With the mayor of Tucson and several other city officials present to show their support, the Arizona Board of Regents approved a plan for the UA to spend more than $56 million toward a downtown science center.

The $82 million UA Science Center, expected to open Jan. 1, 2008, will include a bridge spanning both sides of the freeway near downtown Tucson. It will be part of the Rio Nuevo downtown revitalization project. [Read article]

On Saturday, over 300 freshmen woke up early in the morning, grabbed some mops and buckets, and willingly got messy.

They weren't cleaning their dorms or auditioning for a new musical; they were painting the "A" on A-Mountain.

The event, called A-Day, is a chance for freshmen to learn about the traditions and history of the university.

The UA's Blue Key National Honorary sponsored the event. [Read article]

The Arizona Board of Regents reviewed and approved the Annual Personnel Report for the Arizona University System at its meeting last Friday in Tempe. The report is required by state statute.

Before approving it, the regents discussed how best to send a message to the Legislature that the state's three universities need more money for faculty salaries and retention issues.

"I believe that our basis of argument is flawed. The argument that we need more salaries because our peers have more salaries is a useless argument," said ASU President Michael Crow. [Read article]

As UA sophomore Andy Lovato sat at his computer, downloading the latest Pennywise song, the last thing that crossed his mind was fear of being sued.

In fact, as he clicked the mouse, his only thoughts were that of defiance and rebellion.

"I think it is bullshit," Lovato said. "I use it to find out if I like an artist. If I like the music then I will buy it."

Earlier this month the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) filed 261 lawsuits against individuals nationwide for downloading music from the Internet, many of which were between the ages of 18-29, according to an article in the New York Times. [Read article]

The curtain fell for the last time on a successful career as staff and community members said goodbye to their director at Centennial Hall last Friday.

The event was one of many bittersweet farewells for Ken Foster, executive director of UApresents.

Ed Brown, director of operations for UApresents and future interim director joked while delivering a speech at the party. "By the time it's all said and done, Ken will have more than his share of farewells," he said. [Read article]

Quarks are the smallest subatomic particles, nothing escapes black holes, the speed of light is constant, and UA physicists are being recognized for keeping undergraduates interested in all this.

The National Task Force on Undergraduate Physics recognized the UA as one of the top 21 undergraduate physics programs in the country.

After discovering that in the last decade, physics bachelor's degrees dropped by 25 percent nationwide, the task force observed physics departments across the nation, to see what was done differently. [Read article]

Junior works in the cold bookstore, goes outside to thaw out, experiences tingling in his buttocks

Wildcat: Hi. My name is Nathan and you're On the Spot.

Lee: Brandon Lee.

Wildcat: Brandon Lee? That sounds like · isn't that Bruce Lee's son's name?

Lee: Yeah.

Wildcat: Do you get teased about that a lot?

Lee: I get that question a lot. I don't really get teased, but I get like, "Hey, aren't you dead?" or ÷ [Read article]

This week in history

Today

1789 ÷ The U.S. War Department established a regular army with a strength of several hundred men.

1988 ÷ The space shuttle Discovery blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., marking America's return to manned space flight

following the Challenger disaster.

1995 ÷ The O.J. Simpson trial was sent to the jury.

Tuesday

1927 ÷ New York Yankee slugger Babe Ruth hit his 60th home run of the season to break his own major-league record; it stood until Roger Maris of the Yankees hit 61 homers in 1961. [Read article]