Thursday, September 10, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 5
AIDS stigma affects helpers, professor says
By Julie M. Sachs Kansan staff writer
A University of Kansas professor has studied the kind of person who helps AIDS patients.
Through his research, Allen Omoto, professor of psychology, learned that the reasons people decide to volunteer affect the length of their service.
volunteered for egocentric reasons were found to remain volunteers for a longer length of time.
These egocentric reasons include personal development, understanding and esteem enhancement.
Although individuals may have volunteered for their own reasons, all volunteers have common experiences in their service.
Oomoto said that volunteers went through stages in their volunteer service and that the final stage, called the consequence stage, illustrated how volunteers were affected by their work.
Negative reactions represent a social consequence that some volunteers experience.
These reactions from society stem from the stereotype of AIDS patients as homosexuals or drug users in society.
good often are not prepared for this negativity.
It is because of people's associations with AIDS to groups
"It is because of people's associations of AIDS to groups who commonly get AIDS." Omuto said.
This stigma greatly has affected how long some people remain as volunteers. Omo told said.
Most people who receive the negative reaction regarding their service tend to go through a psychological withdrawal. Oromo said it led to complete withdrawal from volunteering.
"They tend to drop out more than people who don't get the stigma. We tried to look who would drop out," Oomoto said. "It's not the work — people might opt out because of other people."
During parts of Omoto's research, AIDS patients who are helped by the volunteers fill out questionnaires on how the service helps them, said Suzanne Grace, Overland Park senior, who assists Omoto.
"A lot of things that people say really touch home," Grace said. "They make comments about what the programs mean to them and you see how important the programs really are."
Grace said that many AIDS patients benefited greatly from the volunteer services.
"It really kind of touches you. It kind of makes you realize, 'Wow, this is really important.'" Grace said. "In general, we get a lot of things back that say 'I'd be so lonely without this.'"
Omoto's research is financed by a five-year grant, which ends in 2000. The grant was awarded by the National Institute of Mental Health.
GTAs promote bill
By Julie M. Sachs
Kansan staff writer
Graduate teaching assistants are asking for Chancellor Robert Hemenway to openly support their state employee status.
At last night's Student Senate meeting, the Graduate Teaching Assistant Coalition waited for the approval of a bill asking Hemenway to stop the University from supporting any state legislation that threatened the state employee status of the GTAs.
"We're hoping he will make a written statement to the effect that he will not support any legislation that eliminates our right to collectively bargain under the Public Employers-Employees Relation Act," said Mark Horowitz, Graduate Teaching Assistant Coalition organizer.
Many GTAs were optimistic that the bill would pass.
"It's a trivial thing we're asking for." Horowitz said.
Senate passed the bill late in the session
Part of the race for Hemenway's support of the GTA coalition is the direct result of speculations that in the past, the University supported a state bill which would have stripped the GTAs of their state employee status.
issues. Horowitz brought up this past issue during the question and answer period.
Hemenway addressed Senate at the beginning of last night's meeting and discussed various campus
Hemenway called the allegation "absolutely untrue."
"The University never argued for any part of a bill that would have caused the GTAs not to be employees," Hemenway said.
During Hemenway's address, Horowitz asked for Hemenway's support of the bill.
The Chancellor denied comment regarding the bill and said he would respond to the petition if it passed.
But Hemenway did show support for the GTAs.
"GTAs serve in class and in the lab, Hemenway said. "I consider them to be part of the essential success of KU."
Senate co-sponsors Loveline
By Seth Jones
Kansan staff writer
Student Senate kicked off the year's first meeting last night with a long debate about a bill to co-sponsor MTV's Loveline appearance at the University of Kansas.
Student Union Activities is bringing the popular MTV program to the Lied Center September 18th. SUA asked Senate to contribute $2,000 to help fund the $22,000 cost of bringing the program to campus.
The debate was settled with Senate contributing $1,000 to SUA rather than the $2000 they were asking for.
SENATE LEGISLATION
Veon said many of Senate's constituents were interested in the topics discussed on Loveline.
Melissa Veon, Nunemaker senator, supported the opportunity the co-sponsorship gave Senate.
■ PASSED a bill to fund the 1998 American Red Cross Blood Drive. Called for the allocation of $785.
■ PASSED a bill to finance The Center for Community Outreach's Art Reaching Toward Tolerance in Students. Called for allocation of $619.
■ PASSED a bill to fund the Pharmacy Fair. Called for the allocation of $718.
■ PASSED a bill to co-sponsor with Student Union Activities the appearance of MTV's Loveline on campus. Called for the allocation of $2,000 but was amended to allocate $1,000.
out, she said.
Tiffany Crow, SUA Vice President of Alumni Relations, said whether Senate contributed money to bring the program to the University, Loveline still would come. The programwould lose money even if it sold
As an additional incentive to co-sponsor the program, Crow said SUA would invite 20 members of Senate to an after-hours party with the show's hosts.
But Luke Pfannensteil, all scholarship hall senator, said there was no logical incentive to support the program.
"If this program is going to lose money anyway, I don't feel like I can justify us spending $2,000 so I can go to a party." He said.
Veon pointed out that besides good press, Lovevelle would also help students talk about problems they have.
"As a former resident assistant, I know what a hot topic sex is," Veon said.
A compromise was made, and Partha Muzumdar, graduate senator, amended the bill to give SUA $1,000.
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