350 attend speech by presidential candidate

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader called for President Bush's impeachment yesterday afternoon while speaking to more than 350 people crowded into the courtyard of the College of Law building.

"We have a president who plunged us into a war that was based on fabrications, lies and deceptions day after day," Nader said. "If that isn't an impeachable offense, it is hard to find what is." [Read article]

UA students had mixed feelings on U.S. involvement in Iraq after a series of suicide bombings yesterday that left 68 Iraqis dead, including 16 children.

Although Keith Whitten, a creative writing junior, said he thinks the invasion of Iraq was a bad idea, he said the United States cannot pull out of the country now.

"Once you've gotten involved, you have an obligation to stay," Whitten said. "Iraqis see us controlling them and not giving them the power they deserve, but they can't pull this off themselves." [Read article]

Police surrounded a man carrying a fake plastic gun near Old Main yesterday afternoon after someone mistook the toy for an actual weapon.

At least five police cars and several officers with their guns drawn surrounded Servant Bishop Chicago near the building.

Chicago walked with the gun in a holster attached to his hip when a person called police to report a man carrying a gun.

Robb Fountain, a UAPD motor officer, said the gun turned out to be a fake. [Read article]

A woman who died in a motorcycle accident early Sunday morning was identified as a UA student yesterday.

Lindsay Schiffman, who was a media arts senior, died after the motorcycle she rode with a UA resident assistant crashed near North Euclid Avenue and East Edison Street, said Michelle Pickrom, spokeswoman for the Tucson Police Department.

Joseph Johnson, a Graham-Greenlee Residence Hall RA, was driving the motorcycle. [Read article]

Randall Robinson, a renowned advocate for justice in underdeveloped countries, told an audience of more than 500 people last night that Americans are ignorant, and encouraged them to become more responsible citizens.

Robinson said it is the duty of American citizens to be informed and not accept everything at face value.

"Democracies have to be rooted in enlightened citizens. Democracies become empty rituals when the citizens decline to think, decline to dedicate themselves to the business of knowing the business of the world," Robinson said. [Read article]

Students who fail to cite sources, plagiarize or cheat may face expulsion, even for a first-time offense, said representatives from the Dean of Students Office at a panel on academic dishonesty yesterday.

While expulsion is rare, students can still find themselves in hot water when they fail to cite material or cheat on exams, said Alexis Hernandez, associate dean of students.

First-time offenders can expect to be sanctioned any number of ways for their academic dishonesty, Hernandez said. [Read article]

ASUA Academic Affairs Directors Kim Bui and Cassi Sonn created an online message board where students can post questions regarding issues such as academic advising.

Students can post questions, feedback, comments and ideas about academic advising, general education classes, class availability and course/teacher evaluations.

There is also a general message board students can access that Associated Students of the University of Arizona staff will continuously supervise. Advisers and administrations will also have access to the all the boards. [Read article]

In this edition of ÎOn the Spot,' we're going to see how smart the UA body really is!

Wildcat: What is the state bird of NYC?

Ottino: A dead one.

Larrabee: NYC is not a state.

Johnson: Exactly what she said.

Answer: NYC is not a state.

Wildcat: How gross is a pubic hair stuck in your toothbrush?

Ottino: Hella gross. [Read article]

Things you always never wanted to know

Question:

"I heard somewhere that Parking and Transportation Services makes the most money out of all the UA auxiliaries. Is that true?"

÷ Marguerite McDonald, creative writing and linguistics senior

Answer:

I asked Dick Roberts, assistant vice president and budget director of the UA.

"Not true," Roberts said. I should have known, as well as anyone who knows about the UA.

The largest auxiliary of the UA is Arizona Athletics. Their budget is roughly around $30.5 million a year, Roberts said. [Read article]