Question: Why the heck did we start classes Jan. 14 when Arizona State University didn't start until two days ago?

Answer: I set out on my first case with bitter resolve. I was going to get to the bottom of this mystery.

"It probably has to do with Martin Luther King Jr. Day," was the rather opaque answer by UA spokeswoman Sharon Kha. I retorted with, "Um, err, so uh, why do the other universities start on different days?" The reply was, "Why don't you call them?" So I played into their game - sometimes that's the only way you can get behind their defenses.

"It's because we celebrate MLK day," said the Northern Arizona University representative.

Ha! As expected!

"It's because we're required to have so many days in session, and starting on Tuesday makes up for the fact that we celebrate MLK day," was the explanation given by the ASU mouthpiece.

Egads! Stifled again! This had to be an organized effort to cover the truth!

Calling the Arizona Board of Regents, I was put on hold for an inordinate amount of time. I could have tapped their phones in less time.

I was told the three state universities propose their own calendars based on the number of class days the regents mandate. Then, the regents approve the universities' requests.

"And it probably has a lot to do with Martin Luther King Jr. Day," said the regents representative.

It took some legwork, but I uncovered something else. What was never mentioned to me is that from the time classes begin to the time finals are over, the UA will end up keeping students here several days longer than the other universities keep their students. According to the math, we'll be here a full 83 days this spring - four days longer than at NAU, a full seven days longer than at ASU. And according to a fax sent from the Provost's Office, students will be in session a full 13 days more than NAU and eight days more than ASU starting in the fall of 2005!

Which goes to show, sometimes turning over a dirty rock can reveal an even dirtier rock. Or something like that.

- Investigation by Detective Kris Cabulong

The Campus Detective is looking for work! If you've got a case to be solved about some UA-related mystery, e-mail him at catcalls@arizona.edu.