NEWS
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2006
PROVOST SEARCH
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
3A
Candidate visits campus
BY MELINDA RICKETTS
mrickets@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Jack Burns, the second candidate for KU provost, spoke about the opportunities and challenges the University of Kansas faces in a "flat world" during a public address Thursday at the Dole Institute of Politics.
CAMPUS
KU has been interviewing candidates to replace Provost David Shulenburger, who is stepping down this summer. He will assume a leadership position in the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges in Washington, D.C.
The provost search committee announced Burns, 53, as the second candidate on Monday. He is the vice president for academic affairs and research for the three University of Colorado campuses.
Burns borrowed the term "flat world" from Thomas Friedman's recent book, "The World is Flat," in which Friedman used it to mean a world where countries face a relatively level economic and political playing field.
During his speech. Burns emphasized the need to maintain competitiveness and convey an understanding of the University's role to the public.
He said that the role of the humanities and social sciences was more crucial than it has
ever been because students needed that background to work effectively in the global environment created by the flat world.
He also talked about the imperative role of diversity at a university. He said that because other countries had improved the quality of their educational programs, the University needed to continue to focus on drawing international students to the University. He later mentioned that the University, although sending high numbers of students abroad each year, needed to start sending business and engineering students to China and India, especially because American companies have been outsourcing to those countries.
During the question-and-answer session that followed the speech, Burns addressed several hot-button issues including an incident at Colorado in the spring of last year.
His final point was the importance of multidisciplinary work at a university. He said that the University has a strong "culture of collaboration" brought about by strong collegiality among the faculty.
"That collegiality goes a long way in faculty teaming up and working together in new and interesting ways," Burns said.
"Our ability, each and every one of us, to introduce controversial ideas into the classroom, is how we get students to learn."
Ward Churchill, the chair of the ethnic studies department and a tenured professor, made some controversial statements regarding the World Trade Center attacks. He ultimately stepped down as department head but kept his position on the faculty. Burns said the episode demonstrated the value of tenure, academic freedom and the First Amendment.
"Our
Jack Burns KU provost candidate
"Our ability, each and every one of us, to introduce controversial ideas into the classroom, is how we get students to learn," Burns said.
He qualified that by saying that faculty must to be careful not to cross the line between teaching and preaching.
William Scott, professor or English, said Burns' speech was "very smooth, very polished."
"He had a lot of nice things to say about KU," Scott said. "I still want to know more about his engagement with faculty and students and others."
— Edited by Jodi Ann Holopirek
Man rescued from trench
Walt Mancini/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Firefighters and an urban search-and-rescue team work Thursday to free a man trapped in a 15-foot-deep trench alongside a Pasadena, Calif., condominium. Claudio Martinez, 28, was buried up to his waist in moist soil, conscious and talking, and appeared not to have suffered any serious injuries.
Third candidate for provost to talk Monday
The third of five candidates for the provost position, Richard Lariviere, was announced Thursday.
University celebrates Pluto discovery
Audience members will have the opportunity to use University telescopes to view stars and the planets Mars and Jupiter,weather permitting.
— Melinda Ricketts
Lariviere, 56, is the dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. He is scheduled to give a public presentation from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday at the Dole Institute of Politics.
A presentation by Alan Stern, a scientist who worked on a recently launched unmanned mission to Pluto, will open the ceremonies.
The 100th birthday celebration of Clyde Tombaugh, the KU alumnus who discovered the planet Pluto in 1930 and died in 1997, will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday in Alderson Auditorium at the Kansas Union. It will include a lecture and a stargazing party.
He was a professor of Sanskrit and Asian studies for 10 years. He can read and speak French and Hindi as well as read German, Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit and Bengali.The fourth candidate will be announced Monday.
Catherine Odson
Melinda Ricketts
ON CAMPUS
— Rachel Parker
been active in politics, and that are accessible to the students" Bill Lacy, institute director, said.
CAMPUS
- Drop-in resume reviews are being held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at Burge Union 110.
Two nationally recognized men from the political spectrum have been named Dole fellows at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics. John Toohey, former senior aide to Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, and
A reception on Wednesday at the Institute welcomed the two men and allowed a meet and greet for those interested in the classes.The public study sessions will begin in March and continue through the spring semester.
- Auditions for the Apollo Night talent show are from 3 to 6 p.m. today in the Alderson Auditorium of the Kansas Union. Anyone interested in signing up should visit SUA Box Office at the Kansas Union.
Dole Institute names two new fellows
- The Center for East Asian Studies will be presenting the film "SeoulTrain" at 7 p.m. today in the Woodruff Auditorium of the Kansas Union, free.
"We look for political practitioners, men and women who have
Alan Cobb, Republican grassroots activist, will host weekly study groups for members of the KU and Lawrence community.
Student Union Activities is sponsoring and open mic night from 7 to 10 p.m. today in the Hawk's Nest of the Kansas Union. Winners will receive cash prizes.
The groups are part of a fellowship program, which sims to help students enrich their educational experience and learn what they wouldn't normally in a classroom, Lacy said.
♦ The KU Opera are presenting "Falstaff" at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 in the Robert Baustian Theatre at Murphy Hall. Tickets are $7 for students and $15 for adults.
ON THE RECORD
- A hit and run accident occurred Monday between 9:45 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. at KU parking lot #50. A white 2002 Toyota Tundra pickup truck stuck a 1999 red Chrysler 300H 114-door and fled the scene of the accident.