May 2009 Archives

The only glow of light coming from Jeff Severin's office radiates from his computer screen.  With the window blinds open, Severin swiftly clicks through his e-mails before beginning our interview. 

 

"I hope you don't mind the lights," he says.  "I don't usually have them on."

 

Even on a rainy, overcast day like this one, Severin keeps his lights off.  Though he wouldn't ask professors to do the same in their classrooms, Severin nevertheless advocates energy conservation on campus by serving as director of KU's Center for Sustainability.

           

The center follows a national trend of promoting sustainability on college campuses, a trend that includes other Big 12 schools like Kansas State University and the University of Missouri-Columbia.

 

Formed under the Provost and opened in February 2007, the Center for Sustainability, led by Severin and a few other faculty members and students, brainstorms initiatives for "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future," Severin said.

 

These initiatives include eliminating paper waste in student computer labs and campus departments and creating a composting system that utilizes food waste from the dining halls.  A main goal of the Center, though, has been educating and working with students and student organizations.

 

Big 12 Sustainability Rankings (2008)

1. University of Colorado-Boulder

2. University of Texas

3. University of Missouri

4. Iowa State University

5. University of Oklahoma

6. University of Kansas

7. Baylor University

8. Texas A&M University

9. Kansas State University

10. University of Nebraska

11. Oklahoma State University

12. Texas Tech University

The Sustainability Endowments Institute began issuing 

Green Report Cards" to college campuses in 2007. 

Last year, KU scored a C-, a score Jeff Severin hopes will raise in

2009 given the initiatives started and completed in 2008. 

Source: Sustainability Endowments Institute           

"The efforts have been very collaborative on campus," said Severin.  "Ultimately, we want more student involvement."

 

The Campus Rain Garden is an example of such collaborations.  The self-sustaining rain garden, which began with a student's desire to design a course on storm water management, gathers water runoff from urban areas and filters it with the help of native plants, improving water quality and reducing water drain flow.

 

Several groups, including Emerging Builders, a student organization, and the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center, which provided the site for the rain garden, assisted the Center in completing this project.

 

In addition to the Campus Rain Garden, the Center's first completed project, the Center for Sustainability is also drafting an interdisciplinary course on sustainability.  Stacey White, the Center's director for academic programs, and a team of faculty and staff spent the past year creating a course that White hopes will be available by spring 2010.

 

"We all look at sustainability from different angles," White said of her fellow committee members.  "That's why we see the need for a multidisciplinary approach--one that looks at the economic, social and environmental impacts of sustainability--to create engaged learning."

 

Students and student groups have sought help from the Center for Sustainability when implementing sustainable ideas.  Tyler Enders, Leawood sophomore, approached the Center with his idea for what became From Blue to Green: Conserve KU, a "campaign to create a more environmentally sound, sustainable KU community," he said.

 

From Blue to Green, which encompasses over 20 campus organizations and departments, compiled several sustainable and "green" events that fell on and around Earth Day, including hosting a "Green Fair" in the Union and bringing several speakers to the University for a free lecture series.  Yet, these events are only one aspect of the movement's initiatives.

 

"From Blue to Green has two focuses: an individual focus and a university focus," Enders said.  "The second focus centers around university policies and what we can do to make them more sustainable."

 

Currently, From Blue to Green, with the assistance of the Center for Sustainability, is creating a "Revolving Green Fund," in which donors endow money to finance renovations to KU buildings in order to make them more energy efficient.

 

With these and other projects, KU joins other universities in the region and across the country in moving towards becoming more sustainable.

 

At the University of Missouri-Columbia, for instance, Steve Burdic, the campus's sustainability coordinator, oversees many of the university's green practices, which have been in place for quite some time.  

 

"We've been doing things on campus for over 100 years that are sustainable," Burdic said. "It's just nobody really knew what sustainability was."

 

These practices include making its own electricity, an initiative that saves the school roughly $300,000 in fuel costs and has cut energy consumption on campus by 12 percent, according to Burdic.

           

Like KU, students have also had a huge impact on sustainability efforts on campus.  Sustain Mizzou, a student-run organization that developed about five years ago from a defunct chapter of the Sierra Club, supports over a dozen projects every year.

             

"Five years ago, sustainability wasn't as big of a focus with students on campus," Patrick Margherio, Missouri junior and president of Sustain Mizzou, said.  "Now we've had a huge impact, both with students and the administration."

 

Univ. of Missouri student Ben Datema, former president of Sustain Mizzou, presents the Mizzou Dashboard project during the Missouri Energy Summit. Sustain Mizzou is an example of student involvement in campus sustainability at Mizzou.Source: mizzourwire.mizzou.edu

           

During the events hosted by From Blue to Green, Sustain Mizzou also hosted its own week-long event.  With fliers asking students to help save the planet "one thingamajig at a time," the organization challenged over 1,000 dormitory residents to reduce their energy use.  Sustain Mizzou has also made strides in reforming internal policy; recently, the group created and successfully lobbied for a "sustainability tax," a $1 student fee designed to support paid student positions and provide funds for the sustainability coordinator.  

 

Yet, although KU, Mizzou and other colleges across the country have established sustainability awareness on their campuses, evidence of statewide and national collaboration is scarce.

 

"We're open to further collaboration," Stacey White said.  "But I think most colleges are really concerned with what's going on on their own campuses right now.

 

And despite increased student awareness and involvement, both Enders and Margherio believe the efforts of their organizations have had an isolated focus so far.

 

"I hope that From Blue to Green expands at KU, but I don't necessarily foresee it inspiring and expanding to other schools," Enders said.

 

Kansas State University, however, approaches campus sustainability from a different focus.  Though K. State has initiated many programs similar to KU, including a composting and organic food pilot program in the dining center and reducing energy costs by converting outdoor lighting to LED fixtures, the university has paved the way in research and collaboration.

 

"We're different from other schools because we're a Kansas major land grant school," said Ben Champion, director of sustainability at K. State.  "This means that we're part of a system of dispersing information to other schools that was created to provide practical education to the common citizen."

 

In order to extend the reach of its information, K. State hosted a Sustainability Conference on January 23, 2009.  The conference included general sessions as well as specific track sessions that addressed issues like internal operations and student involvement.  People from several universities, including KU, participated in the conference, which Champion hopes will expand from year to year. 

 

"Next year we will host the conference again," Champion said.  "But our ultimate goal is to have it travel to different universities in the state, and possibly around the country, every year.

     

Though statewide and national efforts may be on KU's list of future goals, right now, Severin, who attended the conference at K. State, pushes for a more local focus. 

 

"Ideally, what I would like to see, is a community-wide effort, where we generate ideas and work together," Severin said.

               

 College students as human guinea pigs

Danielle Hartley, Rose Hill junior, says she's willing to be injected with trial drugs in order to pay her rent on time.
Teresa Wilson, Lawrence junior, hopes to use her healthy body as a medical experiment so she can pay off her debt.
Last year, Katelyn Andrews, Olathe junior, took shots in her abdomen and spent three days at the hospital taking sonograms of her heart, just to be paid $2,300.
"The main reason that I participated," she said, "was to get some extra money. My mom works at a few hospitals and said that it was a safe thing to do."

