Recently by Nick Peterson

It's December and college students around the country have final exams.  For several grueling days students spend countless hours in libraries and dorm rooms brooding over notes and books, trying to cram every significant detail they can to memory.

Ryan, Austin, Texas, junior, needs to focus.

He takes some Adderall, a prescription drug used primarily for people diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  Getting the drug from friends with prescriptions, Ryan is able to achieve what he calls complete mental focus.  Gaining energy and ignoring distractions, Ryan studies for his final.  Almost all his friends take the drug before tests and he is not worried about becoming addicted.

"I just take it for tests," Ryan said.  "I don't take it on a daily basis where I become bad."   

KU students have shown an increase in the use of prescription drugs, and the Wellness Resource Center at the University of Kansas plans to devote more time and effort next semester toward the topic.

Jenny McKee, a health educator and the grant coordinator for the center, said when it comes to drug use, the staff's main focus is alcohol and marijuana, but the staff members have seen such a strong trend in the increase of prescription drug use among students that the center needs to give the topic more attention.

Funded by student fees and housed within Watkins Memorial Health Center as part of its Student Health Services, the Resource Center will use the National College Health Assessment to help refocus the center's messaging, McKee said.

The National College Health Assessment is a data set collected every three years by universities around the country.  The assessment uses student surveys to provide statistics about drug and alcohol use.  McKee said the assessment, which next occurs in 2009, would be vital in comparing prescription drug use at the University with that at other colleges around the nation.

"It's very difficult to stay ahead of the learning curve," McKee said.  "We have excellent providers here and we will try to help students discontinue that drug use."

Ken Sarber, a health educator for the Resource Center, said it was important for the Resource Center to understand why students were turning to prescription drugs. 

Sarber said students could be using prescription drugs for a variety of reasons.  He said some might take drugs to help them study and focus while others might use them as an appetite suppressant.  Sarber said because this trend was so new, it was hard to determine exactly why students were using the drugs.

"A national statistic says that about one out of five college students has at least tried prescription drugs," Sarber said.  "Whether they take it on a continued basis or just to study is unknown."

Sarber said for now the Resource Center will just have to monitor the situation and continue to research the topic.  He said the Resource Center will turn to the Centers for Disease Control, drug companies and pharmacists to gather more information. 

As of now, Sarber said, he had done only one lecture devoted to prescription drug use but that he had seen a considerable increase in the requests for lectures about the topic.

"This is a topic that more and more students are becoming concerned with," Sarber said.  "This is something that we usually don't get a lot of requests on."

Sarber expects to have more lectures on the topic next semester.  Like the other topics covered by the Resource Center, Sarber said he would offer as many talks as the students needed.

Sarber said the Resource Center would rely on the Peer Health Educators at the center, resident assistants at residence halls, health chairs at scholarship halls and fraternity and sorority leaders to help educate students on the matter.

Bridgette Heine, St. Louis junior, is a Peer Health Educator for the Resource Center.  Heine said because prescription drug use was hard to monitor and there wasn't a lot of information on the subject, the next best thing would be to provide information on addiction.

Heine said lectures were good but it was important to get students involved.  She said the best way to accomplish this would be to provide students with examples of other students with prescription drug problems. 

"People think that they are young and that nothing will happen to them," Heine said.  "Well, something can happen to anybody."             

           

Cages line the room full of cats.  Some purr lightly as they take their afternoon nap.  Others scamper around in their makeshift homes, playing with toys and their fellow bunk mates.  Midge Grinstead bends down very gingerly to change out the litter box of a motionless and observant white cat.
   
Two years ago Grinstead broke her back working at the Ise Memorial Animal Shelter trying to carry a 70-pound box of files up a ladder.  She lost all function in her right side from the waist down after the fall.  She isn't even supposed to be walking but now she works six days a week at several positions to keep the shelter running.

"If I'm cleaning an area and I'm working the front desk then I'm not paying someone," Grinstead said.  "I'm salaried so it's a freebie."

Grinstead, the executive director of the Lawrence Humane Society, in the past eleven years helped turned the society into a well respected non profit organization because of her love of animals, her business background and her impeccable work ethic.

Grinstead, who is allergic to cats and dogs, said that as a kid she always wanted to be a veterinarian.  After her father retired from the military her family settled on a farm in the Washburn rural area.  There Grinstead hid injured animals in her bedroom and cared for them.  
Keeping her big walk-in closet tidy and clean, Grinstead nursed a chicken with a broken leg, a duck, a rabbit and a couple of wild mice.  One day her father found the hideout.  After his initial upset reaction, he built her a shed outside to house her animals.  Grinstead then added pet cows and pet sheep to her safe haven.

