Section A · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, March 7, 2001
Parking garage payments on schedule
Money remains for expansion
By Amanda Beglin writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Although the parking garage next to the Kansas Union has been filled to capacity only once since its opening in August, the parking department is on schedule to pay off the construction bonds used to build the garage.
Don Kearns, director of the parking department, said the department planned to finish paying off the garage, which cost $7,522,000 to build, within four to five years.
The garage provides 818 parking spaces for students, faculty and University visitors to use.
Kearns said the parking department budget was tricky to manage, but the Union parking garage was not a direct strain on the department's checkbook.
Despite low usage, payments for the 818-car capacity parking garage north of the Kansas Union are on schedule. Students have cited the hassle of pre-payment and high hourly rate as reasons for not using the garage. Photo by J.E. Wilson/KANSAN
"We have an $11 million bond for
"the parking garage that we have to
pav off in 15 years." Kearns said.
pay off in 15 years," Kearns said.
The remaining $3,478,000 is set aside for future expansion of the garage.
"We get our revenue for the garage from tolls, fines and events." Kearns said. "We have no flexibility to call the Chancellor and say 'Hey, we need more money.'"
Some students and faculty said they were pleased with the garage only because it freed parking spaces elsewhere on campus. After the garage opened, meters were removed from 400 spaces in nearby lots and given to students and staff.
Sarah Trulove, professor of Western Civilization, said she did not park in the Union garage but had little trouble finding a parking spot in the mornings.
"I can definitely say it's easier to park on campus now," Trulove said. "Even the parking lot behind Blake, where I had trouble parking in the past, has open spots now."
Kara Cowles, Weskan freshman,
said she didn't park in the garage
because it was a hassle — an expensive one.
"I don't park in the garage unless I'm going to see a movie at the Union," Cowles said. "Or sometimes I'll just park there for 15 or 20 minutes to go in the Union, and I won't pay. It's just a pain to do it."
Cowles said she thought the $1-
per-hour rate was "ridiculous"
and the $20 fine for overparking
even worse.
Kearns said even though campus parking permit prices would rise in the fall, the fine and per-hour rates would remain the same regardless of the welfare of garage payments.
Permit rates freeze for five years, then increase, as part of an agreement with Chancellor Robert Hemenway, Kearns said.
Kearns said based on the figures he'd seen since the garage's opening. University drivers were acquainted with the garage and were parking there more frequently.
"I can tell there been heavy usage this second semester."
Kearns said. "I'm surprised by how many people pay attention to the rules and nav the toll."
Kearns said the parking garage's environment intentionally differed from the garage near Allen Fieldhouse, which was gated.
"It's really an honor system."
Kearns said. "We didn't want to have gates. We figured we were so close to the museums, the alumni center and the Union that we didn't want to be intimidating.
"We wanted it to be like, 'Put your dollar in and go have fun.'"
— Filled by Matt Drummond
Program to select pre-med summer interns
Students awaiting selective decision
By Summer Lewis Special to the Kansan
response
KU pre-medical students who have applied to the Primary Care Summer Mentor Program will finally know by the end of the week if they have been accepted.
The program, run through the University of Kansas School of Medicine, gives exposure to primary care medicine to medical school hopefuls. But the application did not contain a date that would inform applicants of when to expect a
response letter.
Applications were due on
specific dates so students have
waited for acceptance for
more than a month.
Brian Van Norman, KU medical school program manager, said notification letters to the more than 70 applicants to participate in the 2001 Summer Mentor Program should be mailed out March 7.
The program is desirable for pre-medical students because they are paired with Kansas primary care physicians for a six-week period of mentoring in the summer. Students are matched with physicians near, or in, their hometown
areas, Van Norman said.
Approximately 50 students are accepted to participate each summer. With more than 70 applicants, a committee considers the applications through a regional selection process. The process selects students according to their hometown regions because they are required to volunteer in or near their hometown.
Deanna Dakhil, Wichita senior, said the program was very selective because acceptance to the program was an advantage for students planning to apply to KU Medical School.
The participants spend 100 hours volunteering with physicians in clinical settings. The volunteer work encompasses community health opportunities, writing case summaries and working with various doctors.
"The program will
"The program will provide me with experience in the medical field."
Christina Schnose
Lawrence junior
Participants gain experience and knowledge that helps students make a career decision about medicine.
Paul Crosby, medical professions adviser, said participation in the program was an excellent opportunity to develop a well-informed passion for medicine.
Christina  Schnose,
Lawrence junior, applied to
the program this year. She
will apply to the KU Medical
School next year and said
she knew acceptance to the
program could make a difference.
"The program will provide me with experience in the medical field and great resources of knowledge, so that I can truly understand the inner workings of practicing medicine," she said.
— Edited by Melinda Weaver
State law denies same-sex partners medical benefits
By Cynthia Malakasis
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas is not an academic institution that offers medical benefits or reduced tuition to same-sex partners of employees.
"Health insurance is provided by the state of Kansas, not KU, and they don't cover domestic partners." Faucher said.
Ola Faucher, director of the Office of Human Resources at the University, said part of the reason was as a state institution, the University had to abide by the legal standards set by the state of Kansas.
Faucher specified by "domestic partners" she not only referred to same-sex partners but unmarried couples in general.
Cindy Derritt, associate University registrar, said state laws were also the reason for same-sex partners of employees not receiving reduced tuition.
"Our tuition waivers are governed by state regulations and at this time they don't allow for any kind of reduction for same-sex partners or common law spouses," she said.
Stan Handshy, Erie junior and student senator for Queers and Allies, said he disagreed with the University's policy
"I find that very discouraging, but if they truly can't offer those benefits because they're a state school, I can't hold that against them," he said. "It highlights the need to convince our state legislature to pass a bill allowing for benefits to same-sex partners."
James Abraham, Lenexa senior, said he favored a policy allowing same-sex partners of employees to receive equal benefits.
"Most of those couples have the same love commitment," he said.
Aatie Womack, Overland Park junior, agreed. "Even though they're not legally recognized as a married couple, they're companions in the same sense as someone who cohabitates with the opposite sex," she said. "It's discriminatory not to allow benefits based on moral principles."
A growing number of private-sector companies, as well as some religious academic institutions nationwide, the latest of which is Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, are extending benefits to same-sex partners of employees.
Edited by Jay Pilgreen
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