No one can be sure exactly how many college students at KU, or any university, are now participating in paid medical studies in order to pay their bills. Given the current state of our economy, students such as these know they are not alone. More and more students are challenged financially and are finding the solution to their problems through these paid experiments.
Paid clinical trials attract college students because they offer a large sum of money for a minimum amount of actual work. In fact, when asked about their willingness to participate in a medical trial for money, 7 out of 10 students said they would especially participate now more than ever.

Teresa Wilson's financial status forced her to look for this alternate solution of income since her one job wasn't helping enough. "Between credit card debt and lawyer fees I really could use some extra money," she said. Teresa heard about Quintiles, a local clinical trial facility in Olathe, Kan., on a radio advertisement last year and decided to apply. Danielle Hartley heard the same ad as Teresa, knowing it was the answer to her financial problems, too. "I really hope to get in the trial that pays the most money. At this point I just don't care about the risks," she said.
 
Katelyn Andrews knew about the risks but found the benefits worth it. She profited a total of $3,000 between the two trials she participated in. The first trial was research on a stroke medicine, which she had no side effects from. "With the second study at one point when they had me do a 5 minute standing test, my heart started to race and I felt extremely light-headed," she said. "But other than that there were zero side effects."
 
Besides minor side-effects like Katelyn's, the overall consensus may be that clinical studies are in fact safe, but the companies conducting these clinical trials make sure to publicize the risks and possible side effects to their patients. Some of the general risks listed are unpleasant, serious or life-threatening side effects to treatment.

Patients typically do not find out about the risks or side effects until they fill out an application and are approved to participate by the clinic. Upon Danielle Hartley's approval to participate she received a letter of notice from Quintiles. "It was a full front and back piece of paper describing all the possible risks and side effects I might have. The only one that really stood out to me was possible death," she said.
 
The risk of death is apparently not scary enough to make Danielle and most college kids running, though. According to Viki Zelenak, Wichita senior and president of the KU International Medical Ethics Club, this fearlessness could potentially be caused by pre-mature development. "At this age (college students), health habits and behaviors are still being formed. The area of the pre-frontal cortex is not quite fully developed yet, so we're still deciding what's good and bad for us," Viki said. She also stated that the effects of clinical trials are not always immediate, so it may still be possible that these effects will show up in the later years.
Dr. Matt Reynolds, a KU ethics and psychology professor, agrees with Viki and thinks it's important for students to be fully informed about what they're getting into.
For Katelyn Andrews, this premature development may have influenced her choice in participating, but the overall decision seemed to benefit her rather than harm. Danielle and Teresa have acknowledged the possible risks of the medical trials as well, but think their monetary offerings outweigh the cons in their current tight financial situations.

"The trials are double-blind studies," Teresa said. "I just hope I get the placebo."

            Scott Glenn has played a lot of golf courses. As a golfer at Missouri State, he's played a lot of good ones, too. But he's particularly fond of one in Lawrence--city-owned and operated Eagle Bend Golf Course, 1250 E. 902^nd Road.

 

            "I've played it a few times, and what a great place to play," Glenn said. "It's really well run, well manicured. For a city-owned course, that's about as nice as I've played on."

 

            The course, which will get just over $1.1 million from the city, or .76 percent of the total city budget, in 2009, tries to pay that back with revenue from greens fees, concessions and a fully stocked pro shop. After the budget for the golf course dropped below $1 million in 2008, at $972,940, the budget for expenditures jumped back to seven figures, where it has been since 2002 .

 

            In a letter to the mayor and city commissioners, city manager David Corliss said that the golf course was expected to turn a profit in 2009.

 

            "While expenses and revenues are largely weather dependent, budgeted revenues are projected to meet or exceed projected expenditures at the golf course in 2009," Corliss wrote.

 

John Morris, golf course supervisor and head pro, said that the course has seen hardly any fluctuation in business despite the economic downturn.

           

"The economy has been, for the golf course, pretty much a non-issue," Morris said. "Our budget is pretty much okay, but as far as parks and rec and money from the state, that's a little different."

           

What some people see as an all but disastrous undertaking--commenters on the Lawrence Journal-World's Web site were calling for the golf course to be shut down to save city funds as recently as February--may actually be defying expectations.

"The economic stuff hasn't really hurt us because we're able to keep our prices so low," Morris said. "Then because of that, whatever budget we get--well, we tend to make more than we spend."

           

The numbers from the last couple of years back Morris' claim. In 2007, the most recent year which full records are available, the golf course spent $765,414 of its budget of over $1 million, while their total receipts equaled over $920,000. It was the second time in as many years that the course has brought in a profit for the city--in 2006, Eagle Bend's receipts totaled over $1 million.

           

The opposition to the golf course is largely a product of the payment plan that started when the course was built. The city will be paying bond and interest until 2016, and Eagle Bend lost over $100,000 as recently as 2004.

 

"Man, it just seems like a waste of money," Wichita junior Andrew Noyes said. "We've already got a couple 18-hole courses, then if you want to play for cheap, just go to the Orchards. Why does the city have to have its own golf course?"

 

Noyes was referencing Lawrence Country Club, Alvamar Golf Course and Alvamar Orchards, a nine-hole, par-31 course that costs $8 per round.

 

"I like to golf, I just don't know why tax money should go to the upkeep of some course that I then have to pay to play on," Noyes said. "I'd rather just pony up a little extra to play Alvamar."

 

            Ernie Shaw, interim director of the Parks & Recreation Department, preached patience, however.             

 

"That course is making close to a million bucks every year. In 2006, we made money even with bond and interest," Shaw said. "Depending on the year and depending on the weather, because weather obviously plays such a big role, golf can be a very lucrative undertaking. It makes more money than any single program because it can generate its own revenue."

           

Shaw said he believes the golf course is unfairly singled out in terms of putting it on the chopping block.

           

"I have no idea why people pick golf out over anything else, but it sure seems like they do," Shaw said. "I think people feel like golf, because of country clubs, is an elite sport only for the wealthy. But that's not what public golf is. We have golf lessons just like we have little league and swimming lessons and public parks."

 

That service will be around for a little while longer--even with opposition from the public. When proposed budget cuts were presented to city commissioners in January, closing Eagle Bend was not even an option.

            KU's Teams and Groups class made $539.46 at their charity event for the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence. The event, which was held at Jo Shmo's, did raise money, however, was not as successful as they hoped.

            "We were hoping the event would raise more money than last year, but that didn't happen. The event raised only about half the amount we wanted to make," said Jason Grebe, the class professor.

            The class attributed the low amount of money raised to the location of the event.

            "We didn't realize the event would be held only upstairs of Jo Shmo's. The event seemed more like a private party," said Jeremy McKee, a student involved with the event.

            Jo Shmo's was decorated with streamers, balloons, and paper Jayhawks colored by kids in the Boys and Girls Club. The event offered music, bocce ball, dollar drinks, and a raffle to promote donations. A few prizes were raffled off every half-hour throughout the event. The biggest prizes were a basketball and football signed by the KU basketball team and the KU football team.

            "I'm so excited I won the basketball! I'm going to give it to my mom for her birthday," said Collin Brahm, the raffle winner of the KU signed basketball.

            Bartender tips, cover charge, and raffle money was donated to the Boys and Girls Club. Although drink money was not donated to the club, a donation booth was set up to account for the loss of contribution from drinks.

            The fundraiser was initiated to make up for recent budget cuts at the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence. The budget cut affected art supplies, field trips, and other recreational items. However, with the money raised from the event, some of these items can be returned to the kids in the club.

