THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
INSIDE
SPORTS Freshman duo leads KU women’s basketball to victory over Oral Roberts
The University Daily Kansan
vol. 137 // iss. 25 Thurs., Nov 15, 2018
SEE FRESHMAN • PAGE 10
Students host letter-writing campaign for human rights p. 2
Opera to highlight fears of driving while black p. 3
Read more at kansan.com
Lejuez: We need a new budget model Following the recent $20 million budget cut, University administrators seek to avoid mistakes made in the past NICOLE ASBURY @NicoleAsbury The University of Kansas is expected to roll out a new plan to prevent future budget issues, but administrators are still working out final kinks, Interim Provost Carl Lejuez said. Following the announcement of an estimated $20 million budget cut last spring, administrators began to push for a new model to mend previous problems, according to Lejuez. The previous budget model didn’t include a built-in budget for a number of high-priority expenses, Lejuez said, such as deferred maintenance on buildings and substantial raises for faculty. “If we want to grow the overall resources at the University, then we need a new budget model so we can increase them,” Lejuez said. Regarding the previous model, Lejuez said many of those initiatives — like the construction of buildings in the Central District — were based on the idea the University had enough money. Now, the University knows it doesn’t, he said. “The [new] budget model is more about making sure we’re providing an incentive for being successful and being able to come up
Kansan file photo Interim Provost Carl Lejuez talked about the budget in Eaton Hall on Monday Aug. 27. with new ideas,” Lejuez said. Most universities’ budgets are based on how many credit hours students are taking in each unit, Lejuez said. The University’s new model is a hybrid between the credit hour model and one based on merit. It takes into account how many students are currently in one unit, as well as whether that unit is pursuing other strategic priorities — like diversity and equity, research and more. Units that are meeting those standards will incur more money. “It will start impacting the way we think about things at KU. It will tell
everyone right now, ‘What you do does matter,’” Lejuez said. “We’re coming down on the fact that these things matter. You don’t see these in almost any other model.” Though the future budget model is still developing, certain elements have been warranting concern among faculty, staff and students. “On the surface, they don’t sound good or bad, but we don’t know enough to say, ‘Your unit will be hurt,’ or, ‘Your unit will stay the same.’ That’s what everybody is interested in,” Faculty Senate President Kirk McClure said.
recommended when having to be out in the weather. Pay attention to weather forecast, it’s not always the temperature, but the wind chill temperatures that affect people and pets.” Anguiano said students should make it a priority to pay attention to weather reports and to follow law enforcement and emergency management accounts on social media to get up-todate information. “Any time the National Weather Service posts a watch or warning, there is potential for the weather to change,” Anguiano said. “Look for possible amounts of snow or ice; if you are walking distances, know how long it will take, and be prepared [as] a sidewalk might not be cleared of snow or ice, so watch out for slips or falls.” Lindsey Morin, a sophomore from Long Beach, California, said she was caught off guard and ill-prepared for the wind chill on top of the posted weather reading. “My first impression on winter in Kansas was ‘Goodness, that wind is freezing,’” Morin said. “I had been in 30 degree weather before, but there was no wind, so it didn’t seem too cold to me.”
