10B SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1996
KU EDITION
LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
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EARL RICHARDSON/JOURNAL-WORLD PHOTO
Kathleen Hall, director of the College Advising Support Center, has recently moved the center's office to 109 Strong Hall.
Student advising center processes evolve at KU
- Attempts to improve advising at KU are being made, step by step
BY MICHAEL DEKKER
JOURNAL-WORLD WRITER
Former Student Body President Kim Cocks worked on it all last year.
Several student and faculty committees spent hours talking about it.
It even has Chancellor Robert Hemenway's attention.
But some elementary problems about advising are still being hammered out at Kansas University.
"We have to ask, 'What is advising itself?'" Cocks said. "Is it advice for what classes to take? Is it mentoring? Is it career advising?"
But some steps taken last year may make advising a little easier this year.
The College of Arts and Sciences, which advises 13,000 undergraduate students, recently combined its Advising Support Center, formally in Wescoe Hall, with the College's Undergraduate Services offices in 109 Strong Hall.
"This probably could be very much of a transitional year," said Kathleen Hall, director of advising in the newly merged office.
"We have to ask, 'What is advising itself? Is it advice for what classes to take? Is it mentoring? Is it career advising?'"
— Kim Cocks, former KU student body president
"I hope people will bear with us while we try to provide the same services while in a different format," she said.
The merger was part of a move by the College to combine offices that were offering similar services.
"Basically we serve as a backup safety net for students in the College who, for whatever reason, aren't able to get advising from a faculty adviser." Hall said.
we also have some sort of specialized populations that we work with, such as academically at-risk students, students who are on probation or those having academic difficulties."
The office also advises students who want to go into law or prehealth fields.
Cocks said one problem discussed by a Student Senate task force last year was that students who are in the College often have difficulty knowing which courses can be prerequisites for the various professional fields, in case students want to transfer there.
"There's not a lot of communication among the schools for this process." Cocks said.
Hall said a College faculty advising committee also has been studying those problems.
Arestructuringeffort by Hemenway also could go a long way toward centralizing all advising.
"I think we're moving forward on this because we now have someone (Hemenway) who cares about this," Cocks said.
"Along with the move this year, we may end up sliding right into another transition if the chancellor's plan to centralize advising goes into effect," Hall said.
Meanwhile, Hall recommends that new students who have questions contact the new College office. The timing depends on the problem, she said.
"If there's an immediate problem, like they're not enrolled in the right courses, they would want to try to see us right away," she said.
but if there are just some general questions that arise as they go along in the semester, that's something we'd rather work with them later in the semester, rather than during the rush at the beginning of the year."
Scholarship center aids university's top students
- The University Scholarship Center, located in Strong Hall, assists about 25 percent of all KU freshmen.
BY MICHAEL DEKKER
JOURNAL-WORLD WRITTER
The director of Kansas University's Scholarship Center is excited about the future of the office under KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway's reorganization plan.
"I expect that we're on the brink of an exiting future," said Marti Ruel, director of the center.
RICHARD GWTN/JOURNAL-WORLD PHOTO
The University Scholarship Center, located in 33 Strong Hall, provides scholarships for about 1.300 freshmen each year.
Making sure the latest scholarships notifications are mailed to the right people early, Karlyn Greve, of the Kansas University Scholarship Center, checks through the list for the coming fall semester.
The center awards scholarships, provides support so that students don't fall below academic requirements for retaining scholarships and offers special programs for students on scholarships.
"It surprises a lot of people, but we really do help a lot of students." Ruel said.
That's about 25 percent of all freshmen.
Under a universitywide reorganization spearheaded by Hemenway, the USC was moved from the umbrella of Student Affairs to being under the authority of the new provost's office.
"Our goal is to retain everyone on scholarship and not lose anyone because of grade problems," Ruel said.
Ruel said that because Hemenway is interested in the National
The USC targets incoming freshmen who receive a 31 or higher out of a maximum score of 36 on the ACT college entrance exam, or those who receive a 1340 out of maximum score of 1600 on the SAT entrance exam.
The USC works with the office of admissions and the KU Endowment Association to help recruit, retain and fund students on scholarships.
"I really do think we'll be expanding, but I just don't know in what direction," she said.
"We try to provide referrals if students are having difficulties meeting the GPA requirements," she said.
Merit Scholar program, she expects the center to expand.
