When John Aza came to Arizona in 1996, he was fleeing from an ongoing civil war in the Sudan that has displaced millions of people.

Now, Aza, a mechanical engineering senior, is the director of the Southern Sudanese Resettlement Program and will be speaking at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day march Monday to express his gratitude to American society.

Aza said he will be speaking about justice and racism. [Read article]

PHOENIX - Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano's 2005 budget proposal calls for an $8 million funding boost for the UA to keep valuable professors and help accommodate a growing student body.

Napolitano came through on her State of the State promise to "continue to invest significantly in Arizona's universities," asking the Legislature for $46 million in additional funding for the three state schools, including $21.9 million for pay raises for university employees. [Read article]

Jonna Lopez frequently hears verbal assaults from passing drivers as she leaves IBT's, a gay bar on North Fourth Avenue.

Lopez, the director of the UA Pride Alliance, said harassment in front of the bar has been a problem not only for her, but for others as well.

Mark Fontes, 21, was found unconscious and bleeding behind IBT's at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday. He had left the bar at midnight.

Although it is unknown whether Fontes was the victim of a hate crime, members of the LGBT community said they have been victims of hate crimes in the past. [Read article]

After the success of UA Latenight, student leaders hope students will want to pay a $30 yearly programming fee to help fund more activities.

The Collaboration Board, which includes representatives from the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, the University Activities Board, Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, Residence Housing Association and Arizona Student Media, wants to put the $30 yearly fee on the ASUA elections ballot in March. [Read article]

In one week, Donilo Colich downloaded between 35 and 70 photographs and videos containing child pornography on a computer in the Manzanita-Mohave Residence Hall, 1010 N. Park Ave. But he wasn't caught by anyone at the UA.

Even though child pornography is against the law, UA officials said they don't have the resources to monitor and catch students who download it on campus.

Officials discovered the child pornography on Colich's computer after someone in Switzerland contacted the UA webmaster, who then contacted police. [Read article]

With students back in their residence halls, health officials are warning them to take precautions so they don't catch new forms of bacterias and viruses that spread over winter break.

At least half the people who come to Campus Health during January and February come because of cold and flu symptoms, said Carrie Torrington, a registered nurse at Campus Health Services.

With a high volume of travel during winter break, people have been exposed to new viral and bacterial strains that are brought back to Tucson, said Leeann Hamilton, a health educator. [Read article]

PHOENIX - A Tucson legislator wants to snuff out smoking in Arizona bars and restaurants.

Democratic Rep. Linda Lopez said she is seeking a statewide ban on smoking similar to the strict anti-smoking rules in place in Tempe in order to protect the health of employees subject to second hand smoke.

"Lots of people don't have a choice about where they work, especially with the state of the economy," Lopez said. "Bar workers deserve a safe working environment. ... If you are around smoke eight hours a day every day of the week, that's pretty traumatizing." [Read article]

Administrators are hoping state lawmakers will reconsider their criteria for funding a revenue stream that often pours millions of dollars into university coffers but may dry up before the decade ends.

Rather than give the university money based on annual enrollment growth, as the Legislature has done nearly every year since the late 1950s, UA officials want lawmakers to allocate money based on academic performance. [Read article]

Quotes from campus and around the world

"They should let us have 20 minutes to get to class now since we have to walk around something the size of Afghanistan to get to class."

Jennifer Drubin, creative writing junior,
complaining about how the construction of the Alumni Plaza has made it difficult for her to get to class on time

"It is exciting to think we have the opportunity to put in (security) systems needed for a long time that will enable us to take on challenges when they occur." [Read article]

Sophomore not too in tune with Dolly Parton; prefers listening to 'gangster sh - stuff'

Wildcat: My name's Nathan and you're on the spot. What were you listening to right now?

Bayze: Three 6 Mafia, "Chopped and Screwed Version."

Wildcat: Wow. Sounds violent.

Bayze: Yeah. It is.

Wildcat: Are they all about like, "slapping the hoes" and "killing your mom"? [Read article]

Things you always never wanted to know