The University News

Marchers mobilize to 'Take Back the Night'

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Around 60 people rallied en masse against violence and sexual abuse at a gathering in Mill Creek Park on the Plaza during the UMKC Women's Center's Take Back the Night (TBTN) march April 22.

The predominately female assemblage was assisted by a UMKC police escort who ushered the participants from the Volker Campus to the J.

Panel discusses media's role in democratic race

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

With the democratic race for president coming to a head, it can be difficult to turn on the TV without welcoming. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton into the living room.

The fairness in media coverage these two candidates are receiving was the subject of a panel discussion last Monday at UMKC put on by The African American Student Union (TAASU) and the Kansas City Association of Black Journalists (KCABJ).

Honors Program hosts poverty panel discussion

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

During Wednesday evening's thunderstorm, a group of honor students gathered inside the University Center, sheltered from the rain, to reflect on those who weren't.

A panel consisting of Dan Dickey, administrator of the Emergency Family Shelter for City Union Mission, and Richard Tripp, director of Care of Poor People Inc.

KCUR journalists win four Murrow Awards

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The Edward R. Murrow Award is like the Oscar for broadcast journalism, sans the Botox and red carpet.

Named after the legendary CBS news anchorman, it's an award given by the Radio-Television News Directors Association to journalists for outstanding achievements in TV and radio.

ESSA puts on Earth Day celebration at UMKC

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Earth Day began with cloudy skies and rain in the forecast last Tuesday, April 22. Mother Nature cooperated, though, and by mid-afternoon, a UMKC Earth Day celebration rocked the UMKC playhouse.

Students from all over campus had the opportunity to eat earth-friendly food, learn tips about energy conservation, receive seeds to start a garden, ride an oversized tricycle and listen to live music.

UMKC bookstore promotes a greener Missouri

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

In celebration of Earth Day, free trees were available at the UMKC bookstore from April 19 to 22. Two hundred trees were donated by the Missouri Department of Conservation for students and faculty alike to pick up and take home to plant.

Three different species of trees were being given away, each indigenous to the state of Missouri.

UMKC undergrads show off research

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Research is the process of creating new knowledge. Research can take many forms, from scientific theory testing to artistic endeavors, and this is what Students Engaged in Artistic and Academic Research (SEARCH) is all about.

On April 11, UMKC hosted the SEARCH symposium, which is a celebration of undergraduate student research and creative accomplishments.

Morello will tackle media independence in Ethiopia

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Freshly-appointed?Fullbright Senior Specialist Peter Morello, associate professor in Communications Studies faces an intense two months of work this summer. His mission is nothing less than to help restore the free flow of information in Ethiopia, a country he calls an "emerging democracy.

UMKC celebrates fellowships, scholarships, friendships

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Chancellor Guy Bailey looked around at the audience gathered for the UMKC Celebration of Excellence on Thursday afternoon and spoke with just a hint of envy in his voice.

"Am I the only one is this room not going abroad this summer?" Bailey asked.

As Bailey said in his brief comments to those present, one of the things universities become known for are the awards they receive and this year UMKC did very well indeed.

Guggenheim award has Gowin floating

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

In the entire United States, 190 Guggenheim Fellowships were awarded this year. UMKC snagged two of them.

One went to associate professor Paul Rudy, Coordinator of Composition at the Conservatory of Music and Dance, and the other to Elijah Gowin, assistant professor of Art in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Jensen is dedicated to sustainability in Kansas City

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Dustin Jensen is getting a degree he might not really need.

He'll graduate in August with his second Udall scholarship helping him along the way, but his career is already flourishing.

"I work for the Metropolitan Energy Center [MEC]," Jensen said. "It's a non-profit program implementer for the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star programs.

UMKC professor wins President's Award

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Daunting, humbling, appreciative are just a few words Kathleen Kilway, department chair and associate professor of chemistry, used to describe receiving the President's Award for Outstanding Teaching.

According to an e-mail from Gail Hackett, Provost and Vice Chancellor for academic affairs, the President's Award for Outstanding Teaching is given to one faculty member in the University of Missouri System (UM) annually, and this year's recipient was Kilway.

Briefly Mentioned

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

SGA raises executive board salaries

In last Wednesday's Student Government Association (SGA) meeting, the Senate voted to raise the salaries of the members of the SGA executive board by $1,000.

SGA President Sean McClain said UMKC's executive board pay was the lowest in the University of Missouri system.

What is that?

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Urban Planning student Spencer Yaw's community engagement project, a garden shed made primarily from discarded wooden pallets, is drawing attention around campus.

Situated just north of the University Playhouse, Yaw's creation, which won first place in the 2008 Search Symposium for Architecture and Urban Planning, is chiefly constructed of reusable material.

Police Blotter

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

April 18

2:28 p.m. Mental Illness - An involved party in the School of Nursing was transported to the hospital for treatment of a mental illness.

April 20

2:50 a.m. Traffic Arrest - Officers arrested a suspect for driving under the influence of alcohol.

'The Cure at Troy' needs no cures

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

I have two words for UMKC's graduate production of "The Cure at Troy": loved it.

The set, the costumes, the actors, everything just clicked.

The play was performed in the Spencer Theatre of the Performing Arts Center, and ran from April 19 to 27.

The play, written by Seamus Heaney, is an adaptation of Sophocles' "Philoctetes.

Play it by Ear

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"The Yardbirds want to play the blues badly-and they do," Blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson quipped in the 1960s. This line is particularly potent when discussing the potentially controversial relationship between races and the types of music we tend to associate with them.