Arriving to Kansas with a couple thin beanies and a snow jacket, Morin said she had to quickly adjust to the effect of wind chill by stocking up on more winter gear, including rain boots and snow boots, blankets, another winter coat and, for the first time ever, gloves. For additional items to bulk up on this winter, Anguiano said a winter weather kit may be a great investment. Kits include items such as snow socks, a spare phone charger, hand warmers, a wool blanket, LED flashers/ flares, a flashlight, food, drinks, a shovel and a windshield de-icer, he said. Sophomore Esteban Romanos of El Paso, Texas, said he approaches the cold trying to be ahead of the forecast as much as possible, especially when it comes to driving in snow or slush. “I had to adjust completely to the cold,” Romanos said. “I had to make sure that I had an ice scraper with me at all times and to be weary on the road.” Romanos said he often checks the weather to prepare for the next morning. “I also try to look at the next day’s weather
Over the course of the semester, Lejuez has laid out a number of “foundational priorities” he wants to account for in the budget: Allocation for deferred maintenance: The University is facing up to $300 million in repairs. Lejuez said he intends to allocate more money in the base budget to fix deferred maintenance, which will add to the amount the state allocates for the University. Tuition: Part of Lejuez’s plan includes ensuring tuition cannot gohigher up than 2.5 percent for students over the course of the next five years
Accounting for inflation: Previous budget models did not include any account for ongoing inflation, Lejuez said in a previous town hall. As the cost of running business continues to increase, the model will lay that out. Substantial raises for faculty: Per the executive budget summary for the 2019 fiscal year, “The FY 2019 Tuition Proposal did not include salary increase funds.” Lejuez plans to implement a 1 percent raise. Other options are still being deliberated with administrators. With the new model, it’s unclear how staff will accumulate substantial raises in a merit-based system. Staff do not have specific students they teach, so the money service units accrue is primarily on if they’re fulfilling strategic priorities. Staff Senate President Michelle Ginavan Hayes said there’s not as much of a clear route to prove the success of a service unit. “How do you really make this merit-based? You’re going to have to let some people down,” Ginavan Hayes said. “He’s talking about the 1 percent raise, but that’s not going to be 1 percent for everybody.” McClure said that
with the roll-out of this new model, the phrasing surrounding it has been that the new model will have “hold harmless” provision, meaning only improvement can happen, but the budget can’t get worse than it is now. But members of the University community are concerned the same problems will present itself — if not amplify — while the exchange of funding goes underway. Lejuez said the official plan will likely be completed around February of 2019, where some of the lasting questions will be resolved. A bit after February, Lejuez said administrators will share the model. Units will be deciding their base cuts by then, and the new model will be available at their discretion to help them decide how to carry out the cut, according to Lejuez. “We’re going to do everything we can to roll it out in a way that’s humane to our units,” Lejuez said. “It’s already challenging enough with the 6 percent cut, that we’re going to keep units as close to that as possible.” A new budget conversation was announced which will focus on the development of the new model. It will take place on Dec. 5 at 3:30 p.m. in Budig 120.
Winter is coming: How to survive the Kansas cold NICOLE DOLAN @nikkidolan279 Walking on Jayhawk Boulevard this time of year, you might see several University of Kansas students frantically scurrying their bundled-up selves to the bus stop or to class as snow falls. Although the season does not officially begin until Dec. 21, it sure feels like winter has arrived in Lawrence. The University is home to a total of 24,815 students. Of this, 9,735 are out-of-state, which includes 2,114 international students, according to fall enrollment data by the KU Office of Institutional Research and Planning. This suggests roughly 39 percent of students are not from Kansas, and those accustomed to warmer weather may not know how to stay warm this winter. Deputy Chief James Anguiano of the University’s Public Safety Office suggests various tips students may keep in mind as the winter weather starts to move in. “Now is the time to start collecting cold weather gear: coats, hats, scarves,” Anguiano said. “Boots are
Sarah Wright/KANSAN Snow falls on the Jayhawk outside of Strong Hall on Nov. 12. to make sure if I need to put my wipers up so that they don’t stick to the windshield or anything like that,” he said. “I do have to prepare to leave earlier to allow my car to defrost and leave on time for classes or errands.” On winter weather driving, Anguiano said it is better to leave earlier than anticipated to prepare the vehicle properly. “If you haven’t experienced ice or snow when driving, be careful, allow yourself more time, and properly clear your windshield and lights of all snow or ice so you can see
around you,” Anguiano said. “Anticipate what others may do, and slow down. It is illegal to leave your car running while unattended unless your car is equipped with remote start.” However, Rosemary Peterson, a sophomore from Fort Collins, Colorado, is familiar with the colder weather as she grew up in an area that experiences a lot of snow. “It’s pretty cold during the winter in Colorado too, so I was pretty prepared,” Peterson said. “When I’m walking around campus, it is the worst when it is windy. It makes me feel way colder.
I think that my freshman year I had some good gear for the cold, but this year, I’ve done more.” Peterson said she accumulated more weatherproof items like waterproof boots and new gloves that can even maintain warmth up to 20 degrees below zero. Peterson also said it is best to always dress in warmer clothes than you’d think you need. “You can always take layers off, but you can’t just make your jacket appear if you left it at your house that morning,” Peterson said.