UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, January 16, 1996
7A
Traffic flows with returning students
Holiday break affects businesses differently
By Scott MacWilliams Kansen staff writer
As predictably as the swallows return to San Juan Capistrano, the students of Mount Oread arrive in mid-January from their winter break. While they have been away, Lawrence and its remaining residents took a breather of their own.
The most obvious change when students return is the increase in vehicles on the streets. Officer Dan Johnson was covering the phones on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the nearly deserted Lawrence Police Department
"There is the obvious drop in numbers when the students leave, but I can't really say that the returning students are responsible for an increase in traffic tickets or other crime," Johnson said. "I think that the students sometimes get blamed for things that happen due simply to a statistical increase in the numbers of people."
While many University buildings close during break, local businesses are affected differently. Janet D'Ercole, manager of the Half Price Store, 2727 S. Iowa St., said she noticed the absence of students.
"We miss them quite a bit, in terms of sales," D'Ercole said. "I have enjoyed getting around town while they were gone, but I am glad that they are back."
Bill Konstas, the day manager at Copy Co Inc., 1401 W. 23rd St, said he had not experienced much difficulty navigating Lawrence, regardless of the students' absence.
"For me, it is about the same getting around town," Konstas said. "The only time when it is a little difficult is around 3 or 4 p.m. As far as the business side, we don't see that much of a drop-off in business when the students are gone."
What does drop is the amount of caffeine consumed in Lawrence, Kristin Thompson, who works at the Java Break, 17 E. 7th St, that nights could be lonely during break.
"Well, the night times get pretty quiet when the students are gone," Thompson said. "Our daytime business stays about the same, because we have,a lot of regulars who are locals."
Some local businesses see a post-Christmas shopping flurry when the students return. Bill
Corrigan, clerk at Alley Cat Records, 717 Massachusetts St., explained the phenomenon.
"Our business is actually kind of slow during December," said Corrigan. "Most folks don't want to give used CDs for gifts. When the students return with their Christmas gift money in their pockets, they like to buy used ones for themselves."
Jennifer Wilson manages the video department at Hastings Books, Music & Video, Southwest Plaza. Wilson said the store's holiday sales weren't heavily influenced by the winter migration of the student body.
"Actually, our holiday sales in books and music are pretty good," Wilson said. "I have noticed that the video rentals have picked up since the KU students came back this weekend."
School of Religion makes new 'Friends'
By David Teska
Kansan staff writer
Although the School of Religion has a new name, its job of supporting the department of religious studies has remained the same.
To eliminate confusion about its purpose on campus, the School of Religion was renamed on Jan. 1 by the organization's board of trustees to the Friends of the Department of Religious Studies.
Phil McKnight, professor of education and Western Civilization and president of the trustees, said the name change would more accurately identify the relationship that exists between Friends and the department of religious studies. While its old name falsely described it as a school, Friends more closely resembles a fund-raising organization that supports the department's academic programs.
"It's much like the Friends of the Lawrence Public Library," he said.
The relationship between the University of Kansas and the School of Religion goes back to the turn of the century, McKnight said.
Religious leaders wanted to develop a religious presence on campus that would mirror the University's secular education, he said.
In 1921, the Kansas Bible Chair bought an old farm house located on the site of Smith Hall and formed the Kansas
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and created the department of religious studies.
Because of the conf
School of Religion. Although not a part of the University, the school did provide credit to KU students taking courses, a practice that continued until 1977, when the University integrated the school into the
confusion, the department has wanted the name-change for quite a while, said Sandra Zimdars-Swartz, professor and chairwoman of the department of religious studies. When the School of Religion transferred its academic programs * KU, it shifted
its focus to fund-raising and overseeing Smith Hall, she said. Yet confusion persisted.
"People refer to us as the School of Religion, but we've existed for twenty years," she said.
During the years, a unique arrangement developed about the use of Smith Hall, Zimdars-Swartz said. The Kansas Bible Chair, the owner of the property, leases the building to Friends, who in turn leases it to KU for $1 a year, she said.
What's in a name?
Another page in the history of the Kansas School of Religion was written on the first day of 1996 when the 75-year-old school changed its name.
Galning ownership of Smith Hall
and its surrounding property is the top goal of Friends, McKnight said.
Andy Rohrback/KANSAN
"I was never aware of the distinction between the two," said John Jones, Lawrence graduate student.
For the University as a whole, the name change should alleviate the confusion that has existed between the two organizations.
The new year has brought payroll and insurance card problems for University of Kansas employees.
"As of Friday the exact problem had not been pinpointed, but the payroll office is working on it," Faucher said.
Jan. 12 paychecks, the first paychecks issued using a new computer system, left some employees overpaid or underpaid, said Ola Faucher, associate director of human resources.
By Amy McVey Kansan staff writer
Some KU employees also had problems with their insurance cards. The cards should have been issued to all employees by Jan. 2, but some employees still have not received them. Others received cards with errors.
KU payroll insurance incur mix-up
On Jan.1, the University and the state of Kansas changed insurance companies.
Marc Adin, director of human resources, said the University, the state, the new insurance companies or a combination of the three might have been at fault for the insurance card snauf.
"To try and place blame is a waste of energy and resources. We're just going to fix it," Adin said.
Employees without cards still are covered by insurance, he said.
Adin, who received his dental card last Saturday, wasn't sure how many employees had been affected by the errors.
Employees who have not received their insurance cards should contact the University's benefits administration office at 864-4946. Problems with paychecks should be directed to payroll at 864-4385.
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