Feature
Opinion
Irish Fest, p. 6
Local Shopping, p. 14
2013 Irish Fest brings in large crowd for food, live music and Irish traditions.
An inside look at Kansas City’s vast array of local businesses.
UNIVERSITY NEWS UMKC’s Independent Student Newspaper
Volume 81, Issue 3
Tuesday September 3, 2013
THE NEW KID IN TOWN:
Kraske takes on more responsibilities at UMKC Kate Baxendale
Copy Editor
Steve Kraske of the Kansas City Star has been named an associate professor in the communication studies department at UMKC. Kraske, host of “Up to Date” on KCUR-FM, will teach journalism classes beginning this semester. “I saw it as an opportunity to go toward something rather than I am fleeing something,” Kraske said. “I just saw a terrific opportunity to do something different at this point in my career. I’m 55 now, so I thought if I’m going to make a jump I’d better do it.” The university approached
The Art of the Interview for a few semesters and decided teaching was something he could do. “I really enjoyed seeing my students improve and to see them grasp some of the ideas of what journalism is really about,” Kraske said. “I just thought that was terrific fun.” Kraske will continue to write his political blog and weekly column at the Star, in addition to contributing to occasional projects. The Star asked Kraske if he was still interested in “keeping his foot in the door” and Kraske said, “Absolutely.” “I’m a political junkie, I’m a news junkie by nature, and I’m going
Kraske hosts KCUR-FM’s radio show “Up to Date.” Photo Courtesy // KCUR Kraske about an opportunity to teach about five years ago, but to be reading the blogs anyway,” Kraske wanted to make sure he Kraske said. “And obviously I form was right for the job. Kraske taught thoughts, and there are things I’d
like to convey about our politics in Missouri and Kansas and locally that I’ve been following so closely. It’s just something I would like to continue anyway.” Kraske said the Star is home to him in so many ways. “Those folks are my brothers and sisters,” Kraske said. “I’ve been in the trenches with some of them for 15 years. I respect so greatly those people who are so committed to the craft and committed to the cause and want to keep the flag up in the air. I admire that in people so much that they still find the importance of journalism and its place in society.” Kraske begins teaching journalism classes at UMKC during the fall 2013 semester. Kraske is taking Photo Courtesy // KCUR over for Dr. Robert Unger, a journalism and he will bring great strength to the journalism program,” me about what I wanted to do with former reporter for the Kansas City Star and a longtime member of the Unger said. “He is a great guy with my career. My father is an author UMKC communication studies the clout and courage to speak of children’s books and a magazine department. Kraske said he has his mind on all things journalism, editor. My mother was very active some huge shoes to fill since he and, if the past is indeed prologue, in fair housing issues in Detroit that can be very important to the when I was a little kid. I think her accepted the position. “Bob [Unger] was one of the great University News, to journalism, and activism and my dad’s writing sort writers that the Star had going to the students’ right to know what of just produced someone who back a few decades,” Kraske said. is going on at their own university.” wanted to be a journalist and be Kraske said his schedule is a bit someone to help shape the dialogue, “He is a superlative writer, and he crazy right now as he is transitioning someone who ended up going into grasped things in such a powerful from political correspondent to politics in a sense, being a political way. I admired Bob when I was a associate professor. journalist.” young reporter and he was a veteran “Since I’ve been in college, I have Kraske said there is an important reporter at the newspaper.” Kraske said Unger has been been someone who gets off on place in society for journalism, but helpful during his transition period, juggling balls,” Kraske said. “I like he questions how the information is even offering Kraske old syllabi for to be very heavily engaged, and the going to be delivered in the future. idea of doing more than one thing is “I see the need for, in my career his courses. “We went to lunch and chatted something I sort of embrace. That’s more than ever, good, solid journalism based on the foundations about how we’re going to do this, just how I roll.” Kraske knew since he was in that have been around for decades,” and I’ve taken to heart a lot of what he said to me,” Kraske said. “Bob is, middle school he wanted to pursue Kraske said. “So the idea of training and I think he would say this, he’s a career in journalism. Kraske young people to go out and do the just an old-school journalist. I love said he never waivered from this work that needs to be done is really that about Bob, and I think we are path. He wrote sports for the city appealing to me.” newspaper in Stillwater, Minn., as a similar in a lot of ways.” Unger said he is pleased and junior in high school and he wrote excited to hear that Kraske will be for the student newspaper at the kbaxendale@unews.com University of Wisconsin – Madison. joining the UMKC faculty. “I was really lucky,” Kraske said. “He has impeccable credentials and experience in all areas of “There was never a struggle with
SGA Senators get down to business
Kate Baxendale
Copy Editor
The Student Government Association held its Inaugural Orientation and Training Banquet at the Student Union Aug. 26. President Benjamin Campero of the RooSERVE slate along with Executive Vice President Parker Webb, Administrative Vice President Kate Corwin and Comptroller Makayla Maslanka regulated the evening’s proceedings. Mel Tyler, vice chancellor of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, stressed his opendoor policy. “I’m always going to be transparent in what I do,” Tyler said. “There are no hidden agendas.” Student Government Advisor and Director of the Office of Student Involvement Angie Cottrell said it is
a “fail” when there is no business to discuss at the SGA meetings. Cottrell introduced members of the UMKC staff and administration, who each explained their role on campus. The staff and administration reminded the student senators of the responsibility the role entails. After dinner was provided, the SGA representatives listed the expectations for the student senators. Senators must provide reports at every meeting from each of their respective council. Attending meetings without the reports constitutes as an absence. Senators are expected to dress in business casual attire for SGA meetings and events. As outlined in the UMKC Student Government Handbook,
senators must attend all meetings, be involved with the council they represent, follow Robert’s Rules of Order, be professional and understand the SGA constitution. Cottrell explained to new senators how Robert’s Rules of Order works, reviewing key terminology and presenting an example resolution for the senators to practice. According to Robert’s Rules of Order, it is a recognized guide to running meetings and conferences effectively and fairly. Student Activity Fee Committee representatives are required to wear the official SGA polo distributed at the orientation. SAFC has a set of bylaws representatives must follow. The committee meets twice each month to make allocation recommendations to the chancellor.
Campero announced the need to improve the SGA brand, solve campus textbook issues and increase the professionalism of SGA. Campero mentioned the TobaccoFree Campus Policy and the Gender Neutral Housing Resolution, which both passed in the Senate last year. Working on the SGA brand includes sending representatives to student organization meetings and increasing collaboration between student organizations and the appropriate academic unit, Campero said. The Student Senate consists of Webb, Corwin, Maslanka and two representatives from each divisional council: the College of Arts & Sciences, Henry W. Bloch School of Management, School of Education, School of Nursing, School of
Medicine, School of Law, School of Computing and Engineering, School of Biological Sciences, the Conservatory of Music and Dance, School of Dentistry, School of Graduate Studies and the School of Pharmacy. “We [senators] are basically the voice for our particular school,” Student Senator Miller Bogart of the School of Pharmacy said. “We attend the SGA meetings and we go back and report about what is going on, then we get people’s opinions.” SGA’s new policies regarding professionalism and responsibility were at the forefront of the agenda, and the RooSERVE slate plans to continue the strict enforcement of these policies throughout the year. kbaxendale@unews.com