UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, September 8,1994
3A
Multicultural unity aim of KU Coalition
By Nathan Olson
Kansan staff writer
The importance of multiculturalism at the University of Kansas is the subject of an open meeting tonight.
The KU Coalition Against Racism and Discrimination will begin its Diversity Dialogue Series at 7 tonight at 100 Smith Hall. The discussion is titled "Finding the Common Ground: Prejudice, Racism and the Multicultural Environment at KU."
Ann Weick, co-chairwoman of the coalition, said the dialogue would include members from many student organizations, including Black Student Union, Hillel and LesBiGay Services of Kansas.
"There will be an opening panel for the students from the organizations to give their impressions on how well KU is doing as a multicultural institution." Weick said.
After the opening panel, smaller groups will be formed to discuss issues students might have, she said.
"We want students to share, to come together," she said. "We want students to see that even though there are things that divide us, there are things that bind us, too."
The coalition is a part of Lawrence Alliance, an organization dedicated to creating a discrimination-free environment in Lawrence. The coalition was founded three years ago.
One member who has been with the coalition since its inception, Richard Orr, said that the group helped KU take a multicultural agenda seriously.
"Students will see what the groups are about and what they're trying to do about diversity and multiculturalism," he said.
Tonight's program would give students a chance to see some campus organizations, he said.
"The unique appeal of this group is that it draws faculty, staff and students together," said Orr, a staff member in the department of human resources.
That appeal is felt by Kellie Harmon-Lowick, Lawrence graduate student, who joined the group a year and a half ago.
"I have learned a lot from my mentors," she said. Hammond-Lodwick mentioned Maurice Bryan, director of the Office of Affirmative Action, and Robert Shelton, university ombudsman.
"I joined because I felt like it's important to be educated and aware of the opportunities for minority students," she said.
Harmon-Lodwick said that she would have liked to have participated more fully in the group but that her class schedule precluded more involvement.
"Other faculty members are incorporating multiculturalism into their curricula," she said.
The dialogue is the first in a series of monthly discussion groups this year sponsored by the coalition.
Members of the Delta Uplifon fraternity aren't living in their house this year because there isn't much of a house to live in. It's being renovated.
By Ashley Miller Kansan staff writer
Renovations underway for fraternity
Renovations began a few months ago, said John Esau, president of the Corporation Board, a group of alumni whose responsibilities include organizing the renovations. The interior of the house at 1025 Emery Road has been gutted and only the stud walls are standing inside the house.
"Basically, what you have standing is just a shell." Ewan said.
The 60 men scheduled to live in the house are living at the Meadowbrook Apartments this year. Members should be able to live in the house again in August 1995.
"We looked at several options, and the house members opted to go with Meadowbrook" Esam said.
Esaud said the fraternity needed a large room for chapter meetings and meals. Meadowbrook had a room available for both.
Esaul said fraternities that had renovated in the past used the residence halls and Jayhawk Towers as a temporary living space. But John Hansen, Delta Upsilon president, said the men did not consider them this year.
"We wanted to stay away from the dorms because it hadn't worked out in the past," Hansen said. He said the fraternity needed more room than was available in the halls and Jayhawk Tower.
Hansen said fraternity members were not upset about living in Meadowbrook this year. He said visiting friends was harder now, but members were too excited about the renovation to worry
Esaud said renovation of the fraternity house was necessary to keep up with the needs of the residents. Better studying facilities were important, he said.
"Technology has changed so much with computers and VCRs," he said. "We needed more capacity for the technological end of it."
Esaud said the fraternity hoped to replicate the quality the house had when it was first built in 1929. It had several amenities that were considered fancy at the time, including a slate roof and oak woodwork.
The planned renovations include upgraded lighting, handicap-accessible restrooms, an elevator and larger bedrooms that would house two men instead of three.
"Guys bring so much more stuff than they used to," he said.
Esau said the addition of two climate-controlled sleeping dorms was another part of the renovation. The dorms will house a total of 75 men.
Eausa said the renovation also would give the fraternity an 800 square-foot library, a computer room, a group study room, a conference room and a larger parking lot.
Renovations will cost more than $2 million, Esau said. Money for the renovations came from Delta Upsilon alumni or from families of former Delta Upsilon members.
Esaul said the largest contribution came from Keith Bunnel, class of 1946. He donated $345,000 for the Delta Upsilon renovation.
"We didn't do formal rush because we didn't have a place to put anymore guys," he said.
Hansen said the renovation affected Delta Upsilon's fall rush this year.
Hansen said new members pledged during informal rush last spring.
Kevin Powell, of McPherson Wrecking Co., cuts a hole in the brick facade of the Delta Upsilon house, 1025 Emery Road. The house is undergoing renovations, which are planned to be completed by the end of the fall semester.
Barbara Ballard, associate dean of student life and director of Emily Taylor Resource Center, is running unopposed for the state legislature seat in the 44th district.
Paul Kotz/KANSAN
Running unopposed, Ballard to campaign for seat anyway
By David Wilson Kansan staff writer
State Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence,
probably won't have any trouble getting
re-elected to the Kansas House of Representatives
this November.
She's the only one on the ballot.
Ballard is not the only person running for the Kansas Legislature unopposed. At least 25
other people, both Republicans and Democrats, are running unopposed in other districts.
Ballard, who is also director of the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center, isn't taking time to ponder why others did not file to run for the seat — she's just glad they didn't.
"I'd like to think it was because of hard work," she said.
Or, she said, it could have been because nobody else stepped forward.
But Russell Getter, associate professor of political science, said he was surprised that Republicans didn't find someone to run against Ballard.
"It's a fairly common occurrence to have a number of seats that are held by one party, where the incumbent has no opponents," he said. "But that's not the case in Barbara Ballard's district."
That's the explanation favored by State Sen. Sandy
Getter said the increase in the number of
"This is across the board, both parties." Praeger said.
Praeger said unopposed candidates were likely to run in Ballard's district, which includes the areas west of Iowa Street and north of Clinton Parkway.
Barbara Ballard State Rep. from Lawrence
Praeger, R-Lawrence, who said it was becoming harder and harder to find people willing to run for the Legislature because of the time sacrifices state legislators had to make.
"The 44th district is fairly affluent," she said. "These people don't have the time."
run against her.
unopposed candidates was due in part to the cost of running a campaign and the public abuse faced by those who enter the political arena.
Ballard hasn't had to worry too much about public abuse. Instead of diving into a frenzied primary race after filing on June 2, she was off to Florida and later to Rutgers University in New Jersey. Her only concession to politics was making a phone call to her campaign manager to find out if anyone had filed to
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But Ballard, who has represented the 44th district since 1992, said she would be pounding the pavement, knocking on doors and handing out fliers just as if she were in a hotly contested race. She also plans to mail a campaign letter to residents of her district later in the fall. She expects the mailing to cost about $3,000.
"I don't have to have an opponent to keep constituents informed," she said. "I may not spend as much, but I will work just as hard."
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