            "The donation from the event will allow us to purchase more art supplies for the kids. We really appreciate what the class has done. It's nice to see these college students take time out of their schedules to help the Boys and Girls Club," said Erika Zimmerman, Development Coordinator at The Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence.

            The event was held at Jo Shmo's on April 30, at 9:00 PM. Cover charge was lowered to six dollars from the initially decided ten dollars. The class couldn't get the kegs for the party because of miscommunication on the part of an employee arranging the event with the class. In addition, the employee was fired for not communicating about the event with the owner of Jo Shmo's.

25 years ago Evan Franseen stepped onto the rocky gravel of the southeastern coast of Spain, and was in awe of what he saw. He was looking at a historic landscape of preserved rocks millions of years old.

 "My mouth just hit the ground," Franseen said.

 When Franseen, Professor of Geology, began his Ph.D research of carbonate systems in 1984, he never imagined he would find a system of rocks so special.

 "I have to pinch myself to believe that I lucked into this whole thing," Franseen said. "Everything we have researched; it is like an incredible dream."

 Areas with this degree of preservation are rare, Franseen said. That is the reason he keeps going back.

 "This is now a world famous area because the rocks are so beautifully exposed," Franseen said. "It resembles rocks covered by water. You almost feel like you are snorkeling around when you see this stuff. Everything is preserved."

The sedimentary systems Franseen has been studying are not simply a historical landscape.  These rocks model the same systems underwater that oil companies drill for, yet are on the surface for humans to explore.

 "These exposed rocks are kind of like a natural classroom," said Bob Goldstein, Chair of the Geology Department, "allowing geologists to crawl around in."

 The oil industry currently drills offshore in the subsurface, where rocks rich in oil and natural gas are usually located. Because the rocks are underwater they are not easily accessible and a drill can only penetrate a tiny hole, called a reservoir, Goldstein said.

 "The rocks in Spain are actually exposed examples of reservoir rocks at the surface we can examine," Goldstein said. "These conclusions lead to finding a lot more oil and gas. Or at least finding it more easily."

 Today, many oil companies are drilling the most expensive oil and gas wells in the world. Huge reservoirs of oil and natural gas have been discovered in offshore Brazil, Goldstein said. The rocks are so deep in the water they could cost $80 to $120 million to drill. 

 "The rocks we are working on in Spain look very similar to the ones in the subsurface of Brazil," Goldstein said. "There is a lot of excitement in investing in the research we do."

 Franseen and Goldstein have been taking students and other researchers to the area for years. They also teach classes for the American Association of Petroleum Geologists in the area.

 "People from the oil industry go over there and they will learn the basic principles of how these carbonate systems work," Franseen said. "That is what the oil industry is interested in. We can model and learn about these systems, go where the oil is, and then apply the research. This will allow for advances in producing oil more efficiently."

 John Bova, Senior Research Associate at Exxon Mobil, first visited the area in 2005 through the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). He now takes employees from Exxon Mobil to the area for research and training.

 "I thought the area could be used as an analog for different types of fields we have been looking at," Bova said. "In the geology world we look for outcrop analogs. We can walk up to them and understand geology, whereas when you drill a well you can't really see what is going on."

Three groups of geoscientists from Exxon Mobil have visited the area. Bova said his objective is to introduce them to different types of geology in order to make interpretations.

Chalk dust billows in the air as Sam Gleeson slaps his hands together. He walks through the cloud as he approaches the wall, his eyes scanning the rough surface from floor to ceiling. The first hold, a "sloper," is just within reach. He inhales sharply as his finger tips press into the surface and pulls himself upward.
 
From the floor, Talia Karim coaches Gleeson up the wall.  She cranes her neck to find the holds that he can't see and to keep him on the correct route.

"The blue one to the right--just about three inches or so from your hand," she says. "Yep, that's it. You're there."
 
The climbing shoes on Karim's feet are tattered and worn. As a sixth-year member of the University of Kansas Rock Climbing club (K.U.R.C.), Karim has grown accustomed to the "hand-me-down" quality of the gear. Karim, who will graduate with a Ph.D this spring, will be one of the last members to endure the aging equipment.



Starting this fall, K.U.R.C. will receive a budget increase that triples its original allowance. Previously, the club's budget was $1,500 per year.  In August, it will increase to $4,500 per year.  Sharayah Stitt, club treasurer, said the money would be extremely helpful to improving the quality of the club's activities.
 
"It's a huge bonus for us," she said.  "We've definitely had some shortages with so many more people joining this year."

Last fall, the climbing club doubled its membership from 30 members to 60 members. This surge of newcomers made K.U.R.C. the largest club on campus, and it was a major factor to qualify the club for the budget increase.
 
Will Pass, K.U.R.C. president, was responsible for getting more people involved. His efforts during the fall led to the drastic membership increase. Pass said that most of the advertising was spread by "word of mouth." In addition, the creation of a new website for K.U.R.C., with updated information and professional imagery, made the club more accessible to interested students.
 
"We kept it really chill--no pressure or anything," he said. "People would come to the climbing wall and we'd just talk to them and get them interested in going on trips and learning to climb."

Jason Krone, associate director of KU recreation services, said that the system used to distribute budget money from the university rewarded this kind of effort. The budget money, which comes from student fees ($3 per semester per student) totals to $143,000. Every March, the Sport Club Executive Board, made up of five elected student members, decides the allocated budget for each of the 33 club teams.

"This is supposed to be a student-driven, student-run, and student-led program," Krone said. "The officers that are encouraging involvement and activity will be rewarded with a higher budget range."
 
KU sports club budgets are determined by two factors--the number of members and the amount of money they raise on their own through fundraising, dues, and donations. Based on these credentials, the clubs are organized into four levels, with Level One having a budget range of $10-20 thousand--the highest possible range of allocated money for clubs.

 

 K.U.R.C. will be in Level Two, which offers $3,500 to $7,000. To qualify for this level, a club must have 30 members and raise $5,000, at least. Pass said he'd hoped for more than $4,500 since his club had the most members. He said it reflected the Board's general dismissal of K.U.R.C. as a sports club.
 
"Just because we don't have to worry about entry fees and uniforms doesn't mean we don't have expenses," he said. "We're never going to fit in with the sports clubs because we don't do competitions. We're more into the welcoming, learning environment."

Krone said it was more likely that the board made their decision based on the lack of fund-raising by the climbing club. He said their generated income was one of the lowest of their level. In the last year, K.U.R.C. generated $5,895, compared to the swimming club--also in Level Two--which generated $8,040. In turn, the swimming club has a $6,000 budget.
 
 "We have 33 unique clubs, all who think they are the most important club--as they should," he said. "But this gives us 33 different angles on how the system should work, and not everyone is going to be happy."

For the most part, however, the climbing club is thrilled with the "extra dough." Jake Wolf, the club's vice president, has been climbing for 15 years and has been a climbing club member for six years. He said he was grateful that the board recognized the need for an increase, since the high membership had taken a toll on the club gear. He said the new budget would allow for "much-needed" purchases, like harnesses, ropes and shoes.



"We can't provide a safe and educating atmosphere if our gear is getting too old," he said. "But we also don't want to make people spend $300 on climbing stuff. For beginners, especially, we'd rather provide that ourselves."

