Nobel winner, colleagues say a hostile environment prompted them to leave

Editor's note: This is the first article in a two-part series on the UA "Brain Drain" problem.

When it comes to the loss of talented intellectuals to other universities, also known as "brain drain," former UA economics professor and recent Nobel Prize recipient Vernon Smith might be the poster child for the UA. [Read article]

In lieu of World AIDS Day tomorrow, organizations around campus are informing students about the disease this week by inviting speakers to campus, holding a candlelight vigil and offering free HIV testing to students and faculty.

Associated Students of the University of Arizona Pride Alliance, a group that fosters social and educational support to members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community, is hosting the free HIV testing tomorrow in the Palo Verde and Cottonwood rooms in the Student Union Memorial Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. [Read article]

Students and an alumnus of the UA School of Music took on the task of producing their own CD, which has been released just in time for the holidays.

FivePlay Brass, a quintet of trumpet, trombone, tuba and horn players, released its first CD, Greetings from the Arctic: FivePlay Brass does Christmas on Nov. 20.

The members of the group recorded and produced the 16-track album, which includes popular Christmas carols like "Deck the Halls" and "Noel, Noel," in a studio in the home of three of the members. [Read article]

To raise money and awareness for the protection of abused children, Louis Michael Figueroa, a former world-class marathoner and walker, will walk 7,500 miles around the United States, beginning and ending in Tucson.

All proceeds from the walk will go to Justice for Children and Protect, two national child advocacy organizations which fight for the federal protection of abused, exploited and neglected children. [Read article]

UA students who want to help improve test scores at a local elementary school will have the chance to volunteer at an after school program next semester.

Since a UA law student started the program this semester, three UA students have been volunteering after school at Los Ranchitos elementary school in Tucson helping fifth graders with their reading.

Josh Baker, a first-year law student who taught at Los Ranchitos for two years before going back to school, started the program because he wanted to help improve test scores at the school. [Read article]