Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Friday, February 23, 1990
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Students target discrimination
Group circulates letter to KU officials
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By Carol B. Shiney Kensee staff writer
Most minority student groups at the University of Kansas feel ostracized, a group of concerned students wrote in a letter to Executive Vice Chancellor Judith Ramaley and other University officials.
"The current climate on the campus is not appealing to the minorities enrolled at this institution, nor is it appealing to minorities who may enroll in the future," the group wrote.
The group, Students Concerned About Discrimination (SCAD), which includes members of several minority and other student groups on campus, was formed this semester. The letter, which was sent to 36 University officials and organizations, listed five priorities the group wanted the University administration to act on within three semesters
Ramaley, who received the letter yesterday, said the group raised a number of important questions. She said the University already was doing many of the things the group suggested.
"I will be responding back to the students once I have had a chance to review the letter and contact my colleagues." Ramaley said.
Andrea Katzman, facilitator for SCAD, said of the administration, "Some of what they've done is good, and we can't underestimate what they've done. But it's too slow."
In March 1988, the administration established the Minority Issues Task Force to develop a plan to increase the representation and involvement of minorities at KU. The plan of action was released May 4, 1989, and programs began to be implemented last semester.
Katzman, Lawrence Junior, said that to have an atmosphere of learning. growth, commitment and open-
mindness, everybody had to participate in that process.
"The administration has been negligent, and they just hayen't included everybody," she said.
Robin Eversole, director of University Relations; Del Brinkman, vice chancellor (for student affairs; and Frances Horowitz, vice chancellor for research, graduate studies and public service, said yesterday that they had not received their copies of the letter.
Ramaley's letter was hand-delivered. The others were sent through campus mail.
Eighteen students signed the letter, including members of Black Men of Today, Celebrate Diversity Task Force, Gay and Lesbian Services of the University of Illinois at Chicago Leadership Organization and Student Senate.
Katzman said that not all members of SCAD signed the letter and that not everyone who signed was a member of this semester has met seven times this semester.
In the letter, the five priorities that SCAD listed were:
- The term "minority" must be broadened to include all who face discrimination.
The group recommends that minorities include, but not be limited to, religious minorities, gays and lesbians, international students and the physically challenged.
A specific program for dealing with the problems of non-racial minorities must be created through the Office of Minority Affairs.
Recruitment and retention efforts for racial minority students must be intensified.
Racial minority faculty must be recruited to a level at least equal to the proportion of racial minority students attending the University.
A training program must be created by the Office of Affirmative Action and Office of Minority Affairs, in cooperation with the Student Senate Minority Affairs Committee and associated organizations.
TRIO day
Students and administrators met yesterday In Strong Hall to recognize programs that help disadvantaged students.
KU honors TRIO programs
By Mark McHugh
Kennan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
A KU official proclaimed yesterday TRIO day at the University of Kansas.
In her proclamation, Judith Ramaley, executive vice chancellor, called upon all members of the University of Kansas community to support the goals of TRIO, a set of programs for disadvantaged students.
TRIO programs at KU are Supportive Educational Services (SES), Upward Bound and Talent Search.
TRIO refers to three original programs financed by the Higher Education Act of 1985. Since its birth, TRIO has been expanded to six programs nationwide.
The three programs work together toward recruiting disadvantaged students and keeping them in school.
"TRIO day affords our campus and the entire higher education community the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to equal educational opportunity." Ramley said to about 200 students and University administrators at the rotunda in Strong Hall.
said the services strived to give disadvantaged students additional help to encourage them to get the most out of their education at KU.
Richard Lee, director of SES.
A student may qualify for these special programs if he comes from a low-income family, is in the first generation of his family to attend college or if the person has a physical disability.
"We try to provide support for those individuals who may not have the academic credentials initially but who have the drive to
Lee said SES provided academic advising, tutoring and financial aid information for students.
be good students here," Lee said.
be good students here, Lee said. Lee said that in the past four years about 27 percent of the students who stayed in the SES program had graduated in four years.
"We're talking 80 percent that are still around here that came here four years ago," Lee said.
Ngoni Kamataka, director of Upward Bound, said students needed to know about the TRIO programs at KU.
