CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, July 10, 1996
3A
Students pick KU for quality
Education worth tuition fees paid say out-of-staters
By Dave Breitenstein
Kansan staff writer
Diane Kobrynowicz traveled halfway across the country to pay four times more in tuition than instate KU students.
But it is not something she is bitter about.
"One of the reasons I came to KU was to experience life in a different part of the country," said Kobrynowicz, Denville, N.J. graduate student.
Kobrynowicz is one of more than 8,000 out-of-state students who attend the University.
She said that cost was not a major factor in choosing the University.
"The main reason I chose Kansas was because the psychology department is great," she said. "Even though I pay out-of-state tuition, it is still cheaper than most schools."
Kobrynowicz said she understood why non-resident rates were more expensive than resident rates.
"I think it is fair that in-state tuition rates are lower," she said. "State schools are supported by state taxes, and Kansas residents have been paying taxes for many years."
In Fall 1996, non-resident graduate and law students pay $265 a credit hour for courses numbered up to 499. For courses numbered 500 and above, the rate is $309 a credit hour.
By comparison, in-state graduate and law students pay $63 a credit hour for courses numbered up to 499, and $94 a credit hour for courses numbered 500 and above.
Out-of-state undergraduates pay $265 a credit hour for courses numbered up to 699, and $309 a credit hour for courses numbered 700 and above.
In-state undergraduate students pay $63 a credit hour for courses numbered up to 699, and $94 a credit hour for courses numbered 700 and above.
Matt Friedrichs, Office of Admissions representative, said the University tried to maintain a competitive rate for all students.
versity is that we offer excellent academic programs, and our tuition rate is very competitive," he said. "We offer programs that are ranked very high in the nation, and they don't cost too much."
"One of the top draws of the Uni-
Friedrichs said the University wanted 35 percent of the total student population to be out-of-state students.
In Fall 1995, out-of-staters comprised 32.7 percent of the student body.
Dick Mann, University director of administration, said the University had good reason to make a substantial recruiting effort in other states.
"If we get more out-of-state students than we expected in our enrollment planning, then KU will receive additional revenue because of the growth," he said.
A retention plan is in effect for Regents schools that will allow the University to keep 25 percent of its revenue from all non-resident students above the projected figure.
Tuition for Regents schools normally is put into a common fund for all universities, but any extra revenue from additional out-of-state students now will be used by each university.
Where do we live?
These are the top 10 states from which students hailed in Fall 1995
Illinois 17,162
Missouri 1,803
Illinois 911
Nebraska 391
Colorado 387
Oklahoma 319
Texas 285
Minnesota 266
California 254
Iowa 194
Source: Office of Institutional Research and Planning
Vandalism puts damper on fountain fun
The Chi Omega fountain was damaged last week, but has been repaired, and people can enjoy the fountain once again. The fountain has been a frequent target of vandalism in recent years.
By Dave Breitenstein
Kansan staff writer
Stopping at the Chi Omega fountain for a dip has become a weekly routine for Jeff Tschudy and his dogs. But recently the fountain was turned off because of vandalism.
KU police said the top sprayer nozzle and top of the fountain were damaged between June 28 and June 30, Repairs cost $355.
Tschudy, Lawrence senior, and his dogs went elsewhere to get wet during the repairs. He said he was not aware the fountain had been vandalized, but had noticed some changes.
"I haven't noticed anyone actually damaging the fountain, but it has gotten very dirty from people swimming in it," Tschudy said. "There's really nothing that can be done to stop people from damaging it. It's just some idiots destroying things again."
Mike Richardson, director of facilities operations, said vandalism of the fountain was common.
"We repair the fountain because of vandalism about a dozen times each year, but it's usually not to the extreme that it was this time," he said.
Richardson said soap and colored dye also had been poured into the fountain, causing the drain to clog and could have damaged the fountain permanently if it had not been promptly cleaned.
Each cleaning costs about $75 for labor and materials, he said.
"The University ends up paying for all repairs to the fountain since it's on University property," Richardson said.
