Bernsen immaturely accused Reuben

In regard to the ridiculous claims made by Cade Bernsen's campaign staff desperately trying to slow down the momentum of Jacob Reuben's ASUA campaign, I have to say that as a student I am both outraged and discouraged. That these allegations would be brought up to the people in charge of researching these claims is nothing out of the ordinary and is perfectly acceptable, however, when these led to nothing the action of taking these blatant lies to the media outlet is shameful, childish and shows that the true colors of some candidates are not red and blue. I think ASUA is a great way for our students to get their voice out on campus, if all their voice can sound is fictitious slander and belligerent hatred of a very qualified candidate who has more experience than anyone on the ballot, then they should be silenced by the very officials that found nothing wrong with their complaints in the first place. I would hope that if a transfer student with no platform is running for president he could use his seven years of college to offer at least a more mature candidate.

Aaron Rottenstein
political science junior

Disabled access at UA needs improvement

I wanted to share with my fellow students my recent experiences as a newly, albeit temporarily, disabled student and express my concern for the accessibility of some services at the UA. It seemed so easy: get the cart service, get a temporary disabled parking permit, go to class. Here's a challenge: Park your car by Campus Health Service, then hop all the way into the department to get permission to use the cart service. Then get across the street to Parking and Transportation Services to get signed up for the cart. Sounds easy? Go on try it. It's a long way on one leg.

Then park in the Second Street Garage, that's closest to the Modern Languages building - and work out how to get in. The elevator closest to the classrooms is accessible either by going all the way around the building or up a flight of stairs. There is another elevator, accessible from the side of the building, but the ramp is pretty steep for crutches, and then you have to hop the full length of the building to get to the classrooms. And don't forget to do this for a night class - there is no cart service, so you are hopping to and from your car. Then on the next day go to the Physics and Atmospheric Sciences building and try to get to one of the classrooms on a half floor - you can't, there is no elevator to these rooms, only stairs. Go on, I dare you, try and hop up those stairs. Then go home and cry because you are frustrated, in pain and very, very disappointed. But be thankful that this is only temporary for you, and pray for the students who are dealing with long-term or permanent disabilities. This is really appalling. Instead of spending the tuition increases on Wi-Fi access, how about handicapped access? Instead of the alumni building another self-congratulatory plaza or a women's plaza, let's just improve the disabled access on this campus.

Jo Kennedy
anthropology junior

New student section in McKale misleading

Don't start the student section party too soon. Yes, we finally got a student section in McKale, but that doesn't mean we get better seats. In the Arizona Daily Star on Friday, Chris Del Conte, the UA's senior associate athletic director for sports programs, was quoted as saying, "About 950 of those who will be moved will have comparable or better seats." He is not talking about the moving of students, he is talking about the 950 season ticket holders who will now occupy more than 75 percent of McKale's courtside seats. They are taking our courtside seats behind the south basket and moving those student seats to the rafters. Does anyone else see a problem with this? So to all of you who are quick to thank Arizona Athletics for a student section, just think of the rafter seat you might get next year because you couldn't line up hours before the big game because your professor decided to schedule your midterm the same day as the biggest game of the season, and then make sure to send all thank-yous to the Arizona athletics department.

Brittany Morgan
political science junior

Double standard with Churchill, Summers

While I applaud Matt Gray for defending academic free speech, I think he's comparing apples and oranges when he implies a double standard in the treatment of Ward Churchhill vs. Larry Summers. Summers is an administrator, a position that does not call for potentially controversial theorizing. As such, there is little reason for him to expect the same treatment as a professor, whose very job is to formulate and challenge ideas both popular and less so. Case in point: Churchill resigned his administrative post, for it was not protected by the tenure system in the same way as his professorship, though this dichotomy is hardly defensible. I'm no fan of Churchill's choice of words in his essay because it provides fodder for the pedestrian polemicists to abuse their knee-jerk reflex. Taken out of context, his "Eichmann" comment is off the mark, and implies he was calling the World Trade Center victims Nazis. This is not the case; Churchill simply has really poor taste in similes. I implore anyone who feels the need to express an opinion on this to actually read the damn thing first (Google: "Some People Push Back"), preferably with a history book not written by a pundit by their side. Who knows, if you can see through his agitated prose you might learn something.

Christopher Haney
environmental science graduate student

Black History Month not properly recognized

I am writing to discuss my disappointment with the presentation of "Black History Month" in the Residence Life Dorms. I am a student within the Stadium Dorm, Navajo-Pinal Residence Hall. I have been made aware that there is a lack of concern about properly recognizing Black History Month in the dorms. There are several informational bulletins about Valentine's Day, February being National Dental Health Month, as well as consistent seasonal decorations for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I specifically asked my Hall Director for more postings about Black History Month and that I would help. I I forwarded her some pictures and information so that we could start on a project. Instead of a presentable project, the pictures were posted and my 6-7 highlighted and underlined internet pages of info on selected history makers was taped to the wall under a section labeled "Black History Month Corner." This is the lack of concern that is directed towards Black History Month in the Stadium Dorm and a few of the other residence halls on campus. I ended up spending my Saturday evening taking down these postings and properly organizing and decorating the information that I provided for Black History Month. We did not fight hard for our efforts and accomplishments to be ignored by the university or for indifference to be shown towards those who want to learn more about black history. There should be more staff involvement and staff self-motivation to start to recognize and organize events and bulletins to commemorate black history.

Rhonda Burgess
sociology senior