Nonresident tuition increased by $700

Arizona residents will pay another $490 in tuition next year, and nonresidents will see their bills rise by $700.

The Arizona Board of Regents approved those increases, which were proposed by President Peter Likins, by an 8-1 vote yesterday. In doing so, they rejected a student lobbyist proposal asking for a $400 increase for residents.

The regents also approved a $25 fee for all resident undergraduate applicants, a move that should raise a little more than $250,000 to assist in student recruitment. [Read article]

Lauren Stevenson is no stranger to the Cercanias commuter train, which travels from Alcala de Henares, Spain, to Madrid.

She has been on the train with her friends more times than they can count.

But Stevenson, who is studying abroad in Spain this semester, decided not to take the train to Madrid yesterday morning, opting to travel today instead.

That decision may have saved her life.

Ten backpack bombs exploded during morning rush hour in three Madrid train stations yesterday. One of the bombs detonated on the train UA students studying in Spain use to travel to Madrid. [Read article]

275 faculty, staff, graduate students sign petition

An open letter opposing the invitation for President Bush to speak at the spring commencement ceremony has garnered more than 275 signatures from faculty, staff and graduate students.

The 372-word letter, which began circulating through university e-mail accounts March 5, states, "President Bush's speech would represent a political misuse of a public university in an election year." [Read article]

PHOENIX - Students kicking off spring break with cocktails will have another reason to reconsider getting behind the wheel when stiffer penalties for drunken driving kick in tomorrow.

State lawmakers hope that bigger fines will dissuade drunks from taking to the road, and save the state money by reducing the 9,000 Arizonans jailed for DUI each year.

The new fines are tacked onto the current ones, raising the cost of a first-time DUI from $450 to $950. Drivers convicted of extreme DUI for having a blood alcohol content of 0.15 or above will now pay $1,700 instead of $700. [Read article]

Students, faculty say new location raises safety, health concerns

Students and faculty in the UA ceramics program are up in arms about next week's move to their new home in the Esquire building, which they say will be a health hazard.

Students and faculty say they are frustrated and concerned about the relocation from the historic adobe church on North Mountain Avenue to a smaller studio in the Esquire building, 1230 N. Park Ave. [Read article]

The Arizona Game and Fish Department's controversial decision to track and kill three mountain lions in Sabino Canyon is evoking angry reactions from members of the UA community.

Professors, students and UA employees have joined thousands of people from across the state, condemning the decision. They say killing the lions, which were spotted by hikers, is unnecessary and rash.

"I detest the decision," said Jean Paul Jorquera, a senior support systems analyst for the Disability Resource Center. "I am completely against it." [Read article]

The lone dissenting voice in yesterday's tuition setting came from a regent who has been on the board less than two weeks.

Ernest Calder—n, who was confirmed as a regent by the state Senate on March 2, voted against each of the three state university presidents' proposed tuition hikes. He didn't win a single vote, however, for any of his alternative plans calling for lower increases.

But he won the admiration of President Peter Likins, even though the two exchanged tense words over how Northern Arizona University should be required to use tuition money. [Read article]

Residence hall dwellers and medical students will be writing larger checks to the UA next year because regents unanimously approved increases in residence hall rent and medical school tuition yesterday.

Residence hall and leased apartment rates will go up by an average of 7 percent, or $255, starting next fall. Gila and Yuma hall rates will increase the most, by 9 percent, or $314, bringing the annual amount to $3,793. [Read article]

University e-mail accounts were inaccessible Wednesday night because of a hardware failure.

The problem started mid-afternoon Wednesday when the Center for Computing and Information Technology noticed a decline in the e-mail system's performance, said Mike Torregrossa, co-director of CCIT. By 4:30 p.m., CCIT traced the problem to a faulty processor.

The center had the processor replaced yesterday by 1:30 p.m., Torregrossa said. [Read article]

Spring break isn't necessarily a time to party, especially for some resident assistants who have to forgo spring break parties in Mexico to stay on duty in the halls.

Each residence hall requires at least one resident assistant to be on duty during spring break. Since most residents go home for the weeklong break, this leaves many RAs searching for ways to fight the spring break solitude.

A.J. Duxbury, a creative writing junior and Graham-Greenlee Residence Hall RA, said she volunteered to stay for part of the break because no one was willing to stay the entire week. [Read article]

They won't flash the camera for beads or pocket lint, but they would part with clothing for a million dollars

Wildcat: Hi, I'm Claire from the Daily Wildcat and you're on the spot.

White: Oh no, not me! Do it on him!

Wildcat: Aww, are you trying to get your friend in trouble?

White: (laughing) No! I do not wanna be in the Wildcat. You're gonna put my picture in the Wildcat? Can my friend be in it, too? [Read article]

Things you always never wanted to know

Quotes from campus

"It's dangerous. As Americans, they're targeting you. They want American money, and they make their own laws."

- Lucas Doub, a communication junior, on some Mexican police

"I was pissed off. I could have used that money on good beer."

- Eric Impraim, a journalism senior, on bribing his way out of Mexican prison by paying off three officers with 10 $1 bills

"You must be willing to support those efforts in a financially bold manner." [Read article]