Quintero looks to next year for growth and learning

A teary-eyed Ben Graff ended his four years of student government involvement yesterday when he passed on his ASUA presidency to Ray Quintero.

"Though my time in office ends today, the excitement continues next year," Graff said at the Associated Students inauguration held on the UA Mall.

"I feel like I am giving away my home, but I am happy to give it to Ray."

ASUA's three new executive officers and 10 senators were sworn in by Jess Walsh, ASUA Supreme Court chief justice, after each of the outgoing officers spoke.

Ruling potentially crippling to team's chances next season

The NCAA yesterday denied a petition by the Arizona athletic department that would have made the defending NCAA runner-up immune to the new "5-8" scholarship limit rule.

The "5-8" rule states that a program cannot give more than five scholarships in one year and no more than eight in two years.

While the Wildcats expected the ruling - no NCAA team this year has successfully appealed the rule - officials in the athletic department and men's basketball program are clearly disappointed with the outcome.

Jeff Knepper, the UA student whose eye was shot out by Tucson police during the Fourth Avenue riots, plans to file a claim against the city before the end of the month.

The city ought to respond by recognizing the unreasonable suffering Knepper faced due to police activity, and express its sympathy. This may include paying for Knepper's medical expenses and compensating him for pain and suffering. While this amount should not be a ridiculous million-dollar-plus sum, it is reasonable for the city to provide him with some form of compensation.

It is still undetermined whether the police acted inappropriately. According to Knepper, the police chased after him and aimed for students' heads even though he wasn't doing anything wrong.

UA student explores health issues in gallery exhibit

For UA fine arts graduate student Kira Fournier, the old adage "there is an exception to every rule" does not apply.

That's because the artist striving to obtain her master's degree has not let her battle with ovarian cancer stop her from doing what she loves - making art.

Creating art since she was a child, Fournier's glass and mixed media sculpture exhibit is currently on display at the Joseph Gross Gallery in her master's thesis show "Getting Out Alive."

"I always liked to make things when I was a kid and when I went to college, I learned about pottery," she said.