SPORTS: NCAA scholarship restrictions for football programs could hurt some teams' chances in 1994. Page 11.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
VOL.103.NO.74
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1993
(USPS 650-640)
Gender segregation drops little
Some KU schools keep traditional student ratios
Editor's note: This is the first in a series of three articles dealing with gender issues in KU professional schools.
NEWS:864-4810
By Kathleen Stolle and Carlos Tejada Kansan staff writers
Forty years ago, society permitted women to be nurses and teachers and men to be anything but.
Times have changed ... but not dramatically.
Enrollment statistics from the Department of Educational Services indicate that while many of the University's professional schools are approaching equal proportions in men and women enrollment, several schools maintain traditionally male or female enrollments.
And as the children get older Muehlenhard said, teachers pay more attention to male students than female students. The result is a generation of inquisitive men, and women who tell themselves they must be reserved.
"Things have really not changed all that much," said Charlene Muehlenhard, associate professor of psychology and women's studies.
The schools of architecture and urban design, engineering and medicine each have less than 35 percent female enrollment. Meanwhile, men compose less than 35 percent of the total student body in the schools of allied health, education, nursing and social welfare.
The reason, said Muehlenhard, is cultural. Children in the United States are bombarded with messages that say women are inferior in math and science, she said.
"That's likely to be a self-fulfilling prophecy," she said.
Muehlenhard said that toys s reinforce the stereotypes. Boys play with toys that arouse curiosity and enhance spatial skills, such as building blocks. Girls' toys, such as dolls, emphasize social skills.
Muehlenhard said that as girls get older, they do not often meet women who work in scientific fields.
"I'll bet a lot of girls haven't met a female engineer, and if they did they might think, 'She likes her job, maybe I can do that,' she said.
"It's socialization," he said. "Men can change bedpans as well as women, and women can be aggressive."
Likewise, society is responsible for increasing proportions of females in previously male-dominated fields, Hohn said. In the past five years, the
Robert Hohn, professor of educational psychology and research, said he knew of no evidence that suggested professional abilities were based on gender.
proportion of women to men has grown slightly in KU's schools of law, pharmacy, business, engineering and medicine.
"When they are young children in school, their teachers and parents tell them they can become a businesswoman or lawyer or doctor," Hohn said. "I think there's an increasing series of comments made to women that these fields are open to them."
Women can benefit from their minority status in the job market because of affirmative action laws. But along with the advances come expectations, Hohn said.
"A lot of people will say 'Now you have this great opportunity, and you better live up to it,' and that's a lot of pressure," Hohn said.
Women's work?
Here is the percentage of students who are female in KU professional schools, followed by the percentage employed in a corresponding career field.
% of women in KU % in careers
Allied Health 82% 79%
Architecture 27% 15%
Business 42% 46%
Education 68% 79%
Engineering 18% 9%
Fine Arts 57% 52%
Journalism 58% 51%
Law 44% 24%
Medicine 34% 21%
Nursing 91% 94%
Pharmacy 62% 37%
Social Welfare 83% 69%
Sources: Dept. of Educational Services, U.S. Census
Melissa Lacey / KANSAN
Dan Schauer/KANSAN
Live art
Antonia Casagrande, Lawrence graduate student, performs her final project during the eighth annual evening of performance art at The Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St. Cross-dressing, harsh lighting and lots of water were used by the seven performance art class members last night.
Student department faces '95 budget cut
By David Stewart Kansan staff writer
Fate of leaders program still undecided; Ambler is seeking student input
The department of student life will look to cut $51,000 from its fiscal year 1995 budget, but it has not decided whether or not to drop the student leadership program, said David Ambler, vice chancellor for student affairs.
"We do intend to continue having a leadership program," Ambler said. "No programs are being eliminated entirely. It may mean they will be diminished. It may mean there will have to be some arranging of what people do."
The planned reductions in the department of student life would follow this year's similar cut in the budget for Watkins Memorial Health Center, Ambler said.
"I have not discussed fully where I will take the required 1 percent reduction for next year," Ambler said. "I don't want to talk about particulars because I really don't know that. Some programs will probably be more affected than others."
While Ambler said he had not decided to end
the student leadership program, he said he would not discuss the planned dismissal of Kelli Zuel, assistant director of the program.
"I have a high commitment trying to deal with personnel matters in a very professional and ethical way," Ambler said. "For personnel matters, I don't consider that you should put them up to a popularity vote."
For those budget decisions that would cut out entire programs, Ambler said he would consult student leaders for their input. Ambler said he had informed John Shoemaker, student body president, about the current status of budget reviews for non-academic programs.
"I think we would talk to student leaders for any service we would eliminate," Ambler said. "But that's not where we are at this point."
Shoemaker said he had hoped to have additional meetings with Ambler later this week and during the winter break to discuss further the budget process. Shoemaker said he would need additional information before deciding if any cut to the student leadership program were required.
"It's going to be a lot easier for me to understand now that it's been discussed," Shoemaker said. "I'm still not certain this is the best cut. It may or may not be."
Working directly out of the student leadership program, Tara Fink, Oregon, Moj. junior, said she had helped coordinate last month's Blueprints Student Leadership Conference.
