THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2007
WWW.KANSAN.COM
KU'S WILD SIDE
VOLUME 118 ISSUE 40
The Suzanne Fke McColl Nature Reserve is a 160-acre plot set aside for research, teaching and conservation. The reserve was dedicated by Chancellor Hemenway on Sept. 30 and became part of the University of Kansas' Field Station and Ecological Reserves Program.
Sarah Leonard/KANSAN
New nature reserve plot to feature hiking, nature trails
A 160-acre plot of land has been added to the University of Kansas $ ^{a} $ Field Station and Ecological Reserves.
The new Suzanne Ecke McColl Nature
Reserve includes a 10-acre native prairie that has been completely undeveloped and resembles what Kansas prairies looked like hundreds of years ago.
In addition to being used for teaching and research, the land will feature public walking and hiking trails, an overlook of the Kaw River Valley, wildflower gardens and a butterfly watch station
The KU Endowment Association is raising funds to complete the new projects.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
FINAL BODIES FOUND FROM PLANE CRASH
Last three victims of Idaho skydiving accident recovered
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CAMPUS
Group comes out for day at Wescoe
BY SASHA ROE
sroe@kansan.com
Don't be surprised to see a giant door placed on Wescoe Beach today when KU Queers and Allies recognizes National Coming Out Day. The organization will observe the 19th annual National Coming Out Day today with displays and information available to students on campus.
David Ta, Wichita senior and Queers & Allies events coordinator, said students could walk through the door on Wescoe Beach to symbolize the transition of coming out, or support for the gay community.
Ta said Queers & Allies made armbands with pink triangles to distribute to students. He said during World War II, pink triangles were used by Nazis at concentration camps to single out and identify homosexuals. Today the pink triangle is used as a symbol of pride and remembrance for the sav community.
"It will definitely be a focal point on campus," Ta said. "For me, it's important to physically show we need the straight community to support their queer brothers and sisters."
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Resource Center will join Queers & Allies to promote awareness and education on Wescoe Beach. Tiffany Spriggs, graduate intern for LGBT offices in the Student Involvement and Leadership Center, said National Coming Out Day wasn't just about celebration. It also focuses on understanding the hardships both gay and straight people experience with the coming out process.
"In the past we've distributed T-shirts and made it a big happy deal," Spriggs said. "But it's most important to understand that gay people struggle every day with the stigma society has placed on them."
Springs said she wanted to spread information about suicide rates of homosexuals. She said that when she had researched youth suicide rates, she found homosexual youths 18-25 years old had a much greater risk than heterosexual youths. A 2001 study by the American Journal of Public Health said youths with same-sex orientation were twice as likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youths.
Spriggs said the KU LGBT Resource Center provided resources about support services and programs, an online library, and
Safe Zone workshops to educate faculty and staff about how to support and work with the gay community.
Associate professor and Queers & Allies adviser, Maggie Childs said the day was beneficial for both gay and straight people. Childs said the day would educate members of the straight community, and prevent stereotypes based on ignorance. She said it was easy for students to believe they didn't know anyone who was gay. She said the day would also help
gay and lesbian students understand how to come out to their friends and family.
Thursday is the official date of National Coming Out Day, but KU Queers & Allies will observe it today on campus. The first National Coming Out Day was celebrated on Oct. 11, 1988 after the success of the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
Edited by Luke Morris
STUDIO EXHIBITION
Radio station hosts art show
Kansas Public Radio is putting on the Listener's Art Show from now until the end of November. More than 60 pieces of art, including work by University of Kansas students, are on display in the Conference Room in the KPR studio building. The display is free and open to the public.
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FUNDRAISER
Fashion show to benefit charity
北
Downtown businesses will prove that unique Halloween costumes can be found on the racks of vintage clothing stores when they present "Fashion Monsters" at The Replay Lounge Saturday. All proceeds from the fashion show will benefit the Social Service League.
Show director Kate Furst said the fashion show featured the great art and music available in Lawrence. Each business will provide models wearing its store's costumes, created from vintage finds while local artists entertain with skits and music.
Furst said the show would help
expose the audience to the unique stores and talented artists of downtown Lawrence while benefiting an important Lawrence charity.
"It's a party," Furst said. "It's not about the professional modeling. It's a lot of performance."
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