Section A·Page 4
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, August 17, 1998
Hawk Link welcomes minority students
By Steph Brewer
Kansan staff writer
Moving into the residence halls is an experience few college students forget.
Thousands of students and parents converge upon campus dragging bags, boxes, computers and stereos behind them in the few carts that are available Since it is Kansas, and it is August, these thousands are most likely sweaty and tired from the sweltering heat. For many freshman, not one face in the sea of people is familiar.
Moving in is an overwhelming experience. For minority students, it can be even harder. For them, the faces are not only unfamiliar, but also mostly white.
Last weekend, for the first time, a program called Hawk Link helped minority students move into the residence halls.
The Black Student Union decided last
semester that something needed to be done about the discomfort minority students may feel when coming to a mostly white university.
"BSU basically thought there needed to be some changes," said Patty Iga, Plano, Texas, senior, and Hawk Link's committee chairwoman for public relations.
This idea turned into Hawk Link, when BSU joined with the Hispanic American Leadership Organization, the Asian American Student Union and the Native American Student Association, Iea said.
The program developed further when Hawk Link gained support from Student Senate, Chancellor Robert Hemenway, the Office of Minority Affairs, Student Union Activities, community businesses and Coca-Cola.
After helping situate the students in
the residence halls, more than 50 volunteers held a pizza party Saturday night, a catered dinner and information fair with faculty, including Chancellor Hemenyw, yesterday. Saturday morning, Iga said she was confident that the weekend would be a success.
"I feel it's going to fall together pretty well." she said.
Tisha McCoy, BSU member and Hawk Link volunteer said helping the students move in was a great experience. When she moved in as a freshman, things were different.
"I lived in the (Jayhawker) Towers." McCoy said. "There were no welcoming efforts, especially for minority students on a primarily white campus."
Kayleta Adams, Omaha, Neb., freshman, who was taking advantage of Hawk Link's help, said she planned to take part in the weekend activities.
"That's what I liked about Kansas.
There's lots of opportunity to be involved," she said.
Volunteer J.R. Roland, BSU member, said he would have appreciated a program like Hawk Link as a freshman.
"It's a good barrier breaker for minorities coming to this school," he said.
The volunteers stressed that it was important to connect with the freshman the first week of school.
"I really think it was a program that needed to be installed at the University," said Aurora Marin, HALO member and Hawk Link volunteer. "First impressions count."
Hawk Link
**What:** A program to help minority students get settled during the first week of school.
**Who:** The main sponsors of the event were AASI BS1 BAHIO and NASA.
Hawk Link volunteers Raquel Avila, Dodge City junior, and Hilda Soza-War-Soldier, Davis, Calif., senior, hail blocks to a student's new room in Ellsworth Hall. Hawk Link was on hand to help minority students move into the residence halls Saturday. Photo by Roger Nomer/KANSAN
KU's value high in list of schools
Continued from page 1A
house for statistics on U.S. colleges and universities, and information gathered by the magazine.
Cerveny said that although the rankings were good, he thought that students' choices to attend the University were based more on personal needs rather than just the price tag.
"Cost is important, but students don't make the decision to come here based only on that," he said. "Many are blown away by the beautiful campus, impressive facilities and the sense of community and school spirit."
Business student Wendy Norris, Winchester senior, said the cost was not the primary factor in her decision to attend.
"Location was a big factor," she said. "There were other schools closer, but KU has a good business school. It wasn't as much the cost as getting in and getting finished quickly."
Tuition and living costs were not necessarily the primary factor in most students' decision to come to the University, but they were selling points for the admissions office to lure prospective Jayhawks.
"It's always exciting when we are identified as a top university," Cerveny said. "KU ends up in a lot of national publications for its education programs and that makes top students sit up and take notice."
Other Big 12 schools ranked on the list were; the University of Texas, 12th; the University of Missouri, 26th; the University of Colorado, 34th; Texas A&M, 40th; Kansas State University, 59th; Oklahoma State University, 74th; and the University of Oklahoma, 76th.
The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill was ranked first.
Parents, students get help moving in
Continued from page 1A
7:45 a.m. the lot was full and cars were waiting in the holding lot.
The parents and students were asked to wait with their cars in lot 94 near Memorial Stadium. After this lot filled, the cars were sent to park in lot 91, next to the Kansas Union. Various booths with food, rush information, parking permits and advertisements for Union events, were set up on the tennis courts between the two lots.
"It's not a bad deal, we got coffee and doughnuts. You know, it could have been a lot worse," said Larry Karns, Topeka resident, while waiting to move in his daughter Lindsey. "We had been told that you have to circle the lot, and it's like sharkys trying to get a spot, but
this is a lot nicer."
Keeping the situation under control took nearly all of the KU police department. Maj. Chris Keary said that most of the department controlled traffic and directed cars, while other officers monitored other residence halls. Clerical staff at the KU Office of Public Safety also helped administer numbers to the vehicles and call for cars over a PA system.
The lack of spaces in the lots was not the reason for the new process — the conflicting rush schedules were the main motivation.
The residents involved in rush had to check in between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Union. They had meetings with rush counselors at 3 p.m. and an orientation at 6 p.m. This did not leave them much
time to arrive and unpack.
"I don't think this system is that bad, but my dad was out trying to buy an earlier number," said Joanna Stockwell. Lenexa freshman.
Because of the quickness of this new process, the housing department did not have enough time to inform the parents about the move in system.
Fred McElhene, associate housing director, said that next year the department planned on letting the parents know what was going to happen.
"We would have liked to know ahead of time, but this is so much better now than when we moved in my other daughter 10 years ago," said Linda Flick, Wichita resident, while helping her daughter Sarah move in. "Since this is the first year for the process, they should get an A+."
ET CETERA
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Spicy Red Wine Sauce !!!
--desired publication. On Campus may be printed in smaller type size if space is limited. On Campus is a free service provided by the Kansan to the University community.
Almost the Weekend
Thursday Special!!!
Large Pizza
2 toppiags
2 drinks
Open 7 days a week
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Visit us and find out about our exciting fall programs and help us welcome our new director Katherine Rose Mockry
Welcome to the Women's Center
Refreshments provided
Wednesday, August 26, 1998
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
115 Strong Hall
Open House
Sponsored by The Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center, 115 Strong Hall, University of Kansas. For more information, contact Jennifer Joseph at 864-3552.
Sizzors welcomes long-time resident friend and stylist back to Lawrence.
Laurie Sommer
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Evening appointments available
910 Kentucky (behind Auto Glass)
749-4499
You don't have to go to "extremes" for
Ask about the
Semester Special!
Visit our website for more information:
www.tfac.net