2A
NEWS / MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."
— John F. Kennedy
KANSAN.com - Monday, August 23, 2010
FACT OF THE DAY
The striped mittenfish can change its sex at will by turning its entire body inside out.
www.factropolis.com
Featured content kansan.com
Amphibian, reptile and snake gallery
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Check out some of the fauna that can be found in Kansas.
Traditions Night video
Video by Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Coach Turner Gill said he hoped students would show support by waving the wheat.
CRIME REPORT
KU Public Safety officers arrested a minor in possession of alcohol driving while under the influence and while in possession of another person's driver's license on Jayhawk Boulevard Saturday. KU Public Safety officers arrested a minor in possession of alcohol in the Watkins home, in the 1500 block of Sunflower Road Friday.
KU Public Safety officers arrested a man who drove his SUV into a parked car while driving under the influence of alcohol in the 1600 block of Engel Road Wednesday.
1000 block of Einger Road Wednesday
A 19-year-old KU student reported criminal damage to the windows of her Ford Focus Aug. 16.
A 19-year-old KU student reported an aggravated burglary and criminal damage in the 100 block of West 22nd Terrace Aug.5.
ROBERT J. DOLE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS
The University of Kansas http://www.facebook.com/doleinstitute
What's going on?
MONDAY
August 23
TUESDAY
The School of Music will be hosting a faculty flute recital of David Fedele at 7:30 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall of Murphy Hall.
Student Union Activities will be hosting a free advanced screening of "Easy A" at 7 p.m. on the fifth floor of the Kansas Union.
August 24
- The Dole Institute of Politics will be hosting a hearing, "Empowering Consumers: Can Financial Literacy Education Prevent Another Financial Crisis?" with the House Financial Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee at 10 a.m. at the Institute.
There will be a University Senate Executive meeting from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Provost Conference Room of Strong Hall.
FRIDAY
WEDNESDAY
August 27
Student Union Activities will be hosting "Tunes at Noon," a free concert with Down with Gravity, from 1 to 1 p.m. on the plaza outside the Kansas Union.
August 25
The Department of Theatre will be hosting "The Trojan Women," a restaging of the KU Summer Theatre in Greece production, at 7:30 p.m. in the William Inge Memorial Theatre of Murphy Hall.
There will be a Unclassified Senate Executive Council meeting from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Alcove G of the Kansas Union.
- KU Libraries will be hosting a pizza party from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Learning Studio of Anschutz Library.
SATURDAY
August 28
The Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies will be hosting "50 Years of Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies in the American Heartland," a conference, all day in the Kansas Union.
Student Union Activities will be hosting its annual SUA Carnival from 8 p.m. to midnight in the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center parking lot.
THURSDAY
August 26
Student Union Activities will be hosting "Tea at Three" with free tea and cookies from 3 to 4 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Kansas Union.
The Department of Theatre will be hosting "Someone Must Wash the Dishes: An Anti-Sufrage Satire," a free one-woman show showing KU graduate Michelle LaRue, at 7:30 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall of Murphy Hall.
SUNDAY
SUNDAY August 29
COLLEGES
The Department of Theatre will be hosting "The Trojan Women," a restaging of the KU Summer Theatre in Greece production, at 7:30 p.m. in the William Inge Memorial Theatre of Murphy Hall.
Rankings drop doesn't discourage students,faculty
BY STEPHEN MONTEMAYOR
smontemayor@kansan.com
A slight dip in the U.S. News & World Report college rankings of public universities has the University of Kansas both conscious of the need for improvement and pleased at remaining in the list's top 50.
The University's graduation and retention rates, 61 percent and 80 percent respectively, played a part in the rankings for the fall. Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little created task forces last year to determine how to improve the University's standing in these areas.
In the rankings released Aug. 17, the University fell four spots from 2010 to a tie with four other universities at 47th. In the publication's list of best national universities, both public and private, the University fell from 96 to 104.
Lynn Bretz, director of University Communications, said that the University is proud that
it represents Kansas among the 30 states that appear among the top 50 public universities. The University is also pleased with its inclusion among the top colleges for study abroad programs.
