Thursday, October 21, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 9
Dangerous curves
Left: A KU public safety officer assess the damage after an accident that occurred around noon yesterday in front of Carruth O'Leary Hall. Though an ambulance was dispatched to the scene, no serious injuries were reported. Photo by Tara Kraus/KANSAN Above: A bent University of Kansas license plate lies a few feet away from the scene. Photo by Nick Krug/KANSAN
Students form online club to discuss and act on issues
By Emily Hughey writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
It's not going be a run-of-the-mill student club. No refreshments will be provided. There will be no regular meeting time. There won't even be regular members.
Beginning in mid-November, the Sapien Project will meet on the World Wide Web for anyone to take part whenever they want.
Peter Markatos, Wichita senior; Aaron Major, University Daily Kansan columnist and Deerfield, N.H. senior; and Matt Gregg, Newton senior, are spearheading a new club in which members can learn about current issues, discuss them and find out how to act on them—all on the Web site Markatos is developing.
They're calling it the Sapien Project because Homo sapien means wise or intelligent man.
Markates said his goal in forming the club was to post two or three national issues on the site each month about which visitors could learn, think and act.
"We just wanted to do an information clearinghouse of sorts,
so people could make themselves more knowledgeable on current issues." Markatos said.
The club's slogan is "Sapien Project. Learn, Think, Act. Bringing you differing perspectives on global events and providing you with ways to act."
Markatos said the information presented on the site would come from a diverse array of publications. From the Washington Post and the New York Times to The Nation and EMag, Markatos said the club would provide a global view of the issues so visitors could read both mainstream and alternative views. Visitors then will be able to post their opinions on the site and access ways to become activists.
Markatos said he decided to start the club because he noticed a waning in effective activism. He cited the vandalism at KLZR-FM as an example of misdirected activism.
"These people are interested in acting, but no one that I can think of has called the Zimmer Group, the company that owns the Lazer." Markatos said. "We just want to provide an effective means of action."
However, he said the site would
remain non-partisan
"The thing I want to emphasize is the neutrality of it." Markatos said. "We want to be a neutral information center."
Markatos said he chose the Internet as the venue for his club, rather than a traditional club that meets in person, because it could involve more people.
"This way we can reach more people and get more people involved," Markatos said. "Right now it will be geared more toward students, but we'll eventually probably gear it to the Lawrence community as well."
Brett Stoppel, president of KU Campus Internet Association and Garden City senior, said that he had not yet heard of the club but that it was exactly what he thought the future would demand.
"I think that's primarily the direction clubs are going and should be going," Stopel said. "Students have such full schedules. Because the Internet is a 24-hour resource, they can access it any time they want. It should be a great exercise in using the Internet in a fuller capability."
- Edited by Allan Davis
Local volunteers recognized for empowering the disabled
By Derek Prater
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Independence, Inc. is celebrating its 21st anniversary of helping people with disabilities take control of their lives — as well as National Disability Employment Awareness Month — with special events today and tomorrow.
Susan Mikesic, community coordinator, said there would be an open house from 2 to 5 p.m. today at the new Independence, Inc. offices, 2001 Haskell Ave.
From noon to 2 p.m. Friday, the Human Diversity Task Force at Independence, Inc. will hold a Diversity Pot Luck, which will be open to the public.
Community Access Awards and Volunteer Recognition will be presented at 3:30 p.m. today. Community Access Awards are presented annually by Independence, Inc. to those who have furthered the mission of empowering disabled people in Douglas, Franklin and Jefferson counties.
Gary Hawke, general manager for KJHK, is receiving the Community Access Award for an individual.
Ranita Wilks, independent living skills/peer support specialist, nominated Hawke for the award after
working with him at the University.
"The Community Access Awards acknowledge people in the community who have been supportive of people with disabilities, and Gary has done that with students at KU," said Wilks, a 1998 graduate in broadcast journalism.
Hawke said he had worked with various disabled students from time to time and that it had always been a rewarding experience.
"I've found that the students I've worked with who have special needs—every one of them has been a special person," he said.
Disabled students just need the same chance to succeed, and they will thrive. Hawke said.
He said that the two main issues for disabled students were access and inclusion and that he had tried to communicate the need for both to University administrators. Access still is a problem for wheelchairs in places such as at KJHK, Hawke said.
Hawke said he was flattered to receive the award, but he thought more still should be done.
"I'm hoping that we can come to a day where we don't need this type of award," he said.
Also receiving awards are:
n The Roger B. Williams Access Award will be presented to Saunny
Scott primarily for her work with Lawrence Faith Connections, which works to include people with disabilities in local faith communities.
The Community Access Award in the business category will go to Terry Wilkinson, a local carpenter, for making rental housing that is more accessible for people with disabilities.
The Community Access Award for an organization will be awarded to Therapeutic Horse Riding Instruction of Lawrence, Inc. for providing horseback-riding experiences for people with disabilities.
Independence, Inc. works as an advocacy group and provides people with disabilities with services and educational programs, Mikesic said.
The organization helps the disabled understand their civil rights and file complaints for discrimination in the workplace, housing or elsewhere. It also provides programs such as support groups, social events and computer training with adaptive devices such as voice-activated computers.
Mikesaid said the organization was self-help oriented and more than half of the staff and board members and disabilities.
—Edited by Chris Hutchison