Monday, August 23,1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A • Page 3
University joins coalition based in service learning
By Clay McCuistion
Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas is joining Campus Compact, a national coalition of universities dedicated to learning through community service.
The Providence, R.I.-based Campus Compact provides resources for its 620 member universities and their leaders. A $2,500 membership fee gives the University the chance to apply for grants, access syllabi for courses incorporating community service and interact with other member universities.
"The chancellor really is making a commitment to Kansas, to service learning, to community service, to all those ideals," said E.J. Reedy, co-director of Center for Community Outreach. "He's actually doing something about what he's been talking about the last couple of years."
Chancellor Robert Hemenway set serving Kansas as one of his Initiative 2001 priorities. Service learning is an important part of Hemenway's plan.
"I firmly believe that a public university has a responsibility to make life better for the citizens who support it," Hemenway said. "It seemed to me to be self-evident that we ought to go on and do it."
Reedy, Topeka junior, cautioned that simple membership in the organization wasn't enough.
"That's definitely a great opportunity. But you have to have the support institutionally to go after things like these grants." Reedy said.
Christina Harms, the other Center for Community Outreach Director, said that a center for service learning was needed on campus. The center could help apply for grants and coordinate service activities through the University.
"That could really enable more professors to become involved." Harms, Wichita junior, said.
Hemenway said more resources might be allocated for service, but only if interest was shown by students.
Both CCO directors and the Chancellor agreed that service learning provided a valuable supplement to classroom education.
"Working with the community directly enhances your learning experience," Harms said. "I definitely
SERVICE LEARNING CLASSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Students teach engineering concepts in local elementary schools.
■ ENGR 514 Engineering Communication to Non-Technical Populations
HDFL 150 Community Leadership
HDFL 606 Special Projects in the Community
Students are taught to about social problems and the best ways to work at solving them.
HDFI 606 Special Projects in the Community A class for participants in the Alternative Spring Break Program.
The online syllabus is at: www.ukans.edu/~asb/asbswl.htm
SOC 340 The Community
A new class in which students volunteer for one hour each week and use their experiences as the basis for classroom discussion.
n Information about Campus Compact activities can be accessed at: www.compact.org.
see that as something that will be part of our role in upcoming years."
Marylee Southard, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering, created a service learning class in 1983. Engineering Communication to NonTechnical Populations takes engineering students into local grade schools, where they help teach science.
Southard said both the elementary school students and college students were pleased with the experience.
"The students have raved about it," she said. "The KU students have said they really hated to leave at the end of the class and that it was really hard to leave at the end of the semester."
Southard said that service learning had practical, as well as philanthropic applications.
"It's definitely a skill that can be used in the workplace and community," she said. "This is a concept that can be applied to many disciplines"
The notion of serving the university didn't start with Hemenway's initiative. Southard said.
As a public university, KU should try to help the community around it."
Library opens Darwin exhibit after decision
By Amanda Kaschube
Kansan staff writer
As a reaction to the Kansas State Board of Education's ruling against teaching evolution in schools, the Spencer Research Library opened a Charles Darwin exhibit last week.
The exhibition features artifacts related to evolutionary topics highlighted by Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution.
William Crowe, Spencer librarian, said that the board's ruling opposed all of Darwin's principles.
"We thought it was important to call attention to the issue," he said. "We have the resources here for others to use."
The exhibit, entitled "Is Man an Ape or an Angel?" contains a copy of Darwin's 1859 book called "On the Origin of Species," which is one of 1,250 originally published. There are 100 copies in the United States.
"It looks just like an ordinary book but the ideas inside changed the world," Crowe said. "It is not a commonly held book."
The exhibit also includes a portrait of Darwin, a letter written by Darwin to James E. Todd, who was on the geology staff at the University of Kansas from 1907 until his death in 1922, and a copy of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee's play, "Inherit the Wind."
"Darwin's theories changed with research," Crowe said. "As he got new information, he kept building and adding. That's evolution at its core."
