KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010 / BACK TO SCHOOL / 47
TRANSPORTATION
Check your car now to avoid big problems later
jgier@kansan.com
Julien Roskam works under the hood of a car Saturday afternoon. Regular car maintenance can help you avoid dangerous situations and costly repairs.
Dalton Gomez/KANSAN
Make sure your car is serviced before the semester is in full swing to avoid frustrating, expensive and potentially dangerous car problems.
It's pretty important to have a car that's in good working order when it's time to make that 2 a.m. food run, rush off to work or head to class for an important exam.
When students hit the road with a car not properly maintained, it's only a matter of time before small things become serious risks.
"The best thing to do is to take the car in to a place you trust and have them check it," said Colin Bredesen, service adviser at Lawrence Automotive Diagnostics, 2858 Four Wheel Dr. "We do a pre-trip inspection that covers the whole car."
"My girlfriend, now wife, was driving back from Fall Break and hydroplanned and rolled her car," said Sam Patrick, a senior from Wichita and employee at Firestone Complete Auto Care, 2425 Iowa St. "It totaled her car and everything."
The tires on his wife's car were low on tread. Patrick said if the car had been maintained properly, it definitely would have played a part in keeping her accident free.
"Most people think that they only need to change their oil," Patrick said, "but each manufacturer provides a list of suggested services to keep a vehicle running right."
Neglecting a simple tune-up might not be a big deal the first time, Patrick said. But in the long run, he said, maintaining your car will not only keep you safe, it will save you from having to buy a new car or pay for an expensive repair.
"Many students are sent with cars that they may have had in high school and if they want to keep them through college, they need to maintain them," Patrick said.
Marcela Teixeira, a junior from Brazil, said she took her car in for an oil change when the sticker on her window told her it was time.
"The service center usually gives a look over everything else," Teixeira said.
Mechanics at any service facility should inspect the entire vehicle when they do an oil change, Bredesen said.
Along with getting the full service tune-up, here a few things you to ask about when you plan your next trip to the auto shop.
BATTERIES — CHECK SEASONALLY
"Batteries need to be checked and maintained seasonally," said Kenny Starr, service manager at Walmart Tire and Lube Express, 3300 Iowa St. "The heat destroys them a quite bit."
The Crown Toyota service center, 3400 Iowa St., gets a lot of calls from students whose cars won't start because of dead batteries, service advisor Tony Hunt said.
"Battery checks are not as hazardous if overlooked as tires and timing belts," said Patrick.
TIRES — CHECK OFTEN
"Make sure they're up to snuff before heading out to or from wherever to make sure you arrive safely," Patrick said. "They're a bigger issue and people overlook them."
Get your tires rotated, balanced and changed as needed, Starr said.
"If you neglect to check the tread on your tires, you could end up off in a ditch because of hydroplaning." Starr said.
BELTS —
CHECK EVERY THREE
MONTHS
If a car has a timing belt that goes without being replaced, it could break, bending valves and damaging cylinder heads, Bredesen said.
"The timing belt job only costs about $800. It could end up being $3,500 or worse if the belt breaks. The key is to change it when it's suggested," Bredesen said.
FLUIDS — FLUSH SEASONALLY
Radiator flushes should be performed before and after winter, which Starr said was something people didn't always know.
The radiator coolant protects against corrosion all year round, and keeps your engine from overheating in the summer or freezing in the winter, Bredesen said.
Bredesen said if it hasn't been flushed for a while, make sure to get it done.
"The coolant shouldn't look like pond water. We've seen it. It should be bright pink, or yellow or green," he said.
OIL — CHECK EVERY THREE MONTHS
"You don't have to drive 3,000 miles to need an oil change. You can drive 1,000 miles and need an oil
change," Starr said.
Starr suggested oil changes be performed every three months. He said the length of time between changes was just as important as the number
of miles driven.
Most car manufacturers suggest changing the oil in your car about every 3,000 miles, Bredesen said.
Hunt said it would take missing
two or three oil changes before you start sludging up your car's engine. Waiting too long, he said, could ruin a car's engine, which would result in a costly replacement.
son/KANSAN
et lab
wrence-
science
MONTEMATON
smontemayor@kansan.com
E6A
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 study's authors, said that most mistakes in the Web research process occur before students even click "Search."
M. D. Rezaiekhaligh/KANSAN
"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.
"librarians love to find stuff, we're really good at it," Albin said.
While Alec Rothman, a sophomore from Boston, is an exception to the rule, Thea Glassman, a sophomore from New York City, affirms the study's results.
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.
"We can find ways to access the thins 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
employees to yet 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.
Youakum 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
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