monday, march 15.2004
news
the university daily kansan
5A
Ready for spring
Jeremy Burns, Fairfax, Va., sophomore, and Michelle Orme, Wichita sophomore, relaxed during a break from class Thursday behind Wescoe Hall. Last week's spring-like weather will continue into this week with a good chance of rain today and tomorrow.
Aristide's letter translated
By Jodie Krafft
jkrafft@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Embassy sends Haitian president's resignation to professor
Last Monday, the director of the Institute of Haitian Studies at the University of Kansas received a resignation letter written by former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
The U.S. Department of State asked Bryant Freeman, who has more than 45 years of experience with Haitian history, culture and language, to translate the resignation letter.
Freeman has more than 45 years of experience with the Haitian history, culture and language.
The letter was written in Haitian Creole, one of the official languages of the country.
Creole since 1978 and said it took him about 30 minutes to translate the document.
Freeman has taught Haitian
Freeman said translating the historical document was just part of his job as a specialist in the language.
"It's what I do," he said.
A translation
Freeman
A translator from the U.S. Embassy in Haiti said Aristide said he was resigning as president.
Freeman said the letter didn't contain those exact words, and Aristide, who is exiled in Africa, says he is still president.
says he is a lawyer. The U.S. Embassy translated the controversial passage as,
"Tonight I am resigning in order to avoid a bloodbath. I accept to leave, with the hope that there will be life and not death."
Freeman translated the same passage as, "If this evening it is my resignation which can prevent a bloodbath, I agree to leave in the hope that there will be life and not death."
and more.
Freeman took the letter, which was a faxed copy of the original letter, to his third-level Haitian Creole class Friday for his students to translate.
depts to transcribe Freeman said he didn't know of anyone else gaining access to the letter.
"I was delighted to get the actual text. I'm going to frame it," he said.
University group offers students free income tax help
Edited by Cindy Yeo
By Laura Phillips
Special to the Kansan
editor@kansan.com
For the last three years, Emily Metzger has gone to the University of Kansas' Legal Services for Students to get free help with her income taxes. After making an appointment, she would drop off her documents and wait for her refund to be automatically deposited into her bank account
"I have no idea how to do my own taxes," the Lawrence senior said. But this year Metzger and other students are finding that they have to wait a month to get an
appointment with Legal Services for Students. The office suggests students use walk-in clinics offered by KU law students instead.
Michele Kessler, associate director of Legal Services for Students, said she thought increased knowledge of the program through word of mouth was the reason Legal Services for Students has been so much busier this year.
The five walk-in sites are open to KU students and people who make less than $35,000 a year. The law students will prepare basic federal and state taxes for Kansas and Missouri residents. They cannot do international students' taxes and can do only federal taxes for residents of states other than Kansas and Missouri, Stephen Mazza, associate professor of law and faculty advisor, said.
Leslie Hendrix, who volunteered last year, has not noticed an increase in clients at the walk-in sites yet.
in sites you.
"But as April 15 approaches it becomes a mad dash," the Coffeyville third-year law student said.
Vice President
For students to qualify as volunteers, they must go through special training outside of the classroom.
While the volunteers at the law school sites work for free, the University pays the attorneys at the Legal Services for Students office. A portion of each KU student's activity fee is allocated for free legal services. After students give their information to the tax assistants, an additional week is needed before the forms are submitted. This time is used to make sure everything has been done correctly, Mazza said.
"Most of us are working on our tax certificates, which requires 20 volunteer hours over three years,"
Hendrix said. "And generally everyone has had at least one semester of tax class in law school."
— Edited by Henry C. Jackson
KU VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE
Mondays:
6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Green Hall
6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Green Hall Computer Lab, Third Floor Library Tuesdays:
Tuesdays:
Monday
1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Penn House, 1035
Pennsylvania St.
3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Ballard Center, 708 Elm St.
Wednesdays:
3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Ballard Center, 708
5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Green Hall Computer Lab, Third Floor Library Thursdays:
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Lawrence Housing Authority, 1600 Haskell Ave., Apt. 187
Saturdays:
10 a.m. to noon, Green Hall Computer Lab, 3rd Floor Library
Note:
The VITA program will not be held the week of spring break, which is March 20 to 27.
SHARK'S SURF SHOP
Course conflicts?
I need one last course?
Enroll & begin anytime!
For a list of what you should bring to your tax appointment, see www.ku.edu/~legals/taxinfo.html
Source:www.ku.edu/~legals/vita.html
SPRING BREAK:
1 Week
DENVER CO:
566.2miles
WEATHER CONDITIONS:
Not so good
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