thursday, may 6, 2004
news
the university daily kansan 5A
Political groups elect new officers
By Patrick Cady
pcady@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The leaders of two of the three major political organizations on campus have been chosen.
Both the executive boards of the KU Young Democrats and the KU College Republicans are set to take on the presidential elections and local issues next semester.
The two leaders of the College Republicans return for another semester and the Young Democrats present a whole new corps to raise political awareness at the University of Kansas.
They're both looking for more members, so here are some people to look for.
KU Young Democrats
McFarland
Daughety
Goal: To spread the ideals of the
Democratic party throughout the campus, Lawrence, Kansas and beyond.
President: Kathleen Daughey, Topeka sophomore
Vice-President: Bryan Begham Dallas, Texas, junior
Treasurer: Catherine Shafer, Hutchinson junior
Communications Director: Katy Birge, Denver, Colo. sophomore.
Technology Executive: Chris Pavlacka, Topeka junior.
Next semester: Look for them to emphasize Democratic support in the state elections, the presidential election to some extent and community service opportunities.
Final word: "We want to improve our group by improving visibility on campus and hold more social functions," Daugherty said.
KU College Republica
Goal: To promote Republican ideals at the University
Chairman: Justin McFarland. Lenexa junior (returning)
Vice-Chairman: Josh Steward
Treasurer: Jay McLaughlin Winnetka, Ill., Grad Student
Hays junior (returning)
Public Relations: Reba Good. Overland Park sophomore
Secretary: Jenny Hutchins, Coffeyville sophomore
Events: Elizabeth Moss,
Carmel, Ind., junior.
Next Year: Look for more speakers at meetings, expanding community service, and a hard copy of the Pachyderm newsletter.
Final Word: "We want to be sure Bush takes Kansas, and our next big goal is the third district," Steward said.
— Edited by Kevin Flaherty
Three amigos
Annie Bernethy/Kanser
Jeff Harris, left, Leawood senior, Trey Corbitt, middle, Shawnee senior, and Joey Hartegan, right, Lawrence senior, celebrated a combination of cancelled class and Cinco De Mayo yesterday afternoon at the Crossing. The three said they were partaking in a pre-class bender and enjoying the free time after their class was cancelled.
Coca-Cola refunds few and far between at University Failure of drivers to pick up forms results in late returns of money to students, staff
By Lynn Hamilton editor@kansan.com Special to the Kansan
When Rhonda Sharp lost $5 in a Coke machine, she filled out a vending machine failure slip and thought she would get her money back.
She thought wrong.
After two months, the office manager at the KU Writing Center had not received a full refund for her lost money.
Filling out a vending machine failure slip does not guarantee KU students and staff a timely refund of their lost money in the campus vending machines. Actually, it may not warrant a refund at all.
Six weeks after Sharp lost her money, she stopped by the
"It's really frustrating.I took the time to fill out the refund slip and I still don't get my money back."
Rhonda Sharp
KU Writing Center office manager
Hawk Shop on Level 4 of the Kansas Union. Her slip said that the refund would be available in one week at the Hawk Shop. The employee at the Hawk Shop told Sharp that she didn't know what Sharp was talking about, and that the Hawk Shop didn't handle refunds. Then Sharp
checked to see if her refund slip had even been picked up. After six weeks, her slip was still in the bin.
"It's really frustrating. I took the time to fill out the refund slip and I still don't get my money back." Sharp said.
Sharp followed the correct procedure in order to be refunded. After losing money, customers should fill out a refund slip; either a pink slip for off-campus residents or a yellow slip for on-campus residents.
The pink slips tell off-campus students that their refund will be available to be picked up in one week at the Hawk Shop because no refunds are sent off campus. The yellow slips give on-campus residents a place to
fill out their department, building and room number so that their refund can be sent through campus mail.
Sharp's slip wasn't alone. Some refund slips were not being picked up from the Coke machines, and some slips that were left in the bins three weeks ago dated back to 2002.
"I'm embarrassed," Rupp said. "Somehow our communication lines got crossed."
Patrick Rupp, Coca-Cola sales representative, said that the drivers who stock the machines are supposed to pick up the refund slips and then deliver refunds to the Hawk Shop or put them in the campus mail.
Rupp said he wasn't sure where the money was going and still has to look into it.
Sunday Werkheiser, Hawk Shop supervisor, said she knew that the slips said refunds could be picked up at the Hawk Shop, but she had no idea why. She said that the Hawk Shop had not received any refunds.
David Mucci, chairman of the Coca-Cola Promotions Committee, said it was not clear if the refund process was working correctly.
He said he planned to explore what was happening on the University end and Rupp was supposed to figure things out on the Coke end.
Cork end.
"Somewhere there are a couple disconnects," Mucci said. "We're going to explore this."
Jeff Lewis, buyer for the KU Memorial Unions, said that all the refunds were supposed to be
handled by Coca-Cola.
Last week, after waiting for two and a half months, Sharp received a $1 refund in campus mail. Although she lost $5 in the Coke machine, she said she was glad to see that consumers were now getting refunds. Refund slips that had been left for months or years have now been picked up.
In 1997, the University of Kansas and Coca-Cola entered a 10-year agreement that gave Coca-Cola exclusive vending rights for the Lawrence and the Edwards campuses. The 10-year agreement is estimated to be worth about $21 million, according to the Office of University Relations.
Edited by Donovan Atkinson