The UA will offer tuition breaks starting this fall for same-sex couples, and officials say the program will help the UA compete for faculty and staff members along with bringing equitable treatment to its employees.

UA President Peter Likins made the announcement in a letter to the campus community on July 25.

The UA will be the first of the three state universities to extend its tuition reduction program to same-sex domestic partners and dependent children of those partners. The UA has only offered the tuition reduction program to employees, their spouses and their dependents in the past. [Read article]

A plea bargain has been negotiated between the Pima County Attorney's office and a former McKale center employee who was found with stolen computers, UA memorabilia and sporting equipment.

His father, former associate director for Parking and Transportation Services, and his younger brother also accepted a plea bargain. Charges had previously been dropped against the former McKale employee's mother. [Read article]

Humankind's aspiration for exploring the infinite world of space has led to a new breed of larger telescope, currently under construction right on campus.

The UA's Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory, located under the east side of Arizona Stadium, is casting the first of seven 8.4-meter (in diameter) mirrors that will be used for what will become part of the world's most powerful telescope, the Giant Magellan Telescope. [Read article]

Confidence replaced the familiar smog in the Los Angeles air during the annual Pac-10 football Media Day yesterday at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel in the middle of downtown.

"We're very excited about next year," and "I'm very optimistic," were the phrases of the day among the coaches and players available to the media during the five-hour event.

Arizona head coach Mike Stoops said he noticed the hopefulness surrounding the festivities as well. [Read article]

High school students in Phoenix are on their way to becoming tomorrow'sdoctors and nurses through a six-week summer course modeled after a UA program that started 36 years ago.

In its second year, Maricopa Med-Start, a team effort between UA, ASU, MesaCommunity College and St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix aswell as other local health facilities, is giving young adults a taste of collegelife and a career in medicine. [Read article]

taken weekly with a grain of salt