UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, March 10, 1997
3A
Student health insurance plan slashes rates
Premiums drop by 41 percent
By Emily Vrabac
Kansan staff writer
The KU student health insurance program will have lower rates in the 1997-98 school year. The program, available through G-M Underwriters, is responding to low participation by reducing premiums by 41 percent for students under 25.
"There are not as many students in the plan as there have been in the past," said Jim Strobl, director of student health services at Watkins Memorial Health Center.
Strobl said that the program was the only insurance plan endorsed by the Student Senate but that it was competing with other programs on campus.
"It's excellent insurance in terms of the coverage," he said. "This is by far one of the better plans you'll find anywhere."
The current yearly rate is $815 per year for students under age 25.
Next school year's rates for students under 25 will be $480, which averages out to $40 per month.
Students age 25 and will pay
$866 next year or $73 per month.
The plan is a major comprehensive medical plan, said Chris Nowland of G-M Underwriters.
"It's excellent insurance in terms of the coverage."
"It's a sickness and accident plan only," she said. "It doesn't cover
Jim Stroble
Jim Stroble director of student health Watkins Memorial Health Center
But Nowland said that the plan would provide one Pap test and one mammogram a year for women.
routine care."
The program is based on a $250 deductible, which is waived if the
Once the deductible is paid, the plan covers 80 percent of expenses, and the student is responsible for the remaining 20 percent.
student is treated at Watkins.
There is a maximum total out-of-pocket expense under the 80/20 plan. Once that amount is reached, the insurance covers 100 percent of expenses up to $250,000. Nowland said.
"Theoretically, you could have a baby, a broken leg and asthma," she said.
Undergraduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of nine hours on the Lawrence campus, Strobl said.
Graduate students must be enrolled in six hours on the Lawrence campus.
KU Student Health Insurance Plan
Undergraduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of nine hours on the Lawrence campus.
Graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of six hours on the Lawrence campus
Coverage is available for students' spouses and/or children.
existing conditions that have been treated in the previous six months will warrant a 12-month waiting period before insurance can be obtained.
Call G-M Underwriters at 800-521-2623 for more information or pick up an enrollment form at Watkins Health Center, 864-9500.
Enrollment in the insurance program can begin at any time, Nowland said.
She said that G-M Underwriters would establish a site on the World Wide Web in the next few months with a link on the Watkins home page. In the meantime, students
with questions can e-mail Watkins at healthyjayhawk@ukans.edu
To enroll in the insurance plan, students must fill out an enrollment form available at Watkins.
Forms are also available from G-M Underwriters by calling 1-800-521-2623.
State to be warned about tornadoes with siren's song
By Doug Weinstein Special to the Kansan
A tornado safety siren is scheduled to go off Tuesday as part of the statewide Severe Weather Awareness Week.
John Mullens, coordinator of security and safety at KU, hopes that the siren will remind students to think about their actions in the event of a tornado.
"We want people to be aware that the sirens will go off and consider what they would do," he said.
Mike Akulow of the National Weather Service said that the last tornado had touched down in Lawrence in 1995.
"Since 1981, there have been 10 tornadoes in the county," he said. "Douglas County has had 28 tornadoes since the 1950s."
But at a large university like the University of Kansas, that's not easy.
The purpose of Severe Weather Awareness Week and this drill is to improve general awareness, Mullens said.
"With the number of buildings we have to deal with, where people are changing buildings hour to hour, we want people to become somewhat familiar with the buildings that they are in," he said.
Mullens said that students also were accustomed to hearing the sirens going off, so the sound of the alarm doesn't cause concern.
"Generally about the best that can be expected is about five minutes notice," he said.
But students shouldn't take the alarms for granted because they won't allow much time in the event of an actual tornado, he said.
Mullens also said that common sense played a great role.
"What you're looking at is trying to put as much solid material as possible between you and the outside," he said. "The recommendation is to seek the lowest level of a building that you can get to without jeopardizing yourself."
