October 15, 1998, Vol. 20, No. 38
October 15, 1998, Vol. 20, No. 38
Sections of this page:
"Out-of-ground" celebration planned Nov. 3
United Way agencies tell their stories
Open enrollment changes, enhancements listed
‘Out-of-ground’ celebration planned Nov. 3 for Nursing Education Building
Completion of the Nursing Education Building construction
crane bodes the appearance of the new facility’s early
structural outline. Photo by Jim Burton
School of Nursing faculty, staff, students and alumni will
celebrate the end of excavation noise and the early structural
outline of the new Nursing Education Building during a
Celebration of Construction ceremony and reception 1:30 to 2:30
p.m. Nov. 3. The party is open to all KUMC employees.
During the celebration on the lawn of the Murphy Building,
participants will write messages that will be encased in metal
lockboxes and placed in a concrete form. A bronze plaque
commemorating the event will be placed over the form. The
reception will be in the Murphy Lobby.
"I really want to express my appreciation for everyone's
patience and cooperation," said Vice Chancellor Roger
Lambson. "It's been trying on the students and faculty
trying to learn and to teach around the noise."
Construction of the new Nursing Education Building is on
schedule, despite the rock and rain that were the bane of
construction workers this fall, said Lambson. After several weeks
of intense noise and vibration, jackhammers prevailed against
obstinate rock in mid-September and the footings, foundation and
basement floor were completed, he said. The construction site
survived, relatively unscathed, the Oct. 4 deluge that flooded
much of the Kansas City area.
Workers have installed the tower crane, which must clear the roof
of Murphy and extend across the entire construction site, said
Lambson. In addition, they've placed anchors that will connect to
the building and reach 38 feet into the rock to ensure structural
soundness in an earthquake. Next on the list are pouring the
remaining foundation walls and basement flooring, and erecting
the shoring for the ground floor slab. Brick for the facade has
been ordered to complement--but not completely match--the Murphy
and Taylor buildings.
The autumn cacophony resulted from crushing a bed of rock that
was deeper, harder and laced with clay seams that complicated
standard excavation procedures.
From this point forward, said Lambson, construction should be
much less noisy and disruptive.
"It's moving along," said Lambson of the work. "We
lost a few days due to the rain, but the building is scheduled to
be completed on time at the end of July 1999."
United Way agencies tell
their stories
KUMC employees will have the chance to learn first-hand how their
United Way donations contribute to their communities. As part of
the campus-wide campaign, United Way committee members have
arranged a third community bus tour of Wyandotte County United
Way. Set for Thursday, Oct. 22, this final tour will visit
Associated Youth Services, El Centro, and the Franklin Children's
Center. Faculty, staff and students who are interested should
e-mail or call Rachel Betteridge at <bbetteridge> or ext.
7701 by Oct. 20.
Representatives from United Way-agencies will be outside the main
and Delp cafeterias from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to talk about the
impact of United Way support for their causes.
October 14
American Red Cross & Friends of Yates
October 15
Volunteers in Prison & American Red Cross
October 16
Cancer Action & KCSL / Black Adoption
October 19
Boy Scouts of America & Catholic Charities
October 20
KCK Huggers / Special Olympics & Juvenile Diabetes
October 21
Visiting Nurses Association & El Centro, Inc.
October 22
Bethel Neighborhood
Heart of America Family Services
October 23
YWCA & Volunteers in Prison
Enroll now for health
plans
It’s October, and that means you should have received your
benefit options booklet and a letter about open enrollment for
group health insurance. It’s also the time to enroll in a
flexible spending account.
Hospital or university employees who should complete open
enrollment forms are those who want to change health insurance
companies, add or drop dependents from medical or dental plans,
add the new vision coverage, change tobacco user status, or alter
pre-tax status. All employees who want to participate in a
flexible spending account for 1999 must complete a new enrollment
form. Changes made during open enrollment will be effective Dec.
27 for medical, dental, and vision coverage and Jan. 1 for
flexible spending accounts.
Employees are encouraged to attend informational meetings at 2
p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, in 1023 Orr Major and 10 a.m. Wednesday,
Oct. 21, in Sudler Auditorium. During the 1 1/2-hour meetings,
representatives from the State Division of Personnel Services and
each of the plans will answer questions about the plans and
enrollment procedures.
Hospital employees can complete open enrollment forms in 5021
Delp and can call ext. 4528 if they have questions. University
(State of Kansas) employees should go to 1040 Wescoe to enroll
and call ext. 5087 if they have any questions.
Around KUMC...
