Friday, December 1, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 3
KU students criticize professor's race study
By Jason Krall
writer@kanson.com
Kansas staff writer
Some African-American students on campus are criticizing research done by a KU professor which concludes that African-American students at the University of Kansas are less aware of racial themes in the media than their counterparts at a predominantly African-American university in Louisiana.
Shannon Campbell, assistant professor of communication studies and journalism, studied a group of seven African-American KU students and six African-American students at Xavier University in Louisiana as they viewed episodes of two sitcoms on the UPN network popular with African-American audiences.
She found that the students from Xavier picked out racial themes and overtones in the show more easily than the KU students.
Russell Hayes, public relations chair for the KU chapter of National Pan-Hellenic Council, an organization of predominantly African-American fraternities and sororities, said each individual African-American student at KU had his or her own unique perspective on racial issues.
The Kansas City, Kan., junior also said that researchers should not draw conclusions based on small
groups of students.
"For the most part. Black students are as culturally diverse as White students, as far as where we come from and how we feel about different problems." Hayes said.
In one episode of *Moesha*, the title character's 12-year-old brother was brought home by a Caucasian police officer. The Xavier students took issue with the fact that the only Caucasian character in the show was also the only one in a position of power. Campbell said.
orportunity. The KU students were more amused by comedy that cloaked racist images, she said.
Campbell also linked the way each student identified his or her own race to how tuned in they were to racist themes.
All the Xavier students and two of the KU students identified themselves as African American, while five of the KU students identified themselves as Black.
themselves as Black Campbell said.
Courtney Bates, president of Black Student Union, said she wasn't surprised that students in southern states were more aware of racism than those in Midwestern students.
"Students who tend to gravitate toward predominantly black universities are more keyed up and
more focused and aware of issues like that," the Lawrence sophomore said, "whereas students in the Midwest, while we do come across various racial issues, it isn't the same environment that some students experience in the South."
Still, drawing conclusions on how more than 600 African-American KU students view racism using a sample group of seven students is uncientific. Bates said.
"There is no way you can come to any kind of final statement with so few subjects in your research," she said.
But Campbell said KU students from different parts of Kansas could have different views of racism.
However, her study sought only to find differences in outlooks on racial identity between the focus group at Kansas and the one at Xavier, and not to draw conclusions about differences among the students in each group.
"I have done surveys using other types of methodologies that have confirmed the study's findings," Campbell said. "But a focus group of that methodology gives you depth. It's a good indication."
She said she surveyed about 45 more African-American KU students on how they viewed their racial identity and that her findings were similar to those from the focus group.
— Edited by Kimberly Thompson
Lawrence to take part in worldwide AIDS day
Bv Melissa Davis
By Melissa Davis
writer@kanas.com
Kansas staff writer
Lawrence will participate in a worldwide campaign for awareness of the HIV and AIDS epidemic.
Today is the 13th annual Workk AIDS Day. This year's theme, "AIDS — all men make a difference," reflects the fact that men represent the largest portion of people living with HIV or AIDS.
According to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV or AIDS, more than 33.6 million men, women and children worldwide are infected with HIV.
Of those infected, half of all people with HIV were infected before their 25th birthday.
"We are concerned with this statistic because, with Lawrence being a college town, a high number of people can fit that description," she said.
Sidney Hardgrave, executive director of the Douglas County AIDS Project, said that this statistic was alarming.
Hardgrave said that Lawrence started to participate in the worldwide campaign in 1989. She said that she thought the significance of the AIDS recognition day had changed.
"People looked at the day as a day of remembrance in past years, but now the day has changed to reflect education and awareness," she said.
Hardgrave said the day was valuable because even today some people have misconceptions about HIV
More information
More information
Learn more about World AIDS Day
and get facts about AIDS and HIV.
See www.avort.org/worldaid.htm
and AIDS.
She said that many people still thought that HIV concerned mainly the gay community, but that the disease also affected women and heterosexuals.
Different organizations around campus and town are helping to raise awareness for HIV and AIDS.
A study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed that nearly 40 percent of more than 5,600 participants in a nationwide survey were improperly informed about how AIDS was contracted.
Many believed it was "very likely" or "somewhat likely" that AIDS could be transmitted by sharing a drinking glass.
