KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 / NEWS
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INFO (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
online database. Instead of competing with the Internet, KU Info took full advantage of it, transitioning to a service that helped students find information.
"In the pre-Internet days, KU Info was tucked away in a back room that was filled
to the ceiling with reference books, encyclopedias and file cabinets," Marsh said. "The biggest change we've made is putting everything online so that anyone can access our resources from the web"
Sarah Murphy, a senior from Atchison and KU Info employee, said that the conversion has proven popular among students.
"The biggest change we've made is putting everything online..."
"We actually have a lot of students who will text us. It's very efficient, as we check our e-mail often," Murphy said.
In addition to new kiosks on Jayhawk Boulevard and at the Learning Studio at Anschutz Library, KU Info has also begun utilizing other mediums like text messages, Twitter, and Facebook. This technological makeover allows the service to be more readily available to students.
CURTIS MARSH
KU Info director
While the move online has proven invaluable to KU Info and should help sustain it for years to come, Marsh believes that there is no substitute for the human element when it comes to
navigating the University environment.
"This school is a big, complicated place. When I am confused about something, I want to speak to a real person who cares and wants to help solve my problem. Our students have that in KU Info," Marsh said.
90 percent of the questions received at KU Info are KU-related. Here are some of the other 10 percent:
How much would it cost to fill an Olympic swimming Jello?
-About 5.06 million for the packages of Jello alone.
The numbers:
Olympic pool: 660,000 US gallons (or 10,560,000 cups)
One package of Jello Makes two cups.
Approximate cost of one package of Jello: 96 cents
How many trees are on campus?
The fresh, new total number of trees on campus is 29,525. That just happens to coincide very closely with the number of students on campus.
In Fall'07, an undergraduate global information systems (GIS) class did a tree density study on West Campus. They concluded that there are 19,425 trees on West Campus. We combined that with the 5,100 trees on main campus that Facilities Operations maintain, along with an estimated 5,000 that they don't maintain.
How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?
Well, it depends.
Well, it depends.
If you believe the owl from the commercial, it takes three.
If you are looking for a more scientific answer, here's what one site said: After three trials, the average number of licks came to 413.
What is the meaning of life?
If you want KU Info's take on it, it's important to understand that it comes with a bias toward the notion that KU Info is the center of the universe. So the meaning of life must be a combination of two theories: 1) Information is king, so the meaning of life is a journey toward ultimate knowledge... and 2) KU is possibly the coolest place anywhere, so the meaning of life is a journey toward happiness, which can best be found at the University of Kansas.
ACADEMICS
Hebrew classes see all new staff
BY CARLO RAMIREZ cramirez@kansan.com
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New year, started Sept. 9 — a new beginning to a new year. It's a fitting theme for the Jewish Studies Department, which welcomed an entirely new set of Hebrew instructors for the 2010-2011 school year.
Davidman said she and the staff were happy with the new faculty and excited to add a variety of new features to the department.
"There was no mass walk out," said Lynn Davidman, director of Jewish Studies. "Just a series of events, sort of like a domino effect."
Justin Held, a sophomore from Minnesota, said he was pleased
with the new faculty members.
"I like it, because I really didn't like the old ones and I kind of butted heads with them."
Davidman said the department held a thorough search for qualifi
with college teaching experience, fluency in Hebrew and a preference for natives of Israel.
Davidman said the department found what it needed and was excited about the addition of four qualified new staff members: Orit Kamara, Galit
"I am very excited to be teaching here," Orit Kamara said. "They understand we are all new and we get a lot of support."
New instructors are not the only recent change in the Hebrew Department. Davidman said the
"I am very excited to be teaching here. They understand we are all new and we get a lot of support."
department would like to become more technologically advanced, by utilizing multimedia to help students connect and speak in Hebrew with students from colleges in Israel. That way, when students
ORIT KAMARA Hebrew instructor
make a trip to Israel they can reconnect with the students they spoke to online.
Davidman said this would help bring the Israeli culture to life for students at the University.
"Wed like to bring in a more personal approach, have more activities in which instructors interact with students outside the class room," Davidman said.
The faculty departures allowed Davidman to teach a course this year, a first for her during her time at the University.
"I will be teaching the class quite differently," Davidman said, "with emphases on rituals, social groups, annual events, lifetime events, beliefs, different organizations, Judaism, new movement. Stay tuned for the rest."
— Edited by Roshni Oommen
in both quantity and diversity of its entering students, while maintaining academic quality, despite significant increases in tuition and fees.