Pass said that the money would be dedicated, first, to buying more club gear. Any money left over would be used for renting vans so that people didn't feel pressure to drive their own cars across the country for climbing trips.
 
"Our club members should never be limited by lack of gear or transportation," he said. "I want everyone to have the gear to go climbing when they want to go climbing, and that's been my goal all along."

 

                For many the deals were just a sign that gas prices were too high. For others though, the low sport utility vehicle and truck prices were too good to pass up. Robert Klinge, a contractor from Overland Park, thought that when he decided to buy his new Ford F-150. It was November of last year, and Klinge saved $10,000 dollars buying at a time when dealers were desperate to get rid of their inventory.

A year ago this summer gas prices in Kansas hit the highest they had ever been, topping $4 a gallon. People across the country stopped buying SUV and large trucks in favor of more fuel efficient imports and alternative energy hybrids. Car dealers watched as their lots filled up with gas-sucking behemoths that nobody wanted, and prices hit rock bottom.

                Klinge was just one of many Americans taking advantage of the low prices, but a majority of people were biding their time, saving their money or investing in smaller more fuel efficient cars.

                Since the decline of gas prices after the summer of 2008, the worries that people harbored towards SUVs and trucks have decreased as demand and the price go back up. Cars that had seen prices drop into the $35,000 range in 2008 are back up to nearly $50,000 dollars.

In Lawrence, car dealers are experiencing this same trend. According to Kevin Storm, finance manager of Bossier Nissan, 2300 W. 29th Terrace, Lawrence, Kan., prices are mainly up on domestic vehicles such as Ford and GM. Large import vehicles such as Nissan and Toyota have not seen their prices or demand increase to the levels that their domestic counterparts have.

Despite the increase in SUV sales, car companies are still suffering difficulties in the weak economy. A large portion of car companies profits came from SUV sales, and with the decline of sales from high gas prices in 2008 and the weak economy in 2009, car companies will need more than this increase in sales to keep themselves afloat.

Allen Jaskiewicz of Dale Willey Automotive, 2840 Iowa Street, says that used vehicles are very difficult to find right now. With the present state of economy, used cars have a much higher demand than new cars. And since fewer people are buying new cars, there are no used cars being traded in. That demand is driving the prices up.

Dealers across the country were desperately trying to sell the unwanted vehicles. Many were offering large cash rebates, great financing options, buy one get one free options for certain vehicles, and one dealer in Kansas City, Mo. Was offering buyers a certificate for a free semi-automatic handgun.

According to Edmunds.com, a new and used car listing database, F-150s are selling for prices between $25,000 to $30,000 dollars. Many people were reluctant to dish out the money for a car last summer, but for people like Klinge, the risk may have paid off.

 

 

 

 

 

            KU could be joining the technological tanks of Yale, MIT, Notre Dame and USC Berkeley if Brylie Oxley has his way.

For the past six months, Oxley, Overland Park junior, has been researching the use of OpenCourseWare, a program that allows universities to post their courses- lectures, syllabi and, in some cases, textbooks- online for free to the public, and hopes to bring it to KU.

            "We need a universally educated society," Oxley said. "We can't do that with what we have now."

            Over 200 universities have adopted programs like OpenCourseWare and are now making their curriculums available to all people for free.           

            Open educational resources like OpenCourseWare allow universities to publish course materials online with no cost to the user, which could be anyone and not just students who go to that university. This material would include syllabi, notes, lectures and even textbooks in cases where there are no copyright infringements. Professors are also able to publish their own textbooks.

MIT was one of the first universities in the nation to latch onto the idea of free online course materials. As the new millennium dawned, MIT wanted to explore the connection between its education programs and the Internet. In 2000, the faculty recommended OpenCourseWare to MIT and since then has published 1890 courses online that are free and open to the public.

Those who use these free online courses from a university do not earn a degree. However, studies at MIT have shown that people are more likely to attend the Institution after looking at its curriculum first. Thirty-two percent of freshmen surveyed at MIT in 2005 said they were influenced by OCW to attend MIT. In addition, 92 percent of undergraduate students and 82 percent of graduate students at the college use OCW to enhance their learning experience. 

"By all measures we think OCW has been a tremendous success," said Cecelia d'Oliveira, Executive Director of OCW at MIT. "OCW showcases MIT's curriculum, strengthens the Institute's reputation, and promotes international engagement."

            Though professors are not required to use this program if a university were to adopt it, Oxley pointed out the benefits for professors. First of all, it would increase the knowledge and evolution of the curriculum, he said, thus giving the professor more recognition for his or her work across the globe.

            According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Website, "The institutions and individuals creating and publishing these resources are also rewarded through increased status and visibility, and the inevitable increase in demand for their services and products."

The main objection to the program is its cost, which varies from university to university. MIT runs its OCW program at $3.5 million a year, though d'Oliveira said that other schools can operate at a lower cost depending on what the school wants to incorporate into its program. Oxley also said that it can be run by anyone- students, TAs and professors.

            "It's a very flexible initiative," Oxley said. "It's showing positive proof of our communications technology."

More important to Oxley, however, having these courses available embraces the idea that all knowledge is universal and all people have a right to an education despite their financial or economic situation.

            "I believe that education is essential for a free society and a participatory democracy," Oxley said. "It's very important that as many people have that access to education as possible. It presents to me a fundamental aspect of the democracy we strive for in this society."

            Oxley said his goal right now is to research the program more before trying to get it started on a larger scale. He is even starting his own student group to continue raising awareness for the program.

            "It's already kind of happening at KU," he said. "I am also encouraged that on campus there is already awareness of, and momentum toward, liberated educational assets."

            Oxley, who is a Spanish major, approached several Student Senate groups during this semester's student elections to raise awareness for his cause and found a friend in the Libertarian group Students of Liberty, which was running for Senate at the time.

            "It's right up our alley," Peter Northcott, a member of Students of Liberty, said.

            Though the group was defeated on election day, Students of Liberty is still interested in the cause.

            "It's the evolution of technology," Northcott said. "KU might as well get on it."

            On an administrative level, adopting free online course at KU has been tough.

            "I am familiar with OpenCourseWare as an online storage system for class materials, but am not aware of any plans to adopt it for widespread use here at KU," said Susan Zvacek. Director of Instructional Development and Support at KU. "Although many systems like OpenCourseWare are presented as a way to offer 'courses' to the public, they are predominantly collections of materials; if this is what constitutes a course, the library has many of them already available for those who are motivated to learn on their own."

            Despite the struggle, Oxley is pushing forward with his cause.

            "It's a pretty uphill process," he said. "But it at least plants a seed."             

View Schools that use OpenCourseWare in the U.S. in a larger map

Although the recession is prompting more people to put to use the childhood saying of reduce, reuse, recycle, with many companies reporting receiving larger numbers of recycled products than compared to last year, the revenue of these products has drastically dropped.  This drop has left the recycling industry facing troubled times.  

Linda Klinker, chair of Cans for the Community, a local non-profit organization that recycles aluminum containers and giving the proceeds to other Douglas County non-profits for funding, said that every month this year's can collection amount has surpassed last year's.  Klinker said that Cans for the Community collects until it raises $1,000 and gives it to an organization.  She said that this amount has become increasingly harder to reach with the drop in aluminum pricing.

