THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS
NEWS
3A
>> LAW ENFORCEMENT
New police improve neighborhood life
Warm weather increases noise complaints
BY ERICK R. SCHMIDT
As spring weather nears and students begin to move parties outside, two additional officers will be around to make sure excess noise doesn't become a problem.
The two officers — Tina Shambaugh and Trent McKinley work full time to "improve the
The Lawrence Police Department's Neighborhood Resource Officer program was announced in August and officially began Jan. 1.
- work full
quality of life
in Lawrence's
neighborhoods
The officers' duties include reviewing noise complaints, municipal court convictions for noise violations and graffiti reports. The officers also attend all city
"They should realize the officer has no option but to issue a citation if there has been an earlier warning at that address."
officers present
porches was to develop relationships with their neighbors and to be cognizant of their schedules. In the instance of an officer being called to a house, Ward said students should cooperate.
commission meetings and several neighborhood association meetings. "It's an effort to open up the lines of communication between the police department and the citizens of Lawrence," said Sgt. Dan Ward, who oversees the program.
While officers in attendance of city commission meetings has not been ordinary in the past, Mayor Mike Amyx said he enjoyed having the
officers present,
"I think it's gone
very well. I feel
very comfortable
with them there."
Amyx
said, "I think
folks are getting
the opportunity
to talk to them,
and that's a good
thing to have."
"They should realize the officer has no option but to issue a citation if there has been an earlier warning issued at that address." Ward said.
The city took a harsher stance on noise violations at the beginning of 2006, including the creation of a stricter "nuisance" ordinance that punished repeat offenders.
DAN WARD
Lawrence Police Sergeant
Ward said the program
Ward said the increase in enforcement led to a 12 percent decrease in the amount of reported violations in 2006, and that the resource officer program was the next logical step. Ward said the officers would review convictions on a monthly basis and send violators to City Hall for possible additional penalties.
Ward said the easiest way for students to keep the officers off their
had been well-received in its initial months of existence.
Not all duties of the resource officers are focused on noise complaints.
When the city saw a trend of vehicle burglaries outside of workout facilities in January, the officers provided all gyms with fliers. Ward said they hadn't seen any related problems since then.
"People are happy to have a person within the police department they can contact with a problem," Ward said. "Before, they had problems they thought maybe were too small. Now no problem is too small."
Kansan staff writer Erick R. Schmidt can be contacted at eschmidt@kansan.com.
Edited by Mark Vierthaler
University asks for students' opinions
>> ADMINISTRATION
University of Kansas students who received an electronic survey last week should not be too quick to send it to the recycle bin.
They have a chance to give the University a piece of their minds.
Adrienne Sadovsky, an analyst for institutional research and planning, said the National Survey of Student Engagement was recently sent to 4,000 randomly selected University freshmen and seniors. The survey, which asks students about academic personal experiences, is aimed to help the University improve the undergraduate services it provides.
"We want for them to not just walk away with a degree," Sadovsky said. "We want them to walk away with a rich, thorough, deep experience."
Sadovsky said the survey
would help the University identify strengths and weaknesses in its programs so it could take action toward improvement.
She said it was a quick and easy way students could give back to the KU community.
Illian Kinzie, associate director of Indiana University's center for postsecondary research, the institution in charge of the survey, said student responses would help the University.
"The institution is getting direct information from you." Kinzie said.
Lynn Britz, University of Kansas spokeswoman, said that results from past surveys had helped produce the University's global awareness program, undergraduate research certification and service learning certification, which she said helped students get engaged in their studies.
"We realized from what we were
learning from the students that programs like these energized the students and kept them involved in their schoolwork." Bretz said. "It's really making us reassess the whole freshmen experience"
Kinzie said she thought the University was a place that took student responses seriously.
She said she had been to the University several times to evaluate how it involved students in decision-making, because students had identified that as a strength in previous surveys.
"I think KU does a good job of seeking student input that matters to the institution." Kinzie said.
Bretz said it was a mutual exchange.
"It's been, really, a two-way street," Bretz said. "Students working with us and us working with students to develop these programs."
Sadovsky said this was the third
time the University had commissioned the survey.
She said the survey was first given in 2001, and again in 2004. Sadovsky said the 2004 data took about 3 1/2 months to process, but was not sure when the 2007 data would be ready.
Sadovsky said interested students, including those not selected for the survey, could see the survey online at http://nsee.iub.edu/pdf/NSE2007_US_English_paper.pdf
"We want our students to be well-rounded and exposed to myriad new situations and experiences," Sadovsky said. "This helps students to be more successful post-graduation, personally and professionally"
Kansan staff writer Nathan Gill can be contacted at ngill@kansan.com.
