Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, March 21, 1990
3
Sign language classes may come with credit
By Rod Griffin
by hod gimm
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — Without making a sound, Terry Hosten yesterday urged legislators to approve a bill that would allow Regents schools to give foreign language credit for American Sign Language courses.
With graceful movements of his hands, Hostin, president of the Kansas Association for the Deaf, told members of the Senate Education Committee through an interpreter that the bill could help improve communication between the deaf and hearing communities.
"It is very important to us," he said.
Gerry Buckley, director of the Galaudet Regional Center in Overland Park, said the bill recognized American Sign Language as a unique language and not simply a version of spoken or written English.
"This bill is really a very simple bill calling for recognition of American Sign Language as the language of the deaf community in Kansas," he said.
'This bill is really a very simple bill calling for recognition of American Sign Language as the language of the deaf community in Kansas.'
Gerry Buckley
director of the Gallaudet Regional
Center in Overland Park
Classes in American Sign Language are offered at the University of Kansas, but not for foreign language credit.
Carrie Hamill, Abilleen senior, who completed a course at KU, agreed
"It truly is a different language," she said.
with Bucklev.
But Hammil said she learned more than just sign language in class.
"It not only teaches you American Sign Language, it teaches you about the deaf community and deaf culture," she said.
If the University were to give foreign language credit for the classes, Hamill said she thought students would be interested in the course.
"Since Spanish, French, and German classes are overflowing, it would give students another alternative," she said.
Martine Hammond, Regents academic affairs officer," said the Regents would support the bill as long as it did not require universities to offer sign language for foreign language credit.
Steve Traynor/KANSAN
Gerry Buckley speaks to the Kansas Senate Education committee
Pay raise at Med Center may draw needed nurses
Salary scale gets positive response
By Steve Bailey
Kansan staff writer
A new law enabling the University of Kansas Medical Center to raise nurses' salaries could help alleviate the nursing shortage.
The bill, signed Friday by Gov. Mike Hayden, switched nurses at the Med Center from the state's classified employee system to its unclassified system. Formerly, nurses at the Med Center were state civil service system, which sets a structured framework for how state employees are paid.
"Already my phone is ringing off the wall with people wanting to know about the new salary scale," Thies said.
Carol Thies, assistant director of Nursing Services for recruitment and placement at the Med Center, said the change already had solicited positive responses from many nurses.
Beginning May 13, nurses' salaries will increase based on job duties and shifts worked. The minimum hourly rate for registered nurses will increase from $12.01 to $13. The
minimum hourly rate for licensed practical nurses will increase from $8.13 to $8.75
The average salary for registered nurses will increase from $13 to $14
'Already my phone is ringing off the wall with people wanting to know about the new salary scale.'
assistant director of Nursing Services for recruitment and placement
per hour and will increase for licensed practical nurses from $9 to about $10 per hour.
Registered nurses are those with two to four years of experience and licensed practical nurses have about one year of experience. Approximately 600 nurses will be affected by the change.
Thies said factors such as experience or willingness to work special skills could raise the base salary even higher.
"Although the minimum hourly rate for registered nurses will be $13, that base salary could go up to around $14.64 per hour for a nurse with 20 years of experience." Thies
The Med Center will have greater opportunities to compensate and recruit nurses, said Glenn Potter, vice chancellor for hospital administration at the Med Center.
said. "If that nurse chose to work straight nights and a lot of weekends, her salary could reach close to $20 an hour. That simply was not possible under the classified system."
"The new law gives us the flexibility to compete in a very competitive and volatile nursing market," he said. "It should be very beneficial in securing nurses for the hospital."
Nurses will be treated as classified employees until the bill becomes effective May 13.
Potter said the full effect of the bill would be more evident in time.
"It happened at a very fortuitous time," he said. "The nursing market continues to grow tighter across the country. This will help in the recruitment of this year's nurses from various nursing programs, first and foremost our own."
He said the bill had been in the works for months and was the result of hard work on the part of Med Center personnel, the governor and the Legislature.
Local hotels, motels booked for commencement weekend
By Chris Siron
Kansan staff writer
Graduating seniors who have put off making hotel reservations for their parents for graduation and extend may have waited too long.
Hotels and motels in Lawrence filled up months ago, and some have stopped keeping waiting lists for May 18. 19 and 20.
Vikki Nickerson, general manager of the Eldridge Hotel, 701 Massachusetts St., said reservations for the hotel's 48 suites filled in October. Some parents made reservations last May when they attended commencement ceremonies for their other children.
She said the hotel had a three-page waiting list with more than 100 names on it. Local hotels consistently do more business durably, graduation ceremonies, topping basketball and football game days.
