THE UNIVERSITY HARVARD KANSAS
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 28, 2007
NEWS
STUDENT SENATE
3A
Technology, convenience head new platforms for coalition
BY ASHLEE KIELER
The United Students coalition released more platforms as elections grow closer.
Hannah Love, Dodge City junior and presidential nominee, and running mate Ray Wittlinger, Overland Park junior, previously released platform issues on increased campus safety, upgrading classroom technology and convenient student life and services.
Love and Wittlinger's new platforms involve convenience, technology and making campus more beautiful.
United Students plans to bring more convenience to students by moving the University Career Center to Jayhawk Boulevard, create a satellite parking office in the Kansas Union and create 24-hour parking spots at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center.
Moving the career center to Jayhawk Boulevard would make it easier for students to transition from college to career. The center
provides help for students moving from high school to college, changing majors, advising and when graduating.
"The career center can expand their services to students in a larger space," Love said.
Wittlinger said that bringing services to high traffic areas would benefit students.
Creating an open satellite parking office would allow students to pay parking tickets and purchase permits without going to the Parking Department.
The department would continue to maintain its current location in the Allen Fieldhouse parking garage, but students would have the option to pay from the new location, Love said.
United Students is also looking into creating 24-hour parking spots at the recreation center. The parking spots would be available for students that want to work out during the school day without getting a parking violation.
"We spoke with both the rec center and the parking department and each were willing to work together to make the spots a reality." Love said.
Wittlinger said that the recreation center was a popular place and students should be able to use it at their convenience.
initiative, modeled after the University of Texas, provides students with Microsoft software at a small cost.
The renovation of the jayhawk Central Information Shack, located near jayhawk
"Every student is required to use
"One of our main goals was to make sure every student and group are affected by our platforms."
HANNAH LOVE United Students presidential nominee
Boulevard, is on the list for improvement.
The shack is located in a very high traffic area — along Jayhawk Boulevard near Stauffer-Flint Hall — and isn't utilized to the fullest extent, Love said.
Adding to their previous platform of upgraded technology, United Students proposes the Microsoft Campus Initiative. The
programs such as Word or Access to succeed in their classes". Wittlinger said. "This is a way for them to not pay a ridiculous amount for the software."
software, thus being able to offer the software to students to download at home.
The University would invest in Microsoft
United Students also focused on making campus more beautiful.
The coalition plans to create more permanent recycling drop-offs for student use.
"We would like to set up sites in the Park and Ride lots, so students can just make a drop-off on their way
to class," Love said.
Promoting the Adams Campus Challenge Course is a way to create a student retreat center.
The University owns land near Clinton Lake with a high-rope and low-rope course intended for use by student groups. However, most student groups are unaware of this course. United Students plan to push the Kansas University Endowment Association to promote the Adams Campus, so it would benefit the students more.
Wittlinger said it was an exciting opportunity to promote this area for groups use so that one day the University could set up a retreat center.
The final platform issue addressed by United Students involves student academics.
The concept of a "dead week" guarantees that students will not have tests the week before finals.
The University currently has rules restricting the type of tests students may be required to take before finals to chapter or unit specific.
The credit/no credit grade option for students has changed in recent years. United Students wants to give students the opportunity to drop their credit/no credit grade option if they are receiving an "A" in the course.
"Students opt for the credit/no credit option early on and then realize they can do well in the class." Wittinger said.
If the student earns an "A" at the end of the semester they should receive the "A", even if they had opted for the credit/no credit grade option, Wittinger said.
"One of our main goals was to make sure every student and group are affected by our platforms." Love said.
Wittlinger added that the platforms are 100 percent feasible and wouldn't increase student fees.
Kansan staff writer Ashlee Kieler can be contacted at akieler@kansan.com.
Washington, D.C., trip opens international doors
GLOBAL AWARENESS PROGRAM
BY NATHAN GILL
Edited by James Pinick
"The Hotel Helix was pretty swinging, pretty swank," Ladd, Effingham senior, said.
Nathan Ladd spent his spring break in Washington, D.C., rubbing shoulders with political elites and lodging at a hotel with leopard print robes and raves-cheetah blankets.
Ladd was one of 10 University of Kansas students who traveled to Washington, D.C., with the Global Awareness Program last week. The students, all in the process of gaining GAP certification with the University, visited international embassies, institutes and organizations and met with people in international careers.
Jane Irungu, GAP director, said the purpose of the trip was to help students interested in international careers, such as diplomacy, international conflict mediation and foreign service, learn about international organizations and job opportunities.
"We wanted to expose them to these international organizations and people working in government so they could network with people who work on the ground," Irungu said.
Irungu said the trip was the brain-child of Diana Carlin, dean of the graduate school and international programs, and Ambassador to Qatar Kenton Keith, a KU alumnus. Stops on the groups itinerary included the
Irungu, who accompanied the GAP students along with Carlin, said her favorite stops were the Washington and Lincoln monuments and the U.S. Capitol building.
Embassy of the Republic of Poland,
the United States Institute of Peace
and the Organization of American
States.
Ladd said he most enjoyed dining with Keith at his home and that he did his fair share of networking. He also enjoyed meeting with like-minded people and learned that having real world experience with international organizations would help further an international
"To get to the corridors of power, I thought it was wonderful," Irungu said.
"I thought it would be a great way to introduce myself to possible career opportunities," Ladd said of the trip. "I was wanting to get an idea of what organizations were out there."
career.
Irungu said that the University, through the Office of International Programs, paid for most of the trip, but that students paid $300 to participate.
"Three hundred dollars was nothing compared with what we got out of it." Ladd said.
Kansan staff writer Nathan Gill can be contacted at ngill@kansan. com.
Edited by Sharla Shivers
ANIMAL LIFE Zoo shows Panda porn to encourage mating
CHIANG MAI Thailand —
Chuang Chuang the panda has been spending his days in front of a big screen television watching panda porn.
Authorities at the Chiang Mai Zoo in northern Thailand hope the images will encourage him to mate with his partner, Lin Hui, and serve as an instructional lesson in how to do it right.
So far, it's been a tough sell, the zoo's chief veterinarian, Kanika Limtrakul. said Tuesday.
"Chuang Chuang seems indifferent to the videos; he has no reaction to what he's seeing on TV; Kanika said. "But, were continuing to show him videos and hoping they will leave an
Pandas are threatened by loss of habitat, poaching and a low reproduction rate. Females in the wild normally have a cub once every two to three years.
There are as few as 1,600 giant pandas in the mountain forests of central China, according to the zoo. An additional 120 are in Chinese breeding facilities and zoos, and about 20 live in zoos outside China.
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Zoo officials say Chuang Chuang will be reunited with his partner in about another week. The two pandas have been kept separate since late last year as part of efforts to spark some romance between them.
impression."
Associated Press
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DOLE LEADERSHIP PRIZE
2007 Recipient:
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Join the Dole Institute as it honors Sentor Howard Baker. Baker served three terms in the United State Senate and four years as Senate Majority Leader. He also served as President Reagan's Cheif of Staff and as U.S.Ambassador to Japan.
Sunday, April 22, 2007 7:30 PM | Lied Center Free tickets are available at the Lied Center Kansas Union and Murphy Hall Box Offices.
ROBERT J. DOLE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS
The University of Kansas
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