National costs tripled in past two decades

Textbook prices across the country have nearly tripled in the last two decades, a trend that is also jacking up prices at the UofA Bookstore.

A study released last week by the Government Accountability Office reported the prices of college textbooks in the U.S. has been rising primarily due to the introduction of products designed to accompany textbooks by publishing. [Read article]

Eller remains in top 20 nationwide

The UA has bumped up its rank among American universities, placing 97th out of all universities and 45th out of public schools, a gain of one place over both of last year's rankings.

According to the U.S. News and World Report released Friday, the ratings are based on a number of factors, including graduation and retention rates, financial and faculty resources, and class sizes. [Read article]

UA students enrolled in classes can receive medical help from Campus Health Service regardless of whether or not they have insurance.

Campus Health is located in the Highland Commons at 1224 E. Lowell St. and is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed on university holidays.

General medicine

The General Medicine clinic does its best to accommodate the needs of ill or injured students by scheduling same-day appointments, said Terri West, administrative associate of Campus Health. [Read article]

Student government officials are targeting their goals toward improving their own organization through more effective programming, but are also concerned with broader campus issues, such as helping to choose the next university president.

The Associated Students of the University of Arizona President Cade Bernsen said one of the most important issues this year will be to ensure students have a voice in the process to choose President Peter Likins' replacement when Likins retires. [Read article]

The UA has been working toward developing diversity interaction between students to increase the understanding of different cultures on our campus.

Raji Rhys-Wietecha, the assistant director of the Diversity Resource Office, said in addition to the diversity office, which is meant to weave diversity into every aspect of campus life, the UA has also created a diversity action plan.

The plan, which promotes multiculturalism by focusing on issues like campus climate and student and faculty retention, lists 87 specific ways to enhance these areas, Rhys-Wietecha said. [Read article]

Students being approached by newspaper solicitors should be cautious of their claims after an unknown man has reportedly been telling students The Arizona Republic is a requirement for UA courses.

Students have reported being approached at their homes by an unknown person wearing a UA T-shirt and claiming the university is requiring a subscription to the Phoenix-based paper for the semester, said journalism adviser Paul Johnson. [Read article]

As the UA continues renovations all over campus, student-friendly policies will help minimize construction annoyances.

Of the 70 new facilities projects at the UA, 18 are currently in the construction phase, according to the Facilities Design and Construction Web site.

With each new construction project on the UA campus, more attention is directed toward keeping it less intrusive for the students, said Gerald Boat, a superintendent for Hensel Phelps Construction Co. [Read article]

Things you've always never wanted to know