Bretz said that while the rankings tell one story, the subjective quality of a campus and its professors are not so easily quantified. However, as evidenced by task forces focusing on improving graduation and retention, that doesn't mean these and other rankings are taken lightly.
"Students consider U.S. News rankings important and so do parents," Bretz said. "And because of that, we do too."
The U.S. News & World Report's college rankings began in 1983 and became one of the early guides in the selection process for prospective students, Robert Morse, the publication's director of data research, said that the rankings should only be used as one tool among others in the college search.
"The rankings are limited in what they can measure," Morse said. "The rankings don't capture all aspects of what goes on at a school."
In addition to graduation and retention rates, other criteria in the ranking process includes
peer assessment, financial resources, graduation rate performance, faculty resources, student selectivity and alumni donations.
When Kevin Roberts,
a sophomore from Chicago,
was decid-
"The rankings don't capture all aspects of what goes on at a school."
find out what's going on," Roberts said.
ing between the University and DePaul University he said that he used the rankings as a starting point. Ultimately it was a campus visit and the availability of majors that sealed the deal.
David Hauber, a district court judge in Shawnee, met his wife at the University when the two were undergraduates from 1972 to 1976. Originally from New Jersey, Hauber was accepted to Rutgers
"Once you get here,you really
ROBERT MORSE Director of data research
University but said he sought a different experience.
enough community and different enough that I thought I would be very happy to attend." David said.
Relying on Universitybrochures and what he called an underground college guide, Hauber chose the University before setting foot on campus. All three of his children have attended since.
"It was a big
His son, Michael Hauber, is a senior studying exercise science. Michael said he didn't consider any colleges and liked Lawrence because it separated itself from other Kansas communities in terms of people and politics. The
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT'S BIG 12 RANKINGS
63. Texas A&M University-College Station (61)
63. Texas A&M University-College Station (61)
79. Baylor University (80)
45. University of Texas-Austin (47th last year)
86. University of Colorado-Boulder (77)
94. Iowa State University (88)
94. University of Missouri (102)
104. University of Kansas (96)
111. University of Oklahoma (102)
104. University of Nebraska-Lincoln (96)
132. Kansas State University (Third Tier; schools ranked 134-190)
are listed alphabetically)
132. Oklahoma State University (Third Tier)
159. Texas Tech University (Third Tier)
Last year's rank in parentheses
Haubers don't pay attention to the University's rankings among other colleges each year. Instead, they believe the University maintains a strong reputation.
"KU does carry a credence automatically," Michael said. "Not just
because of its athletics program, but I think people really regard it with high respect."
Edited by Clark Goble
www.testprep.ku.edu·785-864-5823
STAYING CONNECTED WITH THE KANSAN
MEDIA PARTNERS
Get the latest news and give us your feedback by following The Kansan on twitter @TheKansan_News, or become a fan of The University Daily Kansan on Facebook.
Check out Kansan.com or KUJH-TV on Sunflower Broadband Channel 31 in Lawrence for more on what you've read in today's Kansan and other news. The student produced news airs at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 10 p.m., 11 p.m. every Monday through Friday. Also see KUJH's website at tv.ku.edu.
KUJH
KJHK is the student voice in radio. Each day there is news, music, sports, talk shows and other content made for students, by students. Whether it's rock'n'roll or reggae, sports or special events, KJHK 90.7 is for you.
ET CETERA
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of The Kansan are 25 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at the Kansan business office, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnside Dr., Lawrence, Kan., 66045.
The University Daily Kansan (ISSN 0746-4967) is published daily during the school year except Saturday, Sunday, fall break, spring break and exams and weekly during the summer session excluding holidays.. Periodical postage is paid in Lawrence, KS 66044. Annual subscriptions by mail are $120 plus tax. Student subscriptions are paid through the student activity fee. Postmaster: Send address changes to The University Daily Kansan, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Dr., Lawrence, Kan., 66045
CONTACT US
Tell us your news. Contact Alex Garrison, Erin Brown, David Cawthon, Nick Gerik, Samantha Foster, Emily McCoy or Roshi Oommen at (785) 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com.
Follow The Kansan on Twitter at theKansan_News.
Kansan newsroom
2000 Dole Human Development
Center
1000 Sunnyside Dr.
Lawrence, Kan, 60454
(785) 864-4810