Friday, October 22, 1999 The University Daily Kansan Section A · Page 3 Speaker urges communication between gays, religious right By Erinn R. Barcomb writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer A member of the Lawrence religious community urged members of Queers and Allies last night to open communication lines between the Christian community and gays, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered. Hensarling spoke about the issue in advance of a meeting tomorrow between the Rev. Mel White, a gay Christian minister, and the Rev. Jerry Falwell, a fundamentalist Christian minister known nationally for his anti-gay rhetoric. Tomorrow, 200 representatives from both the homosexual community and the fundamentalist Christian community will gather at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., for White and Falwell's meeting. Falwell is the university's chancellor. The Rev. Heather Hensarling of United Methodist Campus Ministry spoke to an audience of about 20 last night at a Queers and Allies meeting at the Kansas Union. Buck Rowland of KJHK 90.7 interviewed White, whose Web site is www.soulforce.org. Saturday on the station's "Queer Radio" program. He sent out CDs of the interview to radio distributors, and Saturday's show was broadcast across the nation when the interview was picked up by PlanetOut Radio this week. The interview can be heard on the PlanetOut Radio Web site. www.planetout.com. Rowland said he had received criticism after Saturday's interview from some individuals of the Lawrence homosexual community who did not agree with collaboration between gays and Christians. In her speech, Hensarling said it was important for the gay community and its straight allies to enter into a dialogue with the religious community. She said that because of the lack of such a dialogue, the religious right was describing homosexuals in its own terms. "The religious right is determining for the nation what homosexuality is, and they're using the wrong definition," Hensarling said. "We didn't start talking about homosexuality until our sons starting dying of AIDS." She also stressed the importance of the gay community returning to church and the importance of non-Christian gays' involvement in the dialogue also. Hensarling, an ordained United Methodist minister, said she was involved in a full inclusion movement in which gays were welcome to be ordained and to enter marriety. She said the United Methodist Church had a "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding the ordination of homosexuals. She said she had to live under this policy. Several people at the meeting last night said they had bad experiences with churches in the past. Matthew Skinta, Queens and Allies president, said other groups also were under attack by the religious right, including atheists and pagans. — Edited by Chris Hopkins Provost fears more cuts to already-tight budget It's not the effects of the recent $2 million budget cut that have Provost David Shulenburger concerned. It's the potential for more cuts. By Nathan Willis writer@kanson.com Kanson staff write The provost addressed University Council at its monthly meeting yesterday afternoon and focused on the budget crunch facing the University of Kansas. Gov. Bill Graves asked the University to reduce its budget by 1 percent this year after the state fell $70 million short in revenue. To put a brake on spending, the administration immediately initiated an across-the-board hiring freeze. Shulenburger said he anticipated that one by one, all academic and administrative units would find enough money to cut in order to lift the freeze and enable hiring to resume. However, because the coming legislative session immediately precedes an election year, hopes of taking steps to ensure that budget reductions don't continue — namely, raising taxes or giving money to the University at the expense of other state programs — are thin, he said. "What concerns me most is our long-term prospects," Shulenburger said. "State revenues were so poor last year, and nothing structurally has changed to make that any different this year." "Over the last four years, they've cut tax receipts by a total of $4 billion." he said. "I don't think they understood the dollar volume of what these cuts would be." As a result, the University is preparing three budgets for next year, he said. One assumes that the Board of Regents gets its fiscal requests, including budget increases for such things as faculty salaries. Another would provide the University just enough in increases to maintain its current level of services. The third would cut the total budget another 2 to 2.5 percent from this year's level, Shulenburger said. BEDS • DESKS CHEST OF DRAWERS • BOOK CASES unclaimed freight & damaged merchandise 