Poetry slam - Words are stronger than actions

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A room full of poets alighted on Pierson Auditorium at the poetry slam this past week.

Music by Tieanna Cooper, who also goes by the name of Re-al, gave life to the auditorium; Cooper started the event by reciting two of her poems with music from her latest CD called "Naked Truth.

Off the Shelf

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

My second foray into the frontier of new European graphic novels brought me to Geneva, Switzerland. A story about AIDS is often set in a place of poverty and squalor: Sub-Saharan Africa, or an inner-city housing project. In "Blue Pills: a positive love story," by Frederick Peeters, the virus lives among privileged European urbanites.

Student-written operas play at Union Station

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

In the opera world where Puccini, Wagner and Mozart are Gods, it's oftentimes difficult for new composers to break into the scene and have their work performed.

April 17-20 in Union Station, UMKC broke the mold by dedicating four of its five spring operas to student-written works.

Summer movie countdown

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It seems customary this time of year for critics and newspapers to publish a kind of preview for the summer, Hollywood's favorite time of year. The movie houses are packed with blockbusters and highly-marketable fare destined to earn the industry a ridiculous amount of money.

Movie Review

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"I'm finding it hard to believe that things are going to get better." If you're familiar at all with the plot of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," you might assume that this line is spoken by the main character, Peter, who has just been dumped by his girlfriend, Sarah Marshall.

Summery drinks: easy as lemonade and hibiscus tea

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It's not quite summer yet, but when the heat hits Missouri it's going to be hot and humid. So now's the time to gather up some fresh, easy summer beverages to enjoy when summer actually begins.

Homemade lemonade is a good place to start. It takes a lot of time to juice the lemons, but the results are definitely worth the effort.

Save the Date

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Tuesday, April 29

Bank on It: Paul Wenske, a consumer reporter, discusses tax rebate checks and other issues at 6:30 p.m. at the Kansas City Public Library, Plaza Branch, 4801 Main St.

"The 3 R's: Relax, Relate, Release" Stress-Free Finals Event: Multicultural student affairs is hosting this event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.

American pride

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

We are living in a vital and vibrant moment, but many people just don't seem to understand or appreciate its significance. Events are happening now that 50, or even 100 years down the road will be hugely important.

In this country we have two viable presidential candidates, both of whom would have been denied the right to vote in a national election as recently as a century ago, and one who likely would have been denied service sitting next to me in a diner less than 50 years ago.

Unpaid work should be illegal

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Last summer at a journalism conference, Bill Elsen, a former editor at The Washington Post, spoke about unpaid internships. At the time, Elsen was only referring to all those unpaid journalism internships where prospective employers lure young journalists in with promises of clips galore and a crap-load of experience.

SGA ignores student vote

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The Student Government Association (SGA) at UMKC has forgotten its purpose.

During the week of April 14, students were asked to approve a revised constitution for SGA. Per the old constitution - still the governing document at the time of the vote - a new constitution would need a two-thirds majority of the voting body to be accepted.

Life at UMKC-one seemingly giant story of fiction

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

What was it that attracted me to the UMKC campus?

At first it was the über-cool quad and overall mid-town feel to the campus. My first visit to campus was awe-inspiring. I could see myself walking around campus finding spots to sit in the shade and write as my imagination soared.

Word on Campus

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"I would say start studying early and study every day, study a little bit every day. It's always good to mix it in with activities you enjoy doing, because I read somewhere that you remember things better when you take a break from studying things every once in a while.

Editorial Cartoons

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Kangaroo men take second in Summit

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

What a difference a day makes. The UMKC men's golf team found themselves at the top of the leader board on day two of the 2008 Summit League Championship. Twenty four hours later, however, the squad finished the tournament 10 strokes down to host and champion Western Illinois University (WIU).

Out of the Pouch

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Time flies when you're having fun. It's hard to fathom how quickly the past three semesters have come and gone for this sports enthusiast.

There have been grueling soccer matches, hard-slapping volleyball games, a couple softball slugfests, some scintillating rounds of golf, a few bounces around the tennis court and a lot of fast runners, high jumpers and long throwers.

ORU closes door on Kangaroo tennis season

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The UMKC men's tennis team traveled Friday, April 25 to Fort Wayne, Ind., for their fourth straight and 13th overall appearance in the League Championships. The Roo effort was stymied though 4-1, by the reigning conference champions, the Oral Roberts University (ORU) Golden Eagles.

Kangaroos drop two against Jayhawks

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The Kangaroos made a nice run but fell short in a two-game series against a Big XII Conference nemesis. Tuesday evening the Roos (8-24) faced the University of Kansas (KU) Jayhawks (31-15) in a doubleheader at Cleveland Park in the final home series of the season.

UMKC well represented at track meet in Joplin

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Following a strong showing in Warrensburg, Mo., last weekend, the Roo tracksters hit the road Friday afternoon for the Bob Laptad/Bill Williams Invitational, in Joplin, Mo. The Kangaroos cracked double digits with top-five finishes for the second straight week, posting 11 to go with one title and four second-place finishes.

Kangaroo first sacker has grit and determination

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

People close to 5-foot-8-inch senior first baseman Monica Canisales are saying she is having the best season of her collegiate career. It's a feat that, for Canisales, has not come easily. She has been playing all season with an injury.

"It was just an open field day and I was playing catch and I threw a ball and all of a sudden I got this sharp burning pain in my elbow and my fingers were tingling," Canisales said.