Tuition increase will be wasted and won't stop UA brain drain

Yesterday's Opinions Board editorial ("College fees will prevent brain drain") is wrong: An increase in tuition will not prevent the brain drain. The inherent problem with the tuition increase is that there will be no benefit to students. No new hired professors, no free printing or services will follow the increase; instead, the money will be used to sustain operations at the current brain-draining, power-wasting, mass-constructing of needless buildings level.

How do we know that the money is insufficient? There are two reasons: 1. We cannot be sure that the state will not simply ask for more cuts after the increase, rendering it null to the UA's benefit, and 2. President Likins has not explained where the money will go. The Arizona Board of Regents squandered $140 million on construction costs for the ILC, the new and Park Student Unions, and the Highland District, as well as a $150,000 per annum increase in Likins' salary.

The UA needs to bring in more than the proposed tuition increase if it wants to keep its professors. Force the incoming governor and legislature to raise taxes or privatize UA research to support the university; don't let administration pass the buck onto students without providing them services in return.

Christopher Marcum
sociology junior

Invisible SAS tasks are part of fight for economic justice

This letter is in response to Jason Winsky's column in Friday's Wildcat ("Protesting budget with a side of fries"). Although it was unclear to me what Winsky's main argument was, I do take issue with his portrayal of the work done by activist groups as not sufficient to require discussion among members about inequitable distribution of labor.

Achieving social and economic justice takes a lot of work, and a lot of that work is neither glamorous nor highly visible. Winsky mentions the SAS lockdown as an example of activist work. It certainly was. However, what Winsky failed to mention or was unaware of are the months of letters, proposals and meetings with President Likins that preceded and followed the lockdown.

Because of that behind-the-scenes work, we are now engaged in a long-term project to introduce locally-produced clothing into the UofA bookstore. Additionally, SAS members have spent the entire fall semester researching university funding issues for a new campaign we are launching in the spring.

Neither of these activities are particularly flashy, but instead require an ongoing time and labor commitment. My work for SAS is essentially equal to a part-time job.

I invite Winsky and others who are interested in learning about the functioning of activist groups to join us in this struggle for economic justice. We are not currently meeting on the same day every week, but I can let you know of our meetings if you contact me at rwilson@u.arizona.edu.

Rachel Wilson
Infant Speech Perception Lab
member, Students Against Sweatshops

Lights add to Îholiday cheer,' don't take too much energy

In response to Monday's article "Deck the halls, but skip the lights this holiday": I'm not quite sure where Tucson Electric Power communications specialist Kelly Hanson is getting her numbers, but a string of 50 lights does not cost $6 to run for five hours. Using an average of 50 watts per strand of a hundred lights, and an average electric rate from Tucson Electric Power's Web site of about nine cents per kilowatt-hour, Cochise's 4500 lights cost roughly 20 cents to run each hour, or $1 to run for five hours. With the lights running continuously for two weeks, the grand total is around $67.

Energy conservation is important, but it's nice to see holiday cheer around the campus as well.

Jason Katterhenry

computer engineering sophomore

PLO began in '64, occupation in '67; who started violence?

In Mr. Haiduc-Dale's letter (Monday, "History suggests Israel not eager to end occupation, start healing"), he either chose to ignore anything he was ever taught as a Near Eastern studies master's student, or he is being taught absolute lies. How can Mr. Haiduc-Dale say ending the Israeli occupation couldn't result in a worse situation? If Israel left the "occupied territories," what would happen? I would guess that Hamas and Islamic Jihad as well as many fringe groups would still kill Israelis as if nothing has changed. Why? Because they don't want Israel to exist.

The Israeli Defense Forces stop more than 10 attacks for every one that is carried out and this is only accomplished through checkpoints and searches. If Israel abandoned the systems it has set up ,the attacks would still continue. Mr. Haiduc-Dale is perpetuating a popular myth that the occupation is the cause of the violence. Tell me then, why was the PLO established in 1964, when the "occupation" began in 1967?

In his letter, Mr. Haiduc-Dale says that the Israeli government is opposed to peace because of past statements. Well then, tell me what the Arab leadership has said about peace with Israel. One thing that comes to my mind is the saying, "Push the Jews into the sea." The quoting of the past is truly irrelevant as long as the future is different, yet as you said, Arafat turned down peace just a month before violence "spontaneously erupted."

Please, Mr. Haiduc-Dale, think about peace, but also think about what you said.

Avi Margolin
political science freshman

Researcher must be barred from contact with animals

As a UA alumna, I go on record as to how I revile the Marcus Dog Lab. I want to register my anger at the dog and puppy torture that goes on in this disgusting place on campus (Re: Dec. 2, "Researcher under FDA investigation since 2000.")

Marcus must be barred by policy and law from touching any animal. The school vet, Wilson-Sanders, should be investigated to see why she didn't demand closure of the lab, once canines started to go "missing."

Shaynie Aero
co-director, Last Chance For Animals