Thursday, October 28, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
26
Section A • Page 3
Chancellor sets task force goals for leadership in science literacy
By Clay McCuistion
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Chancellor Robert Hemenway has appointed 16 University of Kansas faculty members to serve on a science education special task force.
Hemenway announced his intentions to form the group in his Sept. 8 faculty convocation speech. His aim was to help reverse the damage done by the state Board of Education's decision to de-emphasize evolutionary teaching in schools.
The group's first meeting will be Nov. 11 at Strong Hall.
"I would like to see KU become one of the leaders in the United States in higher education," Hemenway said last week. "The more scientifically literate our society is the better that society will be."
Hemenway's Oct. 22 memorandum naming members of the task force set goals for the University to be a national leader in preparing science students, educating students and the public to be scientifically literate, and seeking outside funding to accomplish the goals.
"We also want to be a leader in science as part of a student's general
education," Hemenway said. "We need to look at how we educate students at KU — science majors and non-majors, graduate and professional students."
The 16 task force members span a broad array of disciplines. Rich Givens, the chairman of the group, is an assistant provost and a chemistry professor. Also serving are Keith Russell, the dean of libraries, and Jim Woelfel, professor of western civilization.
The chancellor's memo requested that the task force make recommendations on achieving the goals by May 1, 2000.
"It is not a simple undertaking," said Mary Burg, executive assistant to the chancellor. "It could not be wrapped up quickly."
David Darwin, professor of civil engineering, said he agreed to serve on the task force because of the importance of science education in preparing students and citizens.
"I have an interest in motivating grade school and high school students in the sciences," he said. "We're not going to have a good source of students for the University unless we have good students on the grade school and high school levels."
Plus, Darwin said, he had to consider
TASK FORCE MEMBERS
Rich Glens, associate provost /
chemistry
Marylee Southard, chemical and petroleum engineering
Sally Frost Mason, dean of CLAS,
molecular biology.
Don Steeples, geology
Kris Kristalka, Natural History Museum
Bim Urbanization, geography
Tim Woolfal, western civilization
Helen Alexander, ecology and evolution biology
Thomas Schreiber, psychology
Thomas Schreiber, psychology
John Hoopes, anthropology
Joe Heppert, chemistry
Steve Shawl, physics and astronomy teaching and leadership mathematics
■ Jim Ellis, teaching and leadership / science education
Val Darwin, civil engineering
Val Stella, pharmaceutical chemistry
Keith Russell, dean of libraries
Val Stella, pharmaceutical chemist
Kathleen Rath, doctor of medicine
his last name.
"I can't pass it up," he said. "It gives a chance to get Darwin back into education in Kansas."
- Edited by Katrina Hull
Lack of Regents job search questioned
Board executive fills open position without searching
By Clay McCuistion
By Clay McCusition
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
When Mike Matson starts his work as external affairs director for the Board of Regents next Monday, he'll be taking a job that he never sought and that was never advertised.
Matson was hired for the position by Regents executive director Kim Wilcox without a search — he didn't even know about the job until it was offered to him. Matson, press secretary for Gov. Bill Graves, will be taking over some of the responsibilities of outgoing communications director Barbara Conant and handling governmental relations.
While Wilcox was not required by law to form a search committee or let possible applicants know about the position, direct hiring is not the usual practice at the
University of Kansas, said Maurice Bryan director of the campus Equal Opportunity Office.
"The first thing we do for most positions is look for search potential," he said. "Sometimes, in an emergency, we might do something without a search committee."
The law does require that there be equal opportunity for women and minorities in the job marketplace, and a search committee helps an organization make sure that discrimination doesn't creep into hiring practices.
Bryan said some jobs at the university level were so specific—in the sciences, for example — that collecting a wide array of applicants was impractical. He said a search committee also could be bypassed if a position needed to be filled immediately.
Bryan refused to speculate about the direct hiring of Matson.
"I don't have enough information to say it was the wrong or right decision," Bryan said.
Lynn George, employment manager in human relations at the University, hires classified staff—janitors, secretaries and
various service personnel. She said most of the time, a search was done for the positions she oversaw.
There are situations that may necessitate a direct hire, George said. If a person can be promoted internally or diversity goals can be met, a search may not be performed.
