THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2013
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University offers resources for learning finances
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KATIE MCBRIDE kmcbride@kansan.com
April is Financial Literacy Month, dedicated to increasing awareness and knowledge about financial topics to help people become financially secure. The student organization SAFE, Student Advocates for Financial Education, is promoting Financial Literacy Month by hosting lectures and events for students.
The University offers many resources to help students with their
finances, including Student Money Management Services. The office, located on the third floor of the Kansas Union, is available to students seeking advice about financially-related topics. It is open for walk-ins if students have general questions, or students can make appointments for more in-depth advice.
Noah Quinn, a student who works in the Student Money Management Services office, said students can use the organization to figure out how to save money and
where they spend it.
"Money is something that everyone has to deal with no matter who they are or where they live," Quinn said. "No matter how much money you end up making, understanding how money works can make the difference between being in debt and living paycheck to paycheck or living comfortably and being financially secure."
Rachel Prather, a sophomore from Palo Cedro, Calif., sought help from the office to learn how to make
a budget and keep track of her finances. One benefit she gained from going to the office was learning how to identify her monthly expenses.
Prather said although the information she learned about budgeting was simple, it was helpful to her because it was something she had never done before.
"It's very important to keep track of what you're spending," Prather said. "I didn't realize how much I was spending, and as soon as I started budgeting, I would see it written and saw how ridiculous some of my spending was. I think seeing the numbers really shocks some people."
"Now that I've gone to the Student Money Management office, I'm probably one of the most financially-literate people that I know," Prather said. "I take really good care of my money, and I definitely wasn't that way before."
— Edited by Allison Hammond
EDUCATION
Robot purchased by Hutchinson school to spark interest in engineering
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HUTCHINSON — The newest teacher at the Hutchinson school district's Career and Technical Education Academy can demonstrate tai chi moves and also display a little bathroom humor.
It's Nao, the robot.
In 2012, the district received a grant worth $21,785 from Cargill Corporation for the robot acquisition.
It arrived around the first of March, and instructor Steve Stacey and four advanced programming students are getting acquainted with the walking, talking Japanese-manufactured robot that came with the name Nao.
"He can do anything we program him to do," Stacey said.
Last week when The News visited Stacey's classroom, Nao not only was the topic of conversation, he also joined in the conversation — with the help of quick-witted
students positioned at computers.
"Would you like to see me dance?" Nao asked.
"No." said Stacev.
"Fine, then," Nao said.
When Nao asked Stacey if he liked chocolate, Stacey answered, "No."
Nao came back with: "Do you even have taste buds?" That line, written by sophomore Gage Brown, caused Stacey to crack up with laughter.
"Girls do not like robots that much, I guess," observed Nao, uttering words Thomas Clark, a junior, had typed on the computer.
When The News asked Stacey about the absence of girls in the class, Stacey began explaining how it "has always 'been a challenge' to get girls in engineering-related classes.
Brown's technical skills are behind Nao's "I need a poop" routine, incorporating moves and
Nao, weighing 9.8 pounds and standing 23.5 inches tall, is equipped with a lithium battery, although he usually is plugged in. A camera, sensors, and microphones are part of his anatomy. His "ears" are speakers.
language.
"We can change pitch and tone on it." Stacey said of Nao's voice, which now sounds youthful. At some point, Nao will be renamed, probably something befitting a high school with a Salthawk mascot.
Interaction with a robot will be an asset on a resume, Stacey said.
It also gives students a taste of an engineering field before they head to college or pick a career path, he said.
Enrollment for the program next year has risen, according to Career and Technical Education Academy staff.
In this March 21 photo, Steve Stacey, an instructor at Hutchinson High School, watches the new robot 'Nao' go through a pre-programmed dance at the school's Career and Technical Education Academy. 'Nao' was purchased with a a grant worth more than $20,000 from Cargill Corporation.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
STATE
Legislators aim to push through legislation, end session early
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOPEKA — Kansas legislators return Monday from a long weekend determined to push through tax legislation, new restrictions on abortion, gun-rights legislation, the bulk of the next state budget and every other bill of any significance in just five days.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Republican leaders have pledged that lawmakers will finish almost all of the year's work by Friday, breaking with their standard practice over the past quarter-century, to shorten their annual session. But to make good on the pledge, some tricky and contentious issues will have to be resolved quickly.
The biggest piece of the puzzle is how to resolve differences on taxes and whether a 2010 sales tax increase is allowed to expire in July as scheduled or remains in place to shore up the state's $14 billion budget for 2014.
The tax plan has to come first, Bruce said, so legislators know if the budget will balance.
work they have to complete when legislators return May 8.
"We either work now or we work later to reach an agreement on taxes and the budget. Those are the two issues that control the session," said Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce.
