UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, September 28, 1995
3A
KU program offers 'natural' bond
Pam Dishman / KANSAN
By Tara Trenary
Kansan staff writer
Cathy Skirtic, Lawrence resident (left), enjoys a barbecue dinner with Kristen Hall, St. Louis sophomore. Natural Ties is a program that pairs students in KU's Greek community with people with a mental disability.
KU greeks have a special tie with Lawrence — friendship with the disabled community — but they want more than just fraternities and sororites to get involved.
"This is probably one of the biggest turnouts," said Mittens Crow, Sigma Phi Epsilon house mother.
But Natural Ties coordinators hope the next function is even larger.
The University of Kansas Natural Ties Organization held a barbecue last night at the Sigma Phi Epsilon house, 1645 Tennessee, and it proved successful.
"This started within the greek community but is not intended for only greeks," said Anne Hayes, Natural Ties co-coordinator and Kansas City Kan. senior.
Hayes said that although only fraternities and sororites participate in the program now, the organization was trying to involve other KU groups such as scholarship halls, sports teams and the band.
Ted Coons, Denver sophomore, is a tie representative, which means he interacts with the disabled participants, or natural ties, on a day-to-day basis.
Coons, a Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity member, said he got involved with Natural Ties because his adopted brother had a mental disability.
"It gives them a nice place to go if they are lonely or need a friend, and it makes me feel good to know I'm helping them out," he said.
The KU Natural Ties program was established in 1988 by a KU student and now has programs at 11 universities across the country.
KU groups that are actively
involved include Chi Omega sorority, Delta Delta Delta sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, Delta Gamma sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, Pi Beta Phi sorority, Sigma Kappa sorority, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, Triangle fraternity, Delta Chi fraternity, Sigma Nu fraternity and Zeta
Beta Tau fraternity.
Hayes said each organization had at least two tie representatives and one natural tie.
Brian Davidson, a natural tie for seven years, said that he and his Sigma Phi Epsilon representatives went to KU football and basketball games, saw movies, played
pool and ate dinner together on a regular basis.
"It gives us all a chance to hang out," he said.
the KU Natural Ties Organization meets the first Wednesday evening every month at 6:30 in the Pioneer Room in the Burge Union.
Jackson: professor's probation continued
Continued from Page 1
Jackson has denied making the calls.
Since the June hearing, the woman has continued to receive hang-up telephone calls. But because all the calls have been made from area pay phones, she can't prove who has been placing them.
Christine Tonkovich, assistant district attorney and prosecutor, and Sabastian Bonner, probation officer, told the court that there was no evidence that Jackson had continued contact with the victim.
John Chappell, Jackson's attorney, asked the court for a continuation of Jackson's probation instead of incarceration, because Jackson had been in therapy and had made substantial progress.
"His behaviors are a symptom of an underlying illness, not a disregard of the court," Chappell said.
Mulone granted the request but ordered Jackson to adhere to the therapy recommendations of Steven Mandracchia, Kansas
City, Mo., psychologist.
Malone also ordered that Jackson's residence be searched and that all memorabilia related to the victim be surrendered to the court. These materials include audio and video tapes of Jackson's therapy sessions with the victim, photos of the victim, and personal letters he wrote her, Jackson said.
Jackson said he was willing to surrender the items, but disapproved of a search warrant.
"I don't think it's appropriate or will come to that," he said.
Jackson said that overall he felt the sentencing was fair.
But Gruber disagreed, as did Sarah Jane Russell, executive director of the Douglas County Rape Victim/Survivor Service, 1419 Massachusetts St.
"Where were the consequences to his behavior?" said Russell, who attended the sentencing. "His history has shown us that he has not stopped his behavior."
Gruber criticized the court for not punishing Jackson when it had the chance.
"He's playing the game with courts, and he's won," she said.
By Hannah Naughton Kansan staff writer
Forum to address racism
In a first step toward healing the wounds of hate, the Multicultural Resource Center is holding an open forum on racism tonight.
The forum will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Hashinger Hall theater. Sherwood Thompson, director of minority affairs, Gloria Flores, associate director of minority affairs, and Julius Williams, assistant director of minority affairs, used the center to organize the forum because of concerns both they and KU students had about recent racial incidents on campus.
"Basically, it has come about from student concerns about activity that occurred," Flores said. "Students are frustrated over the fact that racist activity occurred last year, and more have occurred this year."
encounters with racism and bias at the University. These range from situations where students overhear racist comments aimed at them to situations where students feel they have been passed over for job promotions because of their race.
