Thursday, March 29, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Opportunities still available for University study abroad
By Michelle Ward writer at kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Michael Bittinger relives his travels to Paris and Florence each year as he prepares fellow University of Kansas students for their study abroad programs.
The Salina senior works in the Office of Study Abroad helping others share in the experience of international travel. Students can take advantage of living in a new culture while earning University credit.
"The experience will remain with each student, simply because it's an experience that doesn't come along every day," Bittinger said. "When you delve into another culture, it becomes almost a second home."
The office has openings in 18 of 25 summer programs, including those on the continents of Europe, Asia, South America, North America and Africa. Even though most deadlines for fall and summer study abroad have passed, the office still has positions available and will work with students, said Susan MacNally, assistant director of study abroad.
Along with a unique cultural experience, MacNally said one of the department's goals was to make sure students could take University courses, or their transferable equivalents, while abroad. This would allow students to stay on track with their graduation date and not fall behind. Students should have a clear idea of how study abroad will fit into their schedules and an overall plan, MacNally said.
Chris Hartley was conducting a plan for his final two years that included a semester of study abroad. Browsing through brochures yesterday afternoon, Hartley had been bitten by the travel bug after hearing the exploits of a fraternity brother. The tales of surfing and scuba diving had Hartley thinking of traveling, but it would not come without its hardships.
"I would miss my girlfriend," he said. "It would be really tough to leave her. We try not to talk about it. I would miss my family and friends too."
In the midst of his study abroad, Saeed Alqarni a Saudi Arabia native, said the experience had made him stronger Alqarni, who is studying accounting at the University, said students should have a plan before they traveled abroad.
"You need to go abroad having a goal," he said. "You will learn so much more, but you need a goal."
For Alqarni, the biggest transitions involved the food and the pace of American life. Living in the residence halls, he said there was little variety in the food. He was happy to have moved into his own apartment during spring break where he could cook for himself.
But he said studying abroad was not for everyone.
"You have to be independent. You have to watch what you are doing." Alqarami said. "It's not just for fun. You need a goal."
Edited by Jason McKee
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS
Study abroad programs have openings for summer enrollment in the following countries: Belgium, Hungary, Brazil, Costa Rica, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Japan, Russia, Mexico, Sweden and Tunisia
Sprint CEO backs new technologies
Source: Office of Study Abroad
By Eric Taylor
Sprint Chairman and CEO William T. Esrey explained to a crowd of about 1,000 last night how new technology, such as artificial intelligence, would make life easier in the future by making technology more personal.
Special to the Kansan
"It is clear that technology is advancing faster today than at any other nace." he said.
Esrey said Sprint and another company were helping create technology called Chase Walker. He described Chase Walker as a "cyber-you, programmed to know your habits, likes, dislikes and so forth, that would navigate the world for you."
William T. Esrey, chairman and CEO of Sprint, speaks about technological advances during a lecture last night at the Lied Center. Esrey was part of the annual Vickers Memorial Lecture series, sponsored by the School of Business, and talked about artificial communication, technology and the future of telecommunications. Photo by Laurie Sisk/KANSAN
"High-speed data that is usable no matter where you are or where you are traveling will be a central component of our future," he said.
His speech at the Lied Center, "Can We Have Technology and Humanity?" also focused on new wireless communication technology and technology's rapid growth as a whole in the 1990s.
Esrey also discussed "third generation" wireless technology, which he said would transmit data up to 10 times faster than current DSL lines. He assured the audience this new technology would influence their lives.
Esrey drew a laugh opening the speech by telling members of the audience it was OK to leave their cell phones on.
"You hear a phone ring, I hear a cash register ring," he said.
Esrey did not speak much about Sprint, but was asked if Sprint had plans to merge with another company.
"The day wouldn't be complete if we didn't get that question," he said.
Esrey also said the reasons behind the failed merger of Sprint and MCI Worldcom were "illogical and non-valid."
Damian Walker, Wellington sophomore, said Esrey's speech was interesting, especially
the information about artificial intelligence. "I'm interested in technology and one of my emphases is communications," he said.
"The artificial intelligence technology will probably be a big deal 10 years from now, but there will be many issues to solve."