What’s New
Cancer Institute Round Table is Oct. 2 in Lied
Auditorium
The next Kansas Cancer Institute research round table will be
noon Tuesday, Oct. 20, in Lied Auditorium. Sara Antonia Li,
Ph.D., Kansas Cancer Institute, Department of Pharmacology,
Toxicology & Therapeutics, will present
"Estrogen-induced Mammary Tumors in the Female ACI Rat: A
Model for Breast Cancer."
Spiritual Caregivers to Highlight "Cultural
Diversity"
The diversity of spiritual caregivers and of those who receive
the care will be the focus of Pastoral Care Week, to be observed
Oct. 18-25. The spiritual/pastoral care program at KU Medical
Center will observe the week by providing displays and
information materials throughout the week.
This year's theme, "Diversity of Cultures," highlights
the cultural diversity of individuals who provide pastoral care,
those who receive their care, and staff with whom they work in
hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, hospices, counseling centers,
and other arenas of care.
Pastoral Care Week is an international observance sponsored by
the Coalition on Ministry in Specialized Settings.
Selena is highlight of October film program
Selena, the story of a highly visible Hispanic family and
entertainer, will be featured during the KU Medical Center
October intercultural film series. Open discussion with
co-facilitators Sonia Cruz, Parent Education Coordinator at
Sunflower House, and Mary Loma, president, La Lista Latina, Ltd.
and publisher of La Lista Latina: Kansas City's Hispanic Business
Directory, will follow the film.
The event, to be in Sudler Auditorium Oct. 15, begins at 4:30
with pizza and soft drinks. The movie begins at 5 p.m.
For more information, contact Alisa Lange, diversity coordinator,
ext. 5148 or email her at <alange>.
Seminar designed to increase awareness of domestic
violence
In response to what has been called a "horrifying
epidemic" of domestic violence, KU Medical Center will stage
a seminar, "Saving a Life: Breaking the Cycle of Domestic
Violence," Saturday, Oct. 31.
The seminar, to be 8 a.m. to noon at Lied Auditorium and Hixson
Atrium, will include sessions on identifying risk factors for
domestic violence, its effects on children, legal issues and
available shelters and services in the Kansas City area. Zita
Surprenant, MD, MPH, assistant professor of preventive medicine,
will be moderator of the seminar.
The seminar is free, but advanced registration is encouraged. A
$10 fee is charged for those who want continuing education
credit. For more information or to register by phone, call the
Division of Continuing Education, ext. 4488, or send email to
<ceinfo>.
Students’ learning needs focus of School of Nursing
seminar
Other universities’ methods for creating environments that
meet students' needs will be the focus of a satellite
teleconference, "Creating Tomorrow's Learner-Centered
Environments -- Today!"
The seminar, sponsored by the KU School of Nursing, will be 11:30
a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, in Lied Auditorium. For more
information, call Doris Merrill, ext. 1646.
KU Ob/Gyns present at Barnes & Noble
Valerie Montgomery Rice, MD, director of the KU Reproductive and
Endocrinology and Infertility Division, and
Marilyn Richardson, MD, will speak at presentations on
infertility during National Infertility Week.
Their free presentations will be 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble
Bookstores. They will speak at the Independence store Oct. 19;
the Leawood store Oct. 20; the Northland-Barry Woods store Oct.
21 and the Plaza Oct. 22.
Dr. Montgomery Rice completed her medical degree at Harvard
Medical School and her obstetrics and gynecology residency at
Emory University School of Medicine and Affiliated Hospitals.
Dr. Richardson earned her medical degree at KU Medical Center and
a obstetrics and gynecology residency at Truman Medical Center.
Preventing sexual harassment topic of program
The Human Resources Department will present "Preventing
Sexual Harassment in the Work Place" from 9 a.m. to noon
Thursday, Oct. 15. The location will be announced. The program
provides practical guidelines for recognizing, preventing, and
resolving incidents of sexual harassment, and includes question
and answer time with the director of the Equal Opportunity
Office. For more information, or to enroll, call ext. 5089.
Open enrollment changes,
enhancements listed
* Principal Max Choice and Principal PPO are no longer available.
All employees enrolled in these must select new plans.
* Community Health Plans and Preferred Health Systems have been
added as medical providers for 1999.
* A voluntary vision plan for will be offered in 1999.
* Rates have increased for both medical and prescription drug
coverage. However, the Health Care Commission increased the
state’s contribution toward single coverage so employees
will pay the same cost for single coverage. The Commission also
increased the state’s contribution for dependent coverage by
8 percent to offset dependent premium increases.