"There are criteria occasionally where it is deemed appropriate," she said.
Wilcox said the importance of the governmental relations to the reformulated Regents made a quick hire necessary. The Regents previously reported only to the legislature in Topeka and supervised the six state universities. Now, they coordinates all higher education in the state and work with individual community college and technical school governing boards.
"Previously, we had one major government agency to assist," Wilcox said. "We now have at least 31 agencies to deal with."
Matson refused to comment on the specifics of his hiring and said he knew nothing about the circumstances of Wilcox's offer. He had not been seeking another job.
"I was very flattered they approached me," Matson said. "It is a tremendous challenge professionally."
Let vote stand, Senate says
Referendum aims to build new center
By Chris Borniger writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
A referendum may not build a building, but a majority of student senators think the chancellor should take last spring's student vote for a new recreation center seriously.
Last night, Student Senate voted 52-8 to pass a resolution urging Chancellor Robert Hemenway to follow closely the suggestions of the referendum, which asked students if they would approve of a $49 fee increase to pay for a freestanding campus center. Hemenway has said that he also was considering an option using the fee-generated funds to build an addition to Robinson Center.
Michael Henry, non-traditional senator and legislation sponsor, said the chancellor needed to heavily consider in his decision the overwhelming margin by which the referendum passed.
- Edited by Kelly Clasen
"This whole issue is about what students said," he said. "The referendum clearly stated free-standing. Students are willing to take this fee on themselves. This just asks the
SENATE NOTES
In other business, Senate voted to:
Acclamate a petition requesting more service-centered opportunities in class curriculum.
Pass a bill to create the New Student Project team, allowing freshmen, transfer, graduate and professional students to work on Senate projects.
A person to give students until the fifth and sixth weeks of the semester to elect the Credit/No Credit grading option.
Table a bill modifying how six student organizations receive Senate money.
Senate also approved bills to allocate:
- $275 to the Public Relations Student Society of America
- $287 to the Adopt-aSchool program
chancellor to keep that at the forefront of his mind."
Jessica Bankston, a co-sponsor of the bill and a member of the Senate recreation task force last year, said a Robinson addition was an unfair option.
"This is more about having ownership in something students voted for." she said.
Brett Stoppel, off-campus senator, voted against the bill. He said he did so because his constituents originally were opposed to a new recreation center. Maintaining a new center, he said, also could be costly.
"I think it would end up hurting students in the long run," he said. "There's no reason we can't feel like we have ownership to a Robinson addition. That's the best option."
Senate tabled a bill to allow
students more rights in disciplinary hearings by amending the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.
Nicole Skalla, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences senator, voted to table the bill. She said administrators should be able to peruse the potential changes to the code before Senate approved them.
J. D. Jenkins, the bill's sponsor, said he would have rather dealt with administrators when the bill already had Senate's support.
"I didn't want to forge out some legalistic document if students won't support it in the first place," he said. "Basically, it's just going to be a delay. It's not a huge blow to civil liberties."
- Edited by Katrina Hull
Building hope
Chris Maxwell, Mission Hills senior and member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, works on a Habitat for humanity house. The House that Greeks Built will be dedicated Sunday. Contributed Photo.
LIMIT FOUR PIECES PER PERSON (PIG)
- THE CLOTHSLINE PROJECT, A VISUAL DISPLAY BEARING WITNESS TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN,WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THIS TIME. MATERIALS FOR T-SHIRTS WILL BE AVAILABLE.
- THERE WILL BE A FORUM FOR MEN TO DISCUSS VIOLENCE RELATED ISSUES.
WOMYN TAKE BACK THE NIGHT
AN EVENT TO PROTEST VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN
OCTOBER 28, 1999 6:30
SOUTH PARK GAZEBO
"Late Night"
Special
delivered after 9pm
Two Pizzas
One Topping on each
$8.00
no coupons accepted
842-1212
1601 West 32rd
Southern Hills Center
PIZZA SHUTTLE
New Donors or donors that haven't donated since spring semester 99
$100
(4 sessions. 1 1/2 hr. each)
Donate today for a chance of a cash give-a-way of up to $100,000
By donating your life saving blood plasma!
816 W. 24th St.
Retina Duke Health Farm
749-5750
Hours