Gayle Reece, KU police officer, said the recent damage had been the only one incident this year. She said most incidents were not reported to police.
Reece said that in 1994 the top of the fountain was stolen on four separate occasions. In one incident, the grass also was damaged. Each of the incidents occurred at the beginning of summer.
Even though the fountain frequently is vandalized, Reece said it was not illegal to play in the fountain.
"Police rarely tell swimmers to leave the fountain. If they're wearing clothes and not causing any trouble, it's okay for swimmers to be there," she said.
The KU police and the University take vandalism seriously, said Reece.
"If police catch someone damaging the fountain, we will issue a citation, and the person will be called into court," she said. "They will have to pay a fine or restitution. The University will prosecute the guilty person."
Reece said police had apprehended only one or two people who had vandalized the fountain. Anyone with information about damage to the fountain should contact KU police at 864-5572.
Dialogue reveals selection process of mating fireflies
KU researcher discovers insects communicate by flashing lights
By Paul Eakins
Kansan staff writer
Sitting outside on a summer night watching fireflies, one would not realize there are dozens of short conversations taking place among the flashing lights.
These short dialogues between the flying insects are what Marc Branham, Lawrence graduate student and KU researcher, has discovered in his attempts to understand the evolution of bioluminescence.
"I wanted to figure out what kinds of selection forces might be working to create the flash pattern," he said.
Branham's report, titled "Female fireflies prefer rapidly flashing males." appeared in the June 27 issue of Nature magazine.
Branham said he used the Photinus consilium firefly for his study because females of the species stay in the grass, and the males hover in one place. These factors make them easier to study and replicate.
He discovered that females prefer males who flash at a faster rate than the population's average rate.
The more excited the females are, the faster their flash response is, he said. If the females is attracted, she will flash up to 12 times to attract the male. If the female isn't interested in the male, she only will flash once or twice. The females responds to about one-third of the males.
"They seem to be looking at each male in the vicinity," he said. "The females are choosy."
Branham spent three hours a night for a month and a half doing field research.
To test the females' preferences, Branham captured females which he first observed responding normally to males. After taking the females to a lab, he tested their responses to an artificial firefly. Branham controlled the artificial firefly through a computer, and its light was provided by emitting diode (LED).
"The females liked male flashing rates that are faster than you would see in nature," Branham said.
However, the females did not like strobe-light-like patterns emitted by the artificial firefly, he said.
Branham also used his artificial firefly in the field. He placed it in the grass as a female decoy. When the artificial firefly flashed,
"The female liked male flashing rates that are faster than you would see in nature."
Marc Branham KU Researcher
more males responded to faster flashes from the "female."
Despite these findings, Branham said he still does not know why females prefer males with a faster flashing rate.
"I still don't know what the rate indicates," he said.
The rates may be an indication of a more fit male, Branham speculated, possibly showing a good diet or a lack of parasitism in the male.
Branham suspects that the consistent flashing of the males elicits greater excitement within the females' neural networks. This appears to be similar to other animals that respond to patterns, though usually audio rather than visual.
"In other species, such as frogs, crickets and birds, females prefer a faster mating signal," he said. "This shows a commonality in how these animals process information."
Branham's research was coadvised by Michael Greenfield, professor of ontology and biological sciences, and James Ashe, associate professor of entomology and biological sciences. Although they advised Branham in the research process, it was his dedication and hard work that made the project such a success, Ashe said.
"It was his project conceptually," Ashe said. "He was very innovative in both the design and the technical aspects."
Branham will be leaving this month for Columbus, Ohio, to continue his doctoral studies at Ohio State University, one of the few universities with a history of work with beetles.
A British Broadcasting Corporation documentary, Beetlemania, that includes footage of his research will air in Great Britain in October.
Macintosh prices dropped again!
The Performa 6214 CD Bundle
Performa 6214/75 8/1000/CD Color Stylewriter 2500
Apple Multi-Scan 15" Display 10pk 3M HD Disks
Apple Design Keyboard Jayhawk Mousepad