Multimedia Reporting (Bradford-Noland)

This spring a group of seven students will travel to Buras, La. Buras, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, will receive much needed help from students in the University of Kansas Alternative Break program.

The Alternative Break program at the University of Kansas strives to better the community while bettering students. The program is composed of three break options: winter, spring, and weekend trips. Each break offers students the change to make a difference in the lives of others nation-wide while benefiting themselves.

Students participating in the spring break trips had to complete an application and interview process. Students are asked to pick their top three locations to help out of a list of ten trips.

A year and a half after hurricane Katrina the directors of the Alternative Breaks program are eager to send students to Louisiana in continued hurricane relief.

“Last year it was such an unstable environment that sending students would have been too dangerous.” Ashley Bloom, Alternative Break co-director said.

In addition to danger in the hurricane ravaged area, the program makes final decisions in the beginning of October as to where sites will be located for the spring, a full five months ahead of time. The time difference made it difficult to predict if help would still be needed or if the area affected by the hurricane would be stable.

James DiGiuseppe, spring break co-director said the trip to Louisiana was something he knew he wanted to make possible when he took over his position this year.

DiGiuseppe searched the internet for service projects that had sites in the area damaged by Katrina. He happened Emergency Communities upon , an organization providing relief in the Gulf area. After corresponding with Katherine Pangaro, Emergency Communities volunteer coordinator the trip was settled for Buras, La.

Buras, which DiGiuseppe said, mainly runs out of a YMCA. Approximately two hours from New Orleans, Buras needs to be rebuilt.
Emergency Communities runs a soup kitchen serving around 300 meals a day. The organization provides showers, laundry, and port-a-potties, Pangaro said.

“The students on the trip will be doing a number of things, running the soup kitchen, recycling, and some manual labor like rebuilding homes and businesses.” DiGiuseppe said.

The Alternative Breaks program places students’ safety as a top priority. Emergency Communities assures the largest health concern is the possibility of airborne mold and particulate matter causing respiratory problems for students with asthma.

Students attending the weeklong trip to Buras expect to leave Saturday March 17 and return the following Saturday.

Students benefit from the program just as much as the communities they help. Students can choose to receive honors credit for participating in the program. An option of a one or two credit class is given to students. Those students that would not like to receive credit for various reasons may still participate in the course.

“If a student chooses not to participate for credit, they are still required to do the same work as students that are taking credit.” Katie Jahnke, Alternative Break co-director said.

The program, while focused on helping the community also takes on a classroom setting. Students are asked to attend every class, participate in discussions, and complete assignments such as a short paper.

The spring break trip to Buras isn’t the only change to the Alternative Breaks program.

The classroom has been revamped from previous years. Previously the class was mostly student led. Now, however, the class brings in professors and other experts to speak to students about their current area of study, Bloom explained.

“Through the new lecturers students know about issues before they go on their trip,” Jahnke said.

Bloom and Jahnke agreed the classroom setting needed to be stepped up from previous years, as a way to make students more aware of the issues surrounding their trip. This year is the second for the new policies in the program.

“It’s a more in-depth, more meaningful settings, where students have the opportunity to understand exactly what they are doing.” Bloom said of the new class meetings.

The cost for participating in the program can range from $10 for the first weekend trip to $225 for a winter or spring trip. If a student opts to take a credit option they are required to pay tuition costs. An undergraduate student from Kansas can expect to spend $183.75 per credit hour, where as an out-of-state undergraduate would spend $482.75 per credit hour, according to the University’s Web site.
In addition to receiving credit for the course a person can now become certified. The Alternative Breaks program now works closely with the Universities Center for Service Learning.

The Center for Service Learning certifies students once they have completed the required course work. Required coursework includes a portfolio of the students understanding of the four main components of the service learning certification; class experience, independent project, directed readings, and reflection.

“The Center just opened last year. We certified 91 students last year. Our goal this year is to certify 150 students.” Meghan Walsh, Center for Service Learning AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer.

Certification and service work sets students apart from their peers, Bloom said.

