Faculty senators dealt a blow yesterday to a proposed weeklong vacation during Thanksgiving week, arguing that it would undermine the university's academic mission.

Senators said the proposal, which Student Body President Doug Hartz has championed since his campaign last year, would needlessly cut back on the number of class days in the fall semester.

"You are the big losers," Sen. John Willerton told Hartz. "You lose three days that can't be made up." [Read article]

Six years ago, Joe Montani discovered two new asteroids, but until last month, they floated through space ÷ nameless.

He discovered Manhattan on Jan. 2, 1997 and Perth Amboy the next day, but the International Astronomical Union did not allow him to officially name them until this year.

"It takes the IAU about five years after it's discovered to give you the go-ahead to name your object," Montani said. [Read article]

Whether students swipe their CatCard through a keyless entry to enter the Student Union Memorial Center after hours or buy a slice of pizza in the food court, they are being watched.

A $260,000 high-tech security system, which includes a dozen closed -circuit cameras, protects the new 405,000-square-foot union, giving union officials a dozen extra eyes to monitor who does what and when.

"What we have tried to do is secure the perimeter," said Dennis Peloquin, Amer-X Security Inc. president, "We have a comprehensive track of who's coming in and out of the building." [Read article]

Student senators want clubs to find primary funding outside of ASUA

Student senators passed an amendment last week that will allow

UA clubs to receive ASUA funding only if they do not get more than $500 from another UA department or organization.

The senate also approved an amendment that will require clubs to fully disclose accurate financial information to the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, including all other ways the club receives funding and how much money they receive, before the senate will consider granting funding. [Read article]

Capricorn planetarium employee likes Alaska, doesn't mind being low on totem pole

WILDCAT: You're part of the choir. If I was to make a musical of your life, what would be the name of the hit number?

UPTON: That's hard, I have to be creative. What would yours be?

WILDCAT: I think mine would be · wait a second, you don't get to ask the questions here. You're the one on the spot. [Read article]

· Every day, people around the world drink more than 300 million Cokes.

· About 10 billion cigarettes are produced annually throughout the world.

· Walter Cavanaugh, "Mr. Plastic Fantastic," has 1,196 different valid credit cards.

· In an attempt to make his character Karl Childers walk in a more awkward manner in the film Sling Blade, Billy Bob Thornton put crushed glass in his shoes. [Read article]

New program awards small grants to encourage science

The Arizona Space Grant Consortium and University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Program recently launched a new statewide plan, the Pre-College Mini Grants Program, to help Arizona educators inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

The Arizona Space Grant Program has given learning opportunities for more than 13 years to students at Arizona's state universities, Pima Community College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The universities are now expanding the circle of learning with the new Pre-college Mini-Grant program. [Read article]