Large spaces and auditoriums in buildings such as the Lied Center, Wescoe Hall, Murphy Hall and Allen Field House
Kansas Tornadoes
■ Kansas ranks third in the nation in the number of tornadoes, averaging 47 per year.
So far in the 1990s, 592 tomadores have hit Kansas.
In 1996, 68 tornadoes
In 1996, 68 tornadoes were reported in Kansas.
In 1996, 68 tornadoes were reported in Kansas.
1991 had the most tornadoes in one year: 116.
Tornadoes have struck every month except January and every year since 1950. Most were between 3 and 9 p.m.
Tornado fatalities have occurred as early as March 13 and as late as Oct. 31.
Eastern and central sections of Kansas have had more tornadoes than western sections.
Douglas County has had 28 tornadoes, with one fatality and 42 injuries, between 1950 and 1996.
Finney County has had the most tornadoes in Kansas—66 in one year—and Wyandotte County has reported the fewest with seven.
Statistics provided by the National Weather Service 1996 Kansas Tornado Facts
wouldn't be good places to stay in a tornado because of the way they're supported, he said.
"They have that kind of ceiling support—mathematically and engineeringly sound," he said. "But if you twist them out of line they would collapse. We have some areas which you're almost better off outside. Seek shelter in areas that have small ceiling space and are basically without windows."
Mullens said that students should be especially concerned with finding a shelter that wasn't surrounded by windows.
"Probably 90 to 95 percent of people killed are hit by debris," he said. "And 90 percent of those people killed are killed by glass."
The last major tornado in Lawrence struck in 1981, destroying Kmart and causing one fatality and 33 injuries.
Speakers, workshops promote activism
By Mark McMaster Kansan staff writer
Members of Amnesty International from Kansas and Missouri gathered in Lawrence on Saturday to discuss how to fight international human rights abuse.
The conference, Human Rights in the Heartland, was sponsored by the KU chapter of Amnesty International. The program featured guest speakers as well as workshops on issues, such as the death penalty and women's rights.
Jeronimo Aguirre, the keynote speaker, told an audience of 40 people about his experience in Guatemala during the early 1980s.
"The political situation in my country was really bad," he said. "One of my brothers was killed by the army when he was 15. The army just came and grabbed the young men and forced them to be soldiers."
Aiguirre fled his country during the 1980s and now resides in Salina. He said that disappearances, random killings and coercion by the army continue today in Guatemala, and the international community needs to take more responsibility for these abuses.
The conference also attracted experts on other issues that were discussed. Michelle Mohr, who traveled to Beijing in 1995 to participate in the United Nations World Conference on Women, led a workshop on women's rights.
Donna Schneweis, a lobbyist who has urged the Kansas Legislature to abandon capital punishment, spoke at the workshop on the death penalty.
The conference's coordinator, Rachel Wiese, Stanley junior, said that she thought the speakers' expertise would motivate members.
"I hope they get a big boost of energy for their work," she said. "It helps to see other people doing the same thing, raising awareness on human rights issues."
Mehdi Riazi, Hays senior and a member of KU's chapter of Amnesty International, said that the conference raised his awareness of many issues.
"A lot of time you get wrapped up in cases, and you lose track of the emotional impact of it all. This helps put it in perspective," Riazi said.
The program, which was held at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries building, was funded by $15 ticket sales and the regional Amnesty International office.
Jeronimo Aguilre, Salina resident, speaks to the Amnesty international conference about his experiences as a Guamalan refugee.
Bill's defeat elicits mixed responses
By Ann Marchand
Kansan staff writer
Students at the University of Kansas had various reactions to last week's failure of the balanced budget amendment.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate defeated the measure on a 66-34 vote, one vote shy of the two-thirds margin needed to pass a Constitutional amendment. It was the second time in three years that the measure was defeated.