Esrey's free lecture was part of the School of
Business' Vickers Lecture Series.
Past speakers have included former independent counsel Ken Starr, former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum and Cessna Aircraft Company Chairman and CEO Russell W. Meyer, Jr.
Edited by Jacob Roddy
One of 64 KU Ambassadors, Melissa Bryan, Andover sophomore, guides a campus group tour post Watson Library. Bryan began giving tours last summer and said it was a good way to learn about campus. Photo by Melissa Carr/KANSAN
Ambassadors full of facts, fearful of falls
Reporter enlightened after campus tour
By Andy Davies writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Melissa Bryan warned us not to let her walk into a sign.
She will be walking backward on campus for 45 minutes. She hasn't tripped or fallen yet, and she doesn't want it to happen today.
Melissa is a member of the KU Ambassadors, a group of 64 students who volunteer to give prospective students campus tours. Each of the ambassadors spends the week working in the ambassador cubicle, giving campus tours or helping with junior or senior days.
Before coming to the University of Kansas, I never had the opportunity to take a tour of campus. Being the sentimental guy I am, and, needing a story idea, I decided to brave the laughter of my friends, put on my walking shoes and take the tour.
Wednesday, March 7, 11:33 a.m.
Melissa, Andover sophomore,
is my guide around campus
today. We head toward the door-
way of the Union and wait for
Curly, the bus driver, to arrive
with the tour group. While waiting
for the bus from the visitor
center, Melissa gets a scouting
report about her group from
Jessica Perkins.
Perkins, an admission counselor, tells Melissa the size of the group and that the people were stone faced, noting they didn't laugh at any of her jokes.
After meeting the three prospective students in Melissa's group — Tiffany and Kara from Johnson County Community College and Chris, a high school student from Labette County in southeast Kansas — it's time to start the tour.
For Melissa, meeting people is her high point. She remembers the tour she took helped her choose KU, and she hopes she can have the same impact on others.
11:37 a.m.
We begin the tour. Being in outstanding shape, I say a silent prayer that I will not die walking around campus for 45 minutes.
Melissa, who, like all ambassadors, gives tours walking backward, has not fallen yet. Some of the other ambassadors have not been so lucky, however.
For example, while giving a tour his sophomore year, Curtis Sloan, Powhatten senior and co-coordinator of the ambassadors, fell in a pile of mulch outside of Smith Hall. He joked the fall actually helped him win the Falling Ambassador Award.
As we walk by the Danforth Chapel, which, by the way, has a two-year marriage waiting list, I see a bus pass. Melissa, never missing a beat, immediately starts telling the group how wonderful the buses are.
Our tour group start walking toward the Natural History Museum, which Melissa says is the second most visited tourist site in Kansas after the Topeka Zoo.
actually visited the museum on more than one occasion
I make a mental note to suggest more bus tours in place of walking tours.
I feel proud knowing I have
Of course, no one is saying much of anything else either. Only one question has been asked, and I start to admire Melissa for her ability to talk on and on about KU.
We've made it all the way to Lindley Hall and, surprisingly, I feel good. Despite the cold wind, nobody complains.
11:58 a.m.
I also learned one important superstition — not to walk underneath the Campanile before graduation, because it means I won't graduate at all. As much as I like KU, I don't want to take any chances on not getting out of here.
I also actually learned a few facts about the University.
Melissa said it wasn't hard to remember all the facts about campus. The ambassadors are given a booklet before they start that contains the facts. In addition, ambassadors must shadow five tours before they give any.
For starters, I did not know that there are 14,735 trees on campus or that Marvin Hall is known as the "Lighthouse of Campus" because students are always working overnight.
Melissa said shadowing was really helpful.
"That's where we learn most of our stuff." she said.
Ambassador hopefuls fill out an application and then are interviewed, first with three or four other applicants and then individually. After the ambassadors are selected, they go through training.
Once someone becomes an ambassador, he or she doesn't have to go through the selection process again.
12:10 p.m.
