Wednesday inside
Obey your 'Thirst' An experimental new play subtly deals with spiritual themes without drowing the audience. Find out what makes this interpretation of Thirst so special. PAGE 3A
In the name of his father Jim Bridges has made fundraising for Lou Gherig's disease one of his priorities at the University of Kansas. Bridges father died from the disease when Jim was in first grade. Bridges has raised more than $11,000 since his father's death.PAGE 5A
Redemption
The Jayhawks will need to focus on defense
and bench play to defeat the Cornhuskers tonight at Allen Fieldhouse. PAGE 1B
Fencing foils
The KU Fencing Club, started in 2001,
has fencing on the brain. The club uses the Olympic style and practices with blunt blades called foils.The 25 members are preparing for a tournament in March. PAGE1B
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- Matt Laubhan, KUJH-TV
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Sports 1B
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Comic 6A
Vol.114 Issue No. 105
KANSAN
IN ITS 100TH YEAR AS THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Vol.114 Issue No.105
Dean decision soon
By Rupal Gor rgor@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
The search for a new dean of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Kansas will end soon.
The third and final candidate will complete the interviewing process Friday, said Jeff Aubé, medicinal chemistry professor and chairman of the dean search committee.
After that, the committee will meet and decide among the finalists and make a recommendation to Provost David Shulenburger.
He has been dean of the school for 10 years and will continue teaching and researching at the University.
Jack E. Fincham, dean of pharmacy, will leave his position after this academic year.
Kenneth Audus and James Kehrer are two candidates who have already gone through the interviewing process.
The last finalist, Daniel Acosta, will be at the University for his interview today through Friday. All three finalists are distinguished and accomplished people, Aubé said.
SEE DEAN ON PAGE 8A
AND THE FINALISTS ARE
The three pharmacy dean finalists are listed in order of their interviews: Karlsruhe University of
James Kehrer, University of Texas at Austin, professor and division head of pharmacology and toxicology department
Kenneth Audus, University of Kansas, professor and chairman of pharmaceutical chemistry department
Daniel Acosta, University of Cincinnati, dean of pharmacy school
Source: Jeff Aubé chairman of pharmacy dean search committee
Groups want student votes
By Ron Knox
rknox@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
If you haven't been asked to register to vote this week, be surprised.
The Center for Community Outreach and the Student Legislative Awareness Board are on a mission after Campus Compact, a national student organization, released a study on student voting last month.
The study reported that college students cared more about volunteering and activism than voting. According to the report, college students vote the least of any eligible age group.
So this year, CCO, which coordinates Campus Compact at the University of Kansas, launched an ambitious project to register as many University of Kansas students as possible during Into the Streets Week which will continue through Friday.
Into the Streets Week, which started Monday, is a week of activities focusing on political awareness.
Volunteers are registering voters at Wescoe Beach, the Kansas Union, residence halls, and fraternity and sorority dinners.
"We're trying to reach out to a larger portion of campus," said Blake Shuart, legislative director for SLAB. "We need to reach as many people as possible."
Shuart said the money issues across campus, including tuition increases and raises in student fees, should make this November's election more important to Kansas students.
Campus Compact thought the election was so important on a national level, it initiated a voter registration competition between participating Campus Compact universities.
All students participating in Campus Compact activities nationwide will have to wear the winning university's colors to a home football game next year.
But even with voting's perceived importance, some students still don't take the time to register, Nick Sterner said while working at a registration table on Wescoe Beach.
Candra Williams, Wichita senior, registered to vote yesterday in front of Wescoe. Last year the University had a record number of students that registered to vote.
Abbv. Tillerv/Kansan
"Some people are interested. Some are not interested at all. I get the cold shoulder a lot," said Sterner, community affairs director of SLAB.
A cold, blustery day can be even more
challenging. For most of the afternoon, Sterner struggled to hold down loose papers on the registration table.
