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Kansan
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Tuesday. February 27, 2001
Sports: Sophomore forward Nick Collison improves his game. See page 1B
Inside: Adam Fortunate Eagle, Native American Movement leader, has ties to Lawrence.
(USPS 650-640) • VOL. 111 NO. 99
See page 6A
For comments, contact Lori O'Toole or Mindie Miller at 864-4810 or editor@kansan.com
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Edwards campus
Internet courses increase enrollment
By Paul Smith
By Paul Smith
writer@kansan.com
Special to the Kansan
The Edwards Campus enrollment increase this semester is more than double the percentage growth of the University of Kansas as a whole, and Internet courses maybe have something to do with the bigger numbers.
The Nontraditional Pharmacy Doctoral program — also called PharmD — is the Internet-based curriculum that saw the greatest enrollment increase at 63 percent.
The program was launched online in Spring 1999, and all of its 100 students enroll through the Edwards Campus. The program's enrollment has nearly quadrupled from the 28 students at its inception.
Bob Clark, vice chancellor for the Edwards Campus, said it was evident from the steady increase of credit hours that the campus was responsive in offering education demanded by Kansas City's work force.
"The Web is creating a real opportunity for higher-education if we respond appropriately," he said.
Ron Ragan, the PharmD director, said he used the Edwards Campus for distance courses because of its technical and instructional expertise.
"Our students have provided extremely positive evaluations regarding the administration and staff at the Edwards Campus," he said.
Ragan helped establish the Nontraditional PharmD program two and a half years ago. Its goal is to provide further education for practicing pharmacists, and it takes up to five years to complete.
"The focus of this online pathway is to allow the practitioners to stay in their home region." Ragan said.
Ragan and other pharmacy faculty interact with students by e-mail, though orientation sessions at the start of each semester provide students with the chance to meet their professors. Some skills are not yet taught online, such as how to take blood pressure and use a stethoscope, but students can either come into campus to learn these techniques or mentor with a physician in their area.
"You have to develop a classroom without the cinder-block walls." Ragan said. "You have to find a way to interact with students."
Frank Weinhold is a KU graduate pursuing his doctorate in pharmacy online from his home in Longview, Wash., while he works as director of pharmacy at St. John Medical Center. Even Weinhold has had the opportunity to speak face-to-face with Ragan, meeting his professor at seminars held during the mid-year clinical pharmacists conference.
Weinhold has been in PharmD for two years and finds it convenient for his work schedule, which often requires
See EDWARDS' on page 3A
CLAS hit hardest by budget cuts
Hiring freeze among results
By Cássio Furtado
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Students may find more closed or crowded classes next semester because of the University's hiring freeze.
The freeze is caused by the budget cuts announced last week by Provost David Shulenbuzer
All schools, departments, academic units and administrative offices had their budgets cut by less than 1 percent —0.5674 percent— in fiscal year 2001, causeing a loss of positions and a halt on hiring faculty and staff.
Robert Weaver, associate dean of liberal arts and sciences, said the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences would need to curtail some positions next year.
"We're going to serve more students with fewer faculty," he said.
Weaver said the college couldn't force professors to dedicate more time to teaching because many of them had grants and couldn't devote more time to the classroom.
"We can't do as good a job with less money." Weaver said.
Lindy Eakin, associate provost, said the equal cut still allowed the University to save $1.15 million, which was necessary to make up for the budget recommended by Gov. Bill Graves in January.
The budget recommendations didn't include any extra funds to help the University pay for its utility bills, which increased during the current fiscal year.
For fiscal year 2002, the cut will be closer to 1 percent — 0.98 percent, which amounts to $1,988,340 of the budget.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which has the largest budget of all academic units, will have a cut of $342,616 in the first year and $592,423 in the second year.
But the University decided, Eakin said,
not to cut funds for library acquisitions
Kvle Ramsev/KANSAN
because the libraries wouldn't be able to purchase as many books even with a steady budget because of increased prices of books and periodicals.
"We decided to protect them," he said.
We decided to protect them, he said.
Eakin said that most deans and department heads understood that the University was doing all it could do to reverse the cuts by working with Graves and the legislature.
"Everyone is doing the best they can, Eakin said.
He said that deans and department heads would have the freedom to make the cuts within their departments as they saw fit.
Weaver said the college was taking several steps to make up for the cuts, but acknowledged that those steps wouldn't be enough to make up for all the losses.
Jerry Bailey, interim dean of education, said the school would suffer a $44,448 cut in 2001 and $76,856 cut in 2002. He said that the cuts were unfortunate but that the University had no choice in the situation.
