More students involved in Homecoming

Mary Hines from the class of 1951 has attended over 20 Homecomings, but she doesn't necessarily come for the spirited parades and bonfires.

Hines, a former member of the UA women's tennis team, said she has ulterior motives.

"I want to see if they look older than I do, and fatter" she said of her former classmates.

This weekend Hines will be one of thousands of alumni, students, and members of the community who will return to the UA in the spirit of Homecoming, which has been going strong for nearly 90 years. [Read article]

Homecoming just wouldn't be Homecoming without the colorful parade that snakes through campus each year, and campus clubs have been working overtime to make this year's parade entries the best they can be.

The parade, which hits the streets at 1 p.m. tomorrow, will follow in the footsteps of Homecoming parades past, as 25 floats built by various alumni and student organizations circle the UA Mall along with classic entries like the "Pride of Arizona" marching band and a collection of smiling VIPs, including Homecoming royalty and President Peter Likins. [Read article]

Friday

Likins announces Campaign Arizona achieves target 21 months early

Campaign Arizona has reached its $1 billion goal 21 months early, President Peter Likins announced in his State of the University address yesterday.

Though the university has reached its goal, the fundraising campaign will continue until its original end date.

Campaign Arizona is an eight-year fundraising effort that began when Likins became president in 1997. The challenge was for the UA to raise $1 billion by 2005. [Read article]

The groundbreaking for three medical research facilities will mark the start of the UA's quest to become a leader in research.

The Institute for Biomedical Science and Biotechnology building and the Medical Research building will soon be constructed on a 530,000 square foot lot.

A neighboring building, Roy P. Drachman Hall, will also break ground today on its 103,000 square foot space.

A street-fair style ceremony in honor of the groundbreakings will include refreshments, a performance by the UA Steel Band and a speech from President Peter Likins, as well as possible appearances from the mayor and legislators. [Read article]

Nearly two years after controversy erupted surrounding the proposed removal of the cactus garden, ground will be broken today on the Alumni Plaza, which now includes the garden as its centerpiece.

More than 200 students, faculty and alumni are expected to gather today to commemorate the beginning of the $4.85 million plaza project.

UA President Peter Likins and ASUA President J.P. Benedict are expected to speak. UA men's basketball coach Lute Olson will also be in attendance. [Read article]

A full moon will creep into the shadow of the earth tomorrow evening, causing a total lunar eclipse.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. the moon will rise across the eastern horizon, and viewers will be able to watch it turn from its usual yellow color to a copper red.

The moon doesn't project any light of its own, instead it reflects light from the sun, causing the moon to appear to have color.

But tomorrow, the earth's shadow, which stretches across almost a million miles, will block most of the sunlight from reaching the moon. [Read article]

University police will have their hands full as thousands of people crowd the Mall for Homecoming weekend.

Using every member of the force to patrol tailgating activities, the parade and the football game, the department will be put to the test, said Sgt. Eugene Mejia, UAPD spokesman.

And with many campus organizations calling for additional crowd control and security help, UAPD will stagger patrols shifts to assist as many people as possible. [Read article]

If the success of the E-tegrity program lies in the hands of UA business students, they may have a long way to go.

Last week was "E-tegrity Week" in the Eller College of Business and Public Administration, a series of workshops and seminars designed to educate students about integrity in the classroom.

But few students showed up.

The roughly 700 business freshmen in the college were required to attend at least one event, but only 300 people attended an event and some of them weren't freshmen. [Read article]

Homecoming, a weekend for alumni and students to reconnect, has also become a recruitment tool for the university.

High school and middle school groups will be joining college students this weekend in Homecoming celebration activities.

During this Saturday's 'Tents on the Mall' event, students will party with alumni of various organizations and learn more about the campus.

For the first time, the Hispanic Alumni will be taking part in the recruitment effort in order to bring more Hispanic students to the UA. [Read article]

Students who know all about caffeine and contraceptives, ground ice on mars, and the yin and yang scale will be in a tent on the Mall this weekend as part of the annual Student Showcase.

The graduate student-run showcase includes presentations from all across campus in a variety of different fields. Not many schools put on a research fair like this, said Jani Radebaugh, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council. [Read article]

Several UA clubs will joust, hula-hoop and show their spirit in a series of competitions to determine which club gets to take home the cash.

The second half of the annual Club Olympics, featuring 24 different clubs from across campus, is today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Mall in front of the Student Union Memorial Center.

The $500 award from ASUA will go help fund the winning club.

"This is a chance to get clubs interacting with each other," said Jennie Collins, the club events coordinator. [Read article]

If alumni from two UA fraternities try to bring alcohol into their chapter houses this weekend, they will be turned away unless they abandon their beverages.

Phi Delta Theta and FIJI are the only two dry fraternities with chapter houses on the UA campus. These chapters have been dry since 2000.

Because they are nationally mandated to be dry, the two greek houses said they have planned events outside the house to entertain their older brothers. [Read article]

Bobbie Jo Buel's first story for the Arizona Daily Wildcat was ripped up by an editor and thrown out the window.

"I think it was a case of hazing the new kid," said Buel, the executive editor for the Arizona Daily Star and a Wildcat alumna.

Today, Buel and seven other former Wildcat-ers will be inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Doubletree Hotel. The inductees will join a group of 13 individuals inducted two years ago. [Read article]

The mother of two boys accused of helping to steal explosives from UA's San Xavier Mining Laboratory near Sahuarita was sentenced to two years' probation.

She had pleaded guilty to endangerment.

Authorities said she knew the boys, ages 12 and 16, had the explosives and told them to discard the items.

One of her sons has already been sentenced to probation and the other has a trial pending. Two other boys, ages 11 and 14, await sentencing. [Read article]

Undeclared freshman has never been to New Mexico, models and is not a fan of brownies

Wildcat: My name's Nathan. You're On the Spot ... What are you eating?

Cruz: A Klondike bar.

Wildcat: Who were you talking to right now? I think it was one of those Hare Krishna guys.

Cruz: Yeah. I have no idea.

Wildcat: What was he saying?

Cruz: I don't know. Something about some book. [Read article]

"I am very sorry for all of this. I feel I've let down the coaching staff, my teammates, the fans and the school. It's so embarrassing. This is a big learning experience, and it will never happen again."

- Isaiah Fox, UA center, on his remorse. He stole a bagel with cream cheese and a Hershey chocolate bar from the U-Mart. The Hershey bar was king-sized.

"He plays devil's advocate."

- Melanie Rainer, ASUA executive vice president, on UAPD Cmdr. Brian Seastone's honorary role in the ASUA senate. [Read article]

Things you always never wanted to know