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Posts Tagged ‘Budget’

Rising gas prices could hinder students’ budgets

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 08 March 2012 15:42
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Photo Illustration by Ellen Weiss

In just six days, from March 1-6, gasoline prices at Kwik Shop, 12th and Merchant St., rose from $3.49 to $3.53 per gallon.

For sophomore elementary education major Sarah Williams, it costs about $85-90 to fill up the tank of her three-quarter ton truck, which she does about twice a month.

“I can get by on one tank if I don’t go anywhere,” Williams said.

Williams uses her truck to hook a trailer onto the back for horse shows, which she attends almost every weekend during the summer, and the trips can get expensive, she said. If the cost of gas continues to increase, she said she will find a way to cut money other places, but not on horse shows.

“Horse shows are such an important part of my life,” Williams said. “I can’t imagine life without them.”

But while gas prices have both risen and fallen over time, Rob Catlett, economics professor, said gas prices have generally drifted upward.

“We’re not at the high we’ve seen in prices in Emporia before,” Catlett said. “(But) over the last 50 years, (gas prices) have risen, and they have risen dramatically.”

Catlett said the most recent rise is not due to a shortage of crude oil or refining capabilities, but to events occurring in the Middle East. There is a concern about Iran, a major oil producer’s, nuclear abilities.

“(The reason) the price of gasoline has been rising (is) based largely on expectations,” Catlett said, “not actually on supplies, but probability that something might happen.”

But Catlett, who was in Los Angeles last week, said he saw prices of $4.50 per gallon.

“People weren’t cutting back as much because walking in L.A. isn’t a very attractive option,” Catlett said. “Many people have to drive to work. They’re not going to give up jobs, so consumers are not especially sensitive to change in gas.”

Rising prices will cause students to conserve more gas, Catlett said, which includes things such as less leisure spending, riding bikes instead of driving or buying more fuel efficient cars.

“I can see myself buying a cheap car so I can spend money other ways,” Williams said.

Another issue college students run into is the ability to travel. Caleb Spears, sophomore communications major, said the growth prices will greatly affect the way students commute and their ability to go back home.

“What college student has money to put $5 gas in their car?” Williams said. “No college student can have money to put gas in their car to go home.”

For Spears, it only costs about $37 to fill up his 1986 Chevy Cavalier. He hasn’t experienced a hindrance with dealing with gas prices yet.

“I imagine (if prices continue to grow) I will have to create a completely new budget for myself,” Spears said.

Susan Welte

Students discuss budget woes with legislators

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 17 February 2011 14:17
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Student body representatives from the Regents universities in Kansas, including a group of Associated Student Government members from Emporia State, got the chance to meet with Kansas legislatures last Tuesday at the state capitol during Higher Education Day where they spent the day mingling with Kansas officials to discuss funding for higher education.

Jonathan Rivers, senior social science secondary education major and president of ASG, said the students thanked the legislators for their support and asked that they continue to provide funding for higher education. Rivers was able to have individual conferences with Paul Davis, the House minority leader, and Steve Morris, president of the Senate.

“There’s still so much work to be done… it was an appreciative message, but also that we need help,” Rivers said.

Some of the topics included building maintenance, professors leaving Kansas universities and colleges for better-paying jobs in other states and increasing tuition.

According to Vol. 1 of the governor’s budget for the 2012 fiscal year, enrollment at state universities decreased by 173 students between the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years. The number of non-residents enrolled increased by 833 students, and the number of Kansas residents dropped by 1,008 students.

The document stated, “The decrease in enrollment could be due, in part, to increased tuition in recent years, concerns related to student indebtedness and job availability, or other financial concerns.”

Rivers said that in comparison to other agencies that were cut in the budget, higher education funding was not “hit very hard.” ESU did not loose any state funding, but the university did not receive any additional revenue from last year’s budget.

“The fact that we are staying flat lined is a cut in itself – we can’t keep funding the way it is because people are in trouble,” Rivers said.

Rivers said that if funding for higher education is not coming from the state, it is coming from the students.