The Hutchinson Republican said the Senate was sticking to its Friday deadline for finishing business and starting a monthlong break. Senate GOP leaders want budget and tax issues settled, limiting how much
Brownback wants to keep the state sales tax rate at 6.3 percent instead of letting it fall to 5.7 percent as scheduled in July. The Senate sides with the governor and his proposal to raise additional revenue through other adjustments. The House tax plan allows the sales tax rate to drop, but also makes other adjustments to raise additional revenue. Republicans and Brownback are looking for the revenue to cushion the impact of massive income tax cuts enacted last year.
Kansas Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, left, discusses budget and tax issues during a news conference, as House Minority Leader Paul Davis, a Lawrence Democrat, watches Friday at the statehouse in Topeka. Legislators will work on pushing through tax legislation this week.
putting matters to rest in May.
"There's just the budget reality," Brownback said last week. "I think it's coming across to people that you've got to get your resource package somewhere. The budget doesn't work without the tax piece of it."
"It's better to know what your income is, and I don't know that we know what that is yet," said Vickrey, a Louisburg Republican.
House Majority Leader Jene Vickrey compared the budget and tax negotiations to families looking at their own finances.
Vickrey concedes that legislators must work quickly. Still, House GOP leaders want a clearer picture of state revenues in April before
Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican, said she and House leaders agreed to end the first portion of the regular session Friday. The process was complicated procedurally last week when the House adjourned before the Senate passed a slew of measures that will have to be negotiated. The House will have to take action on Monday to allow committees to start working out differences.
"We may be a little delayed, and that means we are going to have a very busy week." Waile said.
"I think they are overly optimistic this is all going to be done, especially the tax bill," said the Topeka Democrat. "They may be able to pass a budget in five days, but I just don't see where the House is going to come around and support the governor in his tax increase."
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley has his doubts.
Brownback has signed just one bill this session, a measure changing the process for filling vacancies on the Court of Appeals. The change allows the governor to make independent selections to the bench, which would then be subject to Senate confirmation.
Republicans want to go further and apply it to the state Supreme Court. But unlike the Court of Appeals, which is set by statute,
changing the Supreme Court requires voter approval to amend the Kansas Constitution. Senators approved a resolution to place the changes on the August 2014 primary ballot, but the measure has been stalled in the House.
Several education bills also remain in play, many of which are aimed at breaking the strength of the Kansas National Education Association by rewriting rules for contract negotiations and collective bargaining rights.
One measure sent back to the House last week is a modified version of Brownback's elementary school reading initiative. Senators amended the bill to require school districts, with the consultation of parents, to retain students at the first grade who aren't proficient in reading. The governor set the target at third grade, saying it was cruel to pass students along who weren't prepared.
TEXAS
County DA and wife killed, local mayor says not a random act
KAUFMAN, Texas — Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland took no chances after one of his assistant prosecutors was gunned down two months ago. McLelland said he carried a gun everywhere he went and was extra careful when answering the door at his home.
"I'm ahead of everybody else because, basically, I'm a soldier," the 23-year Army veteran said in an interview less than two weeks ago.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
On Saturday, he and his wife were found shot to death in their rural home just outside the town of Forney, about 20 miles from Dallas.
While investigators gave no motive for the killings, Forney Mayor Darren Rozzell said, "It appears this was not a random act."
"Everybody's a little on edge and a little shocked," he said.
The slayings came less than two
weeks after Colorado's prison chief was shot to death at his front door, apparently by an ex-convict, and a couple of months after Kaufman County Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse was killed in a parking lot a block from his courthouse office. No arrests have been made in Hasse's lan. 31 slaying.
Sheriff David Byrnes would not give details Sunday of how the killings unfolded and said there was nothing to indicate for certain whether the DAs's slaying was connected to Hasse's.
McLelland, 63; is the 13th prosecutor killed in the U.S. since the National Association of District Attorneys began keeping count in the 1960s.
El Paso County, Colo., sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Joe Roybal said investigators had found no evidence so far connecting the Texas killings to the Colorado case, but added: "We're examining all possibilities."
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The biggest building on campus is Malliott Hall at 325,000 sq ft, it is almost as big as all five lajwhawk Towers buildings combined.
POLICE REPORTS
Information based on the Douglas County Sheriff's Office booking recap.
- A 25-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 1100 block of Centennial Drive under suspicion of tampering with ignition interlock and driving while intoxicated, second offense. A $1,250 bond was paid.
- An 18-year-old female was arrested Monday on the 1800 block of Naismith Drive under suspicion of no driver's license, leaving the scene of an accident and driving while intoxicated. A $375 bond was paid.
- A 19-year-old male was arrested Monday on the 100 block of Indian Avenue under suspicion of operating a vehicle under the influence, no insurance and failure to report an accident. A $100 bond was paid.
- A 21-year-old male was arrested Monday on Interstate 70 under suspicion of driving while suspended. A $250 bond was paid.
Emily Donovan
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