UA students nearly witnessed a robbery Tuesday night at Target, 3699 E. Broadway Blvd., and the armed suspect is still on the loose.

The Tucson Police Department received a call at 9:25 p.m. reporting the robbery, said TPD officer Dallas Wilson.

Joanna Stevens, a mathematics senior and Target employee, was working at the time of the robbery.

Employees were getting ready to close and the store was fairly empty, Stevens said. She was in an aisle near the front of the store but was unable to see the registers where the robbery occurred.

“”I heard a male voice yell, ‘Open it!'”” Stevens said.

The alleged robber was gone about 30 seconds after she heard him yell and the tellers called for store security. TPD arrived soon after.

Though she is not personally acquainted with the teller who was confronted, Stevens said the woman seemed “”pretty shaken up.””

Employees herded the customers into the southwest corner of the store, said Laura Rodriguez, a physiology sophomore.

“”A lot of customers were confused because we were at the back of the store,”” Rodriguez said.

She overheard employees and customers saying there was a man with a weapon at the front of the store, but she did not see the actual robbery. Rodriguez left after police cleared the customers to leave.

Dallas said multiple officers responded to the call, but the suspect left before police arrived at the scene.

“”The officers searched the area and employed the small unit tactics, which was set up to catch the suspect,”” Wilson said.

It is unknown how much money was stolen.

There were no injuries, and the robbery is still under investigation, Wilson said.

In a statement issued by Target, the store said its first priority is the safety of its customers and employees.

“”We are thankful that no one was harmed,”” the statement said. “”We are appalled by the nature of the situation, and are partnering closely with local authorities on their investigation. We hope for a swift and just resolution.””

Alexis Reed, a pre-pharmacy freshman, said she went shopping at Target yesterday and found out about the robbery.

“”It makes me nervous that it happened, but it won’t stop me from coming here again,”” Reed said. “”It’s too nice of a Target to believe it happened here.””

Angel Motsinger, a pre-business freshman, said she will be more alert when shopping.

“”I definitely will not be coming at night,”” Motsinger said.

– Amanda Morris

Seniors face delay in graduating

Seven seniors in the journalism department will not graduate in May because of limited seats in a required course, according to department officials.

The required class, reporting public affairs, has four sections of 20 students each. Every section is entirely filled with graduating seniors and more cannot be added, said Paul Johnson, the department’s senior academic adviser.

There is no way to substitute a different course for the requirement locally, at the UA or at Pima Community College.

The department plans on offering a fifth section of the class next semester and has three professoral candidates who could possibly teach the subject, Johnson said.

Journalism, the fifth largest department on campus, has doubled in enrollment since 2000 and is currently home to 633 students, according to the department’s Web site.

Faculty growth has been unable to keep pace with student growth, said Jacqueline Sharkey, journalism department head.

But other large departments, such as political science, have not had this problem.

William Dixon, political science department head, said in recent years his department has offered alternative courses for graduation when students cannot get the classes they want.

The journalism department is unable to offer more seats in existing sections because it needs to maintain accreditation. The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, a governing board for collegiate journalism, requires that no more than 20 seats be offered in any writing-intensive course like reporting public affairs.

The department recently added an additional section of reporting public affairs, as well as two new sections of required senior classes, said Sharkey.

Additionally, the department has instituted more rigorous pre-major requirements, which include nine more English units and a math requirement.

There is not another instructor available to teach reporting public affairs this semester due to the skills and experience required for instructors.

“”You can get lots of reporters to teach the beginning classes, and the things (students) learn in there are in the experience of every reporter,”” Johnson said. “”But when you get into RPA and are learning to cover meeting of public bodies, they’re (the reporters) hard to find.””

The students who could not get into the course this semester are unsure of when they will graduate and their future plans.

Varinia Reavis, a journalism senior, said although she was unable to add the class, she is still trying to get in.

“”I’ve talked to everyone I possibly can talk to,”” she said.

Reavis planned on getting a job in Florida following graduation, but is now unsure of her situation.

If she stays for another semester, Reavis said, she must take out another student loan.

Her father, John Reavis, assistant director of advising for the W.P. Cary School of Business at Arizona State University, is concerned with his daughter’s ability to land a job.

“”Now, when she interviews for positions in the spring, what is she going to tell them? ‘I’m sorry, I don’t have my degree yet, I won’t have it until the fall.’ That’s a distinct disadvantage,”” Reavis said.

The students must also deal with the financial constraints of paying for another semester at Arizona.

Robert Watkins, who had also planned to graduate in May, said he will have to take out another loan to pay for the fall semester.

He estimates he has already accrued $19,000 in student debt. His internship at the Boston Globe will also have to be postponed.

“”It’s just frustrating,”” he said.

– Claire Conrad

ASUA briefs

Associated Students of the University of Arizona’s current parliamentarian Brad Burns was appointed to fill Mark Adam’s senate seat at Wednesday night’s ASUA Senate meeting by President Erin Hertzog.

Former Sen. Adams resigned his position because he transferred to another university. Sen. Burns will continue to be the parliamentarian as well as senator for ASUA.

Senators voted Burns into the senate in a unanimous vote and many said they are excited to work with him this semester.

Hertzog announced that spring election packets are out. Prospective candidates must fill out an election packet and return it to the ASUA office by Jan. 29 at noon.

Candidates are applying for senator and executive positions. Once applications are reviewed, candidates will be announced.

An election timeline from election commissioner David Martinez III will be completed shortly.

Hertzog announced that ASUA will soon start lobbying to the Arizona State Legislation for funds.

The UA has a specific lobby day in early February. Members of ASUA will go to Phoenix to lobby for funds from the legislation during the day.

Hertzog said they will be lobbying for the new Student Recreation Center expansion money, among other things.

Some of the Rec Center funding would be used for a multi application court (MAC), which could be used for indoor soccer and ice hockey.

– compiled by Andrea Lerch