According to the governor’s budget, ESU’s resident tuition and fees amounted to $2,187 for the 2010 fiscal year and $2,318 for the 2011 fiscal year, a six percent increase.

During the 2011 fiscal year, higher education in Kansas was funded by $581,076,409 from the state general fund and $593,238,396 in tuition. For the 2012 fiscal year, $577,887,343 will come from the state general fund and an estimated $557, 727, 515 will come from tuition, although this amount may increase depending on enrollment rates.

Laura Bosiljevac, sophomore political science major and legislative director of ASG, said the day was a success and a “step forward.”

“You’re not going to go in there and make change in one day, but the process of how you go about it is the most important part – our process went phenomenally,” Bosiljevac said.

On March 8, Bosiljevac said ESU will take part in another session at the state capitol, which encompasses a larger representation of ESU students and some administration members.

Kenzie Templeton

Legislature suggests slashing faculty pay

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 03 February 2011 14:38
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Universities across the state are at risk for losing funding for state employee salaries with the proposal of a bill endorsed by the budget committee of the Kansas House of Representatives that would reduce state employee pay by 7.5 percent for the final six payments of this fiscal year.

“I want to assure you that the Regents are seeking to eliminate this amendment as am I… it is likely the bill will end in a conference committee of both House and Senate members,” said Emporia State President Michael Lane in an email sent to faculty and staff.

Lane said that the Kansas House of Representatives, the Senate committee, and the full senate must consider the bill for it to be passed before it would have to be approved by Gov. Brownback.

“I have already expressed my serious concerns to our local legislative members,” Lane said.

Lane said that work will continue to be done to combat the bill and everyone should remember that this proposal is not a done deal.

A press release by the Kansas Board of Regents stated, “Removing dollars from the paychecks hard-working university employees depend upon, and then spending those dollars on building maintenance, doesn’t result in any savings to the state,”

However, on Jan. 31, The Topeka Capital-Journal posted online that Kansas House Republicans have altered the plan to apply only to those that earn more than $100,000.

“I honestly don’t know of a particular solution but there has got to be a better way than to cut wages so much,” said Abbi Moser, junior secondary education in social sciences major.

According to the original release from the Kansas Board of Regents, the action would require that the dollars be spent on campus maintenance projects.

“It’s not really fair to take teachers’ salaries away to build stuff,” said Maggie Witte, junior information resource systems major.

The online post by The Topeka Capital-Journal stated that the original plan would save the state more than $8 million, although the Regents response to the House Appropriations Committee’s action stated that all the money saved by the pay cut would be required to be spent on campus maintenance.

“There is still a long way to go in the rescission process,” Lane said.

By Beth Edmunds

Man jailed for killing chase student.(News)

The Birmingham Post (England) September 29, 2005 A businessman has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for manslaughter after he chased a Birmingham student who was then knocked down by a car and killed. chasestudentloansnow.com chase student loans

Christopher Gray, aged 21, was struck by a car on the Bristol Road as he ran away from Robert Lewis following a scuffle.

Mr Gray, a University of Birmingham student, died three days later from his injuries.

Lewis, of Station Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, had pleaded not guilty to manslaughter but was convicted by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court.

Judge David Matthews said there had been ‘physical contact’ between the two men before ‘a spur of the moment response led to tragic consequences’.

The court heard how Lewis – described by Judge Matthews ‘as man who liked to air his views forcefully’ – had been driving near the Tesco Express store on Bristol Road, Selly Oak, in the early hours of October 23, 2004. chasestudentloansnow.com chase student loans

Lewis grew agitated after he had to brake suddenly when a group of students, who had been drinking, got out of a taxi.

He got out of his car and swore at them and then pushed Mr Gray’s sister, who was acting as a peacemaker, to the ground.

Mr Gray then intervened on his sister’s behalf and confronted Lewis.

Lewis fled the scene without leaving his name or address but was arrested 14 hours later.

Passing sentence, Judge Matthews said: ‘I sentence you on the basis that before chasing him you were subjected at least to some degree of provocation and I sentence you on the basis that you neither intended any serious harm to Mr Gray or gave thought to the peril in which he was being placed.’

