thursday, march 4, 2004
news
the university daily kansar
3A
Opportunities for work study decreasing
By Steve Vockrodt
svockrodt@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Cuts in federal education funding may lead to less work-study opportunities for students applying for financial aid.
Students needing help paying for school may have to look toward other financial-aid programs.
"It's still competitive for students to find jobs on campus, but there's just less of them out there," said Ann Hartley, associate director of student employment services.
University of Kansas funding for work study took a blow in December 2002 when the University raised on-campus minimum wage to $6 an hour. Hartley said at that time, campus jobs were reduced by about one-third because of the strain
"It's still competitive for students to find jobs on campus, there's just less of them out there."
Ann Hartley
Ann Hartley Associate director of student employment services
the wage raise put on departments.
In addition, the combination of reduced federal spending towards work study and department budget cuts adds up to a loss in work study opportunities.
The work-study program is a need-based program in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid that uses federal funds to pay 75 percent of a student's wage. Departments on campus
that hire work study students must pay the remaining 25 percent of the wage.
Stephanie Covington, associate director of financial aid, said federal allocations for work study has steadily decreased over the last several years. Work-study funds for this summer have already run out.
The University applies for its federal allocation at the end of each year. KU was awarded $963,496 in 2002-03. That amount decreased to $912,418 for the current school year. Next year's tentative allocation is down to $851,791, signaling a $60,627 reduction.
The University policy to try to retain work study awards for those who received it the previous year is making the program more competitive.
Students who find themselves shut out of a federal work study
program still have options available. The Kansas Work Study Program works with off-campus employers to provide opportunities in positions related to students' majors.
Covington said an example would be Walgreens Drugstores hiring a pharmacy major. The program is lucrative to employers as well since the state reimburses the employer part of the student's wage.
Students must be Kansas residents to qualify, have a minimum 2.0 grade-point average and be enrolled in at least six hours.
Covington also suggested students contact the Financial Aid Office on August 1 in case any extra funding for federal work study comes about.
Joe Mulvihill, Perry senior said he wished federal work-study dollars would start to increase. Mulvihill is a work-
study recipient who works at the Watson Library circulation desk.
Without the financial aid, Mulvihill said he would have to take out a loan or find some other way to pay for college. He said he sympathized for those who might not receive their opportunity for work-study.
"It's hurting the people who really need them," Mulvihill said.
The steady decrease in work study made a significant impact upon the financial aid office, but Covington hopes it will rebound.
"It's a wonderful program, it's a great alternative to borrowing," Covington said. "We're hopeful to get to a level previously where we can accommodate most people who want it."
— Edited by Ashley Arnold
Dialogue to address ideals about body image
By Jodie Kraftt
jkraftt@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
A group of students, panelists and facilitators will have the opportunity to discuss body image tonight at the Diversity Dialogue Series called "Chunky, Skinny, Fat and Thin." The dialogue will focus on students' perception of body image and the media's role in increasing awareness through advertising, said Melissa Smith, panel leader and manager of health education for student health services.
"I hope students come away affirming that their bodies are wonderful and to take care of them in healthy ways," Smith said.
The dialogue is the second of three this semester. At the beginning of each discussion, an
"You think you know what diversity is, but it's not just black and white. I don't want to be part of the problem, I want to be part of the solution."
Elizabeth Ault
Topeka sophomore and DBET member
expert in that night's discussion topic introduces the topic and asks six panelists several questions. After the question-and-answer session, members of the Multicultural Resource Center's Diversity Peer Education Team break students into small groups for discussion.
During the group sessions, students typically don't want to talk, said Elizabeth Ault, Topeka sophomore and DPET member. Ault said she tried to think of simple questions during the panel discussion to get people talking. She said she enjoyed facilitating discussions and learning about diversity.
Students should come to the dialogues to discuss issues central to their self-identity, said Kathy Rose-Mockry, dialogue panelist and director of the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center. Tonight is Rose-Mockry's first time on the diversity dialogue panel, but she said she served on other panels for MRC activities.
"You think you know what diversity is, but it's not just black and white," Ault said. "I don't want to be part of the problem, I want to be part of the solution."
"These are issues that are critical to students' well-being and their success on campus," Rose-Mockry said.
Forty to 50 students typically attend the dialogues, said Kelly Gwilliam, graduate assistant and coordinator of the dialogues.
This is a combination of students interested in the topic or those required to attend for a class. Gwilliam said she was satisfied with the number of students who attended, but more was always better.
"But the students who come each time are not the same students, which is good," Gwilliam said.
The next diversity dialogue is scheduled for April 1. Called "Queer Eye for the Straight World," the dialogue will focus on television shows featuring the queer community and whether their representation is making progress or perpetuating a stereotype.
TONIGHT'S
DIVERSITY
DIALOGUE:
—Edited by Guillaume Doane
"Chunky, Skinny, Fat and Thin," a discussion on body image in America
7 p.m. at the Jayhawk Room in the Kansas Union
Sponsored by Multicultural Resource Center, Office of Multicultural Affairs and Diversity Peer Education Team
Call 864-4350 for more information
Tripping at Union resolved
By Neeley J, Spellmeier
nspellmeier@kansan.com
nspellmeier staff writer
After a semester of tripping at the Kansas Union, the problematic staircase has been fixed.
During winter break, McPherson Contractors, Inc., repaired the uneven steps. The University Daily Kansan's Oct. 1 "Unior staircase a trip," reported that there was faulty measuring of the stairs.
An inspection team discovered the problem during a routine check, said Pat Beard, director of the building services for the Kansas and Burge Unions. The check occurred after a $5 million renovation to the Kansas Union took place between summer of 2002 and April of 2003. Beard said the renovation was required for student, accessibility and because of traces, of asbestos were discovered.
Every project has areas that need to be revisited, Beard said. There were more problems than just the stairs, but nothing that affected the public to the extent that the stairs did, Beard said.
The repairs started Dec. 15 and were finished by Dec. 31. During the repairs, traffic was diverted to the Union's elevators and southwest stairwell, which was the mainstaircase during the renovation.
Doug Doering, of Gould Evans Associates in Lawrence, was the architect on the project. He said the height problem was a result of the concrete not being poured properly.
The difference in the height of the stairs was not more than three-eighths of an inch, but it was enough to cause problems because people adjust to a standard height.
If an injury had resulted, the contractors would have been liable.
Beard said he hadn't heard any complaints since the contractors had fixed the steps.
Edited by Guillaume Doane
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