SEE VOTES ON PAGE 5A
Fees will increase, buses may decrease
By Ron Knox
rknox@kansan.com
kansan staff writer
Fees for bus passes will increase next semester because of growing gaps in funding between KU on Wheels' revenue and costs.
KU on Wheels will charge $70 for a semester bus pass next year, a $5 increase over this year's rate. Yearly passes will jump to $130 dollars from $120, while park and ride passes will cost $150, up from $130.
Even with fee increases, the Student Senate-run bus service may be forced to close some routes and cut down the number of buses on others.
"We're always talking about student fees, how we don't want to raise them," said Aaron Quisenberry, faculty advisor for KU on Wheels. "We either need to scale back some things, or come up with some creative financing."
Quisenberry said the fee increases wouldn't cover all of the losses.
The financial troubles stem from bus routes that cost more to operate than they generate in revenue.
The 23rd and Inverness route, which serves The Legends apartment complex, generates close to $30,000 in revenue a year. The Legends, 4101 W. 24th Place, provides $24,000 of this revenue. Legends residents' have the option to nav for bus pass as part of their leases.
Every off-campus bus route costs $70,000 to run, said Andy Knopp, student body president, leaving the Inverness route with a $40,000 debt.
The financial gap of the route is far more than other bus routes, Knapp said.
A $15,000 debt is typical on most other bus routes, Knopp said, which is paid for by the campus fees.
To make up for the losses, KU on Wheels could consider canceling the route, said Tim Akright, transportation coordinator.
But all leases at The Legends signed for next year included free bus passes and guaranteed bus service.
Instead of canceling the route, KU on Wheels will consider cutting one bus from the route, which would impact both the KU parking department and students who use the Inverness route.
Two buses transport students to and from The Legends and other stops on the Inverness route, stopping at The Legends every half-hour. But KU on Wheels only considers one of the buses an off-campus route, because the other would still run on campus.
Canceling one of the buses would cut the number of stops at The Legends to one per hour.
SEE FEES ON PAGE 8A
University parties debate hot issues
By Patrick Cady pcady@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Five representatives from both the University of Kansas College Republicans and the University of Kansas Young Democrats sparred in a war of words last night by debating issues of gay marriage, the war in Iraq and the nation's current economic troubles.
Before the debates began, democrat Adrian Zink, Larned senior, said he was prepared to hear his group enlighten the campus on issues pressing the country.
Three hundred University of Kansas students sat in Budig Hall last night during Norman Yetman's interdisciplinary Brown Versus Board of Education class. Yetman is director of American studies and professor of sociology.
Amanda Kim Stairrett/Kansan
The Young Democrats wore white T-shirts with a mascot of a donkey and the majority of the republicans wore suits.
"I want to see how our group can stand up to our beliefs," Zink said.
"I know members in both of these groups," audience member Josh Crick, Liberal senior, said. "I expect an ass kicking."
The groups sat at tables separated by a podium. Audience members streamed in, prepared for the issues, and, maybe, conflict.
"When you get passions involved you don't talk coherently. Nothing intelligent happens."
Josh Steward Hays junior
The republicans expected a more civilized debate and realized the danger if passions got out of hand.
"When you get passions involved you don't talk coherently," Josh Steward, Hays junior, said. "Nothing intelligent happens."
Each party had certain issues they were looking forward to.
Tom Keating, Marysville junior, said he was particularly looking forward to debating the issue of same-sex marriage.
The debate began with Jessica Adkinson, St. Louis freshman, moderating.
make their case.
For each issue, Adkinson asked each party a question. The party that was directly addressed had two minutes to
"
The first issue concerned wasteful
Then the opposing party would have a minute-and-a-half to respond. Then the original party was given another 30 seconds to rebut. Finally, the audience members were welcomed to to question the groups.
spending by President George W. Bush, and further issues probed same-sex marriage, taxes and the war in Iraq.
One of the most hotly debated issues, for both the audience and the parties last night, was gay marriage.
SEE DEBATE ON PAGE 8A
J