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2011 budget stays consistent for now

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 27 January 2011 15:25
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1-27 Lane MUG

The budget for the 2011 fiscal year has been maintained to this point.

“The State’s revenues appear to be holding at a level which will keep the 2011 budget (current year) fully funded,” according to a budget update e-mail from ESU President Michael Lane.

The hiring freeze that went into effect last year is still in effect, but new hires have been made through the opening of positions after the hiring freeze, so they were not affected and some positions were filled with re-managed funds discovered by deans. These positions are also taken care of by specifically targeted funds and can’t be used to fill positions from other departments.

“Whatever was being searched on that date, we shut down the searches for those positions,” Lane said in an interview.

The searches for new hires either replaced previously frozen positions if the need was greater or the funding could be found in a specific area. The restricted funds must stay in the departments in which the area found. Some funding was migrated from one portion to the other.

Two departments were “held harmless” by the president, which means that even as new positions arose they could continue their search for candidates to fill them. Those two departments were Marketing and Media and Admissions, because they draw in students and are integral to the continuing of the university, Lane said.

“There are still 18 faculty positions and 20 staff positions that are frozen, if the manager can find the money within their budget to fill a position we have filled that when the petition comes forward,” Lane said.

The tuition increase which created about $1.03 million in revenue was put to different uses around campus including health benefits and other benefits for faculty members and personnel increases.

“It is an appropriate use for the tuition increase. I don’t think we could survive without that tuition budget, most of the increase is used consistently with the universities mission,” said Rob Catlett, professor of economics.

Some students felt that using the tuition increase for faculty and staff hires as well as benefits was worth the extra money.

“Our faculty and staff do so much for the students, and they focus more individually,” said April Brewer, sophomore elementary education major.

Another need the university has is in maintenance backlog. This issue is currently faced by all Kansas universities and the deficit is increasing. The Kansas Board of Regents addressed this issue and discovered that the state’s back log is at $876 million, a $51 million increase since 2008. ESU’s own maintenance backlog represents $57.1 million of this.

According to the Kansas Board of Regents website, despite the fact that this issue has received aid from state funds and federal stimulus, the backlog continues to grow. The estimated amount of money needed to stop the increasing issue would be $92 million but last fiscal year only $52 million was available to the backlog.

Charlie Heptas

Budget Committee passes recommended fee increase for athletics

Written by Sarah Shaw
Thursday, 01 April 2010 14:01
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After a report by Athletic Director Kent Weiser, and much debate, the Budget Development and Tuition Committee passed a four percent recommended increase for athletics, which will add a projected $5.20 for full time students and 60 cents for part time students starting to student fees next semester.

Though the Athletic Department had requested a six percent increase, the committee negotiated the four percent increase, which 11 members voted to pass and one opposed.

Weiser presented information detailing steps that had been taken to cope with budget cuts after the department did not receive an increase in funding last year such as the ceased printing of media guides for all sports, hosting soccer games on campus instead of renting a more equipped facility, and decreasing travel, among other things.

“I know conducting an athletics program is expensive,” Weiser said. “But I very much believe that we are getting a pretty good bang for our buck and we’re stretching things quite a ways with who we compete with and what is expected of us and what we expect of ourselves.”

A major expense and concern of the Athletic Department is the ability to provide students with athletic scholarships.

“That basketball player is also a marketing major or a history major, and so on,” said John Rich, faculty athletic representative. “They are students that are in our program, they are not just student athletes. Athletics brings students into our program that would not otherwise be here if it weren’t for the athletics money that funds their scholarships.”

Amy Webb, associate professor, faculty senate past president and committee member, expressed an opinion that she thinks is felt by many non-athlete students.

“Students are always going to say ‘why are my fee monies paying for that student’s scholarship?’” Webb said. “Now, of course you can’t run a budget that way where each person gets to say where their taxes go, but there is some equity to be considered here. There are students that are facing reduced financial awards of their own, who are working additional jobs and they need to be able to feel good about this increase being equilateral and not necessarily lining the pockets of students and prospects elsewhere.”

But Jim Williams, vice president of student affairs and committee member, argued that enrollment is affected by the athletic program, which impacts academic programs.

