It was standing room only as faculty, staff, students and alumni spilled out of BioSciences West, Room 208, and into the hallway to voice concerns and comments about the administration's diversity plans not being articulated clearly enough.

President Pete Likins released yesterday a memo dubbed the Diversity Action Plan, which listed short and long-term steps that administrators hope will recruit and retain diverse faculty, staff and students, ensure academic fairness, and incorporate diversity into campus activities. [Read article]

Jennie Won was two feet away from the McKale Center ticket office window last Monday when it stopped selling student basketball tickets. After calling for tickets for two straight hours later in the week, she came up empty-handed again. But last night, she was awarded two of the best seats in the house and an autographed basketball.

Won, a marketing junior, won the "Name the Student Spirit Shirt" contest, and courtside seats, with her moniker for the student section at the UA men's basketball games: "Zona Zoo." The name will also go on the T-shirts that the Associated Students of the University of Arizona are giving away for free to each student who holds season tickets. [Read article]

Although the Catholic church has been opposed to many forms of stem cell research, there are ways to advance the goals of science while respecting the beliefs of Catholics, a UA researcher said in a speech yesterday.

Two dozen people gathered yesterday to see a young Catholic scientist weigh the advantages and disadvantages of stem cell research and cloning.

Although the Catholic church is adamantly opposed to any type of research that destroys life, some types of stem cell research are acceptable and viable within the boundaries of Catholic doctrine, said UA research associate Kameha Kidd, of the Arizona Research Labs. [Read article]

The Arizona Board of Regents will likely pass a plan to make the UA a more research-intensive institution with stiffer enrollment requirements if Arizona State University goes along with plans to expand and absorb growing enrollment, President Pete Likins told the student government last night.

The UA and ASU have proposed plans that will compliment each other, Likins said. There was some talk about ASU not becoming the campus with massive enrollment at a board of regents meeting held about a week ago. [Read article]

Pre-business sophomore reflects on polling places, Homecoming and other (expletive deleted)

WILDCAT: Did you vote yesterday?

NICHOLS: No, I didn't.

WILDCAT: Why not?

NICHOLS: One, I didn't know where the hell to go.

WILDCAT: Are you registered?

NICHOLS: Yeah.

WILDCAT: Who would you have voted for?

NICHOLS: Umm, I think the girl. They called me and said to vote for her. I don't pay attention. To tell you the truth, I don't give two (excrements). [Read article]

High school students to build catapult-like weapons on Mall

Several area high school students will be on the UA Mall this weekend polishing their weaponry skills with assault weapons.

No, it's not a UA-sponsored junior militia, but an engineering competition for members of Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA).

The design competition will focus on the building of trebuchets, medieval siege weapons similar to catapults, and will judge students on the distance and accuracy of softballs launched. The students, representing 11 area high schools, have created and built each trebuchet independently. [Read article]

"I think the national leadership did a miserable job of giving a theme to the election."

÷ David Worley, former chairman of the Democratic Party in Georgia, on the party's poor results in Tuesday's elections