“The changes, as far as sites and our partnership with the Center for Service Learning have benefits for the program and the students participating.” Jahnke said

The Alternative Breaks program directors remain busy with winter break trips quickly approaching and spring break trip interviews being conducted. On Jan. 1 the program also plans to release a list of its spring weekend trips.

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Americans love to think healthy, but most don’t live healthy. That soon could change. Recently, New York City law makers worked to ban trans-fatty acids from the city. Kentucky Fried Chicken announced a plan that would cut trans-fat from the menu completely. Lawrence, a sprawling city of young adults is littered with fast food chains and trans-fat. Eating the University of Kansas dining halls may be a healthier solution for students. Trans-fats are primarily generated by a process called hydrogenation, which gives food a longer shelf life. Hydrogenation produces trans-fat when hydrogen is mixed with vegetable oil. Cass Ryan, Lawrence Memorial Hospital clinical dietician, explains the process that converts unsaturated fatty acids to saturated acids. This is the process from which most of our margarines and oils come from. “Essentially it’s a man made fat, that is used in almost all of our foods,” Ryan said. According to the FDA website, as of Jan. 1, 2006 the FDA requires food manufacturers to list trans-fats on all nutrition labels as a way to help people become aware of their trans-fat intake. Ann Chapman, Coordinator of Nutrition Services and registered dietician at Watkins Health Center, said the side-effects of diets too heavily saturated with trans-fats are becoming growing problems. Heart disease and elevated cholesterol are side affects associated with diets high in trans-fats. Most people don’t realize they are at risk for such disorders until they are diagnosed. “Most students come to the center for things like strep throat, then through lab work we realize they have elevated lipids,” Chapman said. Chapman said students with elevated lipids are more at risk to heart attacks. Although it is unlikely in young adults, heart attacks have become more common. Chapman schedules appointments with students interested in learning more about becoming healthier in their diets. Chapman gives students an outline of what a healthy diet looks like but won’t set a specific diet for a person. “People have to take responsibility for their own health,” Chapman said. Chapman and Ryan both speak with students as guest lecturers. While Ryan visits high schools educating students on the dangers of unhealthy eating habits, Chapman speaks to classes at the University raising awareness of elevated lipids among other health issues. Educating people on the dangers of trans-fat ultimately helps to instill a healthier lifestyle. Nona Golledge, University dining services director agrees students need educated on proper nutrition. “Healthier choices are out there, students just need to be made aware of them,” Golledge said. The University’s residential dining halls use conola oil with zero trans-fat in their dishes, Golledge said. Nutrition ranks high on the list of improvements University dining is making. A new system called CBORD allows for the dining halls to enter recipes as a way to calculate the nutritional value of a meal. The system in use is out dated. Golledge is hopeful to get the new system running by the end of this fiscal year. The residential dining halls break down each menu item as a way to show students what they are eating. The labels list proteins, fats and carbohydrates. “Right now all the fats aren’t broken down into their sub-groups but hopefully once the new system is up we can implement that,” Golledge said. Better Bites a healthy choice nutrition meal developed by Chapman gives students the option of a healthier meal. Each Better Bites meal contains less than 600 calories and is baked or broiled rather than fried. Jaci Hiatt, Olathe junior eats Better Bites when she has lunch on campus. “It’s just a better option. I still eat things like pizza and Chick Fil A but in moderation,” Hiatt said. Hiatt believes other students aren’t aware how much healthier they could be if they cut the greasy foods they ate. Better Bites can be found at both retail and residential dining areas on campus. The University dining services participates in National Nutrition month each March. Each month Cheryl Wiley, a registered dietician, highlights some aspect of nutrition for dining services. Wiley also holds seminars to educate students as part of her work with dining services. Golledge believes the dining services work with Wiley helps students to become more educated. “Students just need pointed in the right direction,” Golledge said. Wiley sets up a display each month that can be seen at the dining halls, showcasing the aspect of nutrition highlighted. Lawrence Memorial hospital offers classes on improving health. Ryan recently held a program directed toward the elderly population in Lawrence. She addressed major concerns for the elderly such as weight loss and dining alone. Ryan believes that lowering trans-fat in a younger generation leads to a healthier adults. Her biggest concern for young generations unaware of the problems tied to consuming too many trans-fats would be that these young people are more susceptible to heart disease and other coronary diseases. When Chapman counsels a student on their eating habits, depending on their specific problem, she addresses issues concerning their diets. “I suggest for them to eat low-fat dairy, lean meats, lots of produce and to limit restaurant eating,” Chapman advised. Eating at restaurants enables a person to see what they are eating. It’s harder to limit the elements of the meal, Chapman said. Ryan said that her advice to people wishing to better their diets would be to read labels. “It may seem tedious, but label reading is the only way to ensure a healthy balance,” Ryan said. A trans-fat ban may not be in the works for Lawrence but students in Lawrence and at the University have all the components to healthy diet available to them.