We've wound our way across campus and have walked up the stairs behind Wescoe Hall to Stauffer-Flint Hall. While huffing and puffing, I glance at good old StauFFER-Flint, knowing I can go inside, sit down and have a refreshing drink of water, but I push this thought from my mind and look toward the Kansas Union, knowing I am close to finishing the journey.
As we walk up to the parking lot across the street from the Kansas Union, I hear a fantastic sound: Curly honking the horn of the bus. I am relieved I was able to take the tour without dying and make a soon-to-be-forgetten resolution to start working out.
But the job is not done for Melissa. She heads out to give another tour, trying to avoid falling down for another day.
— Edited by Jacob Raddy
Buyer beware when searching for auto bargains
By Sarah Warren
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Claudia Meng can't rely on the dash board of her 1989 Buick Regal for anything.
The car's speedometer, gas gauge and odometer rarely work, leaving the Garden City senior to guess her speed, how much gas she has and how fast her engine is working.
"When we first got it, the odometer wouldn't count the miles and then it would all-of-a-sudden catch up really quickly," Meng said. "Now, it doesn't work unless it wants to work."
"And when it's really cold sometimes the speedometer blinks on, but 95 percent of the time it doesn't work at all. And the fuel gauge always says full, too."
Meng bought the used car four years ago for $2,000 and said she was unaware of the problems she would later have with the vehicle.
Tiffany Ball, public relations officer for Attorney General Carla Stovall, said what happened to Meng was a common problem for people who purchased used vehicles.
"We really encourage consumers to do their homework first on the dealer," Ball said. "And, if you get a used car, you're going to have to allot money for repairs that will come up."
Ball said another common carbuying problem occurred when consumers bought cars they couldn't really afford because of over-enthusiastic salesmen.
"Sometimes consumers will buy a car because of high-pressured sales and then get home and realize they can't handle it." Ball said. "They may call our office and see if their purchase applies to the Three-day Right to Cancel Rule."
The Three-day Right to Cancel Rule is a state statute allowing consumers to cancel a purchase within three days if the item was bought away from the seller's usual place of business.
"The rule usually applies to door-to-door salesmen, though." Ball said. "So, car sales usually don't fall under that category."
Ball also said, when buying a used car, people should look carefully at the vehicle and the title, because the car could have a hidden history.
"I know a couple of years ago when there was a lot of flooding, some dealers were trying to sell cars that had been flooded," Ball said.
Meng said she initially thought having her parents there when she bought her car would have saved her from hassles,but she knew even her parents could get the run-around.
"I think having adults around helps from getting screwed," she said. "I know that I might of had more of a problem had mine not been there.
"But the deal we got wasn't actually a great deal because we found out that the odometer doesn't work right, so we still got screwed."
Meng said she had no plans to sell her car in the near future,but when she did buy again she would do her homework.
"Because of the shape of it, I'll run it into the ground and then buy another car," Meng said. "I'll buy used when I do buay again, but I'll probably use word of mouth, prior knowledge and my parents again."
— Edited by Jason McKee
"Use your noodle ... eat some pasta"
Boulevard Night. Pale Ale Draws $0.75
Wheat Bottles $1.50
thursday
$2.00 Killian's Red Bud Light Schooners
monday
ALL-YOU CAN-EAT
5-10 p.m.
Custom Pastas, Salads and Soft Drinks
FRIDAY
Jumbo (32 oz) Margaritas "on the rocks"
saturday
$3.00 Jumbo (32 oz) Bahama Mamas
SUNDAY
Family-Style Pasta Platters
Serve 2-4 People Starting at $10.50
Lawrenoe, Kansas 1801 Mass 832.8800
Lunch Specials only $4.95
Monday-Friday
Small Custom Pasta With
Choice of House Salad or
Cup of Soup
Leasing NOW for Fall meadowbrook TOWNHOMES APARTMENTS
Close to campus* 3 KU bus stops
- 2 & 3 bdrm townhomes
- Studio 1,2,3 bdm apts.
- Water paid in apts.
- Water paid in apts.
Mon-Fri: 8-5:30
Saturday:10-4:00
- Walk to campus
Great 3 bdrm values
Sunday: 1-4:00
15th & Crestline Dr.
842-4200
mdwbk@idir.net