“It does have an impact on enrollment and that impact on enrollment in some of the programs may impact whether some of those programs continue.” Williams said.

The adjustment of the increase from 6 percent to 4 percent was proposed by Webb and passed by all who voted except for Carol Russell, associate profess of elementary teacher education and faculty senate president, though it may be reevaluated later in the process.

This increase is only part of what is an estimated total increase of $34.03 for full time students and $3.92 for part time students for fees considered by the committee as part of the Campus Privilege Fees.

The other portion of Campus Privilege Fees is considered by Associated Student Government and is an estimated increase of $5.43 for full time students and 56 cents for part time students.

These totals, combined with the existing fee, bring the total projected Campus Privilege fee to $513.46 for full time students and $62.48 for part time students for next year, a 7.73 percent increase from this year. Exact numbers have not yet been finalized because after they are passed by the committee, they must then be approved by Emporia State President Michael Lane and then finalized by the Kansas Board of Regents.

The Budget Development and Tuition Committee plans to meet again in late April to discuss possible increases of tuition. The committee hopes to present their finalized recommendations for both the Campus Privilege Fees and Tuition in early May and then to KBOR on May 7.

Debate over potential fee increases brings questions

Written by Ashley Peaches
Thursday, 25 March 2010 20:09
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The Budget Development and Tuition Committee decided in a meeting held yesterday afternoon to approve the Student Health Center’s request for a fee increase but could not decide whether or not athletics should receive an increase as well.

A fee increase of 2.4 percent was approved unanimously for the Student Health Center, which would amount to $64.85 per full time student, up from $63.35.

However, the measure that was approved is only a recommendation because the increase would still need to be approved by Emporia State President Michael Lane and the Kansas Board of Regents.

In the original fee increase request, Jaque Schmidt, director of student wellness, provided a breakdown of why they were requesting the fees and for what the additional income would be used.

Carol Russell, associate professor of elementary teacher education and president of faculty senate, said that the Health Center’s requests to get new furniture in order to expand services to students was within reason

The Athletic Department is requesting an increase of 6 percent which would bring their full time student total to $130.28 per student, up from $122.87.

“We have courses for summer that are full that we can’t sponsor,” Russell said. “We have to cut a full class because we don’t have funding. I can’t justify giving a 6 percent increase to athletics. I understand it’s a different pot of money but I’m still having difficulties with it.”

However, in the request submitted by John Rich, chair of the Athletics Advisory Board, there was not a detailed listing of what additional fees would be used for. This caused some uneasiness among the members of the committee.

“I think they should be held accountable as to where that money is going,” Russell said.

Along with the rest of the university, athletics had to cut their budget in order to make up for money they would not be receiving in state funding.

“I would struggle with 6 percent,” said Joella Mehrhof, professor of health and physical education. “I’m close to athletics so it’s difficult for me to say that. It’s pretty difficult to say that we’re going to raise athletics when the faculty is not going to get another raise for two to three more years.

The Budget Committee denied a request from Athletics for an increase for FY2010.

“I’m doubting that any department will get a 7 percent increase,” Meherhof said. “I know that athletics is different but I have to say that as a representative of the faculty.”

A main concern was the number of scholarships athletics would be able to give out.

“They are already decreasing the number of scholarships that they are giving out,” said Mary Mingenback, controller for ESU. “They gave out over 100 scholarships (last year) and this year they were able to give out 90.”

Another concern was whether or not income received from a fee increase could be used toward increasing salaries.

“A little bit of it would be going towards the salaries that are not financed through general use,” said Raymond Hauke, vice president of administration and fiscal affairs. “Head coaches are likely funded through general use. If they have assistants that aren’t covered they have to fund it out of here.”

The possibility of instituting an additional fee for off campus and online students was also discussed.

“The bigger question is if we are trending away from on campus enrollment do we have to start looking at the fee structure sooner,” said Jonathan Krueger, senior political science major and president of Associated Student Government. “If we are having to increase on campus fees to make up for a difference in the online presence, it also brings the question that we also have to consider some change. I don’t know how I feel about every time we have a decrease in on campus students piling an increase on on-campus students when other students can benefit from it.”