"I would save my money and go to sale barns and buy the blind ones that they were going to butcher so that I could keep them," Grinstead said.

Grinstead put aside school after marring and having a son.   Grinstead then worked in the corporate world for eleven years as the franchise coordinator for a multi-million dollar company.

She traveled, opened new stores, trained franchises, sold products on QVC and coordinated marketing studies.  When the owner sold the company, Grinstead was let go along with all the other employees as part of the new corporate buyout.

Before being hired as the director, Grinstead had volunteered for the society by serving on the advisory board to the board of directors.  Working on the nominations for the election of officers Grinstead found that the board had falsified an election.
 
In the United States all non profit organizations must have members who vote on the board.  Anyone who makes a donation to the organization is a member.

Grinstead found that only 20 members were voting on the board despite the fact that hundreds had donated.  The board had sent nominations to only those 20 people and the friends and relatives of people who worked at the shelter.

"For a non profit that's highly illegal to do and it could have ruined this whole facility," Grinstead said.

Grinstead presented this evidence to the board and the director.  They would all step down and Grinstead was hired to her current position in 1997.

"I'm a very by-the-book, not-cheating, follow-the-rules kind of person," said Grinstead.  "So when they weren't I got upset."


When Grinstead was hired the society was $80,000 in debt and was euthanizing up to 80 to 90 percent of the animals.  According to Grinstead, the community had forgotten about the society.  In 1996, the county commissioner said the county wouldn't reward mismanagement by giving the shelter any money for what they were doing.

Grinstead then utilized her business background to benefit the society and the shelter.

"Everything is business whether it's a nonprofit or not," Grinstead said.  "Everything comes down to what do you know about running a business.  This is a business.  We're in the business of animal welfare."

Grinstead fired most of the staff and observed the shelter for two weeks.  She then wrote a staff handbook and a staff operation book with various procedures.  All the animals in the shelter were ill so Grinstead changed the shelter's cleaning procedures and switched to a more expensive vaccine.  Within six months all the animals were healthy.  Grinstead then tried to change the reputation of the shelter.

"Because we had been a pariah in the community and had adopted out sick animals all the time we had to figure out how to get people to trust us again," she said.

Grinstead had representatives going to every event that she could think of, ranging from sidewalk sales and the St. Patrick's Day Parade to art festivals.  Grinstead said that the society was present at everything going on in Lawrence.  The public then started to see that the shelter had improved and that all the animals coming of the shelter were healthy.

"It just wasn't that hard, that's the sad part," Grinstead said.  "They could have been doing a better job all along with a little bit of effort."

Grinstead said that at first she wasn't respected by veterinarians because she lacked an animal background.  According to Grinstead, several vets actually laughed at her and said she didn't know anything when she attended a vet board meeting.  Grinstead then got an online degree in animal science from the University of Georgia.  Testing out with a vet, Grinstead gained credibility and improved relations with the vet community.

Robin Haller-Evans, the office manager for the shelter, said that the shelter is now highly thought of by other animal shelters in the state.

Haller-Evans was hired by Grinstead three years ago and works the front desk at the shelter.  She is also in charge of the restaurant fundraiser and coordinates all the other fundraisers for the society with Grinstead.

"She's done amazing things for the shelter," Haller-Evans said.  "She came into the shelter with a lot of problems but she has turned things around a thousand percent."

In 2000 the shelter added a stray-intake center, separating stray animals from adoptable animals.  Since then the shelter has not had to euthanize animals for space.  Last year the main building to the shelter was renovated, adding 1,500 square feet.  This past May the shelter housed about 900 animals and Grinstead had to cut down on staff to make payroll.  In June she borrowed money to get the shelter back on track.

Grinstead said the problem is the economy.  Breeders can't afford to keep 50 animals and pet stores aren't buying their animals.  Breeders then dump their unwanted animals at shelters.  Given the extra animals and the smaller staff, Grinstead has had to work extra hours in the past months.  Grinstead said that she has been lucky and that the extra hours haven't affected her personal life too much.  Grinstead said this is because her second husband, Mark, is retired and he often helps out at the shelter, walking dogs and repairing equipment.

Grinstead wants to retire and has told the board that she would step down in two years.  Grinstead said that she is worried about leaving because she is afraid that the shelter will go back to the way it was before she took over.  If the board wants, Grinstead said, she would be a consultant for the board and the society.

Grinstead said that working with animals and children is fantastic and that if she had been a vet then she might have been too worried about making money and paying her employees.  

"You're not working to make somebody money," Grinstead said.  "You're working every day to make a difference in the community.  I'll never work for anything but a non profit again."  

