THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
3A
》 STUDENT SENATE
Control of funds under revision
BY ASHLEE KIELER
Last spring, students passed a referendum allowing a $1.50 increase in the Student Senate Activity Fee to establish the Multicultural Education Fund. Less than a year after its approval, changes are being sought.
The fund allows Student Senate to finance student groups in a way that is not allowed from other
Senate funds
This allows groups to receive up to 25 percent more funding than previously offered, said Studie Red Corn, Shawnee junior and First Nations Student Association senator.
ing for student groups, but the Multicultural Affairs Committee oversees the funding for multicultural events with money from the fund. Boots said.
"Finance doesn't look at the MEF portion and MEF doesn't look at the finance portion, but they need to look at each other to make sure the group gets funding," Boots said.
"The MEF
Red Corn said the fund's initia-
"Finance doesn't look at the MEF portion and MEF doesn't look at the finance portion,but they need to look at each other to make sure the group gets funding."
was established to augment the amount of programming that can be done to enhance multiculturalism on campus," said Jason Boots, Plano, Tex., senior and student body president.
JASON BOOTS student body president
The fund finances multicultural student groups, or any student group that participates in any type of multicultural program, said Melissa Horen, Overland Park senior and student body vice president.
tors intended for it to be a supplement to the normal Student Senate funds. Instead it has become the primary account that multicultural groups and events are sent to.
Senate tabled a bill last Wednesday that would allow the fund to be controlled by the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center. Moving it would help alleviate logistical problems for the Senate.
"Since the groups are allowed to draw
Boots said questions arose about whose job it is to fund certain programs.
The Finance Committee over sees Senate finances and fund
from both, the portions which they will be drawing from MEF and the portions which will come from the unallocated account are often in dispute'. Red Corn said.
Moving the fund to MRC control would allow for better distribution of funds to multicultural groups.
"The MRC has a better view of what a multicultural group is than Student Senate." Horen said.
Red Corn said the move would increase the cooperation of the MRC and student groups.
"Currently these groups haven't always taken advantage of what the MRC has to offer." Red Corn said.
Kansan staff writer Ashlee Kieler can be contacted at akieler@ kansan.com.
Edited by Stacey Couch
Latino summit encourages college education
MULTICULTURALISM
BY KATY BLAIR
Elias Garcia said the 43-million Latinos in America were known as "the sleeping giant," but there was no sleeping for Latino high school students Tuesday.
"There are no victims in this room; therefore, there should be no excuses. You need to go out there and get the job done."
The annual Latino Leadership Summit was held Tuesday in the Kansas Union. Latino high school students from across Kansas gathered at the event to discuss empowerment and education.
Garcia, executive director of the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission, incited thoughtful silence during lunch with his take on the importance of Latinos entering higher education and beyond.
The keynote speaker, Eva Vega, a
New York University diversity educator, said she was impressed with the University's proactive stance on getting more Latinos into higher education.
"What KU is doing is cutting edge," Vega said. "Through this summit, they are focusing on a pipeline and getting students to college. No one else is doing that."
During the one-day summit, students attended workshops where educators, such as Vega, stressed the importance of overcoming challenges associated with higher education. Aida Garcia, Office of Multicultural Affairs program assistant, said these challenges varied for each Latino family, but more often it was a lack of information about post-secondary education. A language barrier, immigration status and financial situation also tied into the low rate of Latinos reaching higher education.
Mexican girls becoming pregnant and not caring about school were harmful stereotypes discussed during the Female Leadership work shop.
Vega said that these assumptions could be true for any ethnicity, but it caused unwelcome feelings in American society toward Latinos. The summit approached these issues and encouraged Latino students to think positively, no matter the circumstance.
"We've learned to step up and step out." Ludys Velasquez, Olathe North High school student said. "The information about being a Latino in college is helpful. It makes sure you know where you're going."
Students at the summit were familiar with these tactics because of high school programs that also encouraged them to consider attending college.
Velasquez and some of her classmates are involved in Achievement Via Individual Determination at Olathe North. Students in the program are exposed to higher-level
and Advanced Placement courses. They also learned study and organizational skills to ensure their success during post-secondary educational endeavors.
Kasey Stadler, Social Studies and English as a Second Language teacher at Olathe North, said the summit was a great opportunity for high school students.
"It itt them exposure to the university setting." Stadler said. "If they see students at the university level, they think that they can do it as well. Itt them out of their bubble."
Sigma Lambda Beta and Sigma Lambda Gamma performed during lunch, encouraging students to consider Greek life when they enter college.
Kansan staff writer Katy Blair can be contacted at kblair@kansan.com.
Edited by Ryan Schneider
》 TECHNOLOGY
New Web site promotes health education
BY DANAE DESHAZER
Watkins Memorial Health Center sponsored the creation of a new Web site specifically designed to promote body acceptance, healthy eating habits and fitness in KU students.
The site, hawkhealth ku.edu, went live last week, and featured interactive quizzes, video feeds and downloadable podcasts.
Ann Chapman, coordinator of nutrition services, said there were many ways students could access health information, but the Web site offered information all in one place.
"It's like one-stop shopping," Chapman said.
have a sexually transmitted disease or if they have an eating disorder The site offers students more confidentiality than visiting a health center on their own.
The Web site includes in-depth quizzes that can offer students answers if they think they might
"The site is designed for students to get questions answered on their own time and in the privacy of their own homes." Agan said.
Matt Agan, health educator for Student Health Services, said the Web site did not save IP addresses or show if a student had used the links before. He said no one would know what quizzes a student took, or their answers.
The Web site was a second initiative by Healthy Options for Movement, Exercise, Body Acceptance and Savvy Eating, or H.O.M.E.B.A.S.E., a task force created in 2001 to provide ongoing
health education for KU students. Chapman, task force coordinator, said that the Better Bites menu for dining services was the first initiative, which created healthier eating options for students.
"I never ran across a student that was satisfied with their body," Chapman said. "We wanted them to like their bodies and treat them with love and respect."
Agan said to prepare for the site's creation; he accessed many other campus Web sites. He said other sites offered Q&A and articles, but the New Hawk Website site offered more
"The podcasts and assessments are two of the main differences that we are particularly proud of," Agan said. "They are the main items that make our site unique from others."
Right now, two videos are available for download. One features basic yoga techniques, and the other has a KU trainer's abdominal exercise. Agan said students could download these to their iPod and could use them while working out at the gym.
Mai Do, marketing coordinator of Student Health Services, said the Hawk Health site would allow students to explore the events sponsored by the Wellness Resource Center. The site will feature Celebrate Every Body Week from Feb. 26 to March 2, which will focus on body acceptance.
Kansan staff writer Danae DeShazer can be contacted at ddeshazer@ kansan.com.
— Edited by Trevan McGee
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