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The group will be on "The Price is Right" Friday. ENTERTAINMENT | 4A
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THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2010
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLUME 121 ISSUE 126
SUN BATHING
Joseph McCracken, a senior from Topeka, holds on to a solar panel, as Nick Sorface, a graduate student from London, aligns it to the frame. On Tuesday, the EcoHawks installed two solar panels on top of their shed located on West Campus.
Howard Ting/KANSAN
Bright future for solar energy
Faculty, students explore new ways to embrace solar energy
BY BRENNA LONG
blong@kansan.com
Despite Kansas' dependence on coal and wind energy, the future for solar energy in the state looks bright, according Brad Loveless, director of biology and conservation programs at Westar Energy.
Though the lack of substantial research
on solar energy drives up the cost of solar technology and directs investors into alternatives such as wind and coal, the University of Kansas has started to soak up the suns rays for research of its own. Faculty, students and Westar Energy have invested money and research into solar energy, even though the returns on those investments remain largely uncertain.
FILLING UP WITH SUN
The EcoHawks engineering group is trying to feed their Volkswagen Beetle less fuel.
Working at a West Campus shed the group calls the "Boathouse" on Wednesday, members of EcoHawks started mounting six solar panels to the shed's roof.
Each panel can supply more than a kilowatt-hour, enough to power a window air-conditioner for an hour. The group wants to transfer energy captured by the panels into a battery used as a fueling station for their 1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle.
"The whole goal of the project is to increase the miles per gallon of the car itself," said Chris Depcik, associate professor of mechanical engineering.
company, donated the first two panels to EcoHawks. The company sold the four additional panels to EcoHawks at a reduced price of $450. The additional panels will allow the older models to stay in place and allow for experiments with the self-moving panels. Each panel is valued at about $800.
As the optimal sun season begins, Bryan Strecker, a senior from Topeka, and other EcoHawk members will have to climb onto the roof to tilt the panels about 30 degrees until they complete an automated system used to track the sun across the sky.
Affordable Solar, a New Mexico-based
"The biggest challenge is mounting the panels themselves," said Strecker.
The team met a worker at Home Depot who had experience with solar panels and helped develop a mounting bracket for the first two solar panels. The team also had relied on finding information online and making friends at companies, such as Affordable
SEE SOLAR ON PAGE 3A
CAMPUS
Student gardeners to grow produce for charity
BY BRENNA LONG
blong@kansan.com
With shovel in hand, Kassie Altergott digs into the wheelbarrow full of compost and sprinkles it across the freshly tilled soil.
Altergott, a senior from Houston, Texas, volunteered for the first time Wednesday at this season's kick-off event for the University's Campus Garden, located on Louisiana Street between 13th and 14th streets.
"Planting is a little later this year because of the rain delays," said Cindy Yu, a sophomore from Wichita and co-coordinator of Environmental Action to Revitalize the Heartland.
The food grown in the garden will be donated to the East Central Kansas Economic Opportunity, and the organization loves getting the fresh-from-the ground produce, said Catherine Keeton, food bank coordinator at ECKAN.
The 19 volunteers spent two hours tilling the soil, adding compost and fertilizer and planting seeds. Most of the students working in the garden were first-time gardeners, showing up either for volunteer hours or for a class.
Thanks to the volunteers, people can grab produce from the shelves instead of canned vegetables.
Vu said students could join in the gardening even if they had no experience. She said she started with only a little experience and learned all the details later.
"I know a little bit," said Ian McKay, a junior from Leawood. "My mom does some gardening so that is how I learned."
"I didn't know much besides what my grandma had told me back when I was little," Vu said. "I didn't learn little things like mari-
SEE GARDEN ON PAGE 3A
Kassie Altergott, a senior from Houston, Texas, works in the Campus Garden Wednesday evening to fulfill a requirement of her Environmental Society Course. "I've always wanted to garden, but I live in an apartment," Altergott said.
Collin Johnson/KANSAN
CAMPUS
Getting to know College's new dean
BY ANNIE VANGSNES anniev@kansan.com
He will be in
Danny Anderson was named the next dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Wednesday after a four-month national search.
He will be in charge of the largest school in the University with more than 50 departments and programs and more than 17,000 students. Before 'nderson's
Anderson
dean was appointed dean, he was interim provost and vice provost for academic affairs before that.
Do you have any concerns with your new position, or what problems do you think you'll be facing?
I have a number of years working in leadership roles in the University, and it's always an interesting experience because you can never predict exactly what the challenges you'll need to deal with may be. I think as you work in these roles you realize that with creative thinking and respect for your colleagues there are always ways to address challenges. In that sense, I feel very comfortable entering the role as the dean in the college.
What do you think some of the college's biggest weaknesses are?
When I look at the college, the point of view that I have is that it has many strengths. And when I look at what the chancellor is asking the University to do, the college is going to be in a key role as we move forward. One of the chancellor's goals is to ask us what can we do to help students graduate in a timely manner. And because so many of the students at the University are in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, it will be really central in helping departments, faculty members and staff members find the best ways to support our students so that they can get the liberal arts education and that they do it in a timely manner. [...] When you look at all public universities right now, KU, in many ways, is better than others. When you look at the rates of graduation, we're actually doing better than others. But the question is, are we doing the best that can we do? The goal is to think about ways we can continue to improve.
Is it an advantage being an insider coming into this position and how so?
I think the things you look at as a strength can also be a weak
SEE CLAS ON PAGE 3A
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Humans and zombies to roam West Campus
Administrators approved the tag-like game, though with some limitations, which has invaded campuses nationwide. CAMPUS] 5A
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