"The thing that's hurting us is that aluminum dropped to 25 cents a pound from 50 cents a pound last year," Klinker said.  "We have to collect 4,000 pounds of cans.  Our business is steady, we're collecting more cans, but we're making less money."

Jim Tuch, owner of Home Recycling Service, a local curbside recycling company, said he was in a similar situation as Cans for the Community.  Tuch said that his business had been steady, and that people were continuing a strong effort to recycle.  He has heard that some recycling companies have had to resort to stopping pick-up for certain types of recyclable goods because they weren't turning enough revenue.  However, Tuch said he has not had to do that yet.

View Untitled in a larger map

"We deal with local businesses and are able to still accept all our things," Tuch said.  "Some businesses are paying a lot less but they are still accepting."

Jeff Joseph, owner of Jeff's Curbside Recycling, said he has been in the recycling business for eight years now.  His business has stayed stable although he would have expected a drop-off because of people's reuse of products themselves.  He said he has seen an increase in reusable grocery bags and the reuse of milk jugs over again.  Joseph said that he had been able to continue picking up all the products he did in the past, and the only recyclable product he cannot pick up is styrofoam.

Joseph said that as a consumer and an advocate for reducing waste he thought it was unfortunate that recycle companies could not accept items like styrofoam.  He said it would be really unfortunate if companies stopped accepting all the products they collect now, forcing all that material to go into a landfill.

Kathy Richardson, Waste Reduction and Recycling Operations Supervisor for the city of Lawrence, said that the recycling industry has taken a very sharp downturn which has caused private companies to take a hit.  Richardson said that the city's waste reduction programs were funded through monthly fees and that whatever revenue was made was a bonus, but private companies relied on their revenue for things like employee salaries.  

The city of Lawrence's recycling services have also seen a drop in the revenue made off of the products they collect.  Richardson said that the city collects only paper products, and this year they have seen an increase in the tonnage of that material.  As of the end of March this year the city has collected a total of 562.81 tons of paper products including old corrugated containers, old newspapers, office waste paper, and mixed waste paper.  The prior year to date amount of tonnage is 496.43 tons.  However, the year to date revenue for the paper materials is $63,019.97 compared to the current revenue of only $16,155.79, according to a recent waste reduction and recycling division report.

This drop in revenue is due to the staggering drop in price per ton made for the recyclable goods collected.  In September 2008 the city received $115 per ton for corrugated cardboard.  Today it receives $20 to $25 per ton for the cardboard picked up at its more than 500 business collections and community drop-off bins.  That same month in 2008 the city received $85 per ton for mixed paper, an amount that has today dropped to zero.  

Richardson said that as long as there is a broker who will accept products the city will continue to pick up and deliver, even if the products produce no revenue.  She said, however, that the price drop put recycle companies at risk of discontinuing to accept certain products.  Richardson said that the city's own warehouse space was limited so if the companies they deliver their products to stopped taking them, many of these items would end up waste.

Klinker said that recycling companies were facing a complicated situation.  She said that many days she felt in over her head with Cans for the Community's efforts to collect double the cans they did last year in order to turn out the same profit, but that she would continue to pick up as many cans as possible to do her part.

Waste Reduction and Recycling Division Report for the Sustainability Advisory Board (04/08/09)

The sound of horns blaring, drums clanging, strings plucking and woodwinds squeaking fills the summer air at Lawrence Public Schools extended school year program. This program offers children the rare opportunity to try out all of the instruments, with help from the instructors, to find what instrument fits those students best. Students who already have experience are able to participate in jazz band, concert band, orchestra and choir. For this first time since the program was started, the price for summer school classes will increase because of the budget cuts.

            "This summer program has been going on for about ten years now, but for this area it is so rare and it is still a new idea even for most places nation-wide, I just think it is so important to allow children to have experiences in the fine arts," said Patrick Kelly, the Lawrence Public School fine arts director.

Since the Lawrence school board cut nearly $1 million from the district's budget, programs are having to find new ways to keep the program going. "Since the summer program does have a fee, we have been fortunate enough to keep it running for the last ten years or so, but it is unfortunate that we have to raise the price this year for the first time," said Kelly.

            Several classes take place in the summer for the children to extend their music into the summer. They begin on June 1 and go through June 26 concluding with a concert. The classes are offered exclusively to students already in junior high music, or students who plan to join next school year. The Novice Class is the class in which students entering the sixth grade can have a hands on experience to decide what instrument suits them best. They are assisted by a member of the professional staff to make sure the instrument chosen is an appropriate fit for the student.  For the students who have already been active in band, choir, or orchestra, the summer music staff works with the students to maximize their musical growth.  The Lawrence Public Schools offer these summer sessions for $60. This is an increase from the previous $50 for summer sessions.

            The summer enrollment in the music program has been increasing steadily every year and with the price increase, instructors and coordinators are concerned that the enrollment will decrease this summer. "It is a great opportunity, I would just hate to see kids not participating because it is going to cost ten extra dollars this year. It doesn't seem like a lot but to some families that could mean no summer classes," said Scott Robison, Novice Class instructor.

           

"My son took the Novice Class last summer and he was so happy to have help picking out an instrument," said Laura Irick, a mother of a summer program student.

            The mission for the National Organization for Music Education is to advance music education by encouraging young people to study and play music. Kelly said that with all the budget cuts, one of the first things to go would be the summer music program. The staff and Kelly work hard to maintain the music program that gives students opportunities not all schools offer.

            The staff made up of three instructors from the high school and junior high music level work to expand the students skill level. Having time for one on one instruction with the students is something that is not possible during the school year.

            "It's was really cool having an instructor sit with me until I decided what instrument I really wanted, and I know this summer I will get time to let them hear me and how much I have improved," said Mason Irick, 7^th grader.

                        After the month long class is over, parents and students meet with the instructors to discuss a choice for the student's instrument in the Novice Class. For students in the jazz band, choir, concert band and orchestra, there is a concert put on for parents and Lawrence residents.

            "The students improve so much over the summer it is great to let them show off their hard work.  This program is something Lawrence schools and residents should be proud of," said Amanda Petersen, summer band instructor.

            Since the Extended School Year Music Program is such a new idea nationally, the number of students enrolling in the summer program continues to increase every year. Petersen said parents and students are starting to see that this program is something that is beneficial to the students and it is a program that is going to last.

            "My son was excited to do the program last summer because he really wanted to be in band in junior high, but this summer his friends are doing the program too, so I think it is something that is finally starting to catch on to other parents and students," said Irick.

            With the summer music program, Lawrence Public Schools are offering an opportunity not only for students to develop their musical skills, but to increase the number of students in general who take part in summer classes.

            "I think it is great to see how many students we have signing up for any type of summer classes, it shows they have a desire to learn and it is our job to make sure they have the opportunity to learn," said Kelly.

The Delta Tau Delta signs stay lit through the night at the foothills of campus. The Delts reestablished themselves at KU this fall and moved into the house previously owned by the TKE fraternity.

It was an overcast morning in April when the men of Delta Tau Delta arrived at the Eagle Bend Golf Course in west Lawrence. This particular fraternity reestablished themselves on campus in the fall, which made this particular fundraiser vital to their survival among the 19 other fraternities at KU. They sat in the parking lot and watched cars of alumni trickle in. Breck Mundis, Leawood senior remembers the time leading up to the event as stressful.

"We feared the weather and the economic situation would discourage donators from coming," Mundis said. "But, boy were we wrong."