* Durable medical equipment coverage has been increased to $2,000
per covered person per year.
* The effective date for health insurance is Dec. 27. The
effective date for flexible spending accounts is Jan. 1.
United Way prizes
Prizes and fun are part of the KUMC 1998 United Way campaign,
which continues through Oct. 26. Everyone who turns in a pledge
card, whether they make a financial pledge or not, is eligible to
win a prize. Those who return pledge cards early have a better
chance of winning, so turn yours in as soon as possible! This
year, prizes are:
* Two one-hour personal training sessions at Kirmayer Fitness
Center
* KU Medical Center bookstore gift certificate
* Two gift baskets from Office of Alumni Relations
* Autographed KC Wizards soccer ball and team photo
* Floral arrangement from Flowers by Nancy
* Gift certificate for personalized children’s books,
Moore's Sales & Marketing
* Lunch at Genghis Khan Mongolian Grill
* Catered dinner for two from Elite Dining
* Two drawings for two pairs of tickets for pre-season KU men's
basketball tickets (KU vs. California All-Stars)
* Two quarterly memberships to Kirmayer Fitness Center
* Green fees for two and golf cart usage at Oak Golf Course in
DeSoto
* Two, 30-minute massages at Ghianni Day Spa
* KC Wizards tee-shirt and autographed team photo
* $15 gift certificate from Kemper Printing Services
* Gift certificate to Chipolte's Mexican Grille
* $25 gift certificate to Strasser Hardware
* Sweatshirt or sweatsuit from KUMC Bookstore
* Autographed KC Chiefs hat * Autographed throw pillow
* One month free parking at KUMC * New color TV
No doubt last week was community week! Both at Kansas City and
Wichita, the focus was on the community. We are all in the midst
of the Kick-Off for United Way, and Thursday I took the bus tour
of some of the major agencies in Wyandotte County. They all
desperately need our help. Dr. Meek tells me of a similar great
event in Wichita which has us off to a good start there also. I
am very proud of our community activities, but I feel we can do
much more.
Locally, in both cities, we worked hard this year to let the
local government know that KU Cares about the people of the
cities. We demonstrated at the State Fair and in state
conferences that KU Cares about the people of the state. And, we
have many examples of our faculty's and other leaders'
involvement in national activities. So what does it all mean?
Saturday, nearly 300 of our KUMC family members were out in the
Rosedale community, repairing and winterizing homes for people in
need. We worked at eight different locations. This is one of the
most treasured events of the year for me. Christmas in October
allowed our students a well-deserved break from their studies and
an opportunity to get out and breathe some fresh air. They worked
with people in need, and side by side with deans, faculty, and
staff from all over the medical center. At the end of the day, we
saw what a wonderful difference we could make, and had a good
time, too.
The United Way campaign must be successful. I am soooo old that I
remember when our homes were constantly deluged with many
charitable agencies that solicited funds from us. When United Way
became a reality, we had a way to make choices through a central
organization. Did you know that in Wyandotte County the average
income is less than half of the average salary at KU Medical
Center? We, who are the privileged, need to take our
responsibilities to the community very seriously. I am convinced
that, if we really wanted to, we could double the giving from the
Medical Center. What a statement that would make!
Please take time to look at the great work that United Way
performs. If you need some information about the agencies or
services, just contact your department representative. You might
also enjoy a bus tour. Then, make your decision to give based on
what you learn. I believe that everyone should give until it
feels good! You can determine the amount, but I hope everyone
will pledge something. You can even enjoy the convenience of a
payroll deduction. Let's lead the way in Wyandotte and Sedgwick
counties, and show the other businesses how to do it right!
For Sale
For sale: Toshiba Satellite Pro 420, less than two years old,
still in warranty. 100 megahertz, 32megs of ram 1.2 gig hard
drive 33.3 modem 1.44 drive CD rom drive portable color printer
and carrying case for all. $1500. Call 913-342-0845.
For sale: Modern, contemporary furniture in black and burgundy
decor, golden trim: Sofa, bed, and dining set. Framed
photoprints. All in excellent and new conditions. Call 649-8477.
For sale: Golf clubs. Irons 3 through wedge, cavity backed,
oversized, perimeter weighted. $50. Wilson bag, almost new, $35.
A few other miscellaneous clubs/woods. Call 362-2492.
For sale: IBM 17-inch monitor, two months old $200. Call
221-8830.
For sale: 60-gallon aquarium. Complete set-up, wood stand, new
hood. $250. Call 262-7303 and leave a message.
For sale: Neon Signs. Mountain Dew and numerous beer signs. Call
220-3696.