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"The university has also witnessed its highest persistence, retention and graduation rates during my time period." Melvin said.
Typically, enrollment professionals use key metrics surrounding quality, quantity, diversity, retention rates and graduation rates, Melvin said, to evaluate their success. Melvin said that although those metrics are important, they are really the byproduct of improved student services, student learning, student growth and student development.
"Thus, my goal in a very global sense is to fully leverage, integrate and align our people, processes and technology to wrap around the individual student and facilitate their transition into, through and out of the university." Melvin
said.
Melvin said he chose the University because it had a powerful brand, which facilitates both recruitment and retention efforts. Melvin said the depth and breadth of the academic portfolio provides a competitive advantage in the recruitment marketplace.
Melvin also chose to move to Lawrence for personal reasons. He said the move would allow his family to stay close to the Kansas City area, where several family members live.
Melvin will start his new position Oct. 4. Melvin said he was extremely excited and deeply humbled to join the University.
"I look forward to serving prospective students and their families as we seek to elevate and enhance programs and services designed to attract, retain, graduate and place students," MELvin said.
— Edited by Roshni Oommen
INTERNATIONAL
Thailand senators promote kickboxing
BANGKOK — Two Thai senators fought it out Monday in front of Parliament, but this was no political grudge match - they wanted to promote traditional Thai kickboxing.
"It's good that I can still stand," 59-year-old Payap Tongchuen joked after donning gloves and trunks and going two rounds with Direk Tungfang in a boxing ring set up for the occasion in front of the parliament building in Bangkok.
The referee declared the fighters — both former professional boxers — joint victors.
Spectators thought Direk, 64, from Nonthaburi province just
north of Bangkok, outclassed his opponent from the eastern province of Sa Kaeo, knocking him down once. Both men sit in the upper house where lawmakers have no party affiliation.
"The aim is to market Thai boxing, as Muay Thai at the international level," said Direk. "It is also to campaign for the younger generations to maintain this traditional sport."
Muay Thai, as Thai kickboxing is known, is the national sport and its popularity has been growing worldwide. Fighters employ punches, kicks and elbow and knee strikes against their opponents.
The event was set up by the Senate's sports committee, and the opening demonstration on the day's card was between a pair of 8-year-old boys.
Associated Press
749-0055 • 704 Mass. • rudyspizzeria.com
INTERNATIONAL
Fifteen people were killed after the crash about six miles (10 kilometers) from the eastern city of Puerto Ordaz, Bolivar state Gov. Francisco Rangel Gomez told reporters. Forensic experts have yet to identify six of the bodies, he said.
51-passenger plane crashes in Venezuela
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CARACAS, Venezuela — A plane carrying 51 people crashed Monday in a steel mill yard in eastern Venezuela, killing 15 people on board, officials said.
"A miracle occurred today," said Rangel Gomez, referring to the number of survivors.
It was unclear what caused the crash.
Workers at the state-run Sidor steel foundry pulled people from the smoking wreckage of the plane owned by Venezuelan state airline Conviasa, and officials said 36 passengers and crew survived.
The partially scorched fuselage of French-built ATR 42 rested among barrels and shipping containers.
The plane, a twin-engine turbo-
Foundry worker Frank Oliveros, 44, said he saw a huge billow of smoke after the crash, then saw the wreckage and joined dozens of fellow employees and firefighters who rushed to the scene.
The bodies of all the victims have been located,but authorities have not yet identified them all, Rangel Gomez said.
... faces." Oliveros told The Associated Press by telephone. "Our only interest was getting all the people out of there alive."
"I don't remember names
prop, was carrying 47 passengers and four crew members, Rangel Gomez said. Only one of the crew members survived, he said.
He said that Conviasa Flight 2350 had taken off from Margarita Island — a Caribbean island that is one of Venezuela's top tourist destinations — and crashed shortly before reaching its destination, the airport of Puerto Ordzain.
The state airline, Consorcio Venezolano de Industrias Aeronauticas y Servicios Aeros SA, began operations in 2004. It says it serves destinations in Venezuela, the Caribbean, Argentina, Iran and Syria.
In a statement, President Hugo Chavez lamented the crash and sent his condolences to relatives of the victims.
Chavez praised rescue teams and Sidor workers for saving injured passengers. The socialist leader said the government is investigating to "clarify the causes of this very lamentable incident."
"All Venezuelans are mourning, full of sorrow and tears as a result of this tragedy." Chavez wrote.
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