The library also created a Web site (www.ukans.edu/-spencer/exhibits/darwin/darwin.html) that includes everything in the library exhibit. Crowe said that there were an increased number of hits at the site late last week.
Courtney Rowland, Wichita junior, has taken several biology classes at the University. She said that the exhibit would persuade those who didn't think in Darwin's theories were true.
"I think it's vital to learn evolution," she said. "There
James Helyar, Curator in Graphics, displays one of 1,250 original copies of "On the Origin of Species." The exhibit was created in response to the Kansas State Board of Education's ruling on teaching evolution in the classroom. Photo by Caryle Jarian/KANSAN
are so many things we can't explain through religion. I don't understand the board's decision."
Crowe said that exhibits at the University were not one-sided. Several bibles were on display at Watson Library this summer to inform students.
The exhibit's title comes from a quote by former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Responding to the idea of evolution, Disraeli voiced his opposition by saying, "Is man an ape or an angel? Now I am on the side of angels."
Crowe said that he wanted students to come read Darwin so they could draw conclusions for themselves.
"This topic requires some light to be shed on it," he said. "We have some of the best information at KU. We can bring the world to Kansas."
Edited by Brad Hallier
County, University programs give students aid against sex crimes
writer@kansan.com
Lesley Simmons
Kansan staff writer
rounded by people who care."
Men and women at the University of Kansas have many resources to battle sexual assault—an act which occurs most frequently during the fall semester.
"Students are most vulnerable to being attacked during times of transition," said Kathy Rose-Mockry, program director for the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center.
Sarah Jane Russell, executive director of the Douglas County Rape Victim-Survivor Service, also wants students to be aware of sexual assault issues.
"The crime of sexual assault is very real, and it happens in the student community," she said. "I don't say that to make anyone fearful of the campus, but it is important that they know it can happen. If it happens, students need to know they are sur-
She said there were several myths about sexual assault. One was that women think that it couldn't happen to them, that it happens to a particular kind of person.
She said another myth was that it was easy to recognize situations that could lead to sexual assault.
She said the most problematic misconception about sexual assault was that it was justified for a woman to be raped who was intoxicated, wearing certain clothes or at a certain party.
Kansas law states that a woman is unable to consent to sex if she is physically impaired due to drug or alcohol consumption, Montgomery said. The law considers sex under these circumstances rape.
RVSS provides services to survivors of sexual assault, including a pool of volunteers who serve as advocates. RVSS advocates provide survivors of sexual assault
emotional support and information.
Sally Puleo, Chicago senior and women's studies major, is an advocate.
Advocates are available 24 hours a day to accompany a rape victim to the hospital or police station. They can explain medical and legal procedures and answer questions.
All information received by RVSS is confidential, and a woman does not have to report her case to the police if she doesn't wan. However, when police respond to rape or assault cases they inform the victim than an RVSS advocate is available if desired.
During her shifts, Puleo carries a pager. If a rape victim calls KU Info or Headquarters Counseling Center his or her call will be forwarded to Puleo. Often the advocate meets the person at the emergency room, but Puleo said that every call would be handled differently, depending on the
RESOURCES FOR RAPE VICTIMS
Service
1419 Massachusetts St
Douglas County Rape Victim-Survivor
1419 Massachusetts St.
Headquarters Counseling Center
1419 Massachusetts St.
8412345
Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center 115强 Hall
KU Info
wishes of the victim.
"Everything is up to the survivor because it's important for them to know they have power over what happens," she said. "No one is going to make her do anything she doesn't want to do."
counseling methods, legal issues and cultural issues. Then, Puleo attended weekly meetings with other advocates until she felt ready to respond to calls.
"I want to be in a position to make women not feel like it is a secret they can't tell," she said.
The Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center conducts educational workshops to raise students' awareness of sexual assault. The center conducts one program a month in the Kansas Union, open to all students, on topics such as healthy relationships, assertiveness and sexual assertiveness, and the presentation of women in the media. The center also conducts workshops by request for student groups, classes and living organizations. Commonly-requested topics include defining rape and ways to help a rape survivor. Also discussed is awareness of sexual assault.
—Edited by Mike Loader