See if these ideas make the grade
A little state tax is quickly growing into a big bonanza for Arizona universities. According to an article this week in the Arizona Daily Star, revenue from a bump in the state sales tax passed by Arizona voters in 2000 is rapidly outpacing expectations ð- and the money is financing some of UA’s most innovative programs. The 0.6 percent rise in the sales tax goes into Arizona’s Technology and Research Initiative Fund, which has provided $112 million dollars to the UA over the past five years, supporting research in optics, biotech, sustainability, and education. This year, UA hit the jackpot, receiving an unexpected extra $8 million. For sustaining excellent research in higher education – and delivering the UA a surprise bonus – Arizona voters (and taxpayers) get a Pass.
Ah, the distinctive ambience of September in Tucson – a month almost as sweltering as August, but distinguished by one important difference: the return of UA football. After a disappointing season opener at BYU last week, we hope students will get out and support the Wildcats in their first home game this weekend versus NAU’s Lumberjacks. And we hope they’ll stay classy, avoiding the tasteless taunts that plagued the Zoo every once in a while last year. For showing school spirit and Wildcat pride, the rabid red-clad fans we hope to see pack the stands receive a pre-emptive Pass.
This week, ASUA president Tommy Bruce met with the Arizona Daily Star editorial board to lay out this year’s student government agenda. Prime concerns include enacting the Regents’ proposals to lower textbook prices, focusing on making UA a more sustainable campus, and a pledge to “”reinstitute the faith in ASUA for students on campus.”” We endorsed Bruce last semester because of his “”realistic ambitions”” for student government, and with hope that his candidacy could revitalize ASUA. Seeing a meaningful and feasible policy platform for an organization that has too often reveled in irrelevance is a good start. For the first steps toward meaningful student government policy, Bruce’s vision plan gets a Pass.
Of course, action always speaks louder than words – especially in the wacky world of UA student government. Although a platform for change is a bold beginning, its implementation needs to be just as inspired. Students would be hard pressed to find a professor willing to pass them based on their performance on the first quiz. Similarly, we can’t give ASUA a free ride until we see their assurances in action. Until Bruce’s policies are effectively executed, ASUA gets an Incomplete.
OPINIONS BOARD: Editorials are determined by the Wildcat opinions board and written by one of its members. They are Allison Hornick, Sarah Keeler, Connor Mendenhall, Justyn Dillingham, Jerry Simmons and Allison Dumka.
