UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, September 20,1994
3A
Julianne Peter / KANSAN
James Carothers, professor of English, read excerpts from "University Days," an essay by James Thurber, to high school seniors. Carothers was conducting a mock classroom yesterday as part of Crimson and Blue Preview Days.
Visiting seniors sample KU life
By David Wilson Kansan staff writer
The nine high school seniors who went to James Carothers' mock classroom yesterday morning in Haworth Hall might not have expected him to spend the hour poking fun at college classes.
But to the delight of the seniors, Carothers, professor of English, read excerpts from humorist James Thurber's essay, "University Days," an account of humiliating classroom experiences from Thurber's time as a student at Ohio State University.
Carothers' presentation was a part of Crimson and Blue Preview Days, a recruiting program for high school seniors organized by the Office of Admissions. The program, which included campus tours and academic advising in addition to the mock classrooms, was the first of five weekly Crimson and Blue Preview Days.
The preview days replace Senior Day, a one-day recruiting program for high school seniors.
Deborah Castrop, director of the Office of Admissions, said the one-day program had gotten too big.
Last year's Senior Day drew almost 1,200 seniors — too many for one day. Castrado said.
"We think a lot of prospective students see the University of Kansas as large and impersonal," she said.
Castrop said that adding the mock classrooms and making the recruitment program smaller and more personal would help dispel that notion.
About 150 seniors and 50 parents attended yesterday's program, she said.
Some of the seniors who were assigned to Carothers' presentation agreed that the program was personal.
"You got to talk to the teacher," said Allison Mayes, a senior from Junction City High School.
Megan Williams, a senior from Gardner High School, said the mock classroom was a good idea because it showed what a college class was like.
"It made you think," she said.
I would you join, she said. Williams said she planned to attend KU.
Other seniors liked the content of the mock classroom more than the concept.
"It was funny," said La Ronna Lassiter, a senior from Highland Park High School in Topeka.
Four other professors also gave presentations to different groups of seniors. Presentations included "Crazy Traffic Signs," given by Tom Mulinazzi, professor of engineering, and "Atoms, Molecules and Ions: A Microscopic View of Air Surroundings," given by Grover Everett, professor of chemistry.
The professors who were asked to give the presentations all have won teaching awards, said Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.
Paul Kotz / KANSAN
Carothers said he agreed to conduct a mock classroom because he felt obligated to help recruit good students.
"Recruiting students is nominally the job of Student Affairs, but we all have responsibilities." Carothers said.
Too darn hot
A Lawrence firefighter assesses the damage to a basement apartment in the Orchard Corners apartment complex. A passer-by noticed smoke coming from the apartment's windows around 2:30 p.m.yesterday and then called the fire department. Fire damage was contained to one apartment, mostly in the living area. Adjoining apartments suffered smoke damage.
City wants land for bike path; University is cautious
Planning committee not ready to give up West Campus land
Jay Thornton / KANSAN
Thomas Harmon, Lawrence, senior, rides his bike home from school on the bike path along Clinton Parkway. The city wants to build a similar bike path on University-owned land between 15th Street and Clinton Parkway west of Crescent Drive.
By Carlos Tejada Kansan staff writer
City officials may have the money and the energy to build bike paths on West Campus, but the University of Kansas isn't quite ready for them yet.
University planners have delayed a proposal by the City of Lawrence to build a mile-long bike path between 15th Street and Clinton Parkway. Although the money is present, planners haven't looked that far ahead yet, said Max Lucas, dean of architecture. Lucas is also head of the University Long Range Planning Committee steering committee.
"It takes time to get it done," he said. "We're shooting for next summer or early fall."
The city had requested an easement — or permission to assume partial control of a small area of land — from the Kansas University Endowment Association for the northern half of the trail this summer. Should the association, which owns the land, allow the easement, the city would contract a construction company to build a 10-foot-wide paved bicycle path along an area creek.
But the planning committee hasn't completed its study of the future of West Campus, Lucas said, and that area of campus is expanding quickly. He said the committee wasn't sure whether the space the path would take up might be needed for a future building, for example.
"West Campus is an important area for the University, and it's going to be looked over very thoroughly," Lucas said.
The city received the money for the bike paths from the federal government as part of a grant, said Mike Wildgen, city manager. He said the government gave the city $257,000 under its Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, which allows local governments to request federal funds to improve transportation.
Wildgen said the trail especially would appeal to students, many of whom use the bike paths along Clinton Parkway.
Bikes on brakes
The City of Lawrence was given $257,000 by the Federal Government in April to build a mile-long bicycle path. However, the path must go through University land, and University planners are unsure whether they have room for it.
Source: Kansan staff research Dave Campbell / KANSAN
In a letter this summer to Allen Wiechert, University architect, Wildgen said the money would be saved until the project went up to bid in 1996. This would give the University more time to come up with its plan, he said.
Daryl Beene, senior vice president with property management for the endowment association, said the University was interested in the bike paths but could not commit to them yet.
"Sure, we're interested," he said. "We can appreciate the need and the beautification aspects of the path. But we also have a responsibility to create a plan for West Campus."
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