In 2008, McPherson Superintendent Randy Watson and his staff at Unified School District 418 began the process of becoming exempt from the federal No Child Left Behind Act. After two years of research, visiting other schools and going on a series of retreats to define new goals and a new system, the district, which has [...]
Lawmakers in Topeka have been debating a number of environmental bills over the past two months, some of which might affect University students. Section 1(a) of House Bill 2366 states, “No public funds may be used, either directly or indirectly, to promote, support, mandate, require, order, incentivize, advocate, plan for, participate in or implement sustainable [...]
As legislators have failed to enact a bill meant to balance the budget, 5.1 percent of federal funds have been cut across the board — amounting to $85 billion, effective Friday. Congress, long at a standstill debating between spending cuts and revenue increases, agreed upon sequestration as a penalty deadline. “This will be a challenge [...]
Last month, Kansas courts ruled that state funding for public education is “unconstitutionally low.” The judges called for base aid to be raised to $4,492 annually for each of the state’s approximately 600,000 K-12 students, up from 2013’s previously approved budget of $3,838 per student. Kansas senators have since challenged the ruling by proposing a [...]
Packing Heat A University student’s 21st birthday means they can finally drink alcohol legally, as well as start packing heat. A bill allowing concealed carry permits on college campuses is likely to reemerge in this session of the Kansas legislature, said student body president Hannah Bolton. “All the leaders from the Kansas Board of Regents [...]
For hundreds of young girls around the country, competing in the Miss America pageant in front of an audience of millions is a dream for the future. For Sloane Lewis, it became a reality. Lewis, a junior from Norwich, began her pageant career in high school. As one of five girls in her graduating class [...]
Editors note: Gun control is a hot topic in the country right now, and it impacts college students in many ways. Over the course of the semester, the Kansan will examine gun issues from a variety of angles. NATIONWIDE In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting last month that left 26 schoolchildren [...]
With less than two weeks notice, the School of Music’s Trumpet Ensemble travelled to Washington D.C. to represent the Sunflower State at the Presidential Inaugural Parade. When the group originally designated to represent Kansas in the parade had to cancel at the last minute, Kansas House Representative Barbara Ballard was asked to suggest a replacement [...]
Prospective students will have to step up academically if they want to be admitted to the University of Kansas. For the high school classes of 2013 and 2014, these prospective students will have to meet the current admission requirements. Starting in the fall of 2015, incoming freshmen must meet requirements that the Kansas Board of [...]
In her third discussion with The University Daily Kansan, Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little discussed state funding, a post-tenure review initiative and faculty survey results. Post-tenure reviews At its December meeting, the Kansas Board of Regents will consider requiring universities to conduct performance reviews of tenured professors. These post-tenure reviews would be conducted every five or seven [...]
When most people think of big drivers of the Kansas economy, fields of wheat, pastures dotted with beef cattle and clumps of large factories pumping out airplanes, plastic and packed meat come to mind. However, the sites of an emerging market are tucked into small towns and hidden off country roads. Kansas’s wineries and vineyards, [...]
Two years ago, Aley Brown avoided walking up hills and steps because it was horrifying. Today, she’s 90 pounds thinner and proudly strides up stairs, loving the dose of cardio exercise. At the age of 18, Brown was 5-foot-6 and 215 pounds. Bad news from the doctor changed her life that year. She was diagnosed [...]
Women still make less money than men, according to a new study by the U.S. Census Bureau, which reports a 23 percent pay difference between the sexes in 2011. The study found the median income for women with full-time jobs last year was $37,118, compared to $48,202 for men. The gender pay gap was the [...]
To many western Kansans, sites like the Berexco rig site 25 miles northwest of Liberal, Kan. aren’t unusual. Thanks to a research partnership between Berexco, the Department of Energy and the Kansas Geological Survey, it could be one of the first sites used for carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in the state. The drilling of the [...]
If you’re searching for a job, Kansas might not be the place to find one, at least for now. The state is behind in employment growth in the private sector, and the population is also declining. But, in May, Gov. Sam Brownback signed a measure that cuts income taxes, which he thinks will reverse these [...]
This Labor Day weekend, drivers can expect an extra incentive when buckling up. The statewide campaign “Bucks for Buckles,” sponsored by State Farm Insurance, Safe Kids Kansas and the Kansas Department of Transportation, will reward drivers and passengers for wearing a seat belt. Volunteers for the campaign will hand out dollar bills at various locations [...]