>> SPRINT NEXTEL
Edited by Lisa Tilson
High-quality subscribers drop phone service
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sprint Nextel Corp., the nation's third largest wireless carrier, said Wednesday that fourth-quarter profits rose 33 percent on stronger revenue, but the company continued to lose high-quality subscribers.
more revenue, fell by 306,000. Most of the lost "post-paid" customers came from the Nextel side, which has been struggling with network quality issues. Nextel's subscribers are especially valuable because many of them are business users with higher monthly bills.
The company, based in Reston, Va., with operational headquarters in Overland Park, reported earning $261 million, or 9 cents per share, during the October-December period, compared with $195 million, or 7 cents per share, a year earlier.
The company's customer base grew by 742,000 customers during the quarter, ending the year at 53.1 million. But that number reflected gains in less valuable "pay as-you-go" customers, whereas monthly subscribers, who tend to generate
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sprint Next Corp, a wireless carrier with headquarters in Overland Park, has increased revenue this quarter, but lost most of its valuable, high-quality customers.
Chief Executive Gary Forsee told analysts in a conference call that the company has invested heavily in the Nextel network to avoid dropped calls and poor signal quality.
Sprint Nextel also is attempting to weed out low-quality customers through tougher credit requirements.
Chief Financial Officer Paul Saleh said that would continue to hamstring growth in the first quarter, but that he expected post-paid customer numbers to begin rising in the second quarter.
The company first warned of disappointing subscriber numbers in January, adding that it planned to cut 5,000 jobs. Forsee said he expected most of those cuts to be
completed by April 1, saving the company $400 million annually.
Average revenue per post-paid user declined during the quarter to $60.
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS
March 1st,2007
Student Senate
The Student Snate is looking to fill the following empy seats:
2 Fres./Soph. CLAS
1 Engineering
4 Graduate
2 Non-Traditional
If you are interested in filling one of these open spots, pick up an application in the Student Senate office,
Room 410, Kansas Union.
If you have any questions contact
Andrew Payne
apayne@ku.edu
From the Inside Out:
This week is . . .
National Eating Disorders
Awareness Week
February 25 - March 3
The key message this year is "Be comfortable in your own genes."
Come visit From the Inside Out's table in the 4th Floor lobby of the Kansas Union next Tuesday and Wednesday for information, activities, and ways to get involved.
For more information email nik2105@ku.edu
Sponsored by
Sexuality Education Committee Presents;
Human Sexuality in Everyday Life With Dr. Dennis Dailey KU Professor of Social Welfare
this non credit course is designed with the realities of the collegeged person in mind, with a focus on how social development has occurred thus far in their lives, how it is presently being experienced and expressed, and what might occur in the continuous development of healthy adult sexuality.
Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm
Beginning February 1 for 10 sessions at the ECM
Register at the 14 M any day from 11am-4pm
Students $35 and Non Students $45 $55 late registration fee after
January 26th
For more information contact the FCM office at 843-4933.
Vietnamese Student Association Presents:
A Lunar New Year Celebration
Yet Show 2007
funded by:
STUDENT SENATE
The Year of the Boar
This Sunday,
March 4th
Woodruff Auditorium,
5th Floor
Kansas Union
4-6pm
PAID FOR BY KU
JAYWALK
What is JayWalk?
Have you ever felt unsafe walking alone at night on campus? Wish someone could walk with you? JayWalk can help!
JayWalk is a service available to all students who want a JayWalk volunteer to WALK them to the residence hall or can, or to wait with them for the Night Campus Express Bus or SafeRide.
When is the service available?
Jaywalk runs Sunday through Thursday from 8pm to midnight.
Where is JayWalk? The JayWalk station and volunteers are located inside
Volunteers are greatly needed and appreciated! While you are assisting KU students you can also study and do homework! Pick up forms in the Student Involvement and Leadership Center in the Kansas Union. If you have any questions regarding the service or about volunteering, please email Safety@ku.edu.
WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR JAYWALK?
CALL US AT: 864-3222
Anschutz Library.
Who walks with me?
One male and one female will escort you to a specific location
YOUR AD HERE
Attention Student Groups:
If your student organization is registered with the Student Involvement and Leadership Center, you may get FREE ADVERTISING here in the Kansan through Student Senate!
Email chrisblackstone@ku.edu for more information.