Sonn, Hertzog win VP positions in record turnout

The Associated Students of the University of Arizona announced last night Cade Bernsen as the winning presidential candidate in the second-highest voter turnout since 1990.

In a record-breaking election, the total of 4,452 votes was still shy of the 5,241 turnout 16 years ago, but 849 more votes than last year's general election.

Bernsen won with 2,196 votes, 2.6 percent and 111 more than Jacob Reuben, who won the primaries last week by 7.3 percent. [Read article]

Candidates and supporters who gathered last night to hear Associated Students of the University of Arizona election results were united by emotion and anticipation.

The feelings were visible on the faces of every candidate, campaigner, supporter and onlooker who experienced the power of student involvement first hand.

Applause, cheering, laughter and even sobbing were heard in every corner of the packed Kiva Room in the Student Union Memorial Center during the announcement of the winners of the ASUA election. [Read article]

Charges against the president of an unrecognized fraternity were dismissed March 3, giving him an opportunity to have his criminal record wiped clean if he complies with the court ruling.

Jared Letzt, a regional development junior, was charged with drug possession Feb. 25 after police responded to a party at an apartment complex, 1011 N. Tyndall Ave., reports stated.

Letzt is the president of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, which is not recognized by either the Interfraternity Council or their national organization, according to an e-mail from Jonathan Yulish, the national executive director of ZBT. [Read article]

The Arizona Board of Regents will set tuition today, but despite the efforts of students and administrators, regents said they might reject both tuition proposals.

Regent Robert Bulla said that because the university is in a deficit right now, which is expected to increase next year, he is working with other regents on separate tuition increases that would not hurt the university.

"I really do sympathize, I really applauded the students' efforts," Bulla said. "But I'm afraid some of those proposals might drop the university into more of a deficit than they can afford to be in right now." [Read article]

Those tired of looking at the drab University of Arizona Police cars driving around campus are in luck because the cars just got a new look.

"In an attempt to bridge the gap between the officers and the younger generation, we wanted to be a little more flashy and bring more attention to the car," said UAPD spokesman Sgt. Eugene Mejia.

The new graphics, which include a wildcat on the hood and the UA logo with an American flag on the rear, cost about $500, which is not much more than the old graphics, Mejia said. [Read article]

Seventeen students from Tokyo have spent five weeks as Wildcats through an international seminar program studying English and will bid farewell to Tucson at the end of spring break.

The students arrived in early February for the Center for English as a Second Language's 14th annual Tokyo International University Spring Seminar.

This year 17 students came from TIU to study English at the UA. In the past there have been as many as 35 students, but the number has since declined due to difficulty in obtaining visas, said Jim Epstein, CESL Teen English Program coordinator. [Read article]

Students could call upon courts

PHOENIX - State lawmakers are crafting budget proposals for the next fiscal year, but something is missing from one preliminary budget released this week, creating a hole that could be challenged in court.

The House of Representatives unofficial budget proposal leaves no state funding for student newspapers, which Mark Goodman, director of the Student Press Law Center, said would be unconstitutional and would not be upheld in court. [Read article]

Things you always never wanted to know