Students are still struggling to get into the classes they need even though the Legislature has stopped cutting the university budget, allowing departments to add more classes.

When registration began last semester, there were 5,598 courses offered, 62 more classes than the 5,536 courses offered in the fall.

Yet students still haven't been able to register for the courses they need.

Students who were unable to find a seat in Christine Dykgraaf's gen ed class yesterday sat in the aisles and stood around the perimeter of the room, hoping to add the class. [Read article]

A Tucson man is in critical condition at University Medical Center after being found early Tuesday morning unconscious and bleeding behind a local gay bar frequented by UA students.

Mark Fontes, 21, was discovered behind IBT's bar, 616 N. Fourth Ave., by a pedestrian who then flagged down a Tucson police officer, according to Tucson Police Department reports.

The officer found Fontes at 12:46 a.m. sitting down hunched over. Fontes had "a large laceration on the back of (his) head," reports stated. [Read article]

UA researchers are hoping they can cash in on President Bush's new space initiative that aims to establish a base on the moon and send people to Mars.

Scientists across campus said yesterday that Bush's vision for human exploration in outer space could generate research grants for a variety of campus departments.

"This plan will be very positive for the UA. We are well-positioned in a number of fields. We have experts on both the moon and Mars, and have had a larger role in planning moon and Mars activities," said Michael Drake, director of the UA Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. [Read article]

A new program that will allow students to enroll at the UA while taking classes exclusively at Pima Community College could encourage more minority students to complete a four-year degree, UA and Pima officials hope.

The joint admissions program, announced over winter break and scheduled to take effect in the fall, will allow students to enroll simultaneously at the UA and PCC even if they aren't taking classes at the university. [Read article]

Students who cut across the UA Mall to make it to class on time may be out of luck this semester.

Because of the construction of the Alumni Plaza, scheduled to be completed next fall, a large barricade has gone up around the middle of the Mall, detouring bike paths and walkways next to the Modern Languages building, Administration building and the Student Union Memorial Center.

"It sucks," said Heather Durko, an optical sciences graduate student. "I was late to class because of the bike detour, which took me from the Mall all the way over to Harvill." [Read article]

PHOENIX - A state legislator from Gilbert has proposed legislation to mandate that university faculty members convicted of certain felony crimes be fired without benefits, as well as tighten the criminal screening process for incoming employees.

The bills' sponsor, Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, said people should "worry" about the Arizona Board of Regents current employment policies, which don't ban violent felons from holding university jobs and leave screening to the discretion of the university. [Read article]

Construction on the Marshall building is nearly complete, and its new tenants are getting ready to move in, even though they will have to wait until February.

The Louise Foucar Marshall building, on the corner of North Park Avenue and East Campus Drive, is set to be the new home for the journalism, Near Eastern studies, Middle Eastern studies and Judaic studies departments by the end of February. [Read article]

Business freshman doesn't mind the cold, but certainly minds an inquisitive reporter

Wildcat: Hi, I'm Claire from The Arizona Daily Wildcat and you're on the spot.

Senkyrikova: Oh my god. OK.

Wildcat: So, tell me something, are you crazy or are you from Antarctica? I noticed that you're wearing very short shorts and it's freezing outside.

Senkyrikova: I actually didn't have any clean pants, so yeah ... I just wore shorts and toughed it out. And I just came from the Rec Center, so you don't even feel it because you're all sweaty and stuff. [Read article]

Things you always never wanted to know

Park Student Union runs out of food on opening day

The new Park Student Union sold out of food yesterday, three hours before closing time on its opening day.

Kathi Van Os, the dining services division manager, said the incident was due to the unexpected popularity of PSU.

"We sold out because we didn't anticipate the crowd," she said. "There is such a high interest level for this place."

Rebecca Burke, a dining services employee, said she was surprised by how many students showed up to eat at Park on its opening day. [Read article]