KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2010 / NEWS
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ENVISION (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
earn 12 credits, while retaining a full-time student status. Cantwell said they are modeling their idea from Northeastern University in Boston.
Another Envision platform is to create more transparency with the senate by televising or podcasting senate meetings.
Cantwell said they don't want to waste students' money or time, so when they choose their platforms they try to get to the root of the problem.
"One of the things you notice when we release our platforms, a lot of the stuff isn't going to look very glitzy or glamorous," Cantwell said. "We're trying to figure out the most cost-effective solutions for students so we're not having to increase student fees."
— Edited by Kristen Liszewski
KUNITED
evaluations online. Currently students' answers are limited to filling in a bubble sheet and they cannot write comments. Smith said it's important for students to be able to comment so that the evaluations accurately reflect the educational experience.
Another platform issue is to place a Blockbuster Express Kiosk on campus, which offers students one dollar movie rentals in a convenient location. Smith said issues such as this, even if they aren't serious, are important to the coalition's goal of improving the KU experience.
Smith said he thinks the student body sometimes sees senators as young politicians who just care about votes.
"We want to bring back the image of Student Senate being a fun organization that's like any other organization." Smith said "We're an organization of people that share common interests that want to do good things on campus."
— Edited by Kristen Liszewski
CRIME
Student found with gun in dorm
At about 12:45 a.m. Thursday a student was charged with possession of a firearm on state property when he was found with a shotgun in McCollum Hall. The person was also threatening another person for telling others that there was a shotgun in the building, police records indicate. No other information was available from police Sunday, and McCollum employees declined to comment on the incident.
CULTURE
Tanner Grubbs/KANSAN
Kori Williams, a sophomore from St. Louis, glides across the stage at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union Sunday night during the African attire segment of the Miss Africa beauty pagement, organized by the African Student Association. Williams, who decided to enter the pageant on the advice from a friend, went on to claim the crown against three other contestants.
First KU Miss Africa winner crowned
BY ROSHNI OOMMEN roommen@kansan.com
- Elliot Metz
As she strutted and danced on the Woodruff auditorium stage Sunday night, Kori Williams, a sophomore from St. Louis, won the first KU Miss Africa beauty pageant.
The pageant, which was hosted by KU's African Student
Association, was a fundraiser for the group.
Idia Tokumboh, who organized the event, said the pageant was intended to educate and expose the community to several aspects about the African culture, as well as empower the women who competed.
"We want to encourage African young women to be more articulate, express themselves and give
them a platform to organize," said Tokunboh, a freshman from Wichita.
ed, I'm confident and I'm elegant and beautiful."
Williams and three others were judged on talent, African attire, evening wear, swimwear and responses to a brief question-and answer session. When asked why she deserved to be the first KU Miss Africa, Williams responded, "I'm everything an African Woman is, I'm strong, I'm educat-
Williams said the pageant preparation, which included fundraising and creating awareness for the event, took almost one month.
"It itels like all we worked for was accomplished." Williams said.
Edited by Kristen Liszewski
INTERNATIONAL
Plunderers hurt rescue efforts
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CONCEPCION, Chile — Heroism and banditry mingled on Chile's shattered streets Sunday as rescuers braved afterschocks digging for survivors and the government sent soldiers and ordered a nighttime curfew to quell looting. The death toll climbed to 708 in one of the biggest earthquakes in centuries.
In the hard-hit city of Concepcion, firefighters pullings survivors from a toppled apartment block were forced to pause because authorities fired tear gas to stop looters, who were wheeling off everything from microwave ovens to canned milk at a damaged supermarket across the street.
Efforts to determine the full scope of destruction were undermined by an endless string of terrifying aftershocks that continued to turn buildings into rubble. Officials said 500,000 houses were destroyed or badly damaged, and President Michele Bachelet said "a growing number" of people were listed as missing.
CAMPUS
A rash of car vandalism and break-ins, including one this weekend, has residents of Oliver Hall feeling a little more worried about the security of their parking lot.
