CAMPUS/AREA
Tuesday, September 19. 1995
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
3A
Computer Center swamped with users
By Brenden Sagen Kansan staff writer
Kathleen Driscoll / PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
Chris Arnold, Topeka freshman, walts for Gina Schellman, senior, and Kevin Schellman, freshman, both of Lawrence,
to finish using a computer at the Computer Center.
"We're seriously praying," said Jerry Niebaum, executive director of information at the center.
The Computer Center is in trouble.
The number of people using the center's resources has nearly tripled in one year, Niebaum said. And he didn't know why.
One solution the center has found for people wanting new Internet accounts is to apply through the Internet, Niebaum said. An application site is offered on the UKANAIX system in KUFACTS — an electronic document with information about the University of Kansas.
E-mail accounts have doubled, and more people are using the center's word processing programs.he said.
Last year, there were 8,500 subscribers using the center's Internet resources — FALCON, KUHUB, LARK, STAT1 and KUNAIX. This year, the center has 16,500 accounts on FALCON alone.
"I believe it's the No. 1 need on the campus," he said.
The shortage of computers also concerns Niebaum.
The center doesn't have immediate plans to expand the University's computer services and was not prepared for the three-fold increase in users. Niebaum said.
Niebaum said the center would form a quality-management team to discuss what could be done about the glut of users and the shortage of computers.
The biggest problem the center will face is cost, he said. Buying computers is only part of the cost
- furniture, maintenance, staff,
hardware, software and space also
require funds.
"Space is a premium at this University." Niaham said.
Every room on campus is being
used, which makes it difficult to find space for expansion, he said.
Another option for the center would be a student technology fee, he said. The fee would be paid by students, regardless of whether they used the center's resources.
A $15 fee already is assessed every semester to students enrolled in the School of Engineering, said Nancy Sliker, director of the school's computer services. The money goes toward buying new equipment, licensing equipment, hardware, software, repairs and consumable supplies.
Computer labs on campus
- Bailey Hall, room 21.3 (education students have priortv)
Ellsworth Hall (residents only)
Fraser Hall room 123
Fraser Hall, room 123
Dunne Hall, room 128 and
Green Hall, rooms 306B and 306C (law students only)
Gertrude Sellards Pearson-Corbin Hall (residents only)
Hashinger Hall (residents only)
B Pearson Hall Academic
Joseph H. Pearson Hall Academic Resource Center (residents only)
- Lewis Hall (residents only)
- Lindley Hall, room 31 (geology students only)
Learned Hall, rooms 306,
3002E, 1036 and 1037 (engineering students only)
■ Marvin Hall, room 223 (fine arts students only)
McColum Hall (residents only)
Naismith Hall (residents only)
Nalsham Hall (residents only)
Snow Hall, rooms 106 and 210
Hear Hair, rooms 106 and 210
(open to all students after 5 p.m.)
Strong Hall, rooms 15 and 17
Templin Hall (residents only)
Twente Hall, room 217
Twente Hall, room 217
Computer Center. room 202
Racial incidents continue in Templin
Kansan staff writer
By Scott Worthington Kansan staff writer
Eight posters denouncing racism were posted Thursday on the fifth floor of Templin Hall, KU police said yesterday.
KU Police said there were no suspects.
The posters contained various messages with an anti-white racial bias, ranging from "Assholes don't have fingers to point" to "Awarded to fifth-floor rednecks," according to the police report.
ROICE said there were no suspects. Fred McEhlene, associate director of student housing, said the posters could have been responses to alleged incidents of racism against African Americans reported at Templin last week
"It's my understanding that people probably
put these together in support of the fellow who allegedly had a racist sign put on his door," McElenie said.
Alan Lollis, Kansas City, Mo., freshman, who reported that he was the target of two racial incidents last week, said he did not see the signs and did not know who put them up.
"I don't know what they were talking about," Lollis said.
The posting of the signs was the third racial incident to take place at Templin last week.
Last Tuesday, a racist note allegedly was attached to Lollis' door, but KU police later said the report was unfounded. The next day, Lollis reported that he received threats from anonymous callers. The case still is under investigation.
Several residents on the floor expressed concern about the incidents but none thought that they were indicative of a larger racial problem on the floor.
"When word came across about the signs, quite a few people were upset," said Michael Ingalls, Yuma, Colo., sophomore. "They were ready for this to stop."
McElhenie said the floor's resident assistants had not expressed to him that residents were not getting along.
"From what I can tell, it seems all right," said Grant Wimmer, Lewisville, Texas, senior.
Even Lollis agreed that there didn't seem to be a problem anymore.
"Everyone seems to be getting along just fine," he said.
PBS station helps the blind 'see' TV shows
By Craig Lang
Because of a new service offered by KTWU, the Topeka public television station, blind and visually impaired audiences are no longer left wondering what is taking place on their TV screens.
Kansan staff writer
The addition is descriptive video service, or DVS, which provides narrated descriptions of key visual elements, such as setting and body language, without interfering with a program's audio effects or dialogue.
During pauses in a program's dialogue, a narrator explains visual information in the scene.
"Blind and visually impaired viewers can watch because there is a narration that blends around the dialogue so they can get the actions and descriptions of the setting," said Cindy Barry, KTWU director of development.
tery!" and "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood."
KTWU, Channel 11 in Lawrence, began offering the service Thursday with nationwide public TV programs such as "Masterpiece Theater," "Mys-
Heather Kirkwood, Wichita senior, who is visually impaired, said she had watched a DVS video with Mindy Knapp, Lawrence senior. She said she knew the video was beneficial to Knapp, who is blind.
Barry said the service was effective and was not distracting to viewers who may be watching television with a blind person.
However, because Kirkwood could see well enough sitting close to the television, she said she did not find the narrator's spoken descriptions helpful.
Knapp said she thought DVS was a great service because the narration did not interfere with what was going on.
Barry said viewers could use DVS at no cost if they had a television equipped with the Second Audio Program, or SAP, which is available on most late-model televisions.
"I get more detail than anybody would think to tell me," she said.
Knapp said she would like to see other stations provide DVS for some of their programs, although she said it was not a necessity.
Viewers who do not have SAP can order DVS adapters, Barry said.
"I don't have a problem watching TV without it," she said. "But it's nice to have."
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