Thursday, October 7. 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Drinking to be modified in some fraternities
By Lori O'Toole
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
by lori O table
writer@kansan.com
Brian Wanamaker, Topeka senior, is 21 years old and enjoys drinking a beer while watching a football game or a movie in his room at the Sigma Nu fraternity house.
In less than a year, Wanamaker's Sigma Nu fraternity brothers may not be able to relax with a drink — at least not without some type of reprimand.
Sigma Nu is one of 10 University of Kansas fraternity chapters that will make the transition to alcohol-free housing or modified alcohol-free housing during the year 2000, either by choice or by persuasion from the National Interfraternity Council or national fraternity headquarters. Many will make the transition after July 31.
Modified alcohol-free housing is a policy in which alcohol is not allowed at house parties. However,
under the policy, beer is allowed in the rooms of those members 21 years old or older.
Delta Chi and Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternities already have modified alcohol-free housing policies.
The initiative at the national level, called Select 2000, was started by the National Interfraternity Council in 1994 in an effort to reduce the risk of alcohol-related accidents in fraternity houses. The organization's goal is to remove alcohol from chapter houses to make them safer.
Chace Ramey, Interfraternity Council vice president for risk management, said the organization already had begun to help the fraternities involved prepare for a smooth transition.
House presidents and some members will hold the first of several meetings Wednesday to discuss the change.
"It's a new thing for them, and they will need to use each other as a reference point," said Ramey,
Accidents in the United States involving fraternity or sorority members and alcohol since 1970;
ALCOHOL-RELATED ACCIDENTS
54 fraternity hazing deaths
2 sexual harassment deaths
2 sorority hazing deaths
26 fraternity and security
- preeminence and sorority deans
from falls, usually involving alcohol
Source: USA Weekend
Kansas City, Mo., junior.
Ramey said there had been concern on a national level about fraternity members getting to and from off-campus parties safely because they no longer would be able to drink inside their houses.
However, he said that the University would not need to be concerned with that issue, because fraternity members attending off-campus parties with alcohol must provide safe transportation, which often is provided by a rented bus or
"I see it as being a positive thing," Ramey said. "I think it will be tough, and it will be a struggle it will require a lot of internal leadership."
another fraternity member serving a shift for BADD, Brothers Against Drunk Driving.
Wanamaker, Sigma Nu president,
said it seemed strange.
"I'm 21, and I feel like I have a legal right to drink a beer or whatever I choose to drink," he said. "But there are compromises and things that you lose and things that you gain by living in a arousal setting."
Wanamaker said that there would be no alcohol allowed in the house but that social functions with alcohol still would be organized off campus.
He said the transition would probably still be rough for some.
"There will always be kinks to work out," he said, "Some people think rules are made to be broken. The trick is to come out with strict enforcement of it and to educate people on the reasons of it. Alcohol is not that critical that we have to have it here."
Wanamaker said the reasons for the transition were clear.
"It will shift the focus of fraternities," he said. "On a national level, they have the reputation of purely social organizations. This will push them more towards the ideals and goals. There's also the liability issue. National organizations can't afford insurance policies for a bunch of college-aged kids drinking."
Wanamaker said he thought fraternities moving to alcohol-free housing was a trend, somewhat encouraged by sororites that have pledged on the national level not to attend fraternity-house parties where alcohol is present. There are 10 national sororites with chapters at the University that have made the pledge.
Chris Berry, Lincoln, Neb., senior and president of Alpha KappaLambda fraternity, said his chapter
ALCOHOL-FREE POLICIES
University fraternity chapter houses planning to have alcohol-free housing or modified alcohol-free housing in the year 2000;
Alpha Kappa Lambda
Delta Tau Delta
Phi Delta Theta
Delta Chi
Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Gamma Delt
Sigma Chi
Sigma Nu
Sigma Chi
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Theta Chi
would go alcohol-free in the fall 2001.
would go alcohol-free in the law 2011. "I think it may dissuade some people from joining," he said. "But it will also draw a new crowd to the fraternity system, people who otherwise would not become involved because of stereotypes of drinking."
— Edited by Kelly Clasen
Chip Taylor places a honeycomb panel in the Natural History Museum's bee exhibit. Taylor said the exhibition was important because honeybees are the most advanced social insect. Photo by Lucas W. Krump/KANSAN
Camera to be installed in hive to magnify bees
Continued from page 1A
"They live 35 to 45 days in the summer, depending on the conditions," Taylor said. "And during the winter, even in the semi-warmth of the museum, the queen will stop laying eggs from around November 1 to January 20."
An antibiotic will be given to the bees to help control infection, while pest strips will help control bee mites.
"Varroa mites are associated with the transmission of five bee viruses." Taylor said. "Once these viruses get going, the colonies die quickly."
Taylor said that the exhibit was important because honeybees are the most important pollinators of crops and the most advanced social insect.
"The exhibit will help the public connect with a unique natural system and give them an understanding and apprecii-
ation of the role of pollinators in natural and human-altered environments," Taylor said.
In its 32 years, the hive has been an integral part of the museum for many generations of University of Kansas students.
"Students have seen our exhibits and love the beehive," Kemp said. "Since the old one has been gone, it has been missed and asked about."
If students want to take honey home, it won't come from the new hive. In the past, the museum gift shop sold honey from a private supplier, but the museum has tried to get honey from the hive exhibit only once.
"We found that we had to feed the bees a lot more to make up for the extraction," Swearingen said. "The bees eat their own honey. That is their food."
-Edited by Katrina Hull
Professor emeritus writes capitalism book
Kansan staff writer
By Amanda Kaschube
But not Harry Shaffer.
