Likins reflects on 'bumps in the road' in year-end speech

Likins, in his year-end address to the Senate, said he does not regret the Nike and CatCard episodes, calling them "two bumps in the road of a new president."

In fact, the two controversies have forced the University of Arizona to examine broader, more important issues, he said.

"We need to think deeply about corporate relationships," Likins said. "We need to think deeply about information security."

The UA chapter of Students Against Sweatshops last fall began protesting a proposed multimillion-dollar deal between Nike and the UA athletic department when the athletic apparel giant was accused of forcing overseas factory employees to endure inhumane working conditions for less-than-livable wages.

Nike has vowed to clean up its factories, but reports of human rights violations continue.

And in an effort to streamline the activation of the UA's new identification card, university officials illegally released student, staff and faculty Social Security numbers to Saguaro Credit Union and MCI Telecommunications Corp.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act prohibits universities from releasing "personally identifiable information" without students' consent.

During his address, Likins also thanked senators for their support during his first seven months as president and praised the Arizona Board of Regents, saying it has become "a champion of our cause."

In other business:

The Senate voted to support an ASUA proposal to specify majors on undergraduate diplomas. Sen. Peter Medine, a professor of English, voted against the measure, and one other senator abstained.

Arts and sciences diplomas, for example, currently do not designate specific majors such as geology, literature or physics. The Senate left the measure to the Registrar's Office to iron out the details.

The Senate also welcomed its new members: Associated Students President Tara Taylor; aerospace and mechanical engineer Professor Juan Heinrich; classics Associate Professor Mary Voyzatis; astronomy Professor Christopher Impey; planetary sciences Associate Professor Timothy Swindle; philosophy Associate Professor Thomas Christiano; microbiology and immunology department Head John Marchalonis; and humanities Assistant Professor Jennifer Jenkins.