KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010 / BACK TO SCHOOL
"I didn't think that there would be such a diverse group of people. Be open to meeting new people and doing new things."
Ashley Magana-Garcia, a senior from Hutchinson
"Be prepared for long journeys up the hills on campus."
— Whitlee Douthitt, a junior from Oak Grove, Mo.
"Energy drinks appear to be cheaper in the Hawk Shop than they are in The Underground main area. That applies greatly to my life."
— Elfa Connolly, a junior from Overland Park
"It's a fun place to go to school. Definitely need to know how to manage your time between classes and parties. KU has a really good atmosphere. All of the professors are pretty relaxed and helpful." Steven Kass, a senior from
"Become familiar with all of the vending machines and food outlets on and around campus. When you don't have time to make something and you're rushing to class, know where the closest place is for nourishment."
"There's a computer lab in Budig. It took me awhile to figure that out."
— Megan Eddy, a senior from Newton
-Eddie Kennington, a senior from Leavenworth
"Your syllabus is your best friend. Don't lose it. You won't even realize how much it matters until you don't know when a test is." Shannon Ryan, a senior from Overland Park
Steven Kass, a senior from Overland Park
"We have great basketball and the Jayhawk."
—Andres Carrizoza, a junior from Paraguay
"In high school all of the teachers tried to scare you and say that you're going to be just a number. Being in the art department, I know that that's not the case. I'm not scared. They know me by name. If you need help, you'll get help." Jessica Brucken, a senior from Seneca
"Coming to KU as a freshman, I wish I would have known how important it is to go to all of your classes and take notes. That would have made the academic part much easier."
"It's a beautiful campus and the professors are really accessible."
— Kristen Reinert, a graduate student from Overland Park
— Zach Taylor, a junior from Olathe
"Try all of the restaurants here. Sushi is the first thing I had when I got to Lawrence. Submerge yourself in the culture. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing."
Tiffany Woods, a senior from Joplin, Mo.
15 things to know about KU COMPILED BY HANNAH JENNISON
"Take advantage of the rec center. There's a lot of stuff to do, a lot of interesting equipment. Don't go in the afternoon, from about 5 to 7. It gets really packed." Matt Tingle, a 2010 graduate from Cary, N.C.
"Know that Lawrence is a cool town. There's a lot of diverse and interesting people to meet."
— Adam Engel, a senior from Dallas
"Don't procrastinate.
Always go to class."
— Danielle Marcy, a senior from Olathe
N/AANSAN
lab
vrence-
science
M. D. Rezaiekhaligh/KANSAN
MONTEMAYOR
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.
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."
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.
"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."
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.
Albin said that students are welcome to bring assignments to the library to review with a librarian and seek the proper avenue for research.
"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."
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.
"Librarians love to find stuff, so 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.
SEE RESEARCH ON PAGE 6A
"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."
employees to yet until deposit
BY MICHAEL HOLTZ
mholtz@kansan.com
"We've been trying for years to encourage staff and employees to utilize direct deposit," said Diane Goddard, vice provost for
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.
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.
"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."
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.
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.
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.
"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."
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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