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Behind his large desk in his large office, Dave Corliss can’t think of a better place to be on a Tuesday afternoon. His office at the Lawrence City Hall holds a few family photos but the room is mostly bare. Three chairs are facing his desk, which is covered with paperwork. He doesn’t have much time to chat, but that’s because he’s a busy man.
He works at a job that some would find difficult, he’s in charge of an entire city. It’s something he’s always dreamed about.

His dream came true this September when the Lawrence City Commission appointed him Lawrence City Manager. He worked his way up the city political ladder, always keeping his goal in sight.

Most children dream of being astronauts or firefighters, he supposes he did at one time, but he can always remember wanting to work in city management.

“I couldn’t dunk so the NBA was out of the question,” Corliss said.

He first became interested in city government from classes such as history and public affairs.

His voice echoes the authority that he holds, yet his soft blue eyes contradict his deep voice. The 45-year-old from Wichita isn’t fazed by his new job title, it’s just more official.

Serving as interim city manager since March, Corliss has been comfortable with the new position. Still the paper work on his desk may lead one to think this is too much to handle. He takes one day at a time.

“We’ve had wild time since returning from Washington D.C. last week. Just catching up on stuff,” Corliss said.

Corliss is familiar with this job; he served six years as one of two assistant city managers of Lawrence. A job he doesn’t find much different than his new appointment.

“I attend the same meetings, only now I make the decisions,” Corliss said.

Corliss, a 1987 graduate of the University of Kansas holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, a Master’s degree in Public Administration, and a law degree. Corliss first became active in the community during his time at the University. Corliss held various positions in the community, among them director of legal services for the city of Lawrence. Corliss continues to serve as a member of the International City Management Association and the Kansas Association of City/County Management.

Janice Early-Weas has known Corliss since he was appointed by the mayor in 1999 to serve on the Lawrence Memorial Board of Trustees, a position he held until 2004.

“He is very dedicated to our city and Lawrence Memorial Hospital greatly benefited from the time Dave served on our board,” Early-Weas said.

After an interview process city commissioners appointed Corliss to fill the city managers position left vacant by Mike Wildgen.

City Commissioner David Schauner sees Corliss as energetic and enthusiastic about his new position.

“He brings a different perspective on how to bring the city into the 21st century. He can think outside of the box,” Schauner said.

Since Schauner joined the commission in 2003 he has worked closely with Corliss. Schauner calls Corliss a professional individual.

Corliss believes the job may seem a bit time consuming but that doesn’t bother him, a married father of three, it all goes toward making a better community. Corliss’ wife, Sarah, doesn’t believe the job affects his home life. After all, she was the first person to know when the city commission’s final decision made Corliss the new city manager.

“When he’s at home he concentrates on home stuff,” Sarah said.

The couple keeps busy on the weekends with three active daughters; Emily, 16; Katherine, 13; and Laura, 9.

Corliss and Sarah married while he was attending law school. Sarah can’t recall a time when he held other aspirations than becoming a city manager.

A job offer in a small Kansas town almost relocated the family. Yet Sarah said the couple wanted Lawrence to be the place they would their kids.