After teaching at the University of Kansas for 43 years, most professors would enjoy retirement and stay away from the hills of campus.
Shaffer, professor of economics, officially retired 10 years ago with emeritus status but immediately returned part time to teach comparative economics and economics for non-macaus.
"I love to teach," he said. "When I was a child and I was asked what I wanted to do, I always said I wanted to make my living talking. And I still do."
In addition to teaching, Shaffer also writes books. With 10 books already under his belt, he recently released his 11th book, American Capitalism and the Changing Role of Government and will speak at 7:30 tonight at Borders, 700 New Hampshire St.
The book discusses capitalism and the government's role in the free market. Shaffer said the government needed to increase its role in social areas, such as health care, protection of the environment and welfare.
"We are last in western countries for government participation," he said.
Shaffer said that the United States was also the only country not to guarantee health care for each person.
"We're the richest country, and we can't afford it? Something is wrong," he said. "We need more government."
Frank Durgin, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Southern Maine, said the book would be a useful tool for class discussion.
"It is clearly geared to the 'intelligent lay persons' interested in exploring the myths surrounding various controversial public policy issues," he said. "I recommend it highly as a supplementary reader for ECON 101 and comparative economics courses."
Shafter also has helped attract students into economics classes, said Joseph Sicilian, chairman of the department.
In 1971, Shaffer was listed as one of the three "most popular" professors at the University in the book The Underground Guide to the College of Your Choice by Susan Berman. He also was named "best professor" in 1993 in
"He's a very popular teacher, and he gets students into the program," he said. "It's unusual for a person of his age to be so enthusiastic and energetic about teaching."
the magazine The New Times: The Voice of Kansas City.
"He retired because there was mandatory retirement at 65," Sicilian said. "We want to keep him indefinitely."
Besides receiving rave reviews from his colleagues, Shaffer also helped minorities in Lawrence gain equality in the 1960s.
As president of the Lawrence League for the Practice of Democracy, he aimed to integrate the races throughout Lawrence.
He said that on July 4,1960, he picked the Lawrence swimming pool because the pool would not let African Americans enter.
"It took a few years, but now it's integrated," he said.
Shaffer said that in the 1960s many restaurants let only white people in, and several ads in The University Daily Kansan read "Whites need only apply."
"I was surprised to see that restaurants didn't admit Blacks," he said. "My organization played some role in changing it."
Shaffer said he experienced discrimination first-hand as a Jewish boy in Vienna, Austria. Shaffer left in 1938, three months after Adolf Hitler took
Harry Shaffer, professor emeritus of economics, recently wrote the book, American Capitalism and the Changing Role of Government. He will speak at 7:30 tonight at Borders, 700 New Hampshire St. Photo by Melissa Thornton/KANSAN
over Austria. He spent time in Italy, France and Cuba before settling in the United States.
Through the years, Shaffer's love for teaching hasn't diminished.
"Teaching has been my life," he said. "I hope to continue forever."
Conference updates faculty on diversity
Senior fellow delivers lecture via satellite feed
By Todd Halstead writer kansasan.com
Kanson staff writer
— Edited by Katrina Hull
University of Kansas faculty members learned how to increase diversity in the classroom yesterday at the sixth annual Michael L. Tilford Conference on Diversity and Multiculturalism via satellite downlink to a room in Strong Hall.
The conference, which was titled, "Preparing Students to Live and Work in a Diverse Global Society," was presented by Edgar Beckham.
Becky Eason, program assistant for the Equal Opportunity Office, said it was an achievement for the conference to acquire Beckham, a senior fellow for the Association of American Colleges and Universities, as the guest speaker.
"He's been involved in a lot of initiatives on diversity," she said. "He was excellent, and the question-and-answer period afterwards was fruitful."
Questions included how to assess diversity to see if certain methods worked and how to create a diverse community.
Eason said the discussion consisted of various ways to ensure students of continued success in the work environment and everyday life in a consistently diversifying global community.
"It stressed the importance of learning about diversity before students enter the work force," she said.
She said the topic of the conference always had dealt with diversity and multiculturalism.
Lisa Wolf-Wendel, professor of education, said that the conference was effective in enlightening professors about diversity but that Beckham was preaching to the converted because people who participated in the conference most likely were aware of the importance of diversity.
"He reinforced what I already knew," she said. "But he said it in a more eloquent manner than I could."
The presentation originated at Kansas State University and was broadcast through television via satellite to faculty at the other five Board of Regents schools and at Washburn University.
Faculty from schools receiving the satellite transmission could ask Beckham questions via phone.
The conference was offered to KU faculty who had contacted or were invited by the Equal Opportunity Office.
Eason said it was the first year the conference was conducted via satellite because in years past it had occurred at various Regents schools.
Wendel said although the speaker was insightful, she preferred the conference before the satellite's intervention.
"I prefer the other way," she said. "K-State benefited from having Edgar Beckham on campus. You got to ask questions, but you didn't get to have dialogue with people from other institutions. It's nice to have a dialogue and not a lecture."
Wendel, who has attended three of the conferences, said she hoped that in the future faculty could attend the presentation in person while those who were unable to travel could utilize the satellite option.
Eason said only 20 professors and administrators from the University were involved in the conference because of space limitations.
Eason said she hoped the conference, which was named for the late Michael L. Tilford, one of its co-founders and a professor at Wichita State University, would continue to evolve.
"I hope that it will grow and that more people will become involved," she said. "Because diversity is something where you need large numbers of people to make it work."
—Edited by Chris Hutchison