CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, February 27, 1996
3A
Dick Vitale sound-alike contest is 'awesome, baby'
Announcer graces Kansas Union
By Adam Darby Kansan correspondent
Fourteen contestants took the stage yesterday afternoon in the Kansas Union Ballroom and hollered about "diaper dandies" and "disy-doo dunkaroes."
It was the Dick Vitale Sound-Alike Contest, and the atmosphere was electric as the contestants impersonated the wild enthusiasm and frantic gestures of the energetic sports commentator who spoke to the audience in the ballroom, handed out prizes and signed autographs after the show. About 200 people attended.
Seth Greenberg, San Antonio sophomore, said his friends were amazed at his imitations of Vitale
He said he had been inspired by Vitale's knowledge of college basketball and his motivational speeches, which Greenberg had seen on video.
and encouraged him to enter the contest.
seen on video.
"He's a good influence for young people because of his enthusiasm and personality," Greenberg said. "I've been a Dick Vitale fan since he's been on the air."
Vitale delivered a motivational speech to
"You can't win if you play the drug and alcohol game," he said.
After the speech, Vitale tossed hats, shirts, basketball and copies of his latest book into the audience.
stay away from the destructive temptations of college life.
the audience before the final five contestants returned to the stage.
He urged his audience members to be passionate about what they do, to maintain a strong work ethic and to
"He has so much more to him than basketball."
Ken Ruderman Contestant
appearance.
"I don't have to do this," he said. "I get paid mega-dollars to give speeches for corporations."
He was not paid for this
Vitale said he also loved getting out and inspiring college students.
Sandy House, a broadcast journalism student at the University of Missouri, took first place with a crowd pleasing impressionation that
"I think I can take the national title." House said.
combined Vitale's high-pitched voice, excited gestures and emotional appeals on behalf of cancer research.
First prize was $500 cash and a trip to New York to compete in the Sound-Alike National Championship during the week of the NCAA men's basketball finals. Pepsi, ESPN and Student Union Activities sponsored the contest. Pepsi presented a $1,100 check to Vitalte for the V Foundation, an organization that supports cancer research. The foundation is named for Jim Valvano, a close friend of Vitale who coached the North Carolina State men's basketball team. Valvano died of cancer.
"He's genuine and passionate," said Ken Ruderman, Berkeley, Calif., of Vitale. Ruderman finished third in the contest. "He has so much more to him than basketball."
Tyler Wirken / KANBAN
Sandy House, Columbia, Mo., accepts a $500 check from sports broadcaster Dick Vitale after winning the Dick Vitale Sound-Alike Contest. He also won a trip to New York to compete in the Sound-Alike National Championship.
Roommate tiffs common on campus
By Heather Kirkwood Kansan staff writer
Jen Militzer's apartment in Jayhawker Towers reeked last year, but it wasn't because of household pets or rotting food. It was because of her roommate.
"The main source of conflict was that she would not bathe," said Milititzer, a Howell, Mich., graduate student. "She had no supplies in the shower, no soap, no conditioner, no toothbrush. I dusted her sink because it was never used."
Militizer was uncertain as to how to deal with the problem. "You can't tell someone they smell the way you tell someone they need to vacuum." Militizer said.
Instead of confronting her roommate, Militzer aired out the apartment as frequently as possible and kept her door closed.
At one point Militzer consulted an assistant manager, but she did not follow through because her roommate was about to graduate.
"Now, I would just say something to her. I suffered a lot." Militzer said.
Kate McCarthy, Oliver Hall director, often mediates roommate conflicts. McCarthy said poor communication usually causes such problems.
The most common causes of roommate disputes are differences in sleep or study patterns. Sometimes cultural differences are points of contention.
Photo illustration by Steve Punpe / KANSAN
It is rare that a roommate conflict cannot be resolved, McCarthy said, but if the situation becomes desperate, students could request a new roommate or a single room.
"They are not major things, but they can get on a student's nerves." McCarthy said.
But Jonathan Long, assistant student housing director, stressed that assigning a new roommate is a last resort.
