Lillian Kruse attends school in Mrs. Jackie Krieg's fourth grade class, and she's learning all she can from Mrs. Krieg, and her students.

As a matter of fact, the 23-year-old graduate student is learning more from fourth-graders than she ever imagined she would.

Kruse, an elementary education graduate student, works as a student teacher at Sam Hughes Elementary School, where she assists Krieg in planning lessons and assisting students. [Read article]

University suspends Pi Kappa Alpha's recognition for recent alcohol violation

More than 20 Pi Kappa Alpha members are awaiting a decision from the dean of students and their national chapter as to the future of the fraternity on the UA campus.

The UA temporarily withdrew its recognition of the fraternity yesterday in response to a September violation of its probation.

The fraternity, also known as "Pike," was originally placed on social probation in fall 2001 when a number of fights involving fraternity members were reported. [Read article]

Top administrators will announce today their initial plans for merging and reorganizing UA programs, the second in a series of announcements outlining their proposals for restructuring the UA's mission.

Today's announcement by President Pete Likins and Provost George Davis will mark the second time in just over a week that they give specific plans for altering the university's goals under Likins' Focused Excellence plan, which seeks to make UA a research powerhouse. [Read article]

The memory of the three nursing professors who were murdered at the UA in October will have a permanent home on the side of campus south of Speedway Boulevard, thanks to the UA's Plaza of Honor campaign.

The campaign is designed to raise $1.5 million to honor important women of the UA and society.

The plaza, which planners hope will open in the fall, will be located between Centennial Hall and the Arizona State Museum on East University Boulevard and will honor a myriad of women, ranging from mothers to daughters, sisters, prominent politicians and UA figures, including the late professors Cheryl McGaffic, Barbara Monroe and Robin Rogers. [Read article]

Pre-nursing freshman OK with blood and guts but worms make her nervous and she doesn't like paint

Wildcat: So blood and all that kind of stuff don't bother you?

WALTS: No.

Wildcat: Really? What is the most disgusting thing to you?

WALTS: Worms.

Wildcat: You can deal with people's intestines, which kinda look like giant worms?

WALTS: Yeah. [Read article]

Music
· University Faculty-Staff Choir has begun practicing Mondays and Thursdays in the Music building, Room 106, 12:10 p.m. ÷ 12:50 p.m.

Conferences
· Undergraduate Biology Research Program conference Saturday 9 a.m. ÷ 1 p.m. Life Sciences South

Lectures
· Center for Creative Photography Artist's Talk: "Transcending Time and Culture in Barrio Hollywood," today, 5:30 p.m. at the Center for Creative Photography.
· Molecular Biophysics Seminar: "Redox and Light Control of Photosystem Synthesis," Friday 4p.m. ÷ 5 p.m. Biological Sciences West Room 208.

Sports
· UA vs. Arizona State men's basketball tip off 7:30 p.m. (FoxAZ)

Play auditions
· Honors College Play auditions at Slonaker House today and tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Plays
· UA presents "Contact," today through Sunday, Centennial Hall

MLK Day rap

George Washington University ÷ A diverse audience of about 300 George Washington University students gathered Monday night to hear Chuck D, co-founder of the rap group Public Enemy, speak about the problems facing black America.

The Student Activities Center sponsored the event as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Chuck D spoke of the negative effects of large corporations on the black community.

÷Edward Stautberg

Skydiving boogie

University of Florida ÷This past weekend, college students from South Carolina, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Maryland experienced skydiving in Florida at the University of Florida's Fifth Annual Collegiate Boogie at Skydive Williston.

Freezing temperatures didn't stop more than 100 students from around the nation, including students from Clemson University and the University of Maryland, from lining up to skydive.

÷Brendan Fletcher

Religious lawsuit

Rutgers University ÷ The InterVarsity Multiethnic Christian Fellowship filed a lawsuit against Rutgers University Dec. 30 at U.S. District federal court in Newark, N.J., challenging the university's anti-discrimination policy.

The Christian Fellowship, which has been on campus for several years, filed suit because the organization felt university policy allows for non-Christians to be elected to leadership positions within the organization.