She had not heard whether the leadership program would definitely be dropped.
"My assumptions is that everything is on hold," Fink said.
Students must learn basics of health policies or pay high price
Editor's note: This is the second in a series of three articles addressing how health care reform affects students.
By Liz Klinger
Kansan staff writer
Molly Maxwell, Prairie Village sophomore, is covered under her parents' health insurance policy. But Maxwell has no idea which plan that is or what it covers.
"I guess I just assume it will be taken care of," Maxwell said. "Until your health is bad, you don't think about it."
Maxwell is like many students who may be unprepared for medical emergencies or the day when they must purchase insurance policies.
Jim Boyle, associate director of student health services at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said, "It's an area where students tend to say, 'Oh, I don't need to worry about insurance,' and it's something that sure can rear up and bite them hard. There's a lot of areas in life in which I'd wished people would have said, 'You need to pay attention to this,' and insurance is one of them. I think a lot of people get burned."
Donald Hatton, physician at The Reed Medical Group Chartered,404 Maine St., said that catastrophic poll-
Ray Davis, head of health services administration, said that all students should have at least catastrophic policies, which cover serious medical problems such as injuries sustained in a car accident.
HEALTH CARE
cies also were helpful if students found themselves between jobs, moving or traveling without insurance after graduation.
For about $60, Hatton purchased a two-month, catastrophic plan last year for his son when he was unemployed temporarily.
"The thing I think needs to be stressed are those transition points," Hatton said.
Boyle said that when students graduated and weighed job offers, they
should learn the basics of health care and should consider coverage.
On Oct. 30 at the Midwest Health Summit in Kansas City, Mo., first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton observed that most people knew more about the cars they bought than their health insurance.
Andy Draper, a Lawrence graduate student in health services administration and a unit clerk at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, 325 Maine St., said, "When you go out and buy a car, you want something with four wheels and an engine. But what else do you want? What doctor do you want? What hospital do you want to use? Do you want eye coverage?"
Boyles said that before selecting policies, students should assess their health care needs and should decide
what kind of coverage they want. Students who have pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart problems, should be aware of the extent to which different policies cover those needs.
Boyle said that such students might need to purchase additional insurance because most policies provided little or no coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Most businesses have waiting periods before they cover new employees, Boyle said. The University has a waiting period of 60 days for new employees.
Madi Vannaman, assistant director of human resources, said that if new University employees who had pre-existing conditions chose a health care plan and the desired options
before the 60-day waiting period ended, the University policy would cover those conditions. University employees also will not be penalized for pre-existing conditions if they choose a plan during a one-month open enrollment, which is offered annually in October.
Draper said that waiting periods allowed businesses to assess employees' health before covering them. For example, a student who is pregnant at the time she is hired or who becomes pregnant during the waiting period may not be covered.
Draper, who was a health policy intern for Sen. Nancy Kassebaum this summer in Washington, said that if President Clinton's health care
See HEALTH. Page 16.
The swamp thing
Graduate student Joe Mendelson loves to stomp through sticky swamps and leafy forests in search of his first love exotic frogs.
Page 3.
Intern is learning keys to the city
KU graduate student garners experience in manager's office
By Tracl Carl
Kansan staff writer
When Jonathan Allen grows up, he wants to be a city manager.
Allen started his yearlong internship with Lawrence in June. In the past seven months, he has done everything from helping with the city budget to spending a day with firefighters, including riding with them on emergency calls.
As an intern at the City Manager's office in City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. graduate student, is well on his way.
As a KU student interested in local government, Allen knows the city's impact on students' lives.
From the water students use to the streets they drive on, the city's services and decisions affect them every day.
Students can also play a powerful role in city government, he said. "It's up to them to exert that power," Allen said.
"You learn how to work with people and come to a consensus," he said. "You have to trust the process to come up with the correct and appropriate outcome."
Students can get involved in their city by volunteering or serving on advisory boards, Allen said. Board vacancies are announced on the public information channel. Applications are at the city manager's office. Students' participation will teach them valuable cooperation skills, he said.
Aten received his bachelor's degree in economics from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Fla. He is working on his master's in public administration and is the first recipient of the Advancement of Local Government Executives award at KU. He also is president of the KU Association of African-American graduate students.
"The weather is more attractive in Florida," he said. "Sixty degrees is cold to me."
"If you want to be a city manager, you go to KU," he said. When he graduates in May, he wants to find a job in a city office. He would prefer to work in Florida.
Allen said he decided to come to KU because of its strong public administration program.
Valerie Bontrager / KANSAN
Mike Wildgen, city manager, said he chose Allen for the internship because Allen was serious about his job as an intern.
Jonathan Allen, Pt. Lauderdale, Fla., graduate student, has been working with the city manager as an intern since June.
"He's dedicated to being a city manager," Wildgen said. "He wasn't just exploring what he wanted to do."
Wildgen said the city has sponsored the internship program for more than 20 years.
Dave Corliss, assistant to the city manager, said Allen had adjusted to the office and its demands.
"In a very rapid fashion, he has fit well into our management team," Corliss said.