Roommates should be direct with one another and resolve their own conflicts, but Long said that if such an approach doesn't work, students should seek help from a resident assistant, proctor, or assistant manager.
"Attending the University means that you have to learn to tolerate other people and learn to live with people that may be different," Long said.
"We don't want people to be unhappy, but at the same time part of the college experience is learning to relate." Long said.
"We don't want to intervene, but if it becomes necessary, we will have the staff person mediate and try not to take sides." Long said.
Sometimes roommates who can't get along are asked to make contracts with one another about issues such as sleeping schedules.
But if problems arise that may violate University of Kansas policy, such issues are handled as separate matters under University regulations.
Roommates often find themselves in situations where one contributes more than the other.
Sharing housing with other sex is preferable for some students
Worthwhile advantages exist in cohabitation
By R. Adam Ward Kansan staff writer
The Three's Company stereotype doesn't hold true for most KU students.
The television sit-com portrayed the awkward relationship of a man and two women sharing an apartment. But many KU students say having roommates of the opposite sex is great.
"I guess I like living with a roommate of the opposite sex because I get along with guys easier," said Erin Scheuerman, Otis sophomore.
Scheuerman said she found the
experience valuable because it gave her a male perspective. She asked her roommate his opinion several times about her outfits or someone she was dating.
"Guys seem to have more definite opinions about other guys," she said.
However, living with a male has caused some problems, Scheuerman said.
"My parents believe that you shouldn't live with a guy unless you're married," she said. "Even though we don't have a relationship."
As her parents got to know Dave Stadler, her roommate, they got over their shock, she said.
Stadler, Chicago junior, said the only unusual thing that had happened so far, as a result of having
a female roommate, was a Mary Kay cosmetics party.
Stadler walked in when she and five of her friends had facial masks on.
"At times like that I have to escape the house, or else I get overrun by girls." Stadler said.
Having a female roommate makes Stadler keep his apartment cleaner. he said.
Chris Anderson, Overland Park junior, said living with a female made him clean more, too.
He always put the toilet seat down and cleans the bathroom that he shares, he said.
Anderson said living with a woman was easier because no macho competition could emerge.
But Anderson said many students were not open to living with people of the opposite sex.
Old Fraser Hall's remains used to beautify campus
Facilities Operations uses pieces of destroyed building to improve landscape, cut down on mowing
By Teresa Veazey Kansan staff writer
But the building, one of KU's earliest, still remains. At least, parts of it do.
None of today's KU students were alive when Old Fraser Hall was built in 1872. And many of them weren't alive when it was torn down in 1965.
To beautify parts of campus and cut down on mowing time, Facilities Operations has added more than a dozen pieces of Old Fraser Hall to the landscape by three campus buildings: Haworth Hall, Watson Library and Stauffer-Flint Hall, sad Randy Russell, grounds maintenance supervisor for Facilities Operations.
"The purpose is to keep the mowing down," Russell said. "We're short-handed and taking every shortcut we can."
Russell, who has been with the University for 17 years, said he has moved the pieces two or three times to different locations.
In 1965, when the walls of Old Fraser came down, pieces of the building were still kept for possible re-use, according to a 1965 report from the KU News Bureau. But re-using parts of Old Fraser didn't happen until yesterday.
The stone pieces were laying out in the weeds behind the Facilities Operations shop on West 15th Street. Russell said he and other employees picked out certain ones, like the cornerstone with the date 1899, to use for landscaping.
While some of the pieces were carried by employees, Russell said many of the larger ones had to be carried by a forklift.
Don Reed, landscaping employee for Facilities Operations, said that he didn't know he would be doing landscape work with parts of Old Fraser, but that he was excited about using the pieces.
"I didn't know until they brought it up here, and I was tickled," Reed said. "I read about the controversy when they tore down Old Fraser."
Reed, who has read books about Lawrence history, said that in 1965, Old Fraser was in need of repairs which would cost more than tearing down the old building and putting up a new one.
As he was working yesterday, Reed said he was asked a few questions from passing students passing about the rock's origins.
"Most of them, I'm sure, have never heard of Old Fraser," he said. "It was one of the original buildings, and that was long ago."