Moral character should be factor in new coach

Before we rush out to hire a replacement for John Mackovic, I appeal to Jim Livengood and the athletics department to go above and beyond the standard research of which coach has the best "x's" and "o's" ability of the candidates, and rather seek a coach with respected professional and personal character that can be a role model for our community. [Read article]

President Peter Likins said Thursday he was "very moved," by the "eloquence and passion" of Democratic state Sen. Gabrielle Giffords, who argued to Likins and the Arizona Board of Regents that the School of Planning should be saved.

But those are just words. Likins needs to act to save the school.

Granted, drives for major donations, which would have made the school less reliant on state funds, haven't been successful. But at least in this case, the school's societal contributions should outweigh its financial struggles. [Read article]

Those of you who pay attention to these things may have noticed that Tucson is in the midst of elections for Mayor and City Council. Then again, you may have missed it. It's not that local elections aren't important. Quite the contrary: The rules, regulations and policies of city government have important consequences for your lives the second you step off campus. In addition, while you may have little ability to influence the course of national or international affairs, you can have a huge impact on the local community by helping to elect quality people to local government. [Read article]