Although the committee met with members of athletics at a previous meeting, with all of the unanswered questions, the committee decided to table the issue until they had a chance to meet with Kent Weiser, athletic director.

“I wouldn’t be comfortable making a cut to the recommendation that they’ve made without hearing back from them but I’m also not comfortable accepting what they’ve presented,” Krueger said.

The next meeting will be held at 12 p.m. on March 31. The meeting is open to the public but those who are not on the committee may not be allowed to speak during the meeting.

A Budget in Crisis

Written by Josh Johnson
Thursday, 21 January 2010 14:46
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New Beginnings mark spring general assembly

Emporia State President Michael Lane discussed the budget crisis, new faculty positions and strategies for increasing school productivity with a shrinking budget during the Spring General Assembly titled “New Beginnings – New Realities” last Tuesday

“I think President Lane did a wonderful job articulating a positive direction but was still being honest about our current situation,” said Carol L. Russell, associate professor of Early Childhood/Elementary Teacher Education and President of Faculty Senate. “The budget issues force us to be creative problem solvers, otherwise we lose out. I think we’re in good hands.”

The current budget crisis came into focus as Lane discussed new strategies for coping with the lack of money from the state.

“This assembly was an opportunity for all the staff and faculty to get on the same page about the challenges we’re facing,” said Dave Sparks, media relations coordinator. “This also presents us with an opportunity to reaffirm the reasons we do what we do.”

The increase in student fees, and the relationship between their increase and falling state funding was discussed by Lane.

“Clearly things are challenging at this time, and they’ve been coming a long time,” Lane said. “Tuition and fees have increased and our budget has been cut by $4,238,931.”

Lane listed out three words that represented the objectives that ESU intends to achieve despite the smaller budget.

“Recruitment, retention and graduation are our three success words,” Lane said. “These three factors are part of our strategic plan, also called Engaging Excellence.”

A strategy soon to be implemented involves the evaluation of the “strategic importance” of positions vacated by the retirement or resignation of faculty and staff, Lane said.

“We have to decide which positions are strategically critical,” Lane said. “We intend to serve our current employee base, but if positions are vacated they need to be evaluated for importance to our three goals.”

Lane discussed the importance of initiating a mentoring program that would encourage students to strive for national awards and scholarships.

The goal of Gov. Mark Parkinson is to provide more funds to higher education. The governor’s office estimates that 2013 is when state revenues will allow for additional funding to schools.

“Higher education is a critical part of Kansas economic development,” Lane said. “Parkinson raised us to the top of the pile in his State of the State address, and we need to honor that.”

The memory of Jeff Hodapp, associate professor of Music, who passed away on Dec. 30 from a heart attack in Owatonna, Minn., was also honored with a moment of silence. New faculty and staff members were introduced directly after.

FOUNDATION FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

States News Service January 20, 2010 ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The following information was released by the American Physical Therapy Association:

The Foundation for Physical Therapy welcomes three new members to their Board of Trustees: Dr. Laurence N. Benz, DPT, ECS; Col Charles “Chuck” Martin Jr, USAF-Ret; and Michael Mueller, PT, PhD, FAPTA.

“The Foundation is excited to have these new Trustees contributing their time and effort to serving on the Board. They will be a great asset to the Board, bringing expertise, passion for the profession, and insight,” said Foundation Board of Trustees Chair William G. Boissonnault, PT, DPT, DHSc, FAAOMPT.

Members of the Board of Trustees work to promote the Foundation’s mission of funding physical therapy research, ensure sound financial management within the organization, and support Foundation-related projects and activities. web site physical therapy salary

Benz is the President/CEO of PT Development LLC, a physical therapy consultation company based in Louisville, Kentucky. He frequently lectures at multiple DPT and MBA programs throughout the country, with expertise in private practice physical therapy, industrial medicine and marketing. He has served on the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) Advisory Panel on Practice and the Board of the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Benz is also the co-developer of the resource Web site www.physicaltherapist.com and blog.evidenceinmotion.com, a Web log devoted to sharing information on evidence-based practice in physical therapy.