Thirty minutes before the golf tournament was to begin more than half the expected number of alumni had arrived ready to play, which also meant to ready and willing to pay their entry fee. Their reestablishment caused a lot of money issues for the men of Delta Tau Delta, especially when it came to remodeling their new home, which was previously owned, by the Tau Kappa Epsilon, TKE, fraternity. Mundis estimated the fraternity's goal for the year was to raise $40,000. At the golf tournament alone they raised $30,000 and through other fundraising efforts and alumni support, the fraternity was able to raise a total of $45,000.

"We were really fortunate to have great alumni support in this year of economic turmoil," said Mundis. "Which goes to show that the bond of brotherhood is strong through the good times and the bad."

The Greek community at KU also had success at the annual Rock Chalk Revue fundraiser. RCR is a 60-year-old tradition at KU. Rock Chalk Revue is a university-wide philanthropy that raises money each year for the Douglas County United Way. Fraternities and sororities team up to write, produce, and perform 20-minute original musicals, complete with costumes and scenery. The five best shows are chosen and presented in the Rock Chalk Revue. Awards are presented on the final evening of Rock Chalk to the chapters or organizations that have contributed the most community service hours.

In honor of the 60th anniversary, the directors set the goal at an all time high of $60,000. Money is raised through ticket costs for the three night show and t-shirt sales for the annual "Night at the K," where sororities and fraternities attend a Royals game with their chosen Rock Chalk partners. Through support from all 32 chapters at KU, they met that goal, making it the most raised money in RCR history.

Juan Izaguirre, Interim Program Director for Greek Life and Leadership Programs at KU, was impressed with the total amount of money raised and said the Greek community at KU has tried not to let the economy affect their efforts.

"Problems with housing don't go away just because the economy is bad," said Izaguirre. "We do all that we are able to help, but these are the times to really seek out alumni help."

According to Association of Fundraising Professionals, research indicates that in challenging economic times individuals often begin to limit the number of groups/causes that they support. Most often people select a core group of organizations with whom they've had the longest or most meaningful relationship.

Pennington & Co., 501 Gateway Drive, is a full-service fundraising, consulting, and public relations firm. Since its start in 1993, Pennington has become a recognized leader in fraternity and sorority fundraising. They have helped raise more than $169 million in support of Greek life, working with 47 international fraternities on 85 campuses. Twenty-one chapters at KU have consulted Pennington for help with fundraising efforts.

Patrick Alderdice, president of Pennington & Co., said alumni relations are key to a chapter's success. The percentage of alumni with whom he has visited, ranked their chapter housing campaign as a medium to high priority and one of every three rank it as a top priority.

"Alumni continue to acknowledge that they value their fraternity membership," said Alderdice. "They recognize the impact that living in the chapter house had on their college experience and they want to continue that for others as much as they can."

Chapter alumni are the first people Pennington turns to when seeking donations for a fraternity or sorority fundraising efforts. In 2007, Pennington helped Greek communities raise $26 million and in 2008, they raised $26.5 million. This proves Greeks are still making significant donations.

Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority has also had positive fundraising results in this tough economy. In their annual Kappa Klassic golf tournament this spring, the women of Kappa Kappa Gamma were able to raise just over $6,000 which was more than they were able to raise in years past.

"Our efforts haven't changed much," said Caroline Goehausen, Leawood junior and president of Kappa Kappa Gamma. "Except for having to be more persistent with sponsors, by asking for support even after they told us no."

Fundraising efforts at Sigma Alpha Epsilon aren't changing much either due to consistent success in the past. Through alumni donations, parent's weekend activities and Allen Fieldhouse clean-up sessions, the fraternity's projected fundraising goal has been continuously met. There has not been an increase in donations, but there has been a consistency. Parents weekend alone brings in $2,000-$3,000 each year.

"I think people are more willing to give to places that they are have the deepest ties to," said Steven King, Lawrence senior and SAE member. "So, it's important for us to reach out to those people and then use them as examples to others."

Even legislators in Washington are putting forth an effort to help the Greek community make donating easier and more affordable. According to the Capital Fraternal Caucus website, the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act (CHIA) would allow fraternity and sorority foundations to make tax-deductible financial contributions for infrastructure improvements to meeting and dining areas in chapter houses in the same way that the tax code currently allows colleges and universities to use tax-deductible contributions to improve university-owned student housing on campus. This bill would make it substantially easier for Greeks nationwide to raise the money needed to install improvements in chapter housing, expand housing capacity, and otherwise modernize the housing provided to Greek students.

On April 13, 2009, the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act secured 210 sponsors in the house and 40 sponsors in the Senate. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, House Representative Jennifer Cook and Senator Pat Roberts sponsored this bill.

Although the economy is taking its toll on people and businesses around the world, the Greek community at KU has stayed strong as a whole this year. Some chapters are hiring fundraising consultants such as Pennington, but overall fundraising efforts have been received well by the students at KU and alumni have been showing their support. The economy has forced tighter budgeting within chapters, but needed improvements don't disappear when the economy declines.

"I am not certain that we have ever experienced an "ideal" time to fundraise," said Patrick Alderdice. "But the need for these projects has never been stronger."

When a Lewis Hall resident rifled through her desk in early April, she noticed something was missing: a ring, valued at $550. Perhaps more unnerving was that the culprit has yet to be found, and was able to steal the ring simply by entering her room and taking it.

In an effort to curb crimes such as this, some are taking steps to boost student security in on-campus residences.

Last week, the Department of Student Housing completed the installation of a card access system to Grace Pearson Scholarship Hall. The system requires residents to swipe their KUID card in order to enter the building. Three scholarship halls remain without card access, and are slated to have the system installed by the beginning of next semester.

The department sees the full use of card access in campus residences as a huge step to ensuring student protection.

The installation of the card system across the entire department began in the residence halls in 2007, said Jennifer Wamelink, Associate Director for Residence Life. Before the card system, the residence halls were open 24 hours and unlocked for anyone to enter.

After card access was implemented on Daisy Hill, the system was put in Jayhawk Towers before installation in the scholarship hall community.

The widespread use of the card access system is one of many steps that the University has taken to ensure student safety. In addition, security is provided at the residence halls from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., and all Student Housing guests are required to be escorted by a resident.

"KU is a safe place, but of course in a community as large as we are, things still happen," Wamelink said. "Given the changes in climate, we knew could provide a safer environment for students."

After one full year of card access in the residence halls, Student Housing has not yet seen much of an improvement.

By far the most common type of crime on campus is theft. According to KU public safety office statistics, there were 152 reported cases of theft in campus buildings in 2008, a jump from 124 the year before.

"Most theft is unattended property," said Sergeant James Anguiano with the KU Office of Public Safety. "If you leave the door unlocked, it only takes a couple minutes for someone to get in and out."

Burglary in campus buildings also increased, from 65 cases in 2007 to 82 in 2008.

Even with this evidence, on-campus residents still feel that the card access system contributes to safety.

"I wouldn't feel as comfortable if just anyone could walk into the dorms," said Meghan Park, Overland Park freshman, who lives in Templin Hall. "Sure the cards are annoying to deal with but they're not unreasonable."

Those in the handful of scholarship halls that have yet to get the system are also in favor of card access.

"I would feel safer with it," said Kristen Menz, Kinderhook, Ill. freshman, who lives in Rieger Scholarship Hall. "Some girls don't exactly follow our guest policy and it's creepy when random guys are walking around by themselves."

