Waivers a reality unless UA has 'financial disaster'

The UA will fully waive graduate teaching and research assistants' tuition beginning in 2006-2007 unless the university suffers serious financial setbacks, a senior official who oversees graduate student affairs said Friday.

The full waivers would be preceded by annual increases from the 50 percent waiver all graduate assistants receive now, said Richard Powell, vice president of research, graduate studies and economic development. [Read article]

PHOENIX - Responding to political pressure from a state legislator, the Arizona Board of Regents has crafted a draft policy outlining hiring and firing processes for employees convicted of a felony.

The draft would require universities to run criminal background checks on applicants and fingerprinting for "safety-sensitive" positions or jobs dealing with minors.

However, it would not keep felons convicted of violent or sexual crimes from being hired, as Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, had hoped. [Read article]

Despite bad weather and the Easter holiday, Spring Fling coordinators said the carnival was a success.

Although there were no official attendance records as of late last night, Lindsay Urbank, Spring Fling director, said the Easter weekend did not keep people away from the event, which is touted as the largest student-run carnival in the country.

Preliminary numbers suggest this year's Spring Fling attendance rivaled last year's attendance of just under 30,000. Organizers set their attendance goal at 25,000 this year. [Read article]

When it comes to doing their taxes, many students defer the task to their parents, scared to tackle the process.

But for the average student at the UA, filing taxes by this year's April 15 deadline might not be so tedious and complicated, officials say.

Bill Moser, a graduate teaching associate in accounting, said doing taxes for an average, single student might not be so complicated. The process is quick, taking about less than a half-hour for single students without any dependents. [Read article]

Students give $1,000 award to 'funny' prof

It's not uncommon to find David Soren tearing up in the middle of a lecture.

"You have an honor that you get to present this to a group of people. It's very beautiful, and it makes me weep," said Soren, a Classics Regents Professor.

Because of his commitment to and care for the classics and his students, Soren won the Five Star Faculty Award last week. [Read article]

Students often find prank calls of the heavy-breather and hang-up variety entertaining and funny.

But some calls are considered harassment and can be prosecuted, said Sgt. Eugene Mejia, UAPD spokesman.

Because of increased technology, including Global Positioning System and cell phone tracking features, police can track such prank calls and find out who's behind them.

A UA junior, who wished to remain anonymous because of an incident involving police last year, said he started making prank calls when he was 10. He stopped only last year, when police got close to catching him. [Read article]

Anaheim Angels draftee wants to look 'pretty,' thinks sideburns are sexy

Wildcat: I'm Claire from the Daily Wildcat, and you're on the spot. So, it seems that the entire baseball team is afraid of me and my on the spot-iness. Am I that scary?

Donald: Yeah, I think it's those sideburns you got.

Wildcat: My sideburns? I don't have ... I mean, I like them. I think they're sexy. [Read article]

Things you always never wanted to know

Today

1861 - The American Civil War begins when Confederates fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.

1945 - While on vacation in Warm Springs, Ga., President Franklin D. Roosevelt suffers a stroke and dies.

1961 - Cosmonaut Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, aboard Vostok 1, becomes the first human being to travel into space.

Tomorrow

1909 - Southern writer Eudora Welty is born in Jackson, Miss. [Read article]