1989, is used to locate people who wander because of mental disabilities such as Alzheimer's disease and autism.
Pamela Kaverius, a graduate research assistant at the University Gerontology Center, is conducting evaluative testing in Lawrence of how the device affects the caregiver and the person with the disability.
She said that CareTrak would improve residential safety and the quality of life for people suffering from disorientation conditions.
Individuals who use the system are identified by a bracelet on their wrist. This bracelet transmits a signal, allowing rescuers to locate the missing person.
Through her research, Xaverius has installed the system in three different settings in Lawrence: a nursing home, a group home and an individual home.
Xavierius said that one of her participants was
very excited to use the system because of his wife's disorientation.
"He has found his wife in pretty dangerous situations. Xavierus said.
She said that in the middle of the summer the man's wife wandered away and climbed into a car. The heat could have been fatal, she said.
The CareTrak system, Xaverius said, is a dream come true for this man.
it's just so rewarding to work with him, because I know that I am making a difference in his life." Xaverius said.
Richard Blanchard, operations manager for CareTrak, said that the system had been successful around the country and was used in several veteran's homes. He said that CareTrak also was used in search and rescue missions.
Greg Pratt, chief of the Mountain Rescue Specialized Team in Stokes County, N.C., said that he had used the system for two years and had found 15 missing persons through the use of CareTrak.
Pratt said that the system also had decreased the time it took to locate a missing person from several hours to a few minutes.
Xaverius's research is financed by a grant from the National Institute of Aging.
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