FILE PHOTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Provost George Davis will be leading a discussion with 10 to-be-selected students at the first Provost Breakfast on April 14 at the Marriott hotel.

Students who like to eat breakfast and want to chat with the provost will have a rare opportunity to do both at the first Provost's Breakfast in two weeks.

Ten students will be picked to share their comments and concerns regarding the university with Provost George Davis during an hour-long breakfast April 14.

Davis said he "jumped at the chance" to be part of the event because it is a good way to keep an open dialogue between students and administrators.

"It's been an ASUA tradition for many years to host the President's Breakfast (with President Peter Likins)," said Evan Worle, university relations director for ASUA. "But we wanted to show students they have more than one option to go if they have any concerns."

As provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, Worle said Davis has "the ear of the president" and the students' best interests at heart.

"He is one of the most extraordinary gentleman I have known in my life," Worle said. "He is very open to new ideas, very pro-conversation."

Davis, also a regents' professor of geology, was featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education in 2003 for redefining the role of the provost by working closely with Likins and taking on more responsibilities at the university.

Davis said he expects students to discuss topics such as the budget, the recent ASUA elections and the expansion of the College of Medicine, among others.

"Anything will be fair game," Davis said.

Christian Payne, a journalism sophomore, said if she had a chance to talk to Davis, she would ask him why resources are being directed toward major construction projects on campus while smaller repairs are being overlooked.

"Why is it that there's no money to fix the stairs in Modern Languages but there's a new building by McKale?" Payne said. "The pipes in my dorm spurt (water) when people flush, use the shower. ... It's the little things that matter."

Natalie Parker, a history sophomore, said she is curious about how administrators will spend the revenue from this year's tuition increases.

Kyle Mead, an architecture sophomore, said he would ask about the repercussions of the Focused Excellence initiative.

Touted as a plan that would capitalize on the UA's strengths, Mead said the initiative is also supposed to expand the diversity of ideas on campus, although he does not see how that will happen with the number of the program cuts and mergers resulting from Focused Excellence.

During last semester's President's Breakfast with Likins, Worle said a child care facility on campus and the retention of faculty were hot topics.

Although only 16 students applied to the President's Breakfast last semester, ASUA officials hope to attract more candidates for the Provost's Breakfast to create a diverse representation of students.

Worle said he will evaluate candidates based on their responses to three questions regarding involvement, university strengths and areas where the UA could be improved.

The breakfast will be from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Marriott hotel, 880 E. Second St.

Students can pick up applications from the ASUA office located on the third floor of the Student Union Memorial Center. Applications are due April 11 by 5 p.m.