Gov. Jane Dee Hull proposed budget cuts Wednesday that would cost the UA about $17 million ÷ 5 percent of its annual state funding ÷ if the Arizona Legislature approves.

The proposed cut is not as big as UA administrators expected it would be.

"It gives us tremendous relief," said Provost George Davis.

Davis and other administrators are examining the UA budget to see where they can come up with the money. [Read article]

Parking, healthcare, pay and advancement are chief concerns to non-faculty staff, according to a survey released yesterday.

Dissatisfaction with access to and affordability of parking and UA not being a caring organization topped workers' list of grievances, for the 53 percent of workers who completed the survey for the Millennium Project, Phase II.

President Pete Likins had yet to release the full report yesterday, but stated it would be online at 8 a.m. today in a email to the campus community. [Read article]

The four candidates for Arizona governor faced off at a near-campus debate last night, testing their ideas for Arizona's future ÷ and their wit.

Libertarian Barry Hess, Independent Dick Mahoney, Democrat Janet Napolitano and Republican Matt Salmon spent the bulk of the debate addressing education and the state budget, while also touching on their individual platforms.

Hess was the first to speak, and set the casual tone of the debate by commenting that all the candidates already knew each other's speeches. [Read article]

Students who want men's basketball tickets will have to rise with the sun Monday morning.

Student tickets will be sold at the McKale Center Ticket Office starting 7 a.m. Monday through next Friday for $30 per season ticket.

Colored line numbers, which indicate the date students can purchase basketball tickets, will be distributed beginning at 7 a.m. Sale lines will be cut off at 6 p.m. each day and camping out will not be permitted. [Read article]

In addition to acting as the figurehead for K-12 education, the winner of the superintendent of public instruction race will have a voting seat on the Arizona Board of Regents. As a voting member, the superintendent will have a say in UA-related issues including tuition increases, employee raises and building projects.

Jay Blanchard
· Occupation: Professor at Arizona State University [Read article]

Student Lifeline has overcome early problems and is now responding to an average of 18 calls per week, said the student senator overseeing the program which gives free cab rides to students in emergency situations, has not had any complaints in the last month, said Associated Students of the University of Arizona Sen. Adam Bronnenkant.

That's a sharp turnaround from the program's first few weeks on the UA campus, when the ASUA Senate nearly suspended the program. [Read article]

Family Weekend director tells why his parents don't visit, and why he wants to be an elephant

WILDCAT: Do you do Family Weekend because your parents never came and saw you on family weekend? Are you just trying to make up for that?

KRUGLICK: My parents came my freshman year.

WILDCAT: Freshman year, so that's two years without your parents coming to see you on Family Weekend. [Read article]

Exhibition showcases faculty art

Tonight at 5:30, the Joseph Gross Gallery will present a reception for the annual faculty exhibition. The exhibition is in conjunction with The University of Arizona Museum of Art. Faculty artists exhibiting work in the gallery include Harmony Hammond, Jim Cook, Moira Geoffrion, Josh Goldberg, Paulus Musters, Charles Hitner and James Schaub. The Joseph Gross Gallery is located in the Fine Arts Complex. For more information, call 626-4215, or go online to http://www.arts.arizona.edu/ galleries. [Read article]

"We're not here to please or displease the Iraqi government or any government. We're just trying to do our jobs the best we can."

÷ Eason Jordan, CNN president of newsgathering, on the expulsion of foreign journalists from Iraq, allegedly for reporting on anti-government demonstrations in Baghdad.