UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, April 29, 1997
5A
SUA chooses new officers for 60th year of organization
By Mark McMaster
Kansan staff writer
Newly selected Student Union Activities president Michelle Dennard, Abilene, Kan., junior, might be the most powerful student on campus.
As president of SUA, she will be responsible for the coordination of the countless events organized by the group. Cooperating with other SUA officers and volunteers, mostly undergraduates, Dennard will combine $97,000 in Union funds with sponsorships to put on almost $500,000 in programming for students next year.
Dennard said few students realized how much responsibility was given to students involved in SUA.
Next year's officers, who were selected recently by present SUA officials and representatives of KU Memorial Union Corp., already are planning next year's programs.
"Next year is going to be exciting because it's the 60th year of the SUA," Dennard said.
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Christine Lamble, Overland Park junior, who was selected vice president for alumni relations, said special events would be planned to celebrate the anniversary.
"We hope to bring SUA alumni back and increase student awareness about SUA's long history." Lamble said.
Other goals planned include presenting more films and concerts, as well as recruiting students to become involved in SUA.
"We'll try to contact freshmen through orientation and get them involved," said Kerry Hillard, next year's vice president for university relations and Alma junior. "I think the biggest misconception about SUA is that it's some elitist organization, that SUA isn't for everyone.
But absolutely anyone can be involved. You can be on every single committee or just one."
Other officers selected were: Joshua Mermis, vice president for membership development and Katy, Texas, junior; Ana Calderon, feature films coordinator and Shawnee junior; John Orcutt, live music coordinator and Hutchinson junior; Matthew Tweito, forums coordinator and Hutchinson sophomore; Kielyn Scott, special events coordinator and Wichita sophomore; Brett Generaux, Spectrum Films coordinator and Kansas City, Kan., junior; Michael Weiss, recreation and travel coordinator and St. Joseph, Ill., sophomore; and Nicole Mermis, fine arts coordinator and Katy, Texas, sophomore.
Current SUA president Rieley Scott, Wichita senior, who helped pick the new officers, said she trusted their leadership.
"I think it will be one of SUA's best years because many of them have been involved for a long time," she said. "They all are excellent leaders."
The new officers will take office May 4
Students can feel punished by untimely jury duty call
KU policy pledges assistance to jurors
By Mary Corcoran and Kevin Bates Kansan staff writers
Civics and government classes teach about the virtues of public service, like serving on a jury, but some KU students feel more hassled than enlightened by jury duty.
Lorna Zimmer, director of the Student Assistance Center, said she saw only a few students each semester who had problems arranging their classes around jury duty.
"The expectation is that students will document the case to the teacher that this has occurred." Zimmer said. "It's my general experience that faculty understand and are generous in their response."
If students meet resistance from faculty, Zimmer said,they should seek help.
"We want to talk to people at any point in the process," she said. "Wed'd be happy to explore and do advocacy if we need to."
Lori Miller, Lawrence graduate student, said that when she was called for jury duty last year, she had trouble dealing with one of her professors. Even though she never had to go to court, arranging to make up missed time gave her unneeded stress, she said.
"I had no idea how long it would take," Miller said. "Certain teachers said that if I missed a month of class, I couldn't possibly pass the class."
Classes based on discussion and attendance, Miller said, were the worst to work around because of the difficulty in making up that kind of class work.
"It's the law that the teachers have to let you out, and you're not supposed to be punished for it," Miller said. "But in a way you are, especially if you have daily participation points. I think my teachers should have realized that it was a required thing. It wasn't like I was taking a vacation."
The policy, passed in 1989, states that the University will make every effort to accommodate students in that situation, said David Ambler, vice chancellor for student affairs.
Many students do not realize that the University has a policy about jury duty, which is listed in the student handbook.
"I hope students who are called seek help before they withdraw," Ambler said. "Some students haven't found out they can find relief, that they can get a refund."
Sidney Dobrin, assistant professor of English, said he had a student in class this semester who was on a jury.
"He's been putting in a lot of effort to get what he missed," Dobrin said. "Certainly, when he misses classes, the information
needs to be repeated, but unfortunately, it's more of a problem for him than for me."
Bridget Collyer, Leawood junior, said that her professors were understanding about her need to miss class for a day, but she said that the Douglas County District Court was inflexible.
"It was a really bad week," Collyer said. "I had been sick the week before and missed three days of class. I really didn't want to miss another day, but the court wouldn't let me out of it."
Collyer said she missed a lecture and a French class during her one-day jury duty, classes that she did not want to miss again.
Douglas County District Court is both inflexible and accommodating, said Wanda Kring, jury coordinator. She said she had yet to have someone tell her of any jury duty-related school problems.
"I didn't want it to interfere with my classes, but once I came in and showed my teachers the card, it was OK," she said.
"We don't excuse anyone just because they're a student," Kring said. "If they're 18 years old and can vote, they should be able to take care of their responsibilities. Jury duty can be an inconvenience for all."
But the court tries to work around a student's schedule, Kring said.
"If a student is busy with exams, we'd be glad to do deferral," Kring said. "Students just don't always know that it exists."
No answers in abortion clinic death
ST. LOUIS — Medical officials said yesterday they must wait for test results before determining the cause of death for a woman who died shortly after having an abortion at a clinic in St. Louis.
The Associated Press
An autopsy was performed on the 22-year-old woman Saturday, but Rose Psara, chief investigator for the city medical examiner's office, said the cause of death wouldn't be determined for several weeks. The woman's name has not been released.
Robert D. Crist of Overland Park performed the surgery Friday at Reproductive Health Services. When staff members noticed her vital signs were not improving afterward, she was taken to a hospital and died a short time later.
The woman was the third to die after having an abortion in Crist's care, said Patty Brous, president of Planned Parenthood of Mid-Missouri. Crist has performed more than 100,000 abortions during his 30-year career.
In St. Louis in 1981, a 19-year-old woman under Crist's care died two days after the abortion.
In Houston in 1991, a 17-year-old died hours after Crist performed an abortion on her. He was cleared of wrongdoing in both cases.
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The University of Kansas School of Fine Arts Department of Music & Dance presents the
University Dance Company
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with Cohan/Suzeau and the KU Symphony Orchestra Concert Choir University Singers Women's Chorale
8p.m.
May 2 & 3,1997
Lied Center
Pharmacy Hours
Monday-Thursday 8am-8pm
Friday 8am-6pm
Saturday 8:30am-4:30pm
Sunday 12:30pm-4:30pm
General admission tickets on sale in the KU box offices:
Murphy Hall, 864-3982; Lied Center, 864-ARTS; SUA office,
864-3477; $6 public, $4 students and senior citizens.
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Allergy or Cold?
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