Martin served as an auditor and accounting officer in the United States Air Force beginning in 1963. While on active duty, he was also an adjunct professor of accounting and management with the University of Maryland (European Division) and Regis University. He completed his military career as the deputy chief of staff and comptroller for the Tactical Air Command. Most recently, Martin served as APTA’s Chief Operating Officer, retiring in 2008 after 17 years of service. He is a certified internal auditor and a certified association executive. here physical therapy salary

Mueller is an associate professor and director of the Applied Biomechanics Laboratory at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri. His laboratory studies the biomechanical factors that contribute to injury and adaptation in patients with chronic disabilities. Mueller is also the leader of the Comprehensive Opportunities in Rehabilitation Researching Training (COORT) program, a five-year grant funded by the National Institutes of Health, which pairs young researchers with senior researchers who serve as mentors. Mueller was an editorial board member and associate editor for updates for Physical Therapy from 1995-2006 and has been a reviewer since 1982.

The Foundation for Physical Therapy was established in 1979 as a national, independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality and delivery of physical therapy care by providing support for scientifically based and clinically relevant physical therapy research and doctoral scholarships and fellowships.

KBR freezes pay for Lane, two other presidents

Written by Kelsey Ryan
Friday, 18 September 2009 15:32
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Lane

The Kansas Board of Regents has implemented a one-year salary and compensation freeze on three university presidents, including Emporia State President Michael Lane.

“I think that the Regents have done the right thing in regards to presidents’ compensation and that hopefully they will continue in that mode until such time that we’re able to raise the money for the rest of our staff so that we’re all treated similarly,” Lane said.

Lane’s state salary is $202,540, with a compensation cap at $213,200.

“The difference between those amounts comes from outside sources, like the foundation,” said Kip Petersen, director of government relations & communications for the KBR.

Academic affairs committee member Christine Downey-Schmidt, who was originally appointed to the KBR in 2005 by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, brought forth the motion because of “the difficult budget and revenue situation confronting our state, our higher education system, and our state universities.”

“I don’t think their reason (to freeze the salaries) is necessarily to help with the budget, but all of our faculty and the vast majority of our staff got no raises this year because of the budget situation,” Lane said. “The amount that a president would get in a raise wouldn’t have a significant impact on that, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to get a raise in a time where all of our faculty and staff are being held without raises – that’s what makes it fair and equitable.”

Wichita State President Donald Beggs’ salary is $255,298, with $277,160 the cap for compensation. Fort Hays State President Ed Hammond’s salary is $202,593 with a compensation cap at $223,860.

The salaries of the KSU, PSU and KU presidents were not included in the motion because their salaries had already been set when they were hired earlier this year.

this machine charges just $2 for a category 1 ‘Hurricane’.(Daily Break)

The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) September 13, 2010 Pembroke Mall was unnaturally quiet.

The carpet muffled the sounds of walkers in fluorescent-white tennis shoes. The salespeople in kiosks checked their cell phones. Three shoppers lounged in green chairs, the kind of seats bored men take when their wives are browsing.

Everyday, glass-half-empty drones might spot malaise in this scene, but businessmen from O 80 Studios in Tampa, Fla., sees opportunity. The company looked at nearly identical situations and said, “These people need a little something extra in their lives. They need a better mall experience. They need a hurricane!” So now, in five malls across Hampton Roads, seven in Katrina-ravaged Louisiana and 400 nationwide, everyday shoppers in everyday malls can swipe their debit cards and experience a simulated Category 1 hurricane. site category 1 hurricane

What people want from their mall is not a pretzel or new top for this weekend’s party. They want adventure.

Simulated.

Forget that a study earlier this year claimed that, if a Category 5 hurricane struck various cities, Virginia Beach would be among the most damaged and most vulnerable in the country.

Forget that residents only two weeks ago spent hours preparing for Hurricane Earl, moving their cars, hoarding bottled water and gassing up generators, all for a light sprinkle. Hurricanes – even the threat of them – can scar the psyche.

Shoppers want to survive, to prove their mettle, to show they can handle anything Mother Nature throws at them.

