Students’ lax habits no surprise

I am writing in response to Paul Cervantes’ article “”The delayed joys of procrastination.”” I am a huge procrastinator myself and I do not find it shocking at all that 75 percent of students are “”chronic procrastinators.””

It is so easy to put assignments and studying off until the night before a big test or an assignment is due. Especially here at the UA, there is a lot of activities and distractions that make it even easier to procrastinate. I wouldn’t necessarily say I have failed because I procrastinate, I have just lost a lot of sleep as a result. I just like to tell myself that I would do better under pressure.

Dana Czapski

speech, language, and hearing sciences freshman

Skin cancer a bigger threat than many students realize

I would like to respond to the article issued about the melanoma scare (“”Sun not always fun,”” May 4, 2009). I am from Scottsdale, so all there pretty much is to do there is lay out at the beautiful resorts and play golf while the scorching sun is beating down.

I personally have never thought to apply sunscreen on a regular basis. However, after reading the article, it got me thinking. I spend the majority of my time unprotected and always under the sun. People always believe skin cancer can never happen to them, but unfortunately, it is much more common than ever. I was just recently told that one of my sorority sisters just got skin cancer last year and she was a frequent tanner. This, to me, was a wake-up call. There are many ways for girls to look tan during the summer other than risking their bodies and possibly getting skin cancer.

Some of these options are spray tanning at local salons and/or products at local Walgreens or Target that are natural gradual tanners. I hope more and more girls (and even boys) become more aware of this issue and play it safe over the summer.

Brittny Targun

pre-communications freshman

Police should focus more on serious crimes than underage drinking

I have lived in California for most of my life and until I came to the UA I had no real issues with police enforcement. I am appalled by the hypocrisy and the overly stringent agenda of the UA police. MIPs and MICs are given out like candy here at the UA. Every time I either read about one in the Daily Wildcat or hear a personal account from a friend, I cannot help but think that there is absolutely no way whatsoever that the police officer who had issued such a citation had not committed the same “”crime”” when he/she was in college or high school.

Many of the UA police officers are fairly young and were in college not too long ago, yet they convict people of menial crimes that they too had once committed.

I have also noticed that not one of the students that I know who have received MIPs or MICs have stopped drinking after such an incident.

The effects of these citations are insignificant. If anything, the effects are negative. Friends of people who are heavily intoxicated and need medical help are afraid to call 911 out of fear of getting such a citation.

One other issue I have with these strict laws is that it is a waste of resources to try to end underage drinking. On a nightly basis people are getting mugged, stabbed, and even murdered, yet the police put a higher emphasis on catching underage students who have been drinking. All of this seems ridiculous and excessive. The UA police department needs to learn how to interact more effectively with the student population and the overall UA community.

Gabriel Avraham

psychology freshman

Comparison to Rosa Parks absurd

I am writing in response to Ming Ling’s letter published April 30. In it, she compares two students who refused to allow UAPD police officers to search their room to Rosa Parks. That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard. There is no comparison.

Rosa Parks was arrested because she refused to give up her bus seat to a white woman. These two were given a stern talking to by the police because they wouldn’t let them search their room. The only amazing thing about this case is that two students actually invoked their Fourth Amendment rights.

Joshua C. Smith

history junior

Football garnering more attention than academic subjects

The UA has prided itself on being a cross between a well-developed academic school and a school with a recognized athletic program. In recent years, funding has gone toward expanding the research mission of the school, and this decision has shown minor success in attracting more students to the university. As a student, I know that students all pride themselves on showing their school spirit at events. The school has turned its back on the one portion of the school that matters to most students and alumni alike.

Across the country, schools are thriving off their athletic departments; when schools spends the extra money towards sports programs, they will see an increase of revenue from the amount of applicants and students attending. Increased revenue comes from sold-out crowds the school receives at sporting events, and the amount of donations that alumni will supply in order for the school to build up their team for victory.

In 2007, the University of Florida saw a 90 percent increase in applications after winning multiple championships in the same year. Many students watch college sports and take note of which schools are doing well and choose their college based on how recognized their sports team is. Here in Tucson, the UA’s softball team has sold out several of their home games in 2009 and has increased their season ticket holder fan base following their consecutive championships in 2007 and 2008.

As a student, I would rather see the university spend more money to bring home a championship that I can remember for a lifetime instead of spending money on buildings I will never step foot into. If universities lose sight of where they should spend their money, they will notice a steady decline in the amount of revenue and applicants they will have. The harsh truth is that more people pay attention to how the football team is doing instead of how the psychology department is developing.

Jeffrey Robin

undeclared freshman

UA police should focus on bike thefts

About 40 percent of the students at the UA ride a bicycle as a means of transportation around campus. Along with all those bikes comes an undeniable presence of bike theft. In 2007, according to the Tucson Citizen, a total of 932 bikes were reported stolen in Tucson, a large portion coming from the campus alone. As a student at the UA, and a victim of bike theft myself, I have come face to face with this crime two times too many.

It’s hard enough paying for things as a college student, so having to buy new bikes all the time can be devastating to one’s pockets, not to mention your stress level. I don’t think the university is paying enough attention to these thefts. They oftentimes go unreported or just swept under the rug. Many students have complained that after reporting their bikes stolen, they never even hear back from anyone about the case ever again. In the future I think the UA should incorporate safer bike storage places, and possibly even hire security guards that only ride around looking for suspicious persons.

Students should speak up more and ask for protection of their private property. Tucson is the fifth worst city in the nation for bike theft. It’s about time for the university to do its part in cutting down these daily thefts.

Cheryl Craig

undeclared freshman