For example, if students are having trouble keeping up with
their studies, the USC may recommend that they go to the Student Assistance Center for a few tips on study skills.
Or if a student is experiencing personal problems, the center may recommend that he or she schedule a visit at Counseling and Psychological Services.
- The Rock Chalk chant is only one of many ties that bind Jayhawk fans.
--and "Crimson and the Blue" became the school song.
Traditions unite student body
The USC also offers special programs for scholarship students, such as special meetings with famous speakers who visit KU.
BY ROY LOPEZ
SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL-WORLD
"Last year when (documentary director) Ken Burns came, we had about 50 people who were able to meet with him," Ruel said. "We think the center provides a special opportunity for our scholars."
C. J. Werner was a little shocked the first time he attended a Kansas University basketball game in Allen Fieldhouse. As he waited for the game to begin, the two guys next to him put their arms around him and began to sing.
Werner, Hutchinson sophomore, is one of many students to experience one of KU's greatest traditions: the singing of the alma mater followed by the famous KU Rock Chalk Jayhawk chant.
"At first I didn't know what was going on," Werner said. "Then I looked around and saw that everyone was putting their arms around each other and singing, so I tried to follow along. When they started the Rock Chalk Jayhawk chant, I picked it up pretty quickly because it was easy to follow."
For more information about the USC, call 864-5439.
The tradition of the Rock Chalk Chant dates to 1866. The chant first began as "rah rah rah Jay-hawk" repeated three times. Several years later, an English professor suggested Rock Chalk so that it would rhyme with Jay-hawk. It was also suggested because of all the chalk rock — or limestone — found throughout the region.
In 1897 it became the official cheer for Kansas University. The Rock Chalk chant is a tradition that must be heard to be appreciated.
Information about the center also is available on the Internet.
The chant begins low and gradually builds in volume. There are pauses between each word to allow the students a few seconds to yell and scream. By the end of the chant, the gym erupts as students vell as loud as they can.
"I had heard the chant before when I would watch the games on TV," said Grant Gibson, Lyons sophomore. "But when I actually heard the chant in person, I couldn't believe it. It was awesome."
The alma mater came to be in 1891 when George Barlow Penny decided to look for a school song for the Glee and Mandolin Club to sing. Barlow decided to change a few words to Cornell University's "Far Above Cayuga's Water."
THE CHANT
Kansas University's Rock Chalk Chant has evolved during its 130-year existence.
The cheer originated as
'rah rah rah jayhawk.'
The syncopated yet
deafening chant now goes
"Rock Chalk, jayhawk, KU."
New students will soon realize that they also need to save their newspapers before each home game. Another tradition is to hold newspapers as if they were being read while the starting lineup for the opposing team is introduced.
"It is my favorite tradition. It shows the other team that we don't really care who is starting for them because we are going to win anyway," said Kelsi Klein, Russell sophomore.
Even the university mascot, the Jayhawk, joins in and reads a paper. The Jayhawk has come to be one of the more unusual of all university mascots.
"I think that the Jayhawk is one of the coolest birds," said Stephen Warneke, Aurora, Colo., sophomore. "But I'm not sure where it came from or if it is a real bird. The truth is, I really don't know a lot about the Jayhawk."
Students walk throughout the
campus wearing shirts and hats emblazoned with Jayhawks. Students even have Jayhawk tattoos.
The term Jayhawk was first used around 1848. The name is a combination of two birds, the blue jay and the sparrow hawk. Blue jays were known for being quarrelsome and robbing other nests. The sparrow hawk was a stealthy hunter. The message: Do not turn your back on this bird.
During the 1850s the term Jayhawkers referred to abolitionists. Lawrence was a Free State stronghold. Then in 1886 the bird appeared in the Rock Chalk chant, and when the KU football players took the field it was natural to call them Jayhawkers.
"I just got my tattoo because several of my friends got one also," said Jeremy Clark, Hiawatha sophomore. "I thought it looked cool, but I can't honestly say that I know what it is."
The image of the jayhawk has changed throughout the years but the basic form has stayed the same: a bird with a beak and shoes. The shoes were drawn for kicking opponents. Talons protruding from the shoes were added later so that the jayhawk could now main its opponents.
"Once I found out what a Jayhawk was and how it came to be, the bird took on a different look," said Jason Brunk, Manhattan junior. "I used to think that it was neat, and I liked it, but I never looked at it as a rowdy bird that could kill its opponents with its talons. That image fits it better."