Julie Barnard, sales director of Quality Inn University, 2222 W. Sixth St., said the inn's 110 rooms were booked for graduation weekend. The inn's managers do not plan to start a waiting list because they do not expect cancellations that cannot be filled by
people searching for rooms during graduation weekend.
Bethany Willets, manager of Travelodge Motel, 801 Iowa St., did the hotel's 68 rooms had been built in 2007 and stayed weekend since September.
Hotels and motels in Lawrence filled up months ago, and some have stopped keeping waiting lists for May 18,19 and 20.
"Our waiting list is so long we
don't dare take any more names," she said.
Linda Maas, manager of Westminster Inn, 255 W. Sixth St., said the inn started taking reservations for graduation weekend Jan. 2. All of the inn's 60 units were booked that day.
She said she kept the names or other hotels, including those in Baldwin and Eudora. However, other area hotel owners have told her they also are booked for graduation.
Michelle Kinder, reservation manager of Holiday Inn, 200
McDonald Drive, said the imn's 182
rooms were booked for graduation
weekend. About 60 people are
already on the imn's waiting list
Kathy Nace, conference coordinator for KU Student Housing, said her office would try to accommodate all families that requested space in residence halls during graduation weekend.
She said reservations were being taken for rooms in Joseph R. Pearson Hall. JRP was filled with visiting families during last year's graduation.
Nace said her office had already received requests for space for this year's graduation. Many requests come in during the last two weeks before graduation as families realize hotels and motels have filled up.
JRP has 160 double-occupancy rooms available. She said that one hall usually had space to accommodate all requests but that another hall could be opened if necessary.
Nace said parking in residence hall lots would be open during graduation weekend. Meals can be purchased in the JRP cafeteria.
Jayhawk Pride coalition has 'new ideas for old traditions'
By Matt Taylor
Kansan staff writer
Students will see a continuation of certain student programs complemented by fresh ideas if the Jahayawk Pride coalition is elected to Student Senate, its two top candidates said yesterday.
Jeff Milligan, presidential candidate, and Marc LeBeau, vice presidential candidate, said they wanted to take advantage of the knowledge from the past while adding more energy to Senate.
"We want to quit starting from square one," LeBeau said.
They said they would take action to preserve Hoch Auditorium and offer emergency short-term loans to students.
The University plans to convert Hoch into library storage and several smaller lecture halls, said Milligan, Topeka junior. He said he had heard no convincing reason for the sacrifice of amateur students.
"Hoch Auditorium is what we're about," said LeBeau, LaGrange, ill., junior. "If you take it away, you're taking away the only student performing arts center that exists."
They said they were not against the construction of the Lied Center, the new performing arts center. But the center would require professional engineering and technical training to ensure chances for an educational experience, they said.
Milligan also said the coalition advocated Senate-backed loans to students in emergencies. Students could take 30-day loans for up to $100 without interest, but they would be required to pay $5 fee on each one.
"It's enough to get students out of a jam but small enough to pay back," Milligan said.
"One of the ways we're more appealing than the others is that we're not business as usual," LeBeau said.
He said the coalition had researched loan programs at other universities, and he thought that there would be student demand for one at KU
The coalition's campaign slogan is, "New ideas for old traditions."
The two said they wanted to target the entire University.
"Our main agenda is the agenda of the student body incorporated with the issues that we have," LeBeau said.
Milligan said he was running because he wanted to be part of a significant change at KU.
He said the coalition did not play Senate's political games.
"We're common sense guys," Milligan said.
"We want to stick to the basics."
Milligan and LeBeau are both serving as Nunemaker senators.
issues they listed were
■ Extending hours at Watson Library on Saturday and during finals.
Providing Sunday bus services to the areas most heavily populated by students. LeBeau said Sunday service also would help reduce parking problems and increase campus safety.
Marc LeBeau and Jeff Milligan
Keith Thorpe/KANSAÑ
ATTENTION FRESHMEN & SOPHOMORES NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR:
THE SOPHOMORE & JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETIES
Applications for Lambda Sigma Available 126 Strong
Applications for Owl Society Available 129 Strong
We're looking for Outstanding juniors! Omicron Delta Kappa National Senior Leadership Honorary
Seventy-six years ago, the founders of ODK formulated the idea that leadership of exceptional quality and versatility in college should be recognized...
This year, You can be among the recognized.
- Applications Chancellor's Office
- 223 Strong
- Application Deadline Extended to March 30th, 5:00 p.m.
- New Members will be announced in the Kansan on April 6
GREAT JOB JAYHAWKS on a terrific basketball season.
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