Monday, January 25, 2010
The University launched a new Spanish version of its website Thursday as a resource for the KU community.
Fred Rodriguez, interim associate vice provost of diversity and equity, said the new website, www.ku.edu/espanol, will provide information about the University to a Spanish-speaking audience.
Video
KU Web site now bilingual
The University of Kansas has launched a spanish version of its website called En Espanol.
“We’re changing gradually but we’re changing profoundly in terms of just demographics,” Rodriguez said.
The University’s Spanish-language website is the only one of its kind among Big 12 universities. The University’s new site functions as a separate branch of the primary website. Baylor is the only other Big 12 university with a secondary language option; its website has a Google translator function that translates the entire site to Spanish.
“I think it’s somewhat unique,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said Latinos and Hispanics are the fastest-growing population group in Kansas. He said Latino and Hispanic families often do not know much about the University and, like all parents, want to know as much as they can about the place they’re sending their children.
“Whatever information we can share in whatever language is most comfortable for that particular individual, the more information we can share, the better off we all are,” Rodriguez said.
Annie Mills, a sophomore from Tonganoxie, said she thinks the Spanish-language version of the website was a good idea.
“If you have a site that’s in their language they’ll be sure to know what’s going on,” Mills said.
Catelyn Smith, a freshman from Spring Hill, said the site would be a great tool for the many Spanish-speaking students on campus.
“Their parents will be a little more comfortable with KU,” she said. “They can figure out things even if they can’t translate to English.”
Rodriguez said the decision to create the website came out of recommendations made by the Latino Vision Council, which was established about a year ago to determine what the University could do to strengthen its relationship with the Latino-Hispanic population of Kansas. He said the website will be a useful recruiting tool.
“It’s one that I think really sends a strong message that we encourage diversity, we think it’s something that strengthens this University and we think it’s just a step in the right direction,” Rodriguez said.
Thomas Hiatt, a sophomore from Shawnee, said he thinks the website will increase interest in the University from prospective students.
“Whatever can attract minority groups to the school or people who don’t speak English as a first language is a good tool,” Hiatt said.
The new site offers information about academics, admissions, costs, financial aid, and student life. For more information, visit www.ku.edu/espanol.
— Edited by Ashley Montgomery
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