Currently Rieger has a door code which has to be typed in to gain entry.

"With the code someone lets it slip and a non-resident uses it to get in to see a friend and then we have to change it," Menz said.

Even with things like the card system designed to reduce crime, KU officials still warn students to take precautions whenever possible. Both the Public Safety Office and the Department of Student Housing emphasize personal student responsibility.

Wamelink says the best thing students can do to protect themselves is to simply lock their door - both when they are in their room and out of the building.

"I would encourage students to lock the door, be aware of surroundings, and make good choices about who to bring in the building," she said.

"It's very rare to have an incident occur to a student that is unknown to them."

Wamelink's attitude echoes the sentiments of the Public Safety Office.

"You may know your neighbors," Anguiano said. "But not every student comes from a good background."

While theft will continue to occur, simple steps like locking doors and hiding valuables can alleviate many of the problems with people having things stolen right from their own room.

"We obviously can't stop all theft," Anguano said. "But if we can curb it that would be satisfactory.

"We just try to re-educate young people. You are living on your own now; you are responsible for your stuff."

.

    Sandra comes eagerly to the front of the cage, sniffing around out of pure curiosity. She looks up sweetly as the people come and go, begging to be taken to a home. Her entire life has been dedicated to one task, being a mother to many litters. She has arrived recently to the shelter from the Kansas Animal Health Department, and has suffered her one-in-a-half year life sick and poorly kempt. The only home she has known being ruled by a breeder unable to keep her and other 30 relatives healthy. Still, she is ready to have a home, and please anyone who loves her.
    

Sandra, now up for adoption at the local Lawrence Humane Society, is suffering the same fate as many puppies in the state of Kansas. Unfortunately, it is only getting worse. Many breeders, unable to sell dogs, are turning them in to the Kansas Animal Health Department. The Health Department then has the responsibility of distributing the dogs throughout to different Kansas Shelters.
    
"The department is already facing many cases of puppy mill busts throughout Kansas, add breeders not able to sell dogs and we have an overcrowded shelter," Robin-Haller Evans, Office Manager of the Lawrence Humane Society said.
    
In fact, the number of dogs turned into the shelters is alarming. The Lawrence Humane Society is at maximum capacity with 241 dogs, sometimes three to a cage. Out of the 241 dogs 55 are purebreds, the number increasing 40 percent since last July. The amount of dogs taken in the state of Kansas alone has increased over 50 percent, or going from the normal average of 500 dogs per year to 1,223 dogs taken since January. Debra Duncan, Director of Animal Facilities Inspection Program, has been working harder than ever to get these dogs good homes.
    
"Many of the breeders agree to just give up animals to the state. It is not uncommon anymore for state-wide breeders to give up the dogs. We are seeing all different types of animals- Labs, Labrodoodles, Poodles, and it is only getting worse."

    
And it really is getting worse. Out of 2,000 licensed Kansas breeders, about half are creating problems. Only 28 breeders have ever been reported turning over animals to the state, and out of that number eight have been reported this licensing year. Of the eight, four, or over half, has happened since this past January. Although there are only two known licensed breeders in Lawrence, five altogether in Douglas County, one of them has already given the Animal Health Department problems. Just last month, a Lawrence breeder turned over 30 of his dogs to the state.
    
"Breeding animals is often seen as another type of business. With the recent economic plunge, this business is suffering just like all the rest. I went to an auction once to see what it was all about. The breeders were literally trying to just give the dogs away for free. I mean we are talking purebred animals here," Duncan said.
    
The current economic crisis is creating problems for more breeders to sell purebred dogs. Along with the upkeep of the animals, it is also hard to find people who are willing to buy for 500 dollars or more. Besides simply giving the dogs to the state, some breeders may take a chance on a dog auction. The dog auctions are a place where other breeders bring in dogs that cannot sell and auction them off to other breeders. When the dogs are sold, they are sent right back into breeding territory, where many of them will spend the rest of their lives locked up in cages making other puppies. If that is not bad enough, given the current economy, many of the dogs are being auctioned off for as low as 50 cents. As the breeders add more dogs, and the economy continues to plunge, the harder it is for the dogs to sell. This often leads to situations such as puppy mills.


    
"We just got about 21 dogs from the State a few Saturdays ago. In my opinion, everyone should be licensed and good breeders will have people to buy the puppies ahead of time," Midge Grinstead, executive director of the Lawrence Humane Society, said.

And, some breeders believe to be just that. Small licensed breeding businesses that thrive off of reliable clients have seen no such change in selling their animals. Larry-Louise Fowler, local Lawrence breeder and owner of Cuddlesomefarm, has had no problems selling her Toy Poodles.
    
"I have been doing this for almost 30 years now. The breeders who are the problems are the ones creating animals with bad judgment. I have a strong networking base, and make good marketing decisions," Fowler said.
    
Regardless, dogs like Sandra are entering the shelters more and more everyday. Like the others, this helpless victim waits for somebody to come and adopt her.

 

  On top of a stage built of milk crates, local band Colony Collapse plays for a crowd in a room full of art supplies and walls decorated with colorful paintings. Pangaea was supposed to be an art studio for a student to explore his creative side but a slight change of plans has made it much more.   

            Kendra Caspers, Topeka senior, never leaves her belongings unattended anymore.  Just last semester Caspers was working on a paper for her Urban Planning class in Anschutz Library and went to take her usual cigarette break.  She was gone no more than ten minutes when she came back to the table and was aghast at what she saw; her computer was gone.

"I never thought it could happen to me," Caspers said.  "Now, looking back, I can't believe I was so stupid.  I definitely think twice before leaving any of my things alone now."

Caspers is among the 267 thefts and larceny reported to the University of Kansas Public Safety Office in 2008, according to KU Public Safety Campus Crime Statistics, a 13 percent increase from the 237 reported thefts and larceny in 2007.  

Sergeant James Anguiano of the University of Kansas Public Safety Office said that the number one crime on campus is theft and larceny, which is where statistically KU saw the greatest increase from 2007 to 2008.

            "In any University setting theft is the number one crime that's committed," Anguiano said.  "I refer to the crime as 'a crime of opportunity.'  A lot of times it's unoccupied property that's taken, or somebody goes to the Rec Center for instance and puts their stuff in a cubby hole instead of going downstairs and locking it up."

            Sgt. Anguiano is in charge of community education and training for new police officers and said that KU's public safety office usually has a staff of 26, with 22 officers on the streets.

            Although the extensive bulk of students at the University are rarely the victim of a crime in their years on campus, the University of Kansas, from 2007 to 2008, has the fastest rising crime rate of its three neighboring Big-12 Universities - Missouri, Colorado and Iowa.

            KU's Campus Crime Statistics show that there was 723 criminal offenses reported in 2008, a nine percent increase over the 664 criminal offenses reported in 2007.

            Sgt. Anguiano said that the numbers in theft rose because of two particular, individual cases.

            "In one case we had a member of Facilities Operations that had stolen a lot of property," Anguiano said.  "And in the other case, a person was stealing property at the Ambler Student Recreation Center.  Those two cases were significant in the rise of our numbers."