Shannon Coleman stands in a small, cramped room with two other parents at the East Lawrence Recreation Center and watches his 4-year-old daughter Breana participate in a tumbling class, one of many classes offered by the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department.  This is Breana's second tumbling class and Coleman says she loves the instructors.  Coleman, a Lawrence resident, says he thinks the instruction is fantastic and that he is very pleased that his daughter has the chance to meet people for so little a price.

"The price is a non-issue for what they get out of it," Coleman said.  "I would probably pay twice as much if offered."

With the nation's economy in a decline, Lawrence residents like Coleman have turned to such local services as Lawrence Parks and Recreation to fulfill their recreational needs. As a result revenue for the department has increased.  The department has seen an increase in revenue generated by Eagle Bend Golf Course and has also seen a significant increase in the numbers of participants in recreational classes and an increase in adult sports enrollment.

Ernie Shaw, the interim director and recreation and operations superintendent for Lawrence Parks and Recreation, said there had been in increase in all of the department's recreational activities over the past two or three years.

"History has shown us that when there is a downturn in the economy, people want to stay in," Shaw said.  "They like their quality of life and they want to continue that at an affordable rate."

Shaw attributed some of the department's success to its ability to keep prices low and affordable for Lawrence residents.  The recreational side of Lawrence Parks and Recreation is in a revenue fund that receives aid from sales tax.  Shaw said that the recreation side has a $3.4 million to $5 million budget and that the department usually brings in about 55 percent to 60 percent of that in total revenue.  The rest is then covered by the 1994 sales tax referendum that gave about $1.4 million to help support recreational facilities and activities in order to keep prices down and affordable to the public.  Shaw said that if the department were a private organization then it would have to charge people more in order to pay all the bills.

"By the city putting money back into the department we can keep those fees for the public at reasonable rates and not expect a 100-percent return," Shaw said.

Shaw said that the department's current projections for total revenue from all its sources show the department either meeting or exceeding its projected revenues for this year. According to Shaw, the department usually makes around $2.5 million in total revenue.

Eagle Bend Golf Course, owned and operated by the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department, is currently up $10,000 in revenue compared with September 2007, Shaw said.  Shaw expects total revenue for the course this year to be in the $950,000 range.  The course made $924,000 in 2007.

Shaw attributed some of Eagle Bend's success to the economy.

"People don't travel as much when the economy is down," he said.  "The golfers probably want to stay closer to home by not driving to Kansas City or Topeka.  All that's doing is costing you more money to drive."

John Morris, the golf operations supervisor and head pro of Eagle Bend Golf Course, reports twice a month to the city to discuss budget issues.  Morris said that the course has a $1-million budget and that it tries to make that through its pro shop, snack bar and the course itself.  The course also offers lessons for kids and adults.

Morris said that he and his staff take what they're given and try and make as much money as possible.  Morris said that the course has been steadily busy over the past three or four years.  According to Morris this makes watching the budget even more crucial because most of the budget is devoted to personnel and staff.

"When you are busy you have got to have staff," Morris said.  "That's been the biggest thing we've done this year. We're staffed so we can always provide good customer service."

Lawrence Parks and Recreation also offers a variety of recreational classes ranging from aerobics and tennis to karate and art classes.  Jo Ellis, the recreation programs supervisor for Lawrence Parks and Recreation, manages everything in the department that deals with instruction.  According to Ellis, revenue for the department's recreation classes has increased every year along with participation.  Ellis said that in 2007, 6,502 people participated in recreational classes.  She said the number of participants in recreational classes in 2008 grew by 12 percent to 7,390. Ellis added that the current figures do not include the months of November or December.

Ellis said that gas prices have caused revenue to go up because people are staying at home.  People who used to be on traveling gymnastic teams are now staying in Lawrence and using the gymnastic classes offered by the department, Ellis said.

Ellis also said that the increase in revenue and participation is due to the quality of instructors hired by her and the department.

"We hire very good instructors," Ellis said.  "The people we hire are just as good as people in Kansas City.  People think cost is everything but they are finding out that we have good, organized and professional instructors for a cheaper price."

Adult sports has also seen increased enrollment. According to Bob Stanclift, the adult sports supervisor for Lawrence Parks and Recreation, this is the first year that he has seen an increase in the total team registration and participation in every sport.

The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department offers kickball and softball in the spring, summer and fall, volleyball and basketball all year long and dodgeball during the winter.  Stanclift said that the enrollment in softball is as high as it has ever been in the past four to five years.   According to Stanclift, from April to July, 3,600 people played softball each week.  From August to October, 2,500 people are playing softball each week.

Stanclift said the increases in enrollment could be the economy and that people are choosing to spend recreation money locally.

When Allison Willis fills out the food order for Douthart Scholarship Hall every Wednesday she finds herself purchasing less and trying to make smarter financial decisions in order to cut down on costs.