"It's important because these programs are trying to open up opportunities for everyone," Kamataka said.
Finance committee kills GTA bill
By Matt Taylor
Kapan staff writer
Student Senate's Finance Committee killed one bill and approved another during its final budget hearings last night.
The committee has completed all of its budget hearings and will start deliberating on each request next week, said Pat Warren, committee co-chairman. The committee will meet again Monday night.
The committee killed a bill, 5-4, that would provide $1,000 to recognize outstanding graduate teaching assistants at the University. Passage would have required three-quarter approval.
Eric Rabe, Graduate Affairs Committee chair
man and co-author of the bill, said that the University never had rewarded GTAs and that his committee favored rewarding them for excellence. He said that although Senate could not finance scholarships and his bill could have violated Senate rules, he thought it was worthy of consideration.
Joe Orrick, an opponent of the bill, said the finance committee should not give out rewards.
The committee uniministerly approved a bill that would give the Korean Student Association $338 for a Korean night festivity this year. Money from the fund would go to students, and money would be used to pay for dance, music and food.
The committee approved its general financing
guidelines that may be used in its deliverations. Carl Damon, Senate treasurer, said the guidelines, which the committee can amend, helped form a base to make cuts. He said the guidelines would cut more than $10,000 from the $100,000 that had been requested.
The committee heard several budget requests from student organizations. They were;
- Engineering Student Council, $1,600. All but $50 of that request would go toward Engineering Expo, an event that displays projects from various engineering organizations.
American Friends of Palestine, $1.175. The group asked for $500 each for advertising and an honorarium for a guest speaker.
Students discuss secondary education
Kansan staff writer
KU students had the chance to grade their high school educations yesterday.
More than 500 KU students visited with their high school or community college counselors and principals in the 41st Principal-Counselor-Student and Community College Conference at the Kansas Union.
Counselors and principals from 145 high schools and 19 community colleges spoke with their former students during a morning conference.
"It think it remains a popular conference because conscientious counselors want to know how their schools are doing," said Katrynn Kretschman, associate director of the Office of Admissions. She has coordinated the program for three years.
for three years.
Six students visited with Mike Browning, dean of students at Lawrence High school, and David Amberly. KU vince chancellor for student affairs.
By Pam Solliner
Korean staff writer
Kim Madsen, Lawrence sophomore, said supporting her alma mater was important.
"My sister is at Lawrence High, and I want to give some input and make things better for
KU law students to spar in moot court
By Sandra Moran
her." Madsen said.
Kansan staff writer
Madsen said that the self-taught mathematics program at the University of Kansas was difficult but that it wasn't from a lack of LHS preparation.
"I think that's probably my fault," she said.
"I just didn't like math and calculus. I hurt myself."
"I thought I received a good education at Lawrence High School," said Jeremy Denoyelles, Lawrence freshman.
The students will travel to Omaha, Neb., next week for the regional round of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.
Five University of Kansas law students are going to court to argue a case for a mythical country.
The competition will take place at Creighton University and the winning team will go to Washington, in April for the international round.
Richard Levy, associate professor of law and adviser for the KU team, said that each year competition sponsors sent the University a hypothetical situation dealing with international law.
Neil Coates, third-year law student, said the competition this year concerned a hypothetical country called Vulpinia, which dumped five barrels of hazardous waste near the shores of Antarctica. Another country, Leonia, is filing a suit against Vulpinia because the waste destroyed a newly discovered species of starfish.
The teams will be expected to argue both sides of the case, Coates
said. Three judges will determine the quality of submitted briefs and oral arguments.
Levy said the briefs already had been submitted. Copies of the KU briefs will be exchanged with those of the 15 other regional schools.
The five-member team comprises third-year law students Coates, Tim Colton and Dan Owen, and second-generation Stacie Kennon and Sechaeta Un.
Levy said the competition was open to all law students, though usually only second- and third-year students made the team.
He said the hardest part was watching the actual competition.
"There are times when I've watched and really want to shout out answers, but you can't," he said. "To not become involved is a work of lot."
Levy is happy with the team's progress and confident of its abil-
"Generally, they seem to be very well versed in sources and in the materials that are out there," he said. "They have work to do on polishing the presentation."
Coates said he also was confident about the competition.
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