KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010 / BACK TO SCHOOL
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TRANSPORTATION
Safely getting around when you're new in town
BY JANENE GIER
jgier@kansan.com
Getting around campus always involves dodging cars, buses, bikes and pedestrians. Paying attention to not only the thousands of people on campus, but also the crosswalks, one-way streets, parking zones and roundabouts, calls for undivided attention. Neglecting to pay attention in the mayhem that is back-to-school week could lead to tickets or worse — injuries.
WORDS OF ADVICE FOR THE NEW KIDS IN TOWN:
Picture yourself in brand new and unfamiliar surroundings, said John Santacruz, a bus driver for MV Transportation, Inc. Santacruz, who drives one of the bus routes on campus, said students should become familiar with commuting in a new place and use caution.
THE LAW IS THE LAW:
Police could always let you off with a warning, but ignorance of the law is no excuse.
"After a law has been broken, we don't have to give warnings," said Seargeant Chris Keary of the KU Public Safety Office.
Commuting on campus is just like commuting anywhere else, he said.
bus drivers to stop next to any big vehicle because so many people walk into the street without looking.
Just because you have the right of way does not mean you don't have to pay attention, Keary said. Use your common sense and watch for traffic, he said, because drivers are distracted, too. If they don't see you, you could be in danger of getting hit.
- Don't text and walk.
"About the time you think you've discovered all of the major things you need to watch out for, along comes texting," Santacruz said.
He's slammed on his brakes a few times as people, fixated on their cell phones, have stepped right in front of his oncoming bus, he said.
- Use crosswalks.
People just cross the street wherever they want, said Cat Jones, cashier at Hawk Food Stop, Strong Hall.
- Keep one ear open.
- Watch out for bad roads.
If you're on the phone or listening to music, make sure you have one ear free to listen to traffic and other noises that will help to alert you of your surroundings. Keary said.
AS A CYCLIST:
- Leave one ear open to be aware of your surroundings.
- Use a light at night.
"I used to live in the scholarship halls and the roads over there had tons of potholes." Adam Miklos, a sophomore from Hutchinson, said.
- Use extra caution on busy roads.
"You kind of have to watch out on the Boulevard sometimes because it can get pretty busy and drivers might not see you," Miklos said.
- Follow the rules of the road.
Bicycles on the roadway are considered vehicles, Keary said. Cyclists are required to do as other vehicles They need to stop at stop signs
and could get ticked if they don't, Keary said.
Jones said she saw cyclists run stop signs on a regular basis.
Another problem, said Chris Riha, a 2010 graduate from Overland Park, is reckless cycling.
He has seen many cyclists ride from the sidewalk, cut through traffic on a busy street, and ride back onto a crowded sidewalk.
She also can't stand it when people text and drive. Not only do you need both hands to drive, she said, but you can't see the road if you're busy looking at your phone. Texting behind the wheel isn't just unsafe; it's illegal. A state law prohibiting use of text messages or e-mail while driving went into effect July 1.
"You may have the right of way, but you may be dead right away."
AS A DRIVER:
dangerous enough before adding all the extra distractions."
- Be aware of one-way streets and roundabouts.
JOHN SANTACRUZ Bus driver, MV Transportation, Inc.
ner of West Campus Road and Jayhawk Boulevard, because it wasn't specifically designed to be a roundabout, Keary said Several streets including Kentucky.
ing Kentucky, Tennessee and
Ohio streets — have one-way sections near campus.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, accidents happen because people are
- Slow down.
in a hurry, Santacruz said. "I was in an accident where a driver ran a light, trying to make it to class on time."
- Don't eat and drive.
Whether you're searching for something in the back seat or swatting an annoying friend, don't turn around while driving, or go looking for some lost item in the back seat. Jordan Sola, a freshman from Olathe, said this kind of carelessness was upsetting.
- Don't reach and drive
"There's fighting and reaching and swerving." Sola said.
- Don't beautify and drive.
One of the big things you encounter with parking, said Dalton Gomez, a freshman from Overland Park, is closed parking due to events. He came to campus for an interview and was late because parking was reserved for a sprinting event, he said.
- Know where to park and when events will interfere with parking.
- Park in designated areas.
If you don't have a permit for the area, don't park there. If you do, you may return from class to find your car window adorned with a bright pink envelope from the parking department.
R RESERVE
Apartment Homes for Students
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n/KANSAN lab
vrence science
smontemayor@kansan.com
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.
6A
M. D. Rezaiekhaligh/KANSAN
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 Hargittai, 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."
"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.
"Libarians love to find stuff, so we're really good at it." Albin said.
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 sophomore from Boston, is an exception to the rule, Thea Glassman, a sophomore from New York City, affirms the study's results.
"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
"We can find ways to access the things they need."
SEE RESEARCH ON PAGE 6A
employees to you until deposit
BY MICHAEL HOLTZ mholtz@kansan.com
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."
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.
"We've been trying for years to encourage staff and employees to utilize direct deposit," said Diane Goddard, vice provost for
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 she 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 pavroll@ku.edu
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