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Risky business While new apartments are going up, so are vacancy rates. With more empty space than previous years, some believe developers may have trouble finding tenants. Since 2001,the demand for new apartments has decreased,but building continues at a decreased interest rate.PAGE 3A
Student media The University Daily Kansan,KJHK,KUJH and Kiosk will receive $182,800 from a student media fee.The Student Media Board a part of Student Senate,passed the fee last week to help the four media outlets in technology,programming,salary and production. PAGE 3A
Big 12's good and bad
The Kansan sports staff recognizes the season's best and worst players and coaches of the Big 12 Conference. PAGE 1B
Last chance
The women's basketball season is on the line today
The Jayhawks could extend their season with a win in the Big 12 Tournament. Kansas will play Baylor at 2:30 p.m. PAGE 1B
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KANSAN
IN ITS 100TH YEAR AS THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Vol.114 Issue No.109
Vol.114 Issue No.109
So close,but far away
Haitian Studies students, professor speak about conflict
By Jodie Krafft
jkrafft@kansan.com
kansan staff writer
Although the recent violence and chaos in Haiti is thousands of miles away, the news has hit close to home for a small group from the University of Kansas.
For Enel Estinfils, former resident of Port-au-Prince, one of the hardest things is hearing what's going on in the country but not be able to do anything about it.
He said he still had a lot of friends and family back in Haiti, but they were located mainly in the northern part of the country away from most of the violence.
"Where it's quiet, it's quiet, but where it's hot, it's really hot," Estinfis said.
He said during some of the worst times, he tried to talk to his friends and
"They're doing fine. They're hanging in there." Estinfilis said.
family three or more times a week
Estinfils left Haiti in 1999 or 2000 to come to the United States for an education. In addition to being a student at the University, Estinfils teaches first- and second-level Haitian Creole at the KU Institute of Haitian Studies.
Bryant Freeman is the creator and director of the Institute, one of only two such institutes in the world. Unlike the
SEE HAITI ON PAGE 3A
Student takes Haiti seriously
By Samia Khan
skhan@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Matt Thornton uses a saying he once heard to describe his experience with the Haitian people: "Nobody knows what Haitians live on, but it must be air."
After spending two weeks in Haiti almost three years ago, Thornton was struck by the strength of the people. He said they had "beyond nothing" but remained content.
"I could be talking to a Haitian right now, and he'd be happy as hell," he said. "But if I really pressed the question and
Thornton, Topeka senior, hopes to go back to Haiti and offer his help to the people. Thornton is one of a few Haitian studies majors at the University. He is studying the language and culture of Haiti through the KU Institute of Haitian Studies, one of two such institutes in the nation.
Haitian because it was the language of the people.
While hunting for a unique language course to take, Thornton stumbled upon an introductory Haitian language class. Haitian Creole, the colloquial French-based language of Haiti, captured his interest. He said that he loved studying
The language is also a symbol of the oppression faced by Haitians. Haitian Creole was not recognized as a language by the upper class, who forced the lower classes to speak formal French. It was this sense of social injustice that drove Thornton to become involved in Haitian studies.
Thornton works closely with his professors in Haitian studies, especially Bryant Freeman. Freeman, director of the KU Institute of Haitian Studies, has noticed Thornton's passion for Haiti.
SEE STUDENT ON PAGE 6A
Kansas jumps into gay-marriage debate
By Michelle Ward and Patrick Cady mward@kansan.com and pcady@kansan.com Kansan staff writers
On Friday, the Kansas House of Representatives proposed an amendment to the state constitution banning same-sex marriages, bringing a national issue to the local forefront.
The firestorm over gay marriage has arrived in Kansas.
The amendment is similar to a national amendment proposed by President George W. Bush that unequivocally defines marriage as union between a man and a woman.
"My feeling is that marriage is a holy institution. It should be between a man and a woman," McFarland said. "But, I don't think that the government should be defining marriage."
Justin McFarland, Lenexa junior and president of the KU College Republicans, agreed with the president's statement but has reservations.
Other's reacted to the president's action with disbelief.
Kansas is among 34 states with laws against gay marriages. State legislators in at least 15 of these states are considering adding constitutional amendments to reflect these laws. Constitutions in Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska and Nevada have already been amended.
"It was absolutely crazy." Aaron Glover, Wichita freshman, said. "By saying gay marriage is wrong, how can we as a country say that this man is working for the equality of all Americans?"
Warming up to spring
SEE MARRIAGE ON PAGE 6A
Jered Soares/Kensan
Chris Hatcher, Haven sophomore, reads from Simple Justice, a book for his History 510 class. "It's nice to be out on a day like this," Hatcher said. Yesterday's warm weather allowed students to spend time outdoors.
Bill could bring in $1 billion to Kansas
By Lisa Coble
lcoble@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The state of Kansas could receive more than $1 billion in research expenditures in 10 years if a bill in the Legislature passes.
A good share of that money would likely bring professors, laboratories and equipment to the University of Kansas.
It is not known how much money the University would gain if the bill passes or what exactly the money would be used for, but potential research dollars have the University's faculty and administration salivating.
The Kansas House of Representatives passed the Kansas Economic Growth Act Feb. 26 in a 119-6 vote and is now before the Senate Commerce Committee. The act would siphon $500 million in taxes from bioscience industry growth over the 12 years for research and business development.
Leonard Krishtalka, director of the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, said the act would provide much-needed funding for research and education that would benefit both undergraduate and graduate students.
"We are educating the next generation of biological scientists," Krishtalka said.
In order to better do that, the University needs equipment and laboratories, which he said are "desperately lacking and far behind other institutions in the nation."
Some of those scholars would come to the University, said Rep. Kenny Wilk (R-Lansing), chief sponsor of the bill.
The act would support the recruitment of 25 distinguished scholars and 35 rising-star scholars to universities and fund the development of necessary lab space and equipment, according to a news release at the Web site of Rep. Clay Aurand (R-Courtland), the House majority leader.
The University, including the University of Kansas Medical Center, currently employs 68 percent, or 5,772, of the university bioscience researchers in the state, said Interim Vice Provost for Research James Roberts. The University's size, pioneering traditions, schools and research facilities have attracted those researchers, he said.
A bioscience authority — not the University — would determine who would come to the University and what types of facilities would be built, according to the news release.
Life sciences account for almost 75 percent of federal research expenditures at the University, according to the February 2003 newsletter from the University of Kansas Center for Research.
The authority would consist of 11 members of the science community from across the state. Two would be representatives of state universities.
Wilk said he was depending on the state's research institutions, primarily the University, the Med Center and Kansas State University, to embrace the bioscience act.
Nearly every research area at the University stands to benefit from the act. Roberts said.
Joint research efforts that the University has with other institutions, such as cancer research with the Med Center, would also benefit.
Roberts said many of the University's faculty and administration had voiced their support for the bill.
"The act could make Kansas and KU national leaders in bioscience research and technology." Roberts said.
James Orr, chair of the Division of Biological Sciences, said that as the University becomes bigger and better, the degrees students receive here will mean more to potential employers.
With the passage of the Kansas Economic Growth Act, those potential employers would be in Kansas. The act would create 43,000 jobs and 100 bioscience companies in 10 years, according to Aurand's Web site.
— Edited by Joe Hartigan
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