Some things haven’t changed since the job switch; Corliss remains absent from their home on Tuesday evenings in order to attend the city commissioners meeting. His work load may be a bit heavier than that of the previous city manager. Corliss has only one assistant, but he is hopeful the second assistant position will be filled soon. Aside from his job, Sarah believes the most important thing to know about Dave is that he is a wonderful husband and father, spending his weekends chasing his daughters. The eldest daughter, Emily, is learning to drive.

“Some people think driving with a sixteen year old is stressful, but she’s a good driver,” Corliss said.

The most rewarding part of the job for Corliss is to see the improvements in the city.

“It’s about making the community better than it was when you started. You can’t always see the results but you know they’re out there,” Corliss said.

He believes his purpose in the city manager position is to instill confidence into the infrastructure of the community.

Corliss offers this advice to those who dream of a position in city management: get involved in the community or their local government, volunteer and have an active voice.

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Lawrence Public Library’s expansion continues to gather speed toward finalization. Still, behind the scenes plans for the new library have included the possibility of moving locations or simply expanding at the current location.

Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. opened at the current location in 1972. Bruce Flanders, library director, said the library was deemed inadequate and crowded by the Library Board and staff in the mid-90s.

According to the United States Census Bureau Lawrence’s estimated population in July 2004 was about 102,786 compared to the census’ 2000 recoding of 99,962. The library accommodates nearly 1,600 patrons daily. Plans for a new library have been underway since the mid-90s, still no solid plans have been made.

In the spring of 2006 the city of Lawrence began accepting proposals for the new facility. David Schauner, city commissioner, said the proposals put the cost of a new library between $40 million and $50 million.

“The initial cost put a lot of people off,” Schauner said.

The city recently unveiled new plans that scale back the size of the library expansion lowering the cost to around $30 million. Flanders said the original plan was for 139,000 feet in the current location, which would put a price tag for the library at about $50 million.

Schauner and Flanders both agree that the ultimate decision would be left to voters.

“Utlimately, we feel that the library project will go to the voters as a bond issue election item, so we want the amount to be perceived as reasonable,” Flanders said.

Schauner said voters could increase sales tax as a way to financially support the library.

“I’m not sure how the community would support that idea,” Schauner said.

Moving locations would sever the history the library has downtown. The library first opened in 1904 on Vermont Street and Ninth Street. With the location being a prime spot in the summer with the Lawrence Aquatic Center is open and the park is in full swing.

“The ideal would be to stay downtown,” Sherri Turner, assistant director of the library said.

The very first plans for the library focused on a modest upgrade of sorts, including satellite libraries.

“The current City Commission made it clear that they wanted us to focus on expanding the library downtown, first and foremost,” Flanders said.

Flanders said he believes that the library serves as a magnet for getting downtown and moving would hurt downtown.

Expansion at the Vermont Street location would most likely require building over the current parking lots. Schauner said that one proposal calls for building on the current parking lot, while installing underground parking.

Expanding in the current location would require a phased plan for library operations, which would expend the construction. I’d say about 18 months to 24 months. Construction in a new location would probably be more like a year, Flanders said.

Regardless of expanding or moving library patrons will be happy with the benefits that come with a state of the art facility believes Schauner.

The primary benefits would be a greatly expanded space for children’s and teen’s rooms, a computer literacy training lab, four times the number of Internet computers, and more meeting space, according to Flanders.

“The library is a cultural center for the community. It becomes a gathering place to share common interest,” Schauner said.

Raina Volkmer, a Lawrence teacher and mother of four, enjoys the library’s children’s room. She said it’s a way to keep her children occupied.

“The library does a wonderful job of keeping the community involved. It’s not just a place for kids to read, they have crafts and story time that really keep them interested,” Volkmer said.

Volkmer said she looks forward to the new expansion as her children grow and will use the library more often.
Nicole Ridge, Iola junior, visits the library on a weekly basis for its selection of movies and music that is readily available to residents.

“I think its fine as it is, but you could always use a bigger library,” Ridge said.

Flanders said the city is considering five plans on the table, one for the current site and four at new locations. Proposed sites include moving the library to New Hampshire Street or to the riverfront, across Sixth Street

“Some appear more promising than others, but the final determination will not be made until later this month,” Flanders said.

