THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2011
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLUME 123 ISSUE 120
HIGH ON THE HILL
Marijuana stigmas decrease as violations increase
By the years
Student housing drug violations
Student housing alcohol violations
Source: Clery Act Annual Security Report
BY JONATHAN SHORMAN
jshorman@kansan.com
jshorman@kansan.com
Tim smoked his first joint when he was 11 years old.
Don't get him wrong; he didn't start smoking marijuana regularly until he was in his mid-teens. But when he was 11, his "troublemaker" older brother gave him his first joint.
For Tim, pot had always been a family thing. His father did it. He is pretty confident his mother did it, too, though she won't admit to it. His parents never smoked in front of him, but he thinks his father has used pot as recently as five years ago.
Tim hasn't made an effort to hide his two-to-three-time per week marijuana habit from his immediate family or friends. Most of them already know.
"I generally find people don't have as negative perceptions of people who are smoking all the time as people who are drinking all the time," he said.
Tim, who asked that his last name be withheld, has lived in a residence hall on Daisy Hill for two years. He has found just as much acceptance of his marijuana use at the University as he did back home.
Pot smoking on college campuses is nothing new, but its use on the KU campus is on the rise according to statistics from the University. Interviews with students who live on Daisy Hill also show that it is nearly as socially acceptable as alcohol, and for users such as Tim, there is little fear of negative consequences.
GETTING AWAY WITH IT
Tim said he takes few steps to conceal his smoking. He cracks a window and turns off his heater, which prevents smoke from drifting into the hallway. The smell of the marijuana dissipates quickly.
McCollum Hall resident Alexis Nizzi, a freshman from Overland Park, said that she can tell when people around her are smoking by the mix of smoke haze and Febreze.
He pretty easily to tell what is going on. 321 says
Being obvious is exactly what Tim tries to avoid.
"If you walk down the hall and it smells like someone dropped a flower bomb, it's almost like it amplifies the smell of the pot," he said.
Generally, the more someone tries to hide it, the more obvious it becomes, Tim said. But the Department of Student Housing has noticed it.
According to the University's Clery Act Annual Security Report, there were 115 referrals made for drug violations in on campus residence halls in 2006. In 2007, the number was the same. But in 2008 it climbed to 244 and in 2009 dipped only slightly to 238.
In contrast, the number of alcohol violations has been on the decline: from 1.051 in 2006 to 8>> in 2009.
The 2010 numbers were not available because the report will not be released until this summer.
SEE POT ON PAGE 6A
ENDOWMENT | 2A
Donation aids University cancer research
Two separate donations added $4 million dollars to the University's ongoing project to achieve National Cancer Institute designation. The recent donations bring the project's total funding to $50 million.
FILM | 3A
KU Environs screens 'King Corn'
Time to move on?
Filmgoers were all ears at the monday night screening of "King Corn" at Liberty Hall. The documentary exposes the pervasive presence of corn in all aspects of American life.
Next season could be marked by the possible loss of some of Kansas' top players. The Morris twins and other players are deciding whether to leave the team to pursue professional careers.
MEN'S BASKETBALL|8A
LAWRENCE
Chris Neal/KANSAN
Public weighs in on library changes
Steve Clark, a representative of the GouldEvens architecture firm, answers questions about the new Lawrence Public Library construction plans Monday Night. Members of the community voiced concerns ranging from the buildings poor acoustics to the accessibility of the new parking garage.
BY JONATHAN SHORMAN ishrorman@kansan.com
Architects and city officials took suggestions from the public for the planned expansion of the Lawrence Public Library Monday evening. Around 30 residents attended.
Representatives of the architecture firm GouldEvans took questions on a number of issues related to the expansion, from parking to trees.
Voters approved the $18 million project in November. It is still in the conceptual phase, and a final design has not been made. The city and GouldEvans have held a series of public meetings to gather public input on what should be
in the final design.
Though it is not finalized, any design is expected to expand the library by 20,000 square feet, a new parking garage and add 100 new public computers.
"We're building the design from the inside out," said GouldEvans representative Steve Clark.
Currently, a multilevel parking garage will be built on the site of the current parking lot. The number of levels in the garage has not been determined, but Clark estimated it would have between 250 and 300 spaces.
Clark also said officials were working with researchers at the University to incorporate new materials into the building that
The city expects the project to be conducted in phases to allow the library to remain open. Construction is expected to begin in early 2013.
"In my opinion, we can do better for our transit riders for where they can wait for their rides," said Dave Cortliss, Lawrence city manager.
Several attendees at the meeting asked about the possibility that Lawrence Transit would have a hub next to the library. The city is conducting a study to see how feasible that plan is. A hub would likely include a waiting room and restrooms for riders.
would help with sustainability and energy conservation.
— Edited by Caroline Bledowski
WEATHER
INDEX
Classifieds ... 7A
Crossword ... 4A
Cryptquips ... 4A
Opinion ... 5A
Sports ... 8A
Sudoku ... 4A
TODAY
40 28
Mostly Cloudy
WEDNESDAY
Mostly Cloudy
WEDNESDAY
4535
Isolated Thunderstorms
THURSDAY
55 35
Isolated Thunderstorm
Forecasts by University students. For a complete detailed forecast for the week, see page 2A
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2011 The University Daily Kansan