FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2004
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3A
Group needs $45,000 for house
Campus Habitat plans for its first solo project
BY NIKLA ROWE
nrowe@kansan.com
KANAN STaff WRITE
For the first time, the University of Kansas chapter of Habitat for Humanity will build its own house — called the 'Hawk House — for a Lawrence family. But it takes a lot of money to build a house, and the organization needs $55,000 to make the house a reality.
The KU Habitat for Humanity, which began in 1990, is a chapter of the Lawrence Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is an international program that builds houses for those in need through volunteer labor and donations.
The chapter has $10,000 for the 'Hawk House but needs $45,000 to pay for the house that volunteers are scheduled to build this spring.
"If every student could give a dollar or two, we would have it," said Linda Klinker, project manager for the Lawrence Habitat for Humanity.
Last year for the Lawrence Habitat for Humanity's house
the KU chapter raised more than $4,000 from local businesses.
Patrick Lowe, Evanston Ill., senior and KU Habitat for Humanity president, said the KU chapter has already surpassed that total from local businesses this year. Yesterday, Wal-Mart, 3300 Iowa St., gave the organization a $1,000 grant.
Money for the KU group's house has also come from fundraising.
Every year the University competes with Kansas State to see which school can collect the most aluminum cans during the Kansas vs. Kansas State football game on Oct. 9 for an estimated prize of $5,000.
The group wants to hold a fundraising concert. Lowe said chapter members were trying to book a band such as O.A.R. or a performer such as Ben Folds'. A concert for Lawrence Habitat for Humanity last year at Abe & Jake's Landing, 8 E. Sixth St., raised $25,000.
University groups have given money. Last year Student Senate allocated $431 to the chapter. Lowe said he hoped Senate would give again.
"I think its great to have other student organizations' support." Lowe said.
While much of the chapter's focus is on raising money, it is
HABITAT FAMILY SELECTION
Family selection requirements for Habitat for Humanity Houses;
Need for adequate housing
Inability to get a
Ability to pay for the home
Willingness to partner: 150 hours of work to their own house and 75 hours on another house
Reputation of honesty
Reputation of honesty
Resident of the Lawrence area
Source: Lawrence Habitat for Humanity
The organization will be at Wescroe Beach today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to sign up volunteers. Information on fundraisers, meetings and community service activities will be available.
only one part of the equation. The group needs volunteers as well.
Lowe said Habitat for Humanity was something students could participate in and quickly see results.
"With any service organization where you get to help out the community you're able to see the difference of your work," Lowe said.
Habitat houses are built with homeowner and volunteer assistance. The organization sells the houses at no profit with no-interest loans.
Homeowners make monthly payments of $400, which helps finance future houses.
The program has expanded the number of countries it serves from 89 in 2003 to 100. Habitat has housed more than 750,000 people in 3,000 different communities.
In Lawrence, the average cost of a Habitat house is $43,000. Through this year, the Lawrence Habitat for Humanity has housed 55 families.
While there are still challenges to face, Klinker said she felt this was the year for the KU group.
Klinker said that three families had been picked to receive Habitat houses this year. Families are chosen by the family selection committee who review the applications and determine which families qualify by the greatest need.
The Lawrence organization's site selection committee is negotiating the site for the Hawk House.
"It's really becoming a reality, and I'm so proud of them," Klinker said.
Qualified employees can make overtime
BY DREW WEDEL
editor@kansan.com
SPECIAL TO THE KANSAK
— Edited by Anna Clovis
Qualified University of Kansas employees may be able to benefit from overtime payroll because of the updated Overtime Security Rule, said Ola Faucher, director of human resources.
The new overtime rule under the Fair Labor Standards Act went into effect Aug. 23 and may affect 22 KU employees who are now eligible to earn overtime pay, Faucher said.
Nationwide, about 1.3 million employees under the minimum salary level of $23,660 per year or $455 per week are now eligible to earn overtime pay that they previously could not, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
"The rule will probably have a minimal financial effect on the University. It may not have any impact. It all depends on whether the employees effected decide to work over 40 hours a week or not." Faucher said.
The University will not release the names of the employees effected by the rule change because salary changes are confidential actions, Faucher said. The effected employees were unclassified staff members,
which consisted of primarily part-time workers. Faucher said that no group of employees was affected more than any other group.
The University sent letters to the 22 employees who were affected a week before the changes occurred. The University also asked managers to speak to their employees who were affected by these changes.
"In the past, I have not had the option to earn overtime pay, but I hope I am eligible for overtime due to the rule change," he said.
Dana Evans, facilities operations staff member, heard about the new overtime rule on the news. Evans was unsure if he would qualify under the new regulations, because he was not notified by the University.
The rule change also said that employees who made more than $100,000 a year would lose the right to earn overtime pay, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Faucher said that no University employee would be affected by this rule.
The updated overtime rule is the first major alteration in more than half of a century to the Fair Labor Standards Act.
STATE
— Edited by Ashley Doyle
inmate backlog blamed on budget cuts, growth
LARNED — State budget cuts and the growth of the sexual-predator unit at Larned State Hospital are blamed for a backlog of about 50 inmates waiting for admission to the mental health facility.
About half of the inmates on the waiting list need court-ordered evaluations to determine whether they are competent to stand trial, as well as for
an array of other reasons. The other inmates need mental health treatment, said Mark Schutter, superintendent of Larned State Hospital.
The backlog comes as the hospital's security program has lost 40 beds within the last couple years, Schutter said. About 30 beds were lost because of state budget cuts. Another 10 beds were lost because of growth at the sexual predator unit, which houses more than 100 sex offenders undergoing long-term care and treatment.
250 beds is finished next spring. The hospital security program currently has 124 beds. But for the new building to reach capacity staff would need to be added, and funding for the new staff has not yet been approved Schutter said.
Relief could come when a new building with a capacity of
More Kansas counties eligible for relieffunds
TOPEKA — Ten more counties have been added to the list of those eligible for disaster relief because of summer storms, tornadoes and flooding, state and federal officials
The announcement means 29 counties are now covered by a disaster declaration issued last month by President Bush.
announced Wednesday.
The counties can seek reimbursements for losses or costs from storms hitting Kansas in June and July.
The latest counties covered are Barton, Decatur, Marion, Morris, Ness, Pawnee, Sheridan, Thomas, Wabaunsee and Wallace.
Those counties join Butler, Cherokee, Ellis, Geary, Graham, Jewell, Labette, Lyon, Mitchell, Osborne, Phillips, Rooks, Rush,
Russell, Shawnee, Smith, Trego,
Woodson, and Wyandotte.
Bagscreeneraccusedof stealingfromluggage
WICHITA — A former bagage screener at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport has been accused of stealing money from a passenger's luggage.
Wednesday. He said Butler was arrested by the Transportation Security Administration on Aug. 26, the day after his indictment. He was released on his own recognizance after an appearance before a federal magistrate.
Chad Butler, 33, of Wichita, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on one count of theft by an airport screener, U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren announced
Butler, who worked for the Transportation Security Administration, is accused of stealing about $500 from the baggage of a Delta Airlines passenger on June 16. If convicted he could face up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
The Associated Press
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