THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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Bill Self announces the duo's decision to part ways with KU basketball. SPORTS | 1B
THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2010
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VOLUME 123 ISSUE 2
CAMPUS
Two new buildings increase the size of West Campus
The Bioscience and Technology Business Center is one of KU's latest additions to West Campus. The 20,000-square-foot building was completed in mid-June and houses a state-of-the-art wet lab facility, start-up companies related to KU research, and other new technology businesses.
BY KELLY STRODA kstroda@kansan.com
As of this summer, West Campus is home to two new buildings. These two buildings are in the midst of the University's pharmaceutical and life science research area. The buildings provide new opportunities for KU faculty and students along with a better way of helping put Lawrence on the map for scientists and businesses around the country.
BIOSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS CENTER
The Bioscience and Technology Business Center, 2029 Becker Dr. opened about a month ago and is now fully functioning. Access to this center allows KU faculty
to have a place to help them develop their own companies. The center will function as an incubator for new businesses that emerge from the University as well as businesses that are recruited here.
"This is a new thing for KU this
Kelsey Richardson/KANSAN of-the-art wet lab
The Lawrence Regional Technology Center is managing the building and the Lawrence-Douglas County Bioscience Authority owns the building, forging a three-way partnership between these businesses and the University.
Carey Novak, director of Business Relations and Development in the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, said that the BTBC would provide opportunities for faculty interested in developing their ideas into potential companies.
ment and partnership," said Matt McClorey, director of the Lawrence Regional Technology Center.
"That's becoming a bigger thing with younger faculty, especially faculty in the sciences and the engineering areas," Novak said.
Glen Marotz, associate dean of Engineering Research and Graduate Programs in the School of
"This is a new thing for KU, this is a new thing for Lawrence, but I think it's a really positive step in."
This is a new thing for KU, this is a new thing for Lawrence, but I think it's a really positive step in terms of economic developmental purposes" Marotz said. "So the Bioscience Center will definitely help."
GLEN MAROTZ Associate dean of engineering
Engineering agrees that the BTBC will benefit University faculty.
" When something shows promise, it's not easy to find a space that you can use for developmental purposes" Marotz said. "So the Bioscience Center will definitely help."
The center is also looking to recruit emerging companies that are interested in Lawrence and interested in working with students.
"I think this will provide opportunities for students in terms of job opportunities with early-stage, promising businesses whether they are spun out from the University or
recruited here," McClorev said.
Douglas County and the Lawrence-Douglas County Bioscience
Construction on the 20,000-square-foot building began in October 2009. The University of Kansas, the City of Lawrence,
SEE CAMPUS ON PAGE 6A
TECHNOLOGY
Googling may not be best
BY STEPHEN
MONTEMAYOR
smontemayor@kansan.com
M. D. Rezaiekhaligh/KANSAN
For having grown up with the onset of the Internet, our generation may not be all that Web savvy when it comes to researching, a study by the International Journal of Communication suggests.
The study, written and conducted by professors at Northwestern University, found that students often only chose websites that appeared at the top of Google searches to complete tasks or perform research. Eszter Hargitta, associate professor of communication studies at Northwestern and one of the authors, said that most mistakes in the Web research process occur before students even click "Search."
"I think part of it is not so much necessarily what else they can be using." Hargittai said. "I think a big part of it is being more critical and careful about what they are already using."
Hargittai said that search results aren't necessarily ranked in terms of credibility. More sophisticated queries are also needed to glean credible sources from popular search engines.
University of Kansas students have nearly 400 databases at their fingertips, with information on every subject at the University that is not usually found through Google searches.
Tami Albin, undergraduate instruction and outreach librarian, often helps students interested in improving their ability to navigate the library's extensive online resources. She said that whether a student is using Google or a library database, a level of skill is needed to effectively complete a desired task online.
"The research process, you know, it's like anything else," Albin said. "You learn how to do something well over time. With new technologies, you have to learn how to do research different ways. A student who jumps online and pulls three articles off of the Internet and then writes a paper on it and hands it in the next day is not going to get really, really good grades."
Albin said that students are welcome to bring assignments to the library to review with a librarian and seek the proper avenue for research.
Rothman said he most often uses the library's databases or news sources such as The New York Times when working on a project. Rothman analyzes the assignment and considers what research will be necessary before logging on. He said that these skills were instilled during a freshman English course.
While Alec Rothman, a sopromore from Boston, is an exception to the rule, Thea Glassman, a sopromore from New York City, affirms the study's results.
"We can find ways to access the things they need."
"My English teacher last year actually looked at our bibliographies before he read our papers to see how valid our sources were," Rothman said. "And once he saw
SEE RESEARCH ON PAGE 6A
ADMINISTRATION
Bursar's office requires students employees to get direct deposit
BY MICHAEL HOLTZ
mholtz@kansan.com
Two separate policies require students and University of Kansas employees to sign up for direct deposit to receive refunds and paychecks electronically.
According to an announcement that the Bursar's Office posted online, the new refund policy allows students to receive refunds faster and more safely than they would if the University distributed them as checks.
The second policy is a state mandate requiring direct deposited paychecks for all state employees, which includes University employees. The employees have until Oct. 1 to comply with the new policy.
"The advantage to the University is better business efficiencies," said Katrina Yoakum, comptroller for the University. "We spend a lot of time following up with checks that are not picked up."
"We've been trying for years to encourage staff and employees to utilize direct deposit," said Diane Goddard, vice provost for
Though the state's deadline for direct deposit enrollment is Oct. 1, the goal of the Bursars Office is to have 100 percent enrollment by the beginning of September. Yoakum said more than 95 percent of University employees have already signed up.
administration and finance. "We ramped it up to the 80 percent level pretty quickly. Getting from 80 to 95 percent has been more difficult."
Employees who do not have an account at a financial institution will receive a Skylight Financial account, an ATM-based bank, and a Skylight pay card. Employees must sign up for this service at the Payroll Office.
Kelsey Smith, a junior from Council Grove, signed up for direct deposit when she started work for KU Libraries three years ago. She said shed recommend other students to sign up for it as well.
"I think it's easier that way," Smith said. "You don't have to worry about getting a new check deposited in the bank."
Though University officials have recommended refund direct deposit for at least five years, they was unable to mandate the policy until a federal law changed. The
policy has been in effect since last November.
Yoakum said direct deposited refunds will save the University $10,000 annually.
The Bursar's Office most recently notified students of the refund policy in an e-mail sent Aug. 2. The e-mail included instructions explaining how to set up direct deposit online or by completing a direct deposit authorization form.
"Having everyone on direct deposit means there are fewer people who handle that transaction," Goddard said. "It's just more efficient and much more accurate."
It's also much quicker. Goddard said students signed up for direct deposit will receive refunds at least a day faster than they would otherwise.
Edited by David Cawthon
For more information on refunds, please contact the Bursar's Office.
(785)864-3322
bursar@ku.edu
For more information on paychecks, please contact the Payroll Office.
(785)864-4385
payroll@ku.edu
index
Classifieds...6B
Crossword...4A
Cryptoquips...4A
Opinion...5A
Sports...1B
Sudoku...4A
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2010 The University Daily Kansan
Student Senate rebrand led by website redesign
Student Senate undergoes $4,000 makeover designed to improve its reputation with students on the Kansas campus. GOVERNMENT | 2A
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