Graduation ceremony undergoes only 'tweaking'

This month's commencement ceremony will have few changes compared to last year, which was marked by a heated battle to keep the December ceremony from being canceled, officials said.

Planning has gone much more smoothly this year, unlike last year's roller coaster ride that left organizers scrambling at the last minute to get information about the event out to the public, said Alexis Hernandez, associate dean of students and chairman of the commencement operations team. [Read article]

Bernsen: Student gov't officials met to oust me

Student government officials said yesterday they were unaware of any secret meetings conducted to oust President Cade Bernsen, who said students working within ASUA have fabricated sexual harassment charges against him.

Bernsen was accused of violating the UA Student Code of Conduct last week after two women working within the Associated Students of the University of Arizona filed complaints against the president saying he sexually harassed and intimidated them. [Read article]

Charges not filed in time; senators will re-file in spring

Impeachment charges against Student Government President Cade Bernsen have been delayed indefinitely, forcing senators to wait until next semester for the hearing to be rescheduled, officials said.

The impeachment hearing that was scheduled for tonight's ASUA Senate meeting was postponed yesterday because of time regulations in the Associated Students of the University of Arizona constitution and Supreme Court Rules of Procedure, according to an official ASUA statement. [Read article]

Tonight, Tucson will get a chance to listen to the real hero behind the Oscar-nominated film "Hotel Rwanda."

Speaker Paul Rusesabagina saved the lives of more than 1,000 people from genocide in Rwanda when he allowed them to take shelter in the hotel he temporarily managed.

Rusesabagina will speak about his experience in Rwanda during the genocide, and will also discuss the current genocide in Darfur, Sudan. [Read article]

Drinking top priority for many students

Tomorrow may be meant to give students an extra day to study before finals, but most are taking the opportunity to squeeze in a little more partying and stress relief before the hectic testing schedule begins.

Reading day, or "dead day" as most students call it, is the day between the last day of classes and the beginning of final exams.

The end of the semester means finishing up final projects, squeezing in those last extra-credit points and making travel arrangements, but once classes end, students will be using their extra day to release tension by going out to bars and hanging out with friends. [Read article]

SuccessNet scheduled to receive examination

A program meant to alert advisers about students who are failing class was not as effective as some might have hoped, but will be used again in the spring.

Early Alert-Success Net is an early-warning system instructors and professors had the option of using this semester to warn advisers about a student who is failing or not coming to class.

The program is supposed to enable advisers to help students get back on track, but several advisers said they had met with only one or two students who were referred to them throughout the course of the semester. [Read article]

Wildcat editor in chief staying on for spring

The question of who will break the eight-year-long practice of single-semester editors in chief has been answered by current Editor in Chief Aaron Mackey.

This is the first time in seven or eight years an Arizona Daily Wildcat editor in chief has served in both the fall and spring semesters, said Mark Woodhams, director of Arizona Student Media. [Read article]

Multicultural achievement convocation tomorrow

The sixth annual Celebration of Achievement Convocation, organized by the Multicultural Affairs and Student Success, is planned for tomorrow in the South Ballroom of the Student Union Memorial Center from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Potluck celebration Friday

The Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs is holding their end-of-the-year celebration potluck Friday. The event is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the César E. Chávez building, Room 211. Those interested can RSVP to 621-5627. [Read article]

Things you've always never wanted to know

Actress Judy Garland was 16 years old when she filmed "The Wizard of Oz" in 1939.

To keep bugs out of flour, place a couple of bay leaves in the container.

According to professor Walter Connor of the University of Michigan, men are six times more likely than women to be struck by lightning.

Americans eat less than one serving of fruit and only one serving of vegetables per day. About 45 percent reported eating no fruit in a day, and one in nine said they didn't eat either fruit or vegetables. [Read article]