"I've really cut down on the snacks.  No more beef jerky or Hot Pockets," Willis said.

As food board manager of Douthart Scholarship Hall, Willis, Lawrence senior, is required to order produce every day.  Willis says that the price of produce has increased this year along with the food budget for Douthart.

The Department of Student Housing anticipated these increases last year and raised the rates for the scholarship hall residents to help accommodate for the spike in scholarship hall food budgets.  Because of the increase residents are required to shop more efficiently.  With the cost of utilities still rising the Department of Student Housing expects another rate increase for next semester.

Beginning this year, traditional halls like Douthart, Battenfeld Scholarship Hall, Grace Pearson Scholarship Hall, Pearson Scholarship Hall, Sellards Scholarship Hall and Stephenson Scholarship Hall pay $212 more in yearly rates and $66 more for their meal plans.  Newer halls like K.K. Amini Scholarship Hall, Margaret Amini Scholarship Hall, Rieger Scholarship Hall and Kreibel Scholarship Hall have a $230 increase in yearly rates and a $66 increase in their meal plan.  Miller Scholarship Hall and Watkins Scholarship Hall don't have a meal plan, but both halls have had to pay a $114 increase in yearly rates.

Diana Robertson, the director of the Department of Student Housing, said that the department last year proposed a 4.5-percent increase to the food board budget for all the scholarship halls.  Robertson said that the department tried to keep the increase as low as possible but anticipated an 8 to 15 percent increase in food prices.  This year eggs have gone up 32 percent and dairy and preprocessed foods are more expensive.

"Transportation has gone up.  That's key," Robertson said.  "We will just roll with the higher dairy and other costs."

The residence halls also experienced the increase in rates.  

Robertson said that the Department of Student Housing proposed an increase of 4 percent for the residence halls and that dining has gone up 5.8 percent.  Robertson added that residence halls are tougher than scholarship halls because they are on such a higher scale.

"We try so hard to keep prices low for students," Robertson said.

This year traditional residence hall rates have increased $162 and the standard meal plan has increased by $168.

Willis said where she has seen the greatest change from the increased food rates is when she makes her weekly run to Checkers to buy ingredients and snacks for Douthart.  

"When I go to Checkers I would say about 80 percent of the things I bought last year have gone up several cents," Willis said.

As a result of the tighter budget, Willis said she was supposed to keep her shopping bill at Checkers under $200.  To accomplish this Willis said she has had to buy less and make wiser decisions to keep costs down.

Robertson said every year the Department of Student Housing proposed its rate increases and took them to the Student Housing Advisory Board.   If the proposals are approved the board passes the proposal to Chancellor Robert Hemenway and he will give it to the Board of Regents.  

Robertson said that she would meet with student groups as needed to explain the proposed rate increases and planned to meet with the All Scholarship Hall Council on October 1 to discuss the possible increases.  The Student Housing Advisory Board is set to meet in October to vote on the rates.  Robertson expects the rates for student housing to rise again.

"Look at the economy right now.  Utilities are a big part and we expect those to increase significantly," Robertson said.  "We will work real hard to keep costs within reason while still providing a good service."

   

Robertson said there was no difference in the effect of raising rates in scholarship halls as opposed to the residence halls.

"I hate to do it anywhere," Robertson said.  "It doesn't matter what environment.  It's the same for both."

With no state funding, Robertson said, the Department of Student Housing wants to be as economic efficient as possible, and estimating utility and other increases is critical.  

Deb Carter, the business services manager for the Department of Student Housing, has the task of trying to predict what utilities will look like for next year.  Carter said she tried stay on top of it by watching the market while staying in contact with the department's representatives at utility companies.

Carter said that the hurricanes this year had created an increase in natural gas and that whatever rates were approved this October would be in effect this coming January.

 

Laura Draxler, Prairie Village senior, said that the rate increase had been substantial for residents of Watkins Scholarship Hall.

"The increase affects everyone personally because we buy our own food," Draxler said.

Unlike the other scholarship halls Watkins doesn't have a meal plan.  Instead it has seven independent kitchens with seven people in each.  These kitchens consist of regular kitchens, semi-independent kitchens and independent kitchens.  In a regular kitchen each member cooks seven meals a semester, and in a semi-independent kitchen each member cooks four meals a semester.  In an independent kitchen every member cooks for themselves.  

Draxler, the food board manager at Watkins, explained that the cooks decided what they were going to make and went to the store and buy the food themselves.  According to Draxler cooks are expected to spend $20 to $30 on a meal.  Draxler said that there had been a lot of Easy Mac eaten this year at Watkins.

"Girls can't necessarily afford to eat right and have had to rely on processed food that doesn't have the best nutritional value," Draxler said.  "The rates really affect people who pay for their own college."