So last Tuesday at Pembroke Mall, in front of Sears and a few stores down from the specialty Halloween shop, the task was clear: I must survive the hurricane simulator. go to web site category 1 hurricane

It’s about the size of two Coke machines, just 18 square feet, and costs $2. It accommodates up to four people at a time. Shoppers stared at the capsule anytime anyone walked too close.

I got in and closed the transparent sliding door.

But before I say what happened, a note about what this simulator does not do: It does not ask you to stock up on beer, or bottled water, or gas. It does not tell you that you are about to lose power. It does not force you to grill everything in your freezer. It does not say the 15-minute trip home from work is going to take 90 minutes because of tidal flooding. It does not fill with dirty water. It is, after all, a simulator.

The experience starts nonchalantly. The wind whisks in from a black fan on top of the box. The display screen reads 10 miles an hour, then 15.

I can feel the people in the cell-phone shop looking at me. I can only guess that they are admiring the pure guts required to subject myself to this artificial and furious breeze.

In my best weathered seaman’s voice, I think to myself, “It’s really coming in now.” Forty-five.

My sunglasses fall off. I don’t pick them up. It is getting harder to take a full, deep breath.

Fifty. Fifty-five. Sixty. It feels like a kiddie ride. I want more. Finally, it speeds all the way up to 78 miles an hour.

And that’s it.

Within a minute, it is over. Not so different from the real thing.

It was a spectacle. (Again, not so different from the real thing.) I stepped out, rearranged my hair, patted down my shirt, put on my sunglasses.

Did it cause scars like hurricanes past? No. Did it scare me about Category 1 storms in the future? No. Did I want a “I survived the Hurricane Simulator” T-shirt? Of course.

Mike Gruss, (757) 446-2277, mike.gruss@pilotonline.com

Budget fix doesn’t ease minds of future educators

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 19 February 2009 18:01
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Governor Kathleen Sebelius signed a bill Tuesday that included over $300 million in reductions to the 2009 state budget, making it possible to issue debt certificates in excess of $200 million in order to meet the state’s Medicaid and payroll obligations this Friday. Because Kansas’ constitution does not allow for deficit spending, reductions had to be made before the state could afford to pay its employees.

But because deductions included line items in K-12 education, many education majors do not feel encouraged by the current budget solution.

“I’m definitely worried about finding a job,” said Annie Ball, senior secondary education, social studies and art major who is currently student teaching in the Shawnee Mission South school district. “I know most of the other student teachers I’ve talked to are kind of in the same boat. They’re really worried.”

In the face of even more upcoming budget cuts, many students feel that the current economy doesn’t spell out a hopeful future for teachers in Kansas.

“It scares me,” said Ashley Gillett, freshman secondary education English major. “Teachers are already underpaid.”

But Rob Catlett, assistant professor of economics, has a different view of Kansas’ recent budget issues.

“If we think about the State of Kansas and the federal government, they each have funds in different accounts,” Catlett said. “So it’s not a question of their ability to pay but of the ability to pay out of that specific account.”

However, Catlett didn’t necessarily approve of the way the Kansas legislature handled budget procedures this past week.

“I was disappointed,” Catlett said. “Most of the time these issues can be worked out… This was a little bit more public and a little bit more political than I would have preferred… This is not the time for us to have these kind of political arguments, in public at least.”

But no matter how public or private the issue, many students are left to worry about the current and future effects of a withering economy on those who choose to become teachers.

“It kind of depends on where you go,” said Liz Coffey, sophomore secondary education, earth science and social sciences major. “I’m going to the Blue Valley district, so the smaller school districts might have more problems. Teachers in general don’t get paid much, so it’s a concern for everybody.”

Despite how Kansas’ leaders dealt with the most recent budget crisis, students and state employees alike were given the incentive to evaluate their future plans and involvement in current economical difficulties, something that Catlett sees as a positive outcome.

“Often times, people don’t understand some of the fiscal challenges that we face,” Catlett said. “The issue that came up this week, I think, got some people’s attention that may not have been paying any attention to it.”

Mallory Livingston/The Bulletin