The School of Engineering will have to cut its more than $11 million budget by $62,477 in fiscal year 2001 and $108,029 in 2002.
"We hope the governor and the legislature will be able to find additional resources," he said.
The chancellor's office will lose $30,912 in the first year and $53,450 in the second year, and the provost's office will have to cut its spending by $102,272 the first year and $176,839 the next.
— Edited by Melinda Weaver
The FDA prohibits gay men from donating blood because they are considered a high risk group for contracting HIV. Recently, the FDA voted to continue this practice. This is one of more than a dozen restrictions on donating blood. Photo Illustration by Matt Daugherty/KANSAN
Blood Drive
FDA standards ban some from donating blood
By Livi Regenbaum
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Not all KU students are allowed to give blood.
The FDA, which regulates restrictions on blood donors, has recently voted to continue its practice of not allowing sexually active gay men to donate blood. The FDA also prohibits people who have ever used a needle to take illegal drugs or steroids, or who have had sexual intercourse with someone infected with HIV.
The policy also bans people who were born or have lived in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Nigeria for more than one year, as well as those who have received blood transfusions or medical treatment with a blood product from these countries.
Men who have had sex with prostitutes are barred from donating blood for one year. The list includes 12 other prohibitions.
Paul Richards, public affairs specialist for the FDA, said the exclusion criteria were intended to use all prudent measures that might reduce the potential risk of transmitting HIV.
"Studies have shown that men with a history of male to male sex since 1977 may be infected with HIV," he said. "In a recent surveillance report, CDC states that men who have sex with men account for 38 percent of new AIDS cases from 1996 to 1997."
Richards said although a potential individual donor may practice safe sex, persons who have participated in
FDA RESTRICTIONS
- If you had a blood transfusion, defer for 12 months.
If you have Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
If you have had exposure to hepatitis,
defer for 12 months
If you had immunization vaccines such as MMR and chicken pox vaccines, defer for four weeks
If you have had an organ or tissue transplant defer for 12 months.
If you have sickle cell disease
If you have had or been treated for syphilis or gonorrhea in the last 12 months
If you have traveled into areas with a risk of malaria
source: American Red Cross
high risk behaviors are, as a group, still considered to be at increased risk for HIV.
Sidney Hardgrave, executive director of the Douglas County AIDS project, disagrees with the reasoning behind the exclusion criteria.
"I don't think that the ban is appropriate," she said. "We know now that unprotected sex is risky."
John Roth, Honolulu sophomore,
also disagrees with the ban.
"It is based on a stereotype that sexually active members of the gay community are unsafe and at a high risk for AIDS." he said.
People excluded by the ban may have a difficult time not taking it personally.
See BEHAVIOR on page 3A
On air
KANU radio announcer Cordelia Brown prepares for a station identification inside the studio, located behind the art and design building on campus. KANU provides National Public Radio coverage to the Lawrence area. Photo by Aaron Showalter/KANSAN
Naismith Hall thefts remain unsolved
Refunds, security concern residents
By Cynthia Malakasis writer @kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Lauren Brown said that besides calling the police when she discovered her $400 stereo system missing, she also alerted the College Park Communities corporate office to find out whether she was eligible for any financial reimbursement.
Brown, along with other residents of Naismith Hall who were victims of thefts during winter break, said they have not yet received any financial reimbursement or witnessed better hall security.
"Naismith people wanted to keep it quiet,"
said Brown, Omaha, Neb., freshman. "I called people at the corporation and they hadn't even heard about it."
Brown said she was told the corporate office would look into its insurance policies for residents and contact her. More than a month later, she still has not heard anything from the office.
Jason Olds, Naismith Hall property manager, confirmed that the corporation was not responsible for personal property losses.
"That's not to say we don't acknowledge responsibility given conclusive evidence," said Olds.
Brown said she thought that although the lease stated the hall was not responsible for loss of personal property, she should be reimbursed because the theft was not a result of her negligence.
"My doors were left locked." Brown said. She said an investigation had failed to lead to any specific individual.
He said that because there was no evidence leading to the person or people responsible for the thefts, Naismith Hall could not proceed with financial reimbursements. He explained that Naismith could not assume the thefts were committed by an employee.
Hall security is another one of residents' concerns after the thefts.
Sam Aznaurov, Overland Park freshman and Naismith Hall resident said $1,700 worth of jewelry and his roommate's laptop computer were stolen from his room. Aznaurov was told that the police were handling the issue.
"They were stolen from a place that was supposed to be secure, and we have yet to receive any apology or reimbursement," he said. "I read the story about security tightening and all, but I haven't seen anything being done."
— Edited by Jennifer Valadez
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