monday, april 12, 2004
news
the university daily kansas
3A
Group celebrates unity
Black Student Union presents week to encourage love, diversity
By Jodie Krafft
jkrafft@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The Black Student Union will show where the love is this week as they launch "Black Love...what are you scared of?", the theme of this year's Black Love Week.
According to the organization's Web site, this week will celebrate black love and unity through different events such as talent shows, guest speakers and community work.
Jeff Dugas, Chicago sophomore and co-programs chairman of the organization, said for him, black love meant support, particularly among families.
"I look at BSU as a family because we're sticking together and trying to see each other succeed," he said.
But Black Love Week is not limited to one particular group. Dugas said.
All students are invited to attend this week's events to have fun and learn more about other groups.
The organization has celebrated
Black Love Week for several years but there were different events each year. Dugas said.
For example, Friday's Mr. Black Love competition is a new event organized by freshman members.
Rona Remmie, Kansas City, Mo., freshman, said Friday's competition would have four components: casual wear, formal wear, a talent show and a question-and-answer session.
"We wanted to do something different that would interest people outside the community." Remmie said. "People haven't seen this kind of thing around KU."
Remmie said the deadline to apply for the competition is tomorrow, and those interested can visit the Office of Multicultural Affairs, 145 Strong, or the Multicultural Resource Center, 1530 Summerfield Dr., for a sign-up form.
"It's important because you spend time with different people in the community throughout the week," Dugas said. "You want to give something back."
BLACKLOVEWEEK
Monday, April 12: Cookout competition among students, faculty and staff, Burge Union, after 7:30 p.m. black Student Union meeting.
- Tuesday, April 13: "Big for a Day," volunteering from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club, 1520 Haskell Ave.
Wednesday, April 14: "A Day in Black," dressing professionally to show unity.
Edited by Cindy Yeo
Thursday, April 15. Football game at 5 p.m., in front of Allen Fieldhouse.
■ Friday, April 16: Mr. Black Love Competition at 8 p.m., Alderson Auditorium, followed by Black Student Union party, at 10 p.m in the Burge Union.
Saturday, April 17: Supporting KU Relays.
Source: Black Student Union
Woman's best friend
Kit Leffler/Kansan
Michelle Ferguson, Liberal senior, took a break from playing lacrosse with a friend yesterday afternoon to pet Lucy, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Lucy ran over to greet Ferguson as her owner let her run off-leash in the park beside Potter's Lake.
Campus elections to include 4 referendums
By Sama Khan and Azita Tafreshi skhan@kansan.com and atafreshi@kansan.com Kansan staff writers
Students will have the opportunity to vote on four referendums during campus elections on Wednesday and Thursday. The proposed legislation affects student fees and campus voting.
Students can only vote online for campus elections at campus polling sites. Referendum A would allow students at any computer connected to the Internet to log in and vote.
Student Senate Voting
Brian Thomas, University Affairs committee member, said online voting would increase voter turnout. He said turnout has increased from five to 25 percent at other universities that have implemented the system.
"When you have more people participating in a democracy, you have more people looking at the issues, caring about the issues and getting involved," he said.
Iohnson, engineering senator.
Privacy and voter fraud are a concerns with a new system.
"I just see lots of students losing their ability to vote for whoever they choose because they'll be strongly influenced by who they live with," said Kyle
Referendum B would remove the physical polling sites from campus.
Study Abroad Fee
Referendum C would add $4 each semester and $2 in the summer to student fees. This money would create more than 800 study abroad scholarships in four years.
Inconsistent donor contributions fund many of the study abroad scholarships. Ashlee Reid, cochairwoman of the International Affairs Committee, said a money pool would allow more students to study abroad. She said this would benefit the entire University.
"It increases the value of a KU degree, which is important for everybody," she said.
Opposition to the bill is against raising fees during tuition increases and economic concerns. Casey Collier, hold-over student senator and multicultural affairs committee member, supports the idea of study abroad and scholarships but not is against students paying for other students' scholarships.
Environmental Fee
A $2 per semester student fee is already in place for campus environmental improvement and Referendum D proposes increasing it to $3. The additional money
would pay for student employees hired through Facilities and Operations and planned projects including more on-campus recycling sites and recycling trailers for event and game days.
The money would also be used to build a new on-campus recycling center in a few years.
Nick Sterner, freshman/sophomore CLAS senator, said the recycling efforts would be cheaper than the price the University pays to dump every ton of trash and would allow the University to catch up to the recycling efforts of other Big 12 Conference schools.
— Edited by Michelle Rodick
ONTHEBALLOT
Four referendums needing student approval will be on the ballot Wednesday and Thursday. Online Voting
Referendum A: Online Voting.
Instead of going to on-campus polling sites, students would vote from any computer connected to the Internet.
Referendum B: Polling Sites. Physical polling sites would be removed from campus.
Be sure you refer to
Referendum C: Study Abroad
Fee. An additional $4 per
semester to fund study
abroad scholarships
Referendum D: Environmental Fee. An additional dollar for new recycling projects and student employees.