THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
3A
Class joins film and Internet
TECHNOLOGY
Graduate film students entered the world of cyberspace this week.
The department of theater and film offered a new class this semester for graduate students. The class introduces students to life in cyber culture and teaches about theory and production of films in cyber space.
"It's a groundbreaking class." Stacey Fox, technical director in film studies, said.
Similar to classes being taught at institutions like New York University and Harvard University, the class puts the University's film program up to the educational standard held by these universities in regards to technology, Catherine Preston, professor of theater and film, said.
Preston and Fox co-teach the class called New Media and Cyber Culture.
"New Media and Cyber Culture offers students the philosophy they need if they are going to be writing, teaching, researching or critiquing films," Preston said.
Fox believes the class gives students the tools to both produce and critique.
"You can't critique a film unless you've made one yourself." Fox said.
The class gives graduate students the opportunity to produce MACHINIMA. While obtaining the tools they need to teach and research within the field, MACHINIMA is the combination of film and machines within a synthetic world to create a product with graphics similar to those in video games.
Brian Faucette, Boone, N.C.
"With technology rapidly changing the class will help me to know what film is, how it's distributed and how people are going to interact on a daily basis," Fauccite said.
doctoral student enrolled in the new media class. Faucette said he thought the class would benefit him as an aspiring teacher.
The class is essentially two parts, interaction and studies. The interactive portion of the class allows for the students to enter the cyber culture though secondlife.com, a Web site where students create an animated character called an avatar to portray themselves, much like World of Warcraft. Fox holds her office hours through Second Life, rather than in her office. Students use the character they created to talk to and interact with Fox's character via the Internet.
The studies portion of the class focuses on issues in net neutrality, the exploration of manipulating time and space and media reform.
"In class we'll put theory and practice together," Faucette said of the classes.components.
Next semester Fox and Preston plan to offer similar classes for undergraduate students.
"People tend to look at a new technology like it will create a utopia by solving all of our problems or a dystopia in that society will suffer from it. We are informing these grad students to teach it as a social and cultural tool," Preston said.
Kansan staff writer Ashlee Kieler can be contacted at akieler@kansan.com.
Edited by Jyl Unruh
KU, Haskell students unite to help Lawrence community
SERVICE
BY KATY BLAIR
The University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University are teaming up this semester to improve the Lawrence community.
Students in a sociology course at the University and a social welfare course at Haskell are committing to community service hours for a new service learning project. This combined effort is designed to assist various volunteer agencies in Lawrence.
"We have worked a lot to realize this event, but the work has really just begun." Tanya Golash-Boza, professor of sociology at the University, said.
Students involved in the project met Wednesday night at Haskell's Stidham Union to discuss the project and choose the agencies they will work with.
The project includes several agencies in Lawrence such as the Boys and Girls Club, Douglas County AIDS Project and Lawrence Community Shelter. As volunteer only, these agencies expect the students to have a great impact on their ability to help the community.
"Students are my best volunteers, by far. They are more committed and more engaged," Don Huggins, senior scientist and director of the Lawrence Community Shelter, said
Corinne Fetter, of AmeriCorps*Vista at the KU Center for Service Learning, and Rebecca Moore, Title Three Strengthening Institution program director, began the program eager to unite KU and Haskell students in a common goal.
"This is a bridge program, an important step forward in terms of relations." Moore said.
Not only will the project help
"It about building a healthy community, and people need to be connected to do that," Fetter said.
Lawrence residents facing homelessness, hunger and dangers such as abuse, but it will also strengthen the communication and interaction between the two universities.
Each student involved in the service learning project will perform 20 hours of community service for the spring semester. A total of eight agencies attended the meeting to explain their needs and enlist volunteers.
"The one thing these folks need the most is a friend". Huegens said.
The student volunteers will work with children and adults in the community as mentors, tutors and companions.
"We should try to do it more often, I think we are intimidated by each other because of racial or ethnic differences. It will help us both in the long run," Eric Magallan, Haskell freshman, said.
Both universities and agency representatives are hopeful that the program will benefit everyone involved.
Students will have the opportunity to work in the morning, afternoon or evening, in order to avoid conflicts with their class schedules. The service learning project intends to reinforce the students' coursework through their service, said Fetter.
Throughout the spring semester, volunteers and administrators of the program will meet on both campuses to report on their experiences and progress.
Kansan staff writer Katy Blair can be contacted at kblair@kansan. com.
Edited by Jyl Unruh
New passport rules complicate travel
>> TRAVEL
BY NATHAN GILL
Spring break travelers beware — you now need a passport to fly.
New travel requirements, developed by the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security, took effect Tuesday, Eric Blum, spokesman for US Customs and Border Protections, said all travelers returning by air to the United States from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda must present a passport or other valid document to enter the country.
Tim Davey, a travel advisor for STA Travel, recommended that students planning to travel outside the US make checking passport rules for their destination country a priority. He said travelers should check the Web site travel state.gov for country-specific travel information.
Alma, Quebec, graduate student, crosses the border between Canada and the United States two or three times a year. She said the change didn't affect her.
"I've had my passport for years," Boudrias said.
Boudrias said having a passport made travel easier. She also said the new requirements were a disappointment.
"I think it's very sad," Boudrias said. "It used to be one of the most unguarded borders in the world."
"I think it's very sad. It used to be one of the most unguarded borders in the world."
Susan Gronbeck Tedesco, director of the office of study abroad, said the change was small.
MARIE-HELENE BOUDRIAS Alma, Quebec, junior
"I think they may be a little frustrated that they need to carry another document and spend the money" Potts said.
"Students studying in Central and
Joe Pots, director of the University's International Student and Scholar Services, said that in the past, Mexicans and Canadians didn't have to present a passport to enter the United States.
Marie-Helene Boudrias.
"Check it right away," Davey said. "Make it one of the first things you do."
---
South America have always had to passports." Gronbeck Tedesco said.
Gronbeck
Tedesco said
her office's biggest concern was getting students tr
apply for passports early enough.
Travelers can obtain U.S. passports from Lawrence's main post office at 645 Vermont St. Adult passports cost $97 and take six weeks or longer to process. Travelers can pay an extra $60 for expedited service, which takes only two weeks. Both options require photographs, which are not included in the passport's cost.
"The earlier we can get a student to apply, the easier their life is going to be," Gornbeck "Tedesco said.
Kansan staff writer Nathan Gill can be contacted at nqil@kansan.com
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS
— Edited by Lisa Tilson
WESLEY KU
WATERDEEP
In concert at KU! January 23rd at 8:00 p.m. Woodruff Auditorium
ADAM HAMILTON
Senior Pastor, Church of the Resurection "Conversations with an Atheist" January 30th Woodruff Auditorium
GET NAKED Redefining Intimacy
January 25, 2007
A four week look at dating, marriage and fig leaves Tuesdays @ 8:00 p.m. February 6th,13th,20th,27th www.wesleyku.org
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 college aged person in mind, with a focus on how sexual 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.
Students Tutoring for Literacy
Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm Beginning February 1 for 10 sessions at the ECM
Register at the ECM any day from 10am-4pm
Students $35 and Non-Students $45 ($5 late registration fee
after January 26th)
For more information contact the ECM office at 843-4933.
What: Book Drive!!!!
When: Everyday until Friday February 9th
Where: Residence Halls & CCO office in the Kansas Union
*All books will be accepted and donations will be distributed to the local tutoring and service organizations.
funded by:
STUDENT
SENATE
PAID FOR BY KU
YOUR AD HERE
Attention Student Groups:
If your student organization is register 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.