936 Mass. renix Moos, professor of anthropology and University Council member, agreed that the budget already was so barren that it might not withstand further cuts. In his 38 years at the University, he has seen many budget cuts, he said, but none that could damage the University like this. "It gradually has been whitted away," Moos said of the budget. "Now we're really down to the bare bones. I don't know what we've done to lose the support of the people of Kansas." After Shulenburger finished speaking, Mary Hawkins, University Council president, agreed that the potential cuts were chilling. "When you're already funded at 80 percent of the budget of peer institutions, 2 to 2.5 percent hurts," he said. "That is certainly grim news," she said. — Edited by Darrin Peschka EVERYTHING BUT ICE Something New & A Taste of Home Coming Soon India Palace Opening at the end of October - Serving Johnson County for over 5 years • One of the nation's top 6 Indian restaurants • *** Kansas City Star • *** The Sun - Transmission Specialists - Complete "State-of-the-Art" Diagnostic Service 802 Lynn Lawrence, Ks 842-0665 - Complete Car Care Students look to make a difference Hands-on projects to help community Another project involves relocating the Pelathe food pantry to By Chris Borniger writer @kansan.com Kansas staff writer A little elbow grease can do a lot of good. And with that in mind, more than 100 University of Kansas students will forego their Saturday morning sleep-in in ritual tomorrow as part of a Center for Community Outreach effort. Tomorrow is Make a Difference Day, a nationwide community service event. KU volunteers will participate for the third consecutive year. CCO won $2,000 last year for the food drive it sponsored for Make a Difference Day 1997. That year, 30 volunteers collected 6,200 cans of food at local grocery stores and a KU football game. CCO distributed the award money among five COC is coordinating the project with Pelathe Community Resource Center, a charity for Native Americans. Instead of the typical canned food drive, students will be doing physical labor - helping to renovate decrepit houses, gardening and distributing health information. a larger space. The food pantry which serves about 150 families monthly, is the largest in the city. "We decided we wanted to do something more hands-on this time," said E.J. Reedy, CCO director and Teokyun pupil. "This provides a way for people to get out and actually do something." Reedy said about 150 people had committed to participate, including volunteers from the Student Bar Association, KU Lead, Student Senate, All Scholarship Hall Council and Ellsworth Hall. A group of 25 Washburn University students also will help. Outstanding volunteer projects are eligible to win a portion of the $318,000 distributed nationwide by the Gannett Co. Inc. Foundation, Wal-Mart, USA Weekend magazine and actor Paul Newman. Lawrence charities. USA Weekend and the Points of Light Foundation started the annual event in 1992. "It works out to a very good partnership that's developed," he said. "Our clients are very appreciative of the work they do." Dave Cade, Pelathe executive director, said the help of CCO and its volunteers was invaluable. Reedy said students would get a positive experience out of their service. - Edited by John Audlehelm "Volunteering can really provide a balance to students' lives, so they're not just stuck on Mount Oread all the time," he said. "It's the only way change can take place." Not all of the volunteers will be students. Working at their sides will be Charlie Jones, a Douglas County commissioner. Jones said although the labor might not be glamorous, its function was noble. "Those in the community need to lead by example," he said. "Volunteerism is what holds the community together." The Hilarious Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28 Kansas Union Ballroom Tickets Available in SUA Box Office $10 w/ KUID $15 w/ OUT (includes dinner) STUDENT ACTIVITY ARCHIVE ZUA 864-374-784 - 864-SUW www.ukans.edu/~sua www.studentactivity.org Vietnamese & Chinese Food Newly renovated 15 th & Kasold (Orchard Corners) 843-6850 or 841-7096 ANY TWO COMBINATION DINNERS! $5.99 JADE GARDEN (Refer To Menu on Inside Cover of SWBYPs One Coupon Per Visit Or Delivery Address Not Valid With Any Other Offer * Services March 2019* Not Valid with Any Other Offer * Expires March 2000 For every touchdown the KU football team scores, receive 5% off your purchase at the KU Bookstores on the following Tuesday! 1 TOUCHDOWN = 5% OFF 1 TOUCHDOWN = 5% OFF 2 TOUCHDOWNS = 10% OFF 3 TOUCHDOWNS = 15% OFF 4 TOUCHDOWNS = 20% OFF 5 TOUCHDOWNS = 25% OFF 6 TOUCHDOWNS = 30% OFF 7 TOUCHDOWNS = 35% OFF Maximum discount of 35% (7 touchdowns). 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