At a time when recruiting and retaining faculty members and increasing diversity on campus have landed high on the university's list of priorities, the lack of benefits for the same-sex partners of its employees continues to be a thorn in the UA's side.

Though nationwide the UA is far from being alone in not offering domestic partner benefits, it does form part of the minority.

The UA is the only university (aside from ASU) in the PAC-10, one of 16 out of 62 members of the Association of American Universities, and one in seven out of 15 of its peer institutions to not offer domestic partner benefits. [Read article]

Government uses summer months to prepare for next year

ASUA doesn't take a summer vacation. While the rest of us are enjoying our summer out of school, ASUA officials are in their offices preparing for next year.

All of the officers and senators have their own agendas. Large projects are being planned for multi-cultural awareness, getting clubs more involved and expanding the representation of ASUA. [Read article]

The battle against the bureaucratic and judicial maze that Rhonda Gillett-Netting has been struggling against for eight years ended with an email from her attorney containing two words: "Good news."

A link to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling on Gillett-Netting v. Barnhart followed, and the anthropology professor realized she had won.

"I got the biggest adrenaline rush," said Gillett-Netting. The court's unanimous ruling two weeks ago ordered the Social Security Administration to treat her children - who were conceived after their father died- like all other children, despite the unique circumstances of their birth. [Read article]

Two students responsible for igniting liquid nitrogen bombs in October have plead guilty to charges.

The students pled guilty to charges that they knowingly controlled property and attempted theft of property regularly available to them as students of a lab, but claimed that it was not intended for their personal use.

Steven Kobes, a computer sciences senior, and John Buonagurio, an optical sciences freshman, were arrested on Oct. 27, 2003 for stealing liquid nitrogen from a campus lab and igniting dry ice bombs from Yavapai Residence Hall, 1222 E. South Campus Drive. [Read article]

454
Chinese students enrolled in fall 2003 at the UA.

50,000
Units of SheAgra, a new herbal stimulant for women, ordered by Wal-Mart, according to The Week.

$4,500
A month's rent for an average two-bedroom luxury apartment in Tokyo, Japan, according to CNN.com.

0.1
Percent of UA undergrads 61 or older as of fall 2003.

777.6
The total percentage change in UA resident tuition and fees from 1974 to 2004. The total percentage change for nonresidents slightly higher, at 783.2. [Read article]

Wednesday

High: 96 Low: 70

Thursday

High: 100 Low: 71

Friday

	High: 102 Low: 71