8A the university daily kansan
news
friday. march 5. 2004
WORLD
China frees an organizer of Tiananmen Square
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A democracy activist who helped organize the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests was released by China and headed yesterday to Rhode Island to join another recently freed dissident.
It was the third time in a week Beijing has acted on a case after
lobbying from Washington, in what some believe are efforts to stave off a possible United Nations resolution condemning China.
Wang Youcai, 37, a physician, was given medical parole and left the Zhejiang No.1 prison early in the day, said John Kamm, executive director of the Dul Hua Foundation, a rights group.
"Clearly, I think, they have been releasing and giving sentence reductions to people who
are considered priority cases by the United States," Kamm told The Associated Press. "It's part of an overall effort to get the human rights dialogue back on track."
Kamm said Wang arrived in San Francisco at midmorning en route to Providence, where he was expected to arrive last night. He was to be met by Xu Wenli.
In 1998, Wang and Xu were sentenced to prison terms of more than a decade for activities
related to the founding of the China Democracy Party.
Xu was released from prison in December 2002 and came with his wife to Rhode Island to join their daughter. He currently is a visiting senior fellow at Brown University.
The Associated Press
Wang was also one of more than a dozen student leaders of the 1989 demonstrations that led to the Tiananmen Square military crackdown.
SENATE: Students secure at night with the help of Jaywalk
Brent Carter/Kansan
Terena Silva, Recife, Brazil, sophomore and Brian Bizjack, Tulsa, Oka, freshman, walked Kathyn Davenport, Coffeyville junior, and Nicole Leiker, Great Bizap sophomore, to Watkins Scholarship Hall last night. Silva and Bizjack escorted the two from Allen Field House as a part of the Jaywalk program, which is available to anyone who is walking on campus late at night.
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had night escort programs. Poe was put in charge of researching those programs. From then on, she said, Jaywalk "kinda became my baby."
Now her baby's starting to grow up. Her staff has grown to 61 approved volunteer escorts, all of whom have passed criminal background checks and have been trained by the KU Public Safety Office.
Poe said she was still looking for more volunteers, especially females.
"I fully expected to have a lot of girls because they are often the ones who need the service, but there haven't been as many." Poe said.
The male volunteer base recently received a boost when the men's soccer club signed up.
Poe has been sending e-mails to campus organizations asking for volunteers. She said she hoped a by-product of the search would be more awareness about Jaywalk and more people calling for escorts.
"We don't get huge numbers," Poe said. "People may be afraid to ask, but the volunteers are there because they want to help."
Jaywalk received 13 calls in 15 nights of operation between the program's first night, Oct. 12, and the end of the month.
In November, Jaywalk's first full month, the program received 15 calls in 21 nights. There were four calls in nine nights in December before winter break.
All the callers were female except one. Poe said the one male caller wasn't afraid for his safety, but wanted some company.
Davenport has used the program several times and is also a volunteer. On Tuesday she relaxed and let volunteers Brian Bizjack, Tula, Okla., freshman and Terena Silva, Recife, Brazil, sophomore, look out for her safety.
It was the first walk for Bizjack, a new volunteer. He said he decided to sign up for the program because his fraternity, Theta Chi, counted it as both study hours and volunteer hours, because volunteers can do homework between calls.
Bizjack's fraternity brothers also called upon his sense of chivalry.
"Some of them were saying there were some scared, hot girls who needed help getting around," Bizjack said with laugh.
On Tuesday Bizijack, Silva,
Leiker and Davenport made the trek from the Fieldhouse to Watkins Scholarship Hall without any trouble, passing through several dimly-lit sections of Sunnyside Avenue. The street was quiet with just a few passing cars and only one other pedestrian.
Davenport said the fact that she got home safely that night meant the program was a success
"Even if the turnout isn't great, as long as it helps one person, the mission's accomplished," Davenport said.
— Edited by Nikki Nugent
LOBBYING: Efforts continue
relations, and Kathy Damron, a lobbyist from Topeka hired by the University as a consultant this legislative session.
Part of the reason Murguias's absence isn't being felt is because of the continuity in the new legislative team.
Rep. Tom Sloan (R-Lawrence) is the chairman of the House Higher Education Committee and deals with issues relating to the University on a regular basis. He said his committee had dealt with Josserand as opposed to Murgia in the past and were continuing to work with Josserand this session.
"From my point of view, I can't say there has been a considerable change," Sloan said in regard to the University's relationship with the committee before and after Murguia's departure.
While a difference might not be evident, the team has been busy. Boatright said the University has faced big issues such as the introduction of the bioscience initiative, which could benefit research at the University, and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' plans for education funding.
Hemenway spoke to the Senate Ways and Means Subcommittee on Higher Education on Feb. 9. He talked about the budget and concerns about covering
employee health care and research opportunities for the University of Kansas Medical Center.
In his testimony, the Chancellor said the environment at the University was more positive than it had been in previous years because of economic improvements in Kansas.
Continuity was one of Boatright's goals upon taking the interim position, and even with the lobbying team short a KU representative, more groups are being added to the University's representation at the Capitol.
During the next two weeks, two events will have the Capitol covered in crimson and blue. On March 10, the Unclassified and Professional Staff Association, a group that has never had assistance before this year from University Relations for its lobbying efforts, will go to the Capitol to discuss their concerns with legislators.
The largest event will be "KU in the Capitol." The first-ever event will bring 19 groups from the University, such as the School of Law and Office of Admissions and Scholarships, to the Capitol to reach out to the state and establish connections with lawmakers.
So, even as Murguia's office remains empty, the University has been able to continue to push its legislative agenda.
Edited by Henry C. Jackson
HISPANIC: Group Topeka-bound
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Similar legislation to the Driver's Licenses for Illegal Aliens Bill has passed in Rhode Island, North Carolina, Tennessee, New Mexico, Utah, Michigan and Oregon.
Raymond Rico, Kansas City Kan., junior, HALO member and intern for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, said Hispanic issues will also be important on a national level this year as presidential candidates try to win votes from the ever-growing Hispanic population
"The Hispanic population has
grown significantly over the last 10 years, but it doesn't matter if we don't use our voice." he said.
HALO will get a chance to lobby for national issues when it meets with U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan) at the event.
Aguilar said he was looking forward to meeting a lot of the up-and-coming Hispanic political figures who would be attending Hispanic Day on the Hill. He was especially looking forward to meeting Elias Garcia, executive director for the Kansas Advisory Committee on Hispanic Affairs.
— Edited by Nikki Nugent