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6A THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2006
Voters OK referendums
Multicultural education enhancement gets boost
BY ANNE WELTMER
aweltmer@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
The referendum supporting multicultural education enhancement has passed with 55 percent of the vote.
The referendum was proposed by a group of KU student senators from Student Senate's multicultural affairs committee. It was drafted to fund any group's event that would help increase multicultural awareness on campus.
"I'm really excited. It says the University is dedicated to multicultural education," said Hannah Love, Dodge City sophomore and one of the authors of the referendum.
Love said the $1.50 per semester and 75 cents during the summer term would generate about $70,000 per year. It will be given on an event-to-event basis, rather than to certain groups.
Love said, for example, any group that holds an activity that contributes to the diversity of campus can apply for funds. However, a cultural student group will not receive funds for activities that solely benefit their own group.
Robert Page Ir., director of the
Office of Multicultural Affairs, said the office would not receive any funding from the program, but he was a big supporter. He said the referendum was a bipartisan student initiative to give student organizations funding to help spread diversity on campus
This funding will be available to groups on top of the funding level already provided by Senate. Right now, Senate funds the first $1,000 of an event, and then 50 percent of the remainder. This would provide up to an additional 25 percent of the event's needed funding.
Budget approval excites teams
- Edited by Meghan Miller
BY ERIC JORGENSEN
ejorgensen@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Non revenue and women's sports got the budget boost they were hoping for after University of Kansas voters passed referendum no. 2, a $20 per semester fee raise from full-time University students. The referendum passed with a 61 percent vote.
There is also a $10 fee raise for the summer semester. According to the Athletics Department, the fee increase would mean an extra $1 million, which would be devoted solely to nonrevenue and women's sports.
The big winner with the referendum is the women's rowing team. Currently, the team houses its equipment in a fenced area, nicknamed "The Cage." One of the first things this new money will go to is a boat house for the rowers.
"We're ecstatic," team captain Paige Phillips, Plano, Texas, senior said. "Everyone just jumped in the air. It is a relief that we did it. We worked so hard to do this."
Phillips said the new facility would house the boats and equipment. It also will have a locker room and be home to club crew.
"We get to leave "The Cage" and get our boat house," Phillips said. "We're going to go a locker room rather than a couple Porta Potties."
Jin Marchiony, associate athletics director, said this was a big victory for non revenue and women's sports. He said this
was a long time in the making.
"It was a well-thought-out vote." Marchiony said. "It was a vote of confidence for the non revenue sports and athletics department."
Kristin Buehler, Kansas City, Mo. sophomore and volleyball player, said there was a lot of support and work done by revenue and non revenue athletes.
"We really had to bond together," Buehler said. "I think it's going to be a good deal. It's going to help out a ton."
Both Phillips and Marchiony said it was good to see student support for non revenue and women's sports. Buehler and Marchiony said the vote showed there was support for athletes not often in the limelight.
Edited by Meghan Miller
Delta Force
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
vote tally was announced. The supporters also reacted favorably to the failure of the fee cut, which Delta Force had campaigned against. Red Corn credited Overland Park sophomore Aaron Olsen with helping defeat the fee cut. Olsen ran the Delta Force Web site, and created a site dedicated to the failure of the fee cut. It was an example of how Delta Force found a way to campaign on a limited budget.
"This isn't about money," Red Corn said. "This is about these people kicking ass. This is better than anything I've ever been a part of."
He listened to the announcement huddled together with Franklin and the other candidates as they swayed arm-inarm in the home's living room.
The two said they had become close through the days of campaigning.
"We're kind of like an old married couple now," Franklin said. "We argue sometimes."
"We argue all the time," Red Corn added with a laugh.
However, the smiles were few and far between for Red Corn and Franklin, but they remained upbeat as the other candidates and supporters thanked them for their work.
"I never knew how close I'd become to these guys," Jesse Haught, Achieton junior, said. "Studie and Bridget were inspiring. They brought out the best in a lot of people."
Haug was successful in his bid for a seat as a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences junior/senior senator. Delta Force finished with 16 seats in the senate, with the graduate seats not yet counted. The presidential vote of 47 percent was the most since 2001, when justin Mills became the only Delta Force member to win the presidency. As the final results were announced, some of the candidates filed into the kitchen, where they made cell phone calls to let others know how they had done. Others turned the living room back into a dance floor. By the end of the night, everyone seemed ready to heed Franklin's request that "no matter what happens, we've got to finish the beer."
They had to.
Edited by Kathryn Anderson
Briade Maidhof, Overland Park sophomore, consoles Delta Force presidential candidate Studie Red Corn, Shawnee sophomore, after hearing that he had been defeated, Delta Force received 47 percent of the votes in this year's Student Senate elections.
Jared Gab/KANSAN
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
Ignite
She said she was looking forward to getting the new semester started, but for now she was looking forward to going home and celebrating the Jewish holiday of Passover with her family.
Boots said that going into the election he was worried about what the outcome would be.
He said both coalitions had good platforms and were running strong campaigns.
"I've been here for four years, and this is my fourth campaign and I hadn't really seen that much activity from other coalitions in years," he said.
Amy Bainum, Dover senior and friend of Boots, said she was really excited when she heard Boots had won.
"He worked his butt off for
this, and I know it's something he's really cared about for all four years he's been at the University," Bainum said. "It was kind of a big lofty goal of his, and it paid off — all his hard work."
Boots said it was incredible that so many people showed up to support the coalition. Everyone there was really excited about what the coalition had planned for the future, he said.
"It's really humbling to know this many people care about you." Boots said.
Andrew Payne, Garden City junior and Ignite supporter, said that Boots and Horen deserved to win because of all their hard work.
"They were the right candidates for the job, and I'm excited for next year," Payne said.
— Edited by Meghan Miller
AT THE TOP OF THE HILL