Last year, two separate racist incidents were reported by students living in Jayhawker Towers and were investigated by KU Police. This semester, one student reported that a racist note had been posted outside his door in Templin Hall. After an investigation, KU Police found the report to be unfounded.
"It hurts the whole image of KU. It hurts the students," said Jessica Keith, Kansas City, Kan., junior and president of Black Student Union. "Everyone is hurt in the whole process of these racist events."
Keith said the issue wasn't limited to racist incidents but rather to all hate crimes, including religion, sexual orientation and gender. She said the University and Student Housing needed to deal with these issues.
Because of Keith's role as president, she said she hears about other people's
Student Housing has a section in the handbook it gives to all residents on racial or sexual harassment and hate crimes. If an incident pertaining to these issues occur within campus housing, all people involved are addressed within housing's judicial system, said Jonathan Long, an assistant director of the student housing department.
The forum tonight will deal with sensitizing people to these issues, Keith said. The forum will focus on the problems of racism and hate crimes before they happen.
A university-wide policy on ethnic harassment and sexual harassment also is printed in the back of the timetable each semester. In situations where this policy is broken, the incidents are heard in the university judicial system, said Danny Kaiser, assistant dean of the department of student affairs.
"I just believe this is a first step," Keith said. "I think it's way overdue, personally. I'm glad this is happening. I'm also concerned that it has not happened before."
By Sarah Wlese Kansan staff writer
A Student Senate bill to finance Students Tutoring for Literacy created controversy for the second week row.
A week ago, it was in the finance committee. Last night, after debate, it passed the full Senate.
The bill allocated $307 to the group, which consists of about 70 volunteer KU student tutors who help people throughout the Lawrence community.
The group's services range from helping struggling elementary students learn to read to assisting students at Lawrence's alternative high school with their studies.
Samantha Bowman,
Nunemaker senator, proposed an amendment to reduce the advertising budget from $205 to $100.
"I knew the amendment wasn't going to pass," Bowman said. "But I thought it was the best way to get my point across. I felt it would have been irresponsible to my constituency to vote against spending so much money on advertising."
SENATE ACTION
At last night's Student Senate meeting, senators passed the following funding bills. All the bills requested monies from Senate's unallocated account.
The $205 advertising
The Philosophy Club received $232 for advertising and supplies.
Students Tutoring for Literacy received $307 for supplies, postage and advertising.
The Vietnamese American Student Association received $1,492 for supplies, advertising and a New Year's celebration.
The KU Pre-Occupational Therapy Club received $372 for supplies, advertising and postage.
■ The KU Social Work Group received $117 for supplies and postage.
Student Senate received $632.10 to cosponsor and advertise for the Fall 1995 American Red Cross Blood Drive.
The Japan Film Society received $365 for advertising and video projector rental.
budget is the basic amount that Senate's funding guidelines will allow for an organization.
Lance Hamby, journalism senator, spoke in opposition to the bill because five of the six volunteering sites were off-campus.
"This is Student Senate money, and you have to make sure the organization is accessible to students who want to volunteer," Hamby said. "Not everyone has a car or a bike or transportation to get the off-campus sites."
Hamby suggested that the people needing help should come to the tutors instead of the other way around.
Amy Turnbull, social welfare senator and co-sponsor of the bill, said she didn't think some senators understood that community service benefited both the volunteer and the recipient.
"This is one of the strongest organizations on campus, and it's helping 70 KU students learn to help others," she said. "There's no reason to block funding for an organization that helps the community."
After about 45 minutes of debate, Senate passed the bill in its original form and allocated $307 to the organization.
Festival: two are better than one
Continued from Page 1A
"The festival is our gift to the city to support diversity," said Lisa Blair, coordinator of the festival.
Blair said both festivals targeted different audiences, although the purpose of both events was to expose people to a diversity of art and cultures. By holding both events during the same week, Blair said both festivals would attract more visitors.
"We worked together to create a joint venture to bring everything to Lawrence at once," she said.
In past years, Blair said the festival has attracted 5,000 to 7,000 visitors. This year, she expects 10,000 to 15,000 visitors.
EVENTS
Sunday, Oct. 1
Opening Day
Ceremonies, 2 to 4 p.m. in Bureham Park, Second and Indiana streets.
Singer-songwriters' Showcase.
8 p.m. at
Liberty Hall,
642 Massachusetts.