The Campanile bells will ring 20 times at 2 p.m. to represent the 20 years of the fight against HIV and AIDS.
To educate people and dispel some of these misconceptions, DCAP is sponsoring events for World AIDS Day.
At noon today, Rich Crank, project manager of libraries, will give a historical perspective on the HIV epidemic in the gay community.
The presentation will be followed by a "talk back," where people in the audience can ask questions and a small poster collection that is focused toward the gay community
WORLD AIDS DAY
- Panels from the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt will be an display at the Spencer Museum of Archaeology until Sunday, Dec. 10.
Watkins Memorial Health Center will provide information about HIV and AIDS on the fourth floor of the Kansas Union from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A talk-back presentation about AIDS in the gay community will begin at noon at the Multicultural Resource Center, located between Murpry Hall and the Military Science Building.
DCAP will sponsor a free reception at the Spencer Museum of Art from 5:30 to 7 tonight. Dennis Dailey will be the guest speaker, and the reception will include a performance by the Cure of Ars Bell Choir.
The Campanula will ring its bells 20 times at 2 p.m. to signify the 20 years of the fight against AIDS and HIV.
Crank said that although more young people were educated about the disease, many still chose to engage in risky behaviors.
"Just because people are more and more aware doesn't mean they aren't putting themselves at risk," he said. "I think it comes from the notion that when you are young you are invincible."
The Multicultural Resource Center is sponsoring the presentation.
will be exhibited.
Edited by Sara Nutt
Walking the walk
New members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority make their debut stepping down Wescoe Beach yesterday afternoon. Sorority president Eve Lane, Lawrence junior, said it was something the sorority did after completing the initiation process. "It's a tradition. They do it on their own," she said. The new members from right to left are: Kalisha Carthen, Wichita junior, Tiffany Cornejo, Wichita sophomore, Courtney Bates, Lawrence sophomore, Aisha Whitaker, Olathe senior, Kiata Sleet, St. Louis freshman, and Kristi White, Overland Park, graduate student in education. Photo by Christina Neff/KANSAN
Senate pleased with semester
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
By Kursten Phelps
Student Senate wrapped up its semester on Wednesday, and some Senate members said they would give the group a passing grade overall.
"I'd give Student Senate a B+," said Ben Walker, student body president. "I think we have accomplished a lot of things and set in motion a lot of projects, but there is more that we can and will do next semester."
He said a voter-registration drive sponsored by Student Legislative Awareness Board was a success for Senate. The drive registered 2,000 new voters. 80 percent of whom voted.
unrelated persons living in a single-family residence to two persons.
"It was a good indication that Senate did a good job getting students registered and encouraging them to vote," Walker said. "We followed up with a fairly aggressive campaign so students were aware where to vote and who the candidates were."
Walker said another major endeavor Senate undertook this semester was the fight against a proposed city housing ordinance that would limit the number of
"A lot of student senators and executive staff members spent a lot of time researching the issue
and presenting student opinion in a w e l l . researched way," he said. "I think our victory in the
planning commission showed our ability to effectively advocate for students."
Jessica Bankston, SLAB legislative director and Nunemaker senator, said she thought that Senate had effectively changed its focus toward more student-friendly issues this semester.
"I thought there was a big improvement over years past," she said. "Senate's been more task-oriented and less legislation-oriented this semester. We're taking our work outside of meetings. Things such as the voter-registration drive and the tutoring program are things that students can see on a daily basis instead of us making some little
change in rules and regulations. The attitude shift, I think, is what has been so good about this semester."
Trevor Loney, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences senator, said that despite progress in providing tangible services, he thought Senate needed to do a better job of fully debating legislation next semester.
"A couple years ago, we had meetings go past midnight regularly, and I enjoy the process and the people there," Loney said. "You're there to do a job. To not hear the only speech against a bill is ridiculous. To not extend the discussion by the number of questions on the floor is ridiculous."
He said at times this semester, senators preferred to end Senate meetings early rather than hear all sides of an issue.
"We have the responsibility to hear all sides of the issues," Loney said. "Limiting discussion is a very detrimental thing to society. I don't mind be there late. When you cut off debate, you're reaffirming the belief of the student body that senators are there simply for themselves."
Edited by Jill Pittman
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