By
Maya Schechter
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Senators question Likins on improving campus, approve
UA President Peter Likins said he is concerned with student issues and has therefore made an effort to reach out to them through the leaders of the student body - the ASUA Senators.
At the Associated Students weekly meeting last night in the Memorial Student Union Tucson Room, Likins addressed the importance of the upcoming election and the effect it may have on University of Arizona students.
"I am not even focused about the presidential race, all I want to talk about is Proposition 301 because we are going to be tested in the public arena," Likins said.
If passed, Proposition 301 - which will increase sales tax to 5.6 percent and raise $440 million annually to Arizona's public education budget - will bring in about $20 million to the UA.
"This will show that the citizens really care about education," Likins said.
He reminded the ASUA senators that it was their responsibility to make the UA a more friendly environment.
"This may sound silly, but just be nice to one another," Likins said.
Likins also said he would like to improve the retention rates of students, because only about 55 percent of freshmen will graduate.
Sen. Robert Schapira said he was interested in having more town hall meetings like the one that was held last Friday, but he would like to see more students voice their opinions.
"Our campus sees 35,000 people everyday, it is like a little city, so how can we make it better?" Schapira asked Likins.
Likins said he was willing to come to more ASUA Senate meetings to respond to the students issues.
In other business, after a debate about ASUA's beginning operations budget, the Senators approved Fall Ball 2000 as an official ASUA project.
Sen. Matt Bailey, who surveyed nearly 600 students on his idea which he had proposed in his campaign last year, said there was enough of an interest to begin planning for the event.
"As promised, I am bringing you Fall Ball and I am very confident in this program," Bailey said.
Bailey asked the Senate for $325 to start preparing for the Ball - which is a dance tentatively scheduled for Nov. 4. - but he did not have a proposed budget,. The Senate voted to wait until the next meeting to approve the funds.
Maya Schechter can be reached at city@wildcat.arizona.edu
