Friday, August 20, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A - Page 3
Professors surprised,praised with cash awards during class
Chancellor Robert Hemenway presents Philip A. Schrodt, professor of political science, a check for $5,000. Schrodt was one of eight teachers who received awards for teaching excellence vesteday. Photo by Aaron Lindbera/KANSAN
By Amanda Kaschube
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Chancellor Robert Hemenway named $5,000 checks to eight University of Kansas professors yesterday.
"The people who win are very deserving." Hemenway said. "They are representative of the quality of all of the KU faculty."
The chancellor, Provost David Shulenburger, Kansas University Endowment Association President Jim Martin and Commerce Bank Community President Mark Gonzales surprised the professors all from different departments with awards for teaching excellence during the first day of classes.
The W.T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence honored Arlene Barry, associate professor of teaching and leadership; Diana B. Carlin, professor of communication studies; David Holmes, professor of psychology; Jan Kozma, professor in Italian; and Victor Bailey, professor of history.
Greg Simpson, head of the psychology department, said Holmes, his colleague, deserved the honor.
"Dr. Holmes for years has been known as one of the finest and most inspirational professors in the College of Liberal Arts and Science," he said. "The department is very pleased."
Stephen R. McAllister, professor of law; Philip A. Schrodt, professor of political science; and Norman A. Slade, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, also received the award.
Schrodt, who specializes in foreign policy decision-making and other international political issues, seemed surprised when the chancellor entered his classroom while he was teaching.
"This shows that the University cares about teaching," he said. "It's a great honor."
Hemenway said he enjoyed handing out the awards and suspending class at the same time.
"We get a chance to interrupt class and say some nice things about the professors," he said.
The awards honor outstanding teachers and advisers at the University who are chosen by a seven-member selection
committee that includes students, faculty and alumni.
The W.T. Kemper Foundation, of which Commerce Bank is a trustee, provided $250,000 for the program. The Endowment Association matched the amount, totaling $500,000 for the University to award its teachers.
Hemenway said the money allowed the University to praise teachers who embodied excellence.
"It enables us to identify 20 faculty members every year," he said. "The teachers achieve so much. We just put our money where our mouth is."
In total, $100,000 will be distributed to faculty members this week and next.
The "surprise patrol" will make visits today and Monday to eight more faculty members on the Lawrence and Edwards campuses. Also, four University of Kansas Medical Center faculty members in Wichita and Kansas City will be honored Aug. 24, 25 and 31.
The awards allowed the University to
Arlene Barry, associate professor of teaching and leadership
EXCELLENT TEACHERS
Diana B. Carlin, professor of communication studies
David Holmes, professor of psychology
Jay Kesma, professor in English
San Razia, professor in Italian
Victor Bailey, professor of history
■ Philip A. Schrodt, professor of political science
Norman A. Slade, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology
hand out the $500,000 sum during a five-year period. Yesterday, marked the fourth year professors were honored.
Hemenway said he wished he could award even more money to his faculty.
—Edited by Darrin Peschka
"Many more are deserving of recognition," he said. "We hope we can help more in the future."
By Nathan Willis
By Nathan Willis
writer @kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
A media campaign that targets alcohol abuse by University of Kansas students was kicked off with full-page advertisements in the University Daily Kansan on Monday and yesterday.
It's only the beginning of a four-and-a-half-year media blitz paid for by a $450,000 grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, said Jannette Berkley-Patton, the campaign's project facilitator. Berkley-Patton said the campaign organizers planned to run two quarter-page ads weekly in the Kansan this semester. In the months to come, the campaign leaders also will put up posters at residence halls, advertise on the KU on Wheels buses and set up table tents.
"It's really exciting for us," Berkley- Patton said. "We've just had nothing but incredible support for each project."
The program is modeled off a similar program employed for about 10 years by Northern Illinois University. KU administrators hope to duplicate the results of the northern Illinois campaign where heavy drinking has dropped 44 percent in the last decade, Berkley-Patton said. The University of Arizona implemented a replica of Northern Illinois' program and has seen similar results, she said.
"They've reduced binge drinking by 30 percent in just a few years," she said.
She said the University's goal was to reduce binge drinking 20 to 25 percent in four years.
Diana Carlin, interim assistant provost who helps oversee the campaign, said that her background as an associate professor of communication studies led her to be optimistic about the campaign.
"I'm very intrigued by it," she said. "It's not based on fear appeals, which don't work. Often, we act out of what we perceive to be the social norm, and this approach tries to redefine the norms."
Rather than trying to scare students with negative consequences of heavy drinking, the campaign focuses on the students' perceptions of how other students drink. Carlin said.
"Students have a false impression," said Provost David Shulenburger. "All this is doing is presenting the actual data and the actual facts about alcohol to students."
Specifically, the ad that ran in the Kansan said 58 percent of KU students
More information
Look for the report in Monday's paper about the allowance of alcohol on campus for special events.
had between zero and five drinks when they partied a statistic gathered from an alcohol survey administered to 1,621 students chosen to be representative of the student body.
During the summer, student focus groups were formed to evaluate the campaign. She said that students in the focus groups appreciated the positive approach. The focus groups, as well as 17 students approached on the street and 30 to 40 surveys collected from students, critiqued the content and design of the ad, and the one running in the Kansan is a result of their comments, she said.
Still, some students, such as David Borys, Overland Park freshman, said they questioned how effective the campaign would be. He said that even though he had read a Kansan with the ad in it, he hadn't noticed it.
"I don't think one ad is going to change anything." he said.
But, he added, a large, sustained campaign might have some effect.
Berkley-Patton acknowledged that the few ads now would probably have little effect but said that a steady stream of information should eventually embed itself in students' conscience.
The campaign actually started during the summer with new student orientation, she said. New students received postcards promoting the campaign and an article about the campaign in a newsletter.
Berkley-Patton said the response received from students so far was minimal but that this could have been partly because of the barrage of information students received at orientation.
"We did get a couple comments that students were happy to see it, but that's about it," she said.
Still, Matt Wachel, an orientation assistant and St. Louis, Mo., senior, said he thought the campaign would work in the end.
"I think there's truth behind it," Wachel said. "Anytime you can publicize and alleviate people's misconceptions about alcohol, it's worth the money."
—Edited by Mike Loader