When Jeremy Antley was 10 years old, he would call KU Info and ask the information service when the swimming pool opened or what time a new movie was showing.
In those days, KU Info was legendary, he said. It seemed omniscient and made one wonder, as in "The Wizard of Oz," who was behind the curtain.
"It just seemed so gigantic and mythological. You were shocked when you saw the real place," he said, describing the small office in the Kansas Union where workers were willing to field virtually any question tossed their way.
But the info line - 864-3506 - that Antley recalls from his childhood, the one he once worked at, is different today. It was once a 24-hour service with its own office. KU Info workers now answer questions in between fixing printers or helping students find books at Anschutz Library. And they no longer attempt to field all queries.
Two KU students want it to return to its original form.
Seniors Molly Tucker and Alisha Ashley are circulating petitions urging KU administration to "Save KU Info."
KU Info has changed the way it operates, and Alisha Ashley, a KU senior from Halstead, and other student workers are circulating a petition to reverse the changes.
They have an ally in Susan Elkins, KU Info's director for 15 years. She retired in January because of changes to the service. She said she could see that her principles were being compromised.
"In all reality there is no longer a KU Info," said Ashley, a current KU Info employee who has worked for the service since October 2003. "They're throwing the name around. ... The phone number is not disconnected yet, but it might as well be."
Still OK?
"Where is the evidence that that tradition is gone?" said Bill Myers, KU's library development director. "Can you not call KU Info and get information about university life?"
Currently, there are 12 KU Info employees. They don't have an office; they share a service desk at Anschutz Library.
Ashley, a KU Info employee, said she spends a lot of time working with the printers in the library and helping students locate books. When she has time, she said, she turns to the phone.
But KU Info continues to offer information online and over the phone, Myers said, adding that KU Info will expand its Web presence and that it also operates at booths during big events, such as Hawk Week.
- 6News video: Students petition to save KU Info (08-18-05)
- 6News video: KU students finding ways to navigate through year (08-18-05)
- 6News video: KU journalism professor receives Kemper Award (08-18-05)
- Photo Gallery: First Day of Classes at KU
- KU chalks up lowest rank yet in report (08-19-05)
- Students work to revive KU Info (08-19-05)
- KU profs surprised with awards (08-19-05)
- KU welcomes new, returning students (08-19-05)
- KU Today 2005
- More KU News
But "there's no doubt that (KU Info is) different and that it's going to continue to evolve culturally," Myers said.
Officials are searching for a new director for the service, Myers said.
About two years ago, the service's budget was about $60,000. The current budget covers a program director, but that position is currently vacant. Employees' salaries are absorbed by the library, Myers said. He said the university may boost funds for the service in the future.
There is a proposal for KU Info to be operated jointly by KU Libraries, the office of student success, and information services, but nothing has been finalized, Myers said.
History
KU Info started in 1970 for rumor control on campus during the Vietnam War. Its function evolved as the need to respond to rumors dwindled.
"It was always thought of as a place where we would give you the straight scoop, not the bureaucratic runaround," said Pat Kehde, who was director from 1980 to 1990.
KU Info's small office in the Kansas Union, which was equipped with a bed for staffers to rest, was a 24-hour operation until 1992.
Kehde said that when she was director there was no voicemail or automated answering machines.
"We thought it was important that a human being speak with you," she said.
As it evolved, students used the service not only for academic questions, but fun queries.
Kehde said some would ask questions such as "What's the meaning of life?" or "How many trees are on campus?"
"They started using it as a kind of sound board for arguments being had in a living room or bar," Kehde said. "It diluted the energy and the focus of the information center."
But students like Ashley and Tucker say those questions added to the tradition and were just one part of the service.
"For years and years and years people could call KU Info and know they could get an answer," Ashley said. "Now people call KU, and they get rejected."
The hours were scaled back over the years. A few years ago, what is now the department of student success cut KU Info from the budget, and the service was moved to the libraries.
Elkins said the service KU Info once provided required freedom of speech and a trust in students. The service's structure and mission did not gel with that of the library, she said.
"We were very extroverted and service oriented," she said. "The library was more introverted."
Tucker and Ashley have gathered about 1,500 signatures and continue to circulate petitions.
"It just doesn't make any sense," Tucker said. "Not one thing they're changing is for the better. They're going to make it more expensive and less helpful."
Comments
LJWorld.com doesn’t necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.
nlf78 (anonymous) says…
I used to call KU Info for anything!! Last year I realized that they aren't what they were when I was in school...please bring back KU Info!! It was an institution and it needs to be revived!
JessicaZJ (anonymous) says…
KU Info is a KU tradition and should be returned to its glory days where it can actively benefit students and those in the community again.