Schauner said a time line for deciding which plan to use has not been set out. He estimated a final plan decided upon in spring 2007.

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Attendance at University of Kansas home football games has soared lately. According to the University’s athletic Web site, the average attendance at Memorial stadium in 2000 was 32,216 compared to the 2003 average of 38,750. Visitors to Memorial Stadium on any given home football game will see thousands of people. Cars pack the surrounding streets on game day. Kids throw footballs in campus parking lots. Tents litter the grassy area around the stadium. Tailgating is becoming big business for Lawrence and the University.

Erin Adams, manager of Joe-College.com at 734 Massachusetts St., said game days bring in the most business. During the week Adams estimated the store sells around 100 items.

“On game days our sells quadruple.” Adams said, “Our products are $5 to $20 cheaper than anywhere else.”

The store, which opened in January 2006, is not officially licensed by the University. It targets 18 to 25 years old.

Across the street at Jock’s Nitch, 837 Massachusetts St., manager Ryan Owens said game days also bring the largest revenue. The store, which opened in 1988, has items ranging from Jayhawk Chap Stick for $3 to a Jayhawk neon light for $350.

Sports shops are not the only businesses that profit from tailgaters. Liquor stores see a spike in revenue on game days. Dustin Polok, sales associate at Cork and Barrel 901 Mississippi St. said, that on big game days there could be a line of 20 people outside.

Last year during the K-State game, Polok recalled having four $500 transactions. The top selling item on game days for Cork and Barrel are 30 packs of beer. Between 80 to 85 percent of all sales are beer, according to Polok.

Polok estimated that sales at his store on a game day could reach $15,000 to $22,000 depending on the opponent of the game.

“Game day shifts are very hectic. It’s the least favorite shift, no one wants to work,” Polok said.

At Stadium View Apartments, across from Memorial Stadium, game day means kegs, beer bongs and food. For roommates Tom Cabin, Chris Reed, Matt Green and Jowee Lyons, game day isn’t about making a profit but having a good time.

Each home game Cabin, Reed, Green and Lyons buy five kegs to seven kegs, spending roughly $500 on beer. Throughout the afternoon, they grill about $30 worth of burgers and hot dogs. Food is free for party goers but cups cost $5.

The tailgating party serves as a way for friends to get together and hang out before the game.

“The last few weeks we had around 70 to 100 people come,” Lyons said.

In front of Memorial Stadium tents dot the grass on game day. Each tent had a group of tailgaters.

David Vaughn, Lawrence alumni and Mark Beardslee, Leawood alumni tailgate every home game.

“I’ve only missed a handful of games since I was seven,” Vaughn said.

Vaughn and Beardslee pay a price for their prime tailgating spot. In order to park in front of the stadium fans must donate to the University’s Williams Educational Fund. Vaughn donates every year. The amount of the donation determines what spot someone will receive for tailgating.

Vaughn said he donates between $5,000 to $10,000 dollars each year, but wouldn’t specify an amount. According to the Williams Fund’s Web site donations start at $100.

Donating is just the beginning of these tailgaters’ expenses. A parking permit for their tailgating spot costs $90. Beardslee, who doesn’t donate to the Williams Fund, parks down the street and usually pays $20.

Vaughn and Beardslee’s group has about 50 people, mostly families.

“It’s a great way to spend time as a family and enjoy a football game,” Beardslee said.

On average Vaughn estimated spending $300 to $400 a week on tailgating. As a group Vaughn and Beardslee estimated they spend about $2,500 a week on alcohol and food. The families bring enough food, on this game day, to fill the back of an SUV. Coolers full of beer surround the tailgaters.

Each man also purchase family zone tickets for the games. Family zone tickets cost $300 and include two adult tickets and two youth tickets.

For Vaughn and his family, tailgating for a season of football could add up to $8,000 or more depending on the size of his donation.

Still the Vaughns and Beardslees say they won’t miss a game. They plan to attend the next game, Homecoming, on Oct. 7 against Texas A&M.

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