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NEWS / FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2011 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
Just in case you missed it...
New Athletic Director
After a highly talked about search following the early departure of former athletics director Lew Perkins, incoming director Sheahon Zenger is finally starting to get comfortable. He still is traveling between Lawrence and Bloomington-Normal, Ill., home of Illinois State University, where he's leaving his post as athletics director to take over from interim director Sean Lester Feb. 1.
That's up to my wife," he said from his new office Thursday. "I just get out of the way.
Good. He officially introduced Zenger in a media conference Jan. 3. Through
He is taking the transition slowly. He hasn't yet bought a house, nor does he intend to any time soon. "I'll take up my wife" he said from his new office Thursday. "I just get out of the way."
Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little officially introduced Zenger in a media conference Jan. 3. Throughout the conference, Gray-Little and search committee chair Ray Evans emphasized the importance of Zenger's integrity.
"During the process, we heard a term about Sheahon that we liked - 'eagle scout.' Evans said, in reference to the search committee's approval of Zenger's record.
access to the search committee's approval of Zenger's record. Zenger's contract with the University runs until June 30,2015,and grants an annual salary of $450,000. Other compensation includes a retirement plan as an employee of the Board of Regents, membership in one Lawrence country club, season football and basketball tickets and work-related access to the University's private aircraft.
But restrictions in the contract — including terminating offenses — seem to be aimed at preventing some of the scandal associated with Perkins' era at the top of athletics.
When asked about his thoughts on his contractual restrictions, Zenger said he was "perfectly happy to get behind the wheel" to meet with people rather than use the planes.
and the wheel to meet with people rather than use the patient's Zenger spent his early childhood in Lawrence, earned bachelor's and master's degrees at Kansas State University and his doctorate at the University.
He emphasized his role as an educator, with a strong background in coaching rooted in his first position as an assistant coach at Kansas State when he was 23.
Since then, he has worked in football coaching especially recruitment at the University of South Florida and the University of Wyoming.
Evans spoke bluntly of the committee's priority to find a candidate with a strong record improving football programs.
ball programs.
Under his leadership, athletics will serve to complement academics, with the athletics department working with other contributors to campus life, he said.
He said that if athletics is the front porch of the University, then, student-athletes, students and faculty are welcome to contribute their "furniture" to the decor, explaining that we're all Kansans.
welcome to contribute their furniture to the deacon, acquiring the "Ultimately," he said, "we are here to enhance the mission of the University."
Fritzie lawsuit
A Stilwell man injured during a party at the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) house in September has filed a civil lawsuit seeking financial damages against the fraternity.
Matt Fritzie, a freshman, was life-flighted to the University of Kansas Medical Center for head trauma after diving into a swimming pool at the annual "FJIJ Island" party the night of Sept. 17. He was transferred to a Denver-area rehabilitation hospital specializing in spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries later that month.
rain injuries later that month.
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants failed to protect Fritzie and other pledges.
Events of tragedy, legality and new opportunities arise during time away
The lawsuits alleges that the telecommunications company, the national Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, based in Lexington, Ky., would not comment on the
Bill Martin, the executive director, said the litigation process was just beginning and that he had "no plans to release a meaningless statement" because he did not yet have sufficient information to respond to.
The Kansas chapter was placed on a two-year suspension by the office of student success after an investigation into hazing.
According to the University report on its hazing investigation, Fritzie said he was "ordered to swan-dive into the pool" during the party.
Student deaths
The University community mourned the loss of two students over the break. Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little issued a statement Tuesday morning offering condolences to the family and friends of Elijah Taylor, a 21-year-old junior from Solomon, who died in a Wichita hospital Dec. 22.
and friends of Elijah Taylor, a 21-year-old junior from Solomon, who died five weeks earlier. Wichita TV station KWCH reported on Dec. 22 that Salina police said Taylor had "jumped in front of traffic," on Interstate 135.
The University community mourned the loss of two students over the break.
Sharon Petrie, a fall 2010 graduate in public administration and history, was remembered in a service on Thursday. She died Jan. 1. in Overland Park.
Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little expressed the condolences of the University community in a media release Wednesday: "This tragic loss of a wife, mother, daughter, student and friend will be felt by many at the university and beyond. The loved ones of Sharon Petrie are in my thoughts and prayers."
Petrie, 52, is survived by her husband and four children.
New e-mail
As classes get underway for this semester and students start to check their KU email they may have noticed some changes. The new look is a result of the campus' upgrade to Exchange 2010, which was completed January 11.
2010, which was completed January 11.
As part of the change, students must update their mobile devises as well. All smart phones are capable of syncing email, calendar and contacts except for the Blackberry. James Rupprecht, systems specialist, said the Blackberry is different because it has its own protocols.
cols. "In order to support those we would need to run a Blackberry enterprise server which would be very expensive so we don't do that," Rupprecht said.
would be very expensive so we don't do that. Rupprecht said.
If a user wants a full synchronization they need to buy the third party product that will allow the synchronization. Rupprecht said the IT Department has commercial products available, such as Notify Sync and Astro Sync. The products are $49 a year and will synchronize the users calendar, contacts and inbox.
However, Blackberry users have other options that they can take advantage of without paying a fee. If a Blackberry user wants to receive email to their hand held device they can synchronize their account so that they are able to receive account notifications. Outlook Web Access also offers a text notification service that alerts users when they receive an email. Another option is to set up a synchronization between the user's phone and email so that they are able to receive daily calendar of event notifications.
are able to receive daily calendar or event notifications. Rupprecht said if anyone encounters any other problems service providers, such as AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, are familiar with the KU email system and are able to help users synchronize the new email with their phone. Students can also call the IT Helpdesk at 785-864-8080 for any other questions about the new outlook.
Wren lawsuit
Douglas County district judge Michael Malone ruled in December that Jay Wren will not be allowed to seek punitive damages in his civil lawsuit against the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Jay's son, Jason, a 19-year-old freshman from Littleton, Colo., died in the SAE house March 8, 2009, from alcohol poisoning. The suit claims the national fraternity, the Kansas chapter and 10 unnamed SAE members were negligent in preventing Jason's death through allowing underage drinking in the house, which is against its stated policies, and failing to seek medical attention for Jason, who had sustained a head injury while intoxicated.
failing to seek medical attention for jason, who had sustained a fracture in his leg. Malone did allow for another defendant to be added to the suit in the latest status conference. John Stacy was the president of Kansas Alpha, the business that owned the SAE house, at the time of the death. Wren and his lawyers claim he also bears responsibility in the wrongful death case. Malone also removed a plaintiff from the case, Jay's mother, Mary, who died last year.
The trial was originally slated to begin in April but has been pushed back to allow Stacy to find counsel and prepare his defense.
The Office of Student Success conducted an investigation in March 2009 but no disciplinary action was taken against the fraternity.