I was lucky enough to work there for a few years during college. While we did answer a lot of goofy questions (such as the number of dimples in a regulation-size golf ball), much of what we did was helping all people, students or not, find services, assisting those in crisis situations by finding someone who could help them (sexual assault victims, depressed people, etc.), helping students find tutors and even had a list of students who were interested in babysitting to help parents in the community. Not only was it university-based, but it was also a community-based service. We had details about events going on at KU, Lawrence and sometimes across the state. We also had information about volunteer and community service opportunities that people sometimes called about.
While there, I even got some very long distance calls from people that knew about the service and needed help, and didn't know where else to call. One was from former Jayhawks who were having car trouble in Germany, and needed to know where they could call to get assistance.
It is really sad that someone as dedicated as Susan Elkins felt like she had to retire because of the university stripping the intregrity from KU Info. Susan always worked very hard in the best interest of the university, community and taxpayers.
princess (anonymous) says…
Bring back KU Info!!!! This is my favorite KU tradition.
ku info!!!! ku info!!!!!!!
i can't ever remember how many trees are on campus. Please tell me again:)
mowgstucker (anonymous) says…
If you would like to aid our campaign, please sign the online version of the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/kuinfo/... . We will also be petitioning downtown from 1-5 on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. Please help us bring back the "real" KU Info!
prairiemtngirl (anonymous) says…
Kudos to Molly and Alisha for wanting to keep a tradition of excellence for ku info! Reading the story made me cry the same way I tear up at hearing the Rock Chalk chant. Good luck with your petition! May the lack of attention the library system has given this valuable resource cease!
nlf78 (anonymous) says…
I couldn't get the petition link to work! I'd love to sign it!
LawrenceMommy (anonymous) says…
KU should be ashamed that they've let a tradition like KU Info disappear. I loved it while at KU and I still used it for years afterwards...until it turned into an automated info line for only academic and sports info. It's really a shame. I had friends and family all over the world who knew about KU Info and knew they could call if they had a question they couldn't figure out.
I'll be honest...they helped me and my friends solve questions about poker games and the population of a town in Oklahoma we had an argument about...but where else could you call and get that type of information???
Bring back KU Info!!! It's as much a part of life in Lawrence and at KU as basketball and the Rock Chalk Chant. I'll sign the petition.
Jamesaust (anonymous) says…
Thank goodness someone finally did something about this. A university serves its community and this was a service the community valued. Isn't it strange how change and "evolution" (a scarry word in Kansas) rarely seems to have an improving characteristic? The only addition that was necessary was an email address and webpage, which actually would have saved a lot of telephone calls!!
norm (anonymous) says…
"Where is the evidence that that tradition is gone?" said Bill Myers, KU's library development director.
What an apologist with no brain. The same manner of ilk populates the "inner sanctum" of rock chalk land.
I helped start Rumor Control....which is what the KU Information germinated from. It's become less and less effective over the years. Even the petion people are a part of the problem because they simply aren't aware of just how helpful and responsive rumor control was. You heard a siren blaring in your neighborhood? You could call rumor control and get an idea as to what was going on.
Then the "validity factor" was entered. "Legitimate" operators were given jobs by the then female bigot who sought to appoint only those she knew. It became a patronage outfit by default.
Should it be saved? I dunno. IF rumor control can be a "community service", I say keep it up and running.
SAHM2tylrnathan (anonymous) says…
I had the privilege of working at KUInfo when I was a grad student, and I have to say, my job interview for the position remains one of the most challenging I have ever had! Sue and her GAs (hey there Lisa and Leslie!) made sure that the staffers knew their stuff and knew how to treat people. We didn't know everything, but we darn sure knew where to find it. The staff was diverse, intelligent, socially aware and concerned with getting it right--every time. If Sue felt the need to leave, that's proof enough to me that things have gone very wrong. Not every question was that important, but some of them could have been the difference between life and death. Who knows if a friendly chat meant that a lonely student decided to stick it out another semester or a victim found the courage to go to the police.
I don't care if it's the number of trees or steps on campus or the number for the rape crisis center, KU Info in it's previous incarnation is worth saving and worth paying for. I hate to say this is just one more stumble down the slippery slope of KU's declining reputation, but the administration is losing sight of who pays the bills--the students (who may quit coming) and the alums (who may quit giving). I know unless my kids plan to major in journalism, I'll be steering them to Washburn instead of KU.
Donna Kirk-Swaffar, j'89
Adam (anonymous) says…
KU info used to be the coolest. It didn't matter what question you had - KU info would find the answer. When I was in school we would call and ask ridiculous questions just trying to stump them - never was successful, aside from our pranks they provided good information about events and other how to's and I think they were a great resource. Save KU info!