Wave of car crime hits Oliver Hall
These incidents have caused $9,685 worth of damages and losses, according to the KU Public Safety Office.
Nine of the incidents consisted of random criminal damage, such as scratching off paint or breaking off car side mirrors.
So far this semester, at least three cars were broken into during three separate weekends.
Three of the incidents included burglary and theft, suggesting that the damage was more intentional than other crimes.
"On the weekends, I don't feel like it's secure." Meisenheimer, a freshman from Kingman, said. "I really don't think there's enough security or lighting in our parking lot."
Emily Meisenheimer, a resident of Oliver Hall, said all of the
vehicle damage has changed the way she thinks about her car.
Employees of Oliver Hall declined to comment on the incidents.
Elliot Metz
FAFSA (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
FAFSA HELP
Financial Aid processes almost $200 million in aid each year to more than 60 percent of the student body.
Manny said that she files hers online, but her parents still use the paper form. This created complications when she and her parents tried to match up the figures over the phone.
"They had sent my parents a 2008-2009 form and of course we wanted the one for 2010-2011," Manny said. "I just don't think they are keeping up with it when people want to use paper."
Becca Rosenkrans, a junior from Overland Park, filed her FAFSA on Friday. She said she had a better experience this time than last year because a lot of her information was already in the online system.
Manny said those who know all their tax information, filing online does not take more than 10 or 15 minutes.
Completing a FAFSA form does not automatically give a student aid, but it qualifies the student to receive aid and evaluates his or her eligibility. FAFSA forms are available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov and in paper form at the Office of Financial Aid in Strong Hall.
Students can visit with a financial aid counselor at the KU Office of Student Financial Aid for help with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The office, located in 50 Strong Hall, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
"It was really grueling and frustrating when I filled it out last year," Rosenkrans said. "The questions were really repetitive and sometimes unclear, which wasted a lot of time."
Now that she has submitted her FAFSA, Rosenkrans said she is still anxious because she won't find out how much aid she will qualify for until June or July.
Edited by Jesse Rangel
While the current courses are designed with those in mind who can't commute to the Lawrence campus, Zvacek said the technology may be the future for more courses at the University.
ogy in Wescoe Hall. There are also classrooms in Joseph R. Pearson with the same capabilities.
CONFERENCING (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
"I suspect that the University will probably in the future move towards a combination of technologies that would involve online coursework as well as possibly some face-to-face as well as possibly some video conferencing type of technology".Zvacek said.
The classroom is designed to create seamless communication
"I honestly think we have the better end of the deal because we
Stogsdill said there are times the class won't use the video conferencing aspects at all, and opt instead to be taught by a graduate teaching assistant at the Edwards Campus and the professor in Lawrence. The video conferencing facet doesn't negatively affect the Lawrence side at all, Stogsdill said, but he can't speak for Edwards Campus.
between the two classrooms, but Stopsdill said it's not perfect yet.
"There were problems with the video breaking up or the audio breaking up," he said. "It seems like there is some kinks to work out still."
have Professor Stearns for 75 percent of the classes" Stogsdill said. "We don't really have to deal with any kind of video problems or anything."
Leigh Stearns, who is in her second semester teaching geology 351, said it's hard for her to engage students and for them to feel like part of the class.
"For them to see the screen well, they often turn the lights off at Edwards," Stearns said. "They're always in the dark so I can never read if they are understanding this."
Stearns said part of the problem may be with the type of class being taught.
"When I went over to talk to the Edwards Campus coordinators about the best way to set up the classes, they were like, 'it works best for small, non-technical classes'," Stearns said. "Well, I'm a large science class."
Stearns said she is adapting to the new technology and uses a teaching assistant at Edwards to help move past the difficulties. She also has students call during office hours if they need any help.
Once video conferencing classes become more popular, it will continue to get better. Stearns said.
Edited by Drew Anderson