In comparison to other college campuses KU had a similar number of overall crime rate to the University of Missouri-Columbia, which, between the University of Iowa and the University of Colorado at Boulder, had the number two highest reported overall crime rate in 2008 according to the Missouri Uniform Crime Reporting Program for the University; a total of 739 criminal offenses reported in 2008.

The University of Iowa's Criminal Incidents Report indicated that it had the highest number of overall criminal incidents reported in 2008, among these four other Universities, with 1,578 incidents reported.  The Crime Reports and Statistics from the CU-Boulder Police Department had the least amount of reported criminal offenses with 544 incidents accounted for in 2008.  KU ranked third with 723 crime reports in 2008.

Although KU ended up with the third order in the overall crime rates reported, it had the highest increase in crime reported from 2007 to 2008; specifically theft and larceny and burglary.

The most frequently reported crime amid these Universities was, as Sergeant James Anguiano said, theft and larceny; CU had the top number of occurrences of theft and larceny in 2008 with 446 reports and KU ranked number three, reporting 267 accounts of theft and larceny.

Number two was burglary, where KU had the highest rate compared to the other Universities reaching to 123 reported burglaries in 2008, a 26 percent increase from 2007.  In 2008, MU had the least amount with 23 reports. 

Sergeant Anguiano said that KU Public Safety is trying its best to pay close attention to the problems on campus concerning burglary and theft.  Specifically, calling for more patrol in areas and providing students with more information about securing their property.

"We did numerous follow-ups dealing with the two crucial cases we saw in theft and larceny," Anguiano said.  "The investigations led us to identify and arrest two suspects and are clearing a lot of cases because if it."

Sergeant Anguiano has been working at the Office of Public Safety for 19 years and throughout those years has seen such severe cases as sexual assault, suicidal subjects and some pretty bad cases of simple assault and battery; the number three-reported crime among these college campuses.  He said aggravated assault and battery has occurred on and around their jurisdiction: the campus areas, scholarship halls and the bounding areas in their locality. KU Public Safety and the Lawrence Police Department have a written agreement that states if anything occurs within a KU officer's presence, not in their jurisdiction, they can respond and react to it.

Sam Littman, Chicago senior, and Danny Nordstrom, Cedar Rapids, IA. sophomore, didn't see it coming.  They were minding their own business, sitting on the front porch of Littman's house at 1300 Ohio Street near campus, when they were assaulted and battered by eight guys.

"It was a late night and we were having a few beers, having a good time and good conversation," Littman said.  "And all of the sudden this group of guys came up to my front porch being super aggressive, yelling at us and trying to start a fight."

Littman was the oldest one there, Nordstrom was a freshman at the time, and he tried to talk to them peacefully and asked them to leave.  Before he could finish his sentence, one of the guys who were standing next to him took a swing and punched Littman square in the face.  Immediately after that another guy on the other side of Littman swung at him again and knocked him to the ground.

"Sam and I didn't know these kids and we hadn't seen them at all earlier in the night," Nordstrom said.  "Once Sam hit the ground they circled around him and started taking turns kicking him in the face until he was knocked unconscious."

This is the first time Nordstrom and Littman have been battered by someone, let alone a group of kids, but this is not the first time they have seen this happen.

    Aaron Trippel peers at his list of Facebook event invitations. He has seven.

    "Another SUA? Open mic night at Hash Hall? I don't know how I get all these," he says.

    And although Trippel, Onaga freshman, doesn't know what all the events are or what they are about, he enjoys the invites. He says that they keep him updated on what's going on around campus.

    "Honestly, the only way that I know about things happening on campus is by Facebook or maybe sidewalk chalk," Trippel said. "But Facebook is the big one."

     Trippel is a prime example of how various organizations are now reaching out to students in new ways. Campus groups all around campus are using Facebook event invitations as ways of publicizing events. The events vary from religious events to fundraisers, to movies sponsored by the SUA. With more than 200 million active users, 40,000 of which are in the University of Kansas network, organizations are able spread the word easier.

    An event invitation created in Facebook can only be sent to people who have Facebook accounts. The event may be public or private, depending upon what the event creator decides.  According to Facebook, users create more than 2.5 million event pages each month.

    Joan Stewart, a specialist in free publicity, says that Facebook is an ideal tool to use because it allows groups to expand their target audiences for events.
"It lets you connect through special interest groups," Stewart says. "Facebook has thousands of groups that are devoted to various topics, so if you are a college student who is interested in, say, the iPhone, there is a special interest group devoted to that and you can tap into it."
 
    Grisell Laureano, Hatillo, Puerto Rico sophomore, is a member of the Delta Alpha sorority at the University of Kansas. She and her sorority sisters began using Facebook for their sorority in 2006. They use it to connect with special interest groups such as alumni from various parts of the country. Laureano says that the Delta Alphas have just noticed the effectiveness of publicizing their events by Facebook lately. Laureano says that she thinks it is particularly useful because events show up on the homepage of Facebook and remind people constantly, unlike other forms of communication that can be seen once and forgotten.
 
    "Facebook allows us to reach out in a way that is commonly used in our generation," Laureano says.

    One of the largest on campus Facebook event creators is Student Union Activities, or SUA. SUA creates event invitations for nearly every event that they hold and average about four new events posted on Facebook each week. Spencer Titus, Newton sophomore, is a committee member for SUA. He says that since it is difficult to reach large numbers of people without the aid of the Internet, Facebook invites are ideal.

    "I think it's safe to assume that almost everyone at KU has a Facebook account, so we wanted to utilize that resource as a way to promote our events," Titus said.

    Titus says that SUA committee members usually send out invites to most of their friends, and then rely on the event information to spread from there. He says that messages sent as reminders to those who have RSVP'd as attending or possibly attending really help increase turnout at events.

    Delta Lambda Phi, a colony working towards fraternization at KU, uses Facebook as its main source of publicity for fund raising events. Randy Thompson, member of Delta Lambda Phi, says that the only other way that the group lets people know about events is through word of mouth and that by doing it that way it can be easy to miss people.

    Thompson says that there are some problems with using Facebook event invitations though.
 
    "You get a lot of random people that you don't know at your parties and they don't know how to say hi to the hosts," Thompson said.
 
    Jennifer Meitl, outreach coordinator for St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center, says the center has two different Facebook groups. One is for anyone involved with St. Lawrence, and the other is for the school year 2008-2009. She says she uses the 2008-2009 group for event invitations because she doesn't want to bother everyone.
 
    "I didn't want to bother alumni or others that aren't around Lawrence now, so I decided to make another group," she said. "It's really convenient because I can send an event invitation out to the entire group instead of handpicking people."

    With a limited budget, Meitl said that Facebook helps get the word out in a cost effective way, but she says there are a few problems.
 
    "Number one is that not everyone is on Facebook," she said. "Number two is that I think Facebook is becoming the norm."

    Meitl said that event invitations are becoming increasingly common, which can lead to students getting the invitations but ignoring them. She says to offset that effect, the center prefers to use Facebook as a secondary source of information, first targeting students by calling them, then inviting them to the event on Facebook.
 
    "That way it is much more personal. Students tend not to ignore it. You can be personally invited, then go to the Facebook page to get more information and see the event specifics," Meitl said.

    As Facebook continues to grow, more organizations use it for publicity. Stewart recommends getting the information about events out in as many ways possible, including Facebook, Twitter, Craigslist, and Youtube. She also says that by adding a short video to your Facebook event, you could generate more views and in turn have a much more successful event.