For lease: Half-lease on English-ridden, older thoroughbred
horse. Also available, half-lease on western ridden, large pony.
Pay half rent, vet bills and shoeing. Indoor and outdoor arenas,
trails. Individual pony rides also available. Call Dianna,
432-5141.
For sale: Car stereo, in-dash, brand new. Never installed. $50.
Disc camera, 15-shots, $20. Two stereo speakers, three feet tall
by 10 inches. Wood grain look on removable pedestals. $40. Call
Gina, 432-7475.
For sale: Seven-foot tuxedo style sofa. White, green, gold
stripe. Excellent condition. $200 or best offer. Call 942-5644
evenings.
For sale: Golf clubs. One men's and one women's set. Both with 1
and 3 woods, three PW irons, putter, bag. $125. Call 781-2725.
Garage Sales
Huge garage sale: Jaycare Learning Center, 3020 S. 7th, KC, KS.
Cribs, baby swings, chairs, furniture, clothes, toys, computers
and much more. All proceeds go to the Center. Saturday, Oct. 17,
starting at 8 a.m.
Automotive
For sale: 1965 Mustang. Call Colleen at 262-4467.
For sale: 1991 Ford Escort, two-door hatchback, dark blue, AM-FM
cassette, 84,000 miles, tinted windows, new tires and brakes.
Excellent on gas, drives and looks clean. $3,400 or best offer.
Call 385-2814.
For sale: Classic 1971 Datsun 240Z, little rust, $4,200. or best
offer. Call evenings, 525-2325.
For sale: 1985 Nissan 300ZX, 120,000 miles, tan, full power
options, T-top, excellent condition, mechanic owned. Asking
$6,000. Call 362-0574 evenings or weekends.
Housing
For rent: One-bedroom apartment at 42nd and Rainbow, off-street
parking, water paid. $330 per month. Call 753-2260.
For rent: Garage space to store motorcycle or small vehicle. $25
a week or $85 a month. Cash only. Call Gina, 432-7475.
Wanted
Wanted: Childcare provider. Looking for a caring individual to
care for my two children on weekends. Daytime hours will vary.
Overland Park, KS, area. Call Maria 706-8589.
Want to buy: Chiefs tickets for Oct. 26. Will pay $40 for each
ticket. Call 334-5932 during the day.
Wanted: Camper shell for Mazda long bed. Call 436-7146.
Study Subjects
Sibling project
Children, ages 7 - 15 years, are needed for a study of brothers
or sisters of children with developmental disabilities. The study
requires brothers or sisters of children with developmental
disabilities to complete questionnaires at five different times
over a one-year period. Also, one parent would complete the
questionnaires at four different times over one year. A stipend
will be given each time the child and parent complete
questionnaires. Children are then eligible for a free week of
camp in July 1999. Contact Carolyn at ext. 1610.
Mouth-watering menu
offered At Auxiliary luncheon Oct. 28
Buy your tickets now to the 1998 Auxiliary Bazaar luncheon, to be
Oct. 28. The annual culinary delight will offer two seatings: one
at 11:30 a.m. and another at 12:30 p.m. in the Delp Pavilion
Cafeteria. This year’s mouth-watering menu is Chicken Valle
d’Auge, Seasoned Rice, Lemon Glazed Carrots, Green Salad,
Rolls, Pumpkin Pie Cake, Coffee and Iced Tea. All for only $6 per
ticket. You can buy tickets in the Main Lobby and Sunflower (Delp
Corridor) gift shops off the hospital main lobby. Buy early! Make
sure you have a seat!
Topics
Information
Topics is the employee
publication of the University of Kansas Medical Center.
It is published weekly by the office of Public Relations and
Marketing. The deadline for submitting news briefs for
consideration is noon on the Wednesday before they are to appear.
For longer articles or features, contact the editor in advance.
Send story ideas to Leslie Champlin, acting editor, G114
Hospital, or e-mail: lchampli@ kumc.edu or call ext. 1602
Topics ad policy
Send or bring your ad to Topics, G114 KU Hospital, or fax to ext.
1225, or e-mail: lchampli@kumc.edu by noon Wednesday of the week
before it is to run.
Ads run free of charge for employees, students and volunteers.
For-sale ads are limited to three items. All ads must include the
advertiser’s name and work extension (or medical student box
number) for verification.
Only home phone numbers --- no pager numbers or KUMC extensions
--- will be published. No ads for commercial services or pets for
sale will be accepted. Ads will not be taken by telephone. Only
one phone number per ad.
Ads may be a held a week if space is limited.
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