Brad Burke, Topeka senior, said that the amendment's failure showed that the president had vacillated on his election promises.
all this talk about how we needed to come together and pass bipartisan legislation," he said. "This was a bipartisan amendment. I think the president had a chance to show some true leadership by passing a balanced budget amendment, but once again he failed."
"You heard during the 96 election
But several students said that they were relieved that the amendment failed.
Chris Sexton, Salina junior, said that although Congress should balance the budget, they should not need an amendment to force them to do it.
"I think that balancing the budget can be a long-term governmental objective, but I don't think it is something that should be in the Constitution," she said. "It may not always be in the best interest of the country."
Two critical votes against the measure came from Sens. Robert Torricelli, D.N.J., and Tim Johnson, D.S.D. According to The Washington Post, the two voted against the measure because they feared it would strangle Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid funding.
Chad King, Overland Park junior, said that the measure would not pass until the government's social spending habits were curtailed.
"I don't think the balanced budget amendment will ever pass until either or both sides will admit that we can't
balance the budget without revamping the Social Security situation," he said. "Until someone is willing to do the job of revamping it, a balanced budget just won't happen."
For some students, a balanced budget simply was not a priority.
Tina Lewerenz, Manhattan senior, said that although Congress should strive to balance the budget, a constitutional amendment was unnecessary.
Jason Schreiner, Wakeeney junior, agreed.
"I think the amendment's a joke," he said. "It won't do anything whether it fails or passes. I think it's a stupid idea."
Organization helps students get jobs overseas
By Laurie Fletchall Special to the Kansan
A group on campus is helping students interested in working overseas get internships.
The International Association of Students in Economics and Business Management, or AIESEC, is the largest student-run organization in the world, and its international trainee exchange program is also the largest in the world.
AIESEC has chapters in 48 American universities and in 87 countries.
The University's chapter has 20 active members, said Jennifer Boston, Topeka senior and president of the KU chapter of AIESEC.
Each chapter pairs students that are interested in internships overseas with businesses that are interested inhiring them.
The KU chapter of AIESEC has two members doing internships overseas. Emma Schmidt, a French exchange student who graduated from the University in May, is in Poland, and Brandon Clark, 1996 graduate from Overland Park, is in Brazil.
"The club is open to students of all majors that are interested in working outside the United States," said Tesis Hostelter, Topeka sophomore.
Hostetler spent two months working in Lappeenranta, Finland, this summer as a research assistant for an economics professor.
She said that her experience in Finland was invaluable.
"When I came here, I knew I was interested in international interests, but I didn't know how to proceed," she said. "AIESEC helped me focus and got me an internship in my field."
Kevin Walker, 1988 graduate of the University and director of marketing and membership services for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, said that AIESEC was valuable to the business community.
"I think it is good any time there is an exchange of ideas from outside the community," Walker said. "It is always good to get fresh ideas and perspectives from people who can look at a situation or design with a fresh outlook."
For more information about AIESEC, call 864-3304.
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THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS HILLEL presents:
NOW SHOWING NOW SHOWING The Israeli Film Series A Collection of Israeli Made Films
Cup Final Monday, March 10, 1997, 7:00 pm 2092 Dole Hall A humorous, political film about an Israeli soldier detained by a PLO guerrillas and his shifting relationship with the group's leader, both of whom carry an obsession for the Italian national soccer club.
Beyond the Walls Monday, March 31, 1997, 7:00 pm 2092 Dole Hall Israel's nominee for Best Foreign Film of 1984 is set within the confines of an over-crowded Israeli prison where hatreds and conflicting ideologies come into sharp focus. When a prison official kills a Jew and blames the Arabs, the stage is set.
My Michael Monday, April 14, 1997, 7:00 pm 308 Dyche Hall Two intelligent young adults find each other and marry in a divided Jerusalem of the late 1950's.
Wedding in Galilee Monday, April 28, 1997, 7:00 pm 2092 Dole Hall The muktar of a Palestinian village under Israeli occupation wants to hold a traditional wedding for his son, and invites the Israeli military governor as a guest of honor.