TO CLIPS INDEX Clips for February 17, 2009

My Turn: Taylor W. Lawrence: U.S. kids need
to do 'cool' math
The Arizona Republic 2/17/09
Here's a tough math problem: How do you increase
the number of Americans in science, technology,
engineering and math careers when Baby Boomers
currently in these jobs are starting to retire and young
people are losing interest in these subjects? That's
the problem facing our country today. Science and
technology are the bedrock of the global economy,
and according to business and labor statistics,
employment in these areas will increase about
70 percent faster than the rate for all occupations.
So, it's bad timing that today's students are not
demonstrating the necessary levels of interest or
proficiency in math and science to fill these
technological jobs.

Ariz. legislators leery of reported special election
Associated Press/Tucson Citizen/
The Arizona Republic 2/16/09 5:23 PM
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's reported willingness
to contemplate holding a spring special election
on controversial budget proposals has some-
thing for leaders on both sides of the
Legislature's political divide to dislike. Majority
Republicans didn't draw lines in the sand but
looked askance at the possibility of a tax
increase, even just a temporary one, to help
bail the state out of its big budgetary hole.
Minority Democrats, meanwhile, voiced
reservations about the notion of relaxing
protections for voter-approved spending.
The whole idea was reported over the week-
end as being under consideration by
Brewer's office. The article indicated that
the sales tax was the tax being eyed for
a possible increase.

UA seeks to slow development of science
center
Associated Press/The Arizona Republic
2/17/09
TUCSON - The president of the University of Arizona
wants to slow development of the school's science
center at downtown Tucson's Rio Nuevo project be-
cause of budget cuts ordered by state lawmakers.
Robert Shelton says school officials approached
Mayor Bob Walkup and City Manager Mike Hein
about adjusting the pace of the project. Plans
had called for construction to begin this fall,
with completion in 2012.

Editorial: Voters deserve say on tax hikes
Arizona Daily Star 2/17/09
Reports that Republican Gov. Jan Brewer is at work
planning a spring special election are surprising and
reassuring. The Associated Press reported over the
weekend that Brewer's staff was working on plans to
ask voters to raise taxes and to reconsider mandates
that limit the state's flexibility in moving money around.
Both measures would apply for two to three years
only, the AP reported. We applaud the governor's
courage in considering putting tax increases on the
ballot. She will face critics within her own party, but
we believe offering voters an opportunity to choose
how to make the state's ends meet is the right thing
to do.

Guest Opinion: Richard C. Powell: Science
foundation cuts don't help state compete
Arizona Daily Star 2/17/09
It is time to re-examine our vision for the future of our
state. Do we want Arizona's economy to be diverse,
with an abundance of high-paying, high-tech jobs,
or are we simply content to see our collective
prosperity based on continued population growth?
As a result of having an economy that relies dis-
proportionately on growth, we have already
experienced a more difficult economic downturn
than other states who have built their science and
technology sectors. In an increasingly competitive
global marketplace, the state with the brightest
students and the most advanced science and
technology will be among the biggest economic
winners. Society depends on its universities for
generating technology breakthroughs. This can
be used as an engine for local economic
development as shown by areas such as
California's Silicon Valley, Massachusetts' Route
128 and North Carolina's Research Triangle.

Measure would widen use of donations to schools
Capitol Media Services/Arizona Daily Sun/
Arizona Daily Star 2/17/09
PHOENIX -- A House panel voted Monday to allow
donated funds to be used to help students get into
college. But not everyone thinks that's a good idea.
The legislation, approved by the Education
Committee on an 82 margin, says any money that
schools get can be used both to pay for students
to take college entrance exams as well as any
costs of tests to determine if they can get college
credits for high school courses. HB 2309, which
already has been approved by the Ways and
Means Committee, now goes to the full House.
State law allows individuals to give up to $200
to public schools and get a dollar-for-dollar
credit on their state income taxes. Couples
can give twice as much.

Lawmakers wary of sales tax hike
Capitol Media Services/East Valley Tribune/
Arizona Daily Sun2/17/09
PHOENIX -- State lawmakers from both parties
are taking a guarded -- if not outright wary --
stance to a possible special election this spring
for a temporary hike in the sales tax. House
Speaker Kirk Adams, R-Mesa, said he fears
the effect of a 1-cent hike on top of the state's
current 5.6 percent sales tax rate, even if it is
only temporary. "Raising taxes, particularly
that substantial an increase during a time of
deep recession, could be dangerous for the
economy," he said. Adams said he wants to
proceed "very carefully." Senate Minority
Leader Jorge Garcia, D-Tucson, said he's
not keen on hiking sales taxes while the
Republican controlled Legislature pushes
ahead with plans to permanently eliminate
the state property tax. That move, which would
forego $250 million in revenues, would mean
greater relief for businesses than homeowners.

Exhibit cites challenges female doctors can face
Arizona Daily Star 2/17/09
When Dr. Mindy Fain was applying for medical school,
the vetting process included asking women whether
they were going to get married and have children. Fain,
who graduated from New York University's School of
Medicine in 1977, also recalled women were some-
times asked how they would feel about taking the
place of a man who would likely provide more years
of service in the field. Now co-director of the University
of Arizona's Arizona Center on Aging, Fain is one of 11
local female doctors featured in the Tucson component
of a new exhibit at the UA titled, "Changing the Face of
Medicine: Celebrating America's Women Physicians."

Cancer-prevention drugs are new company's hope
Arizona Daily Star 2/17/09
After years of being told cancer prevention drugs
were too risky and took too long to get approved, one
University of Arizona professor knew he could get the
job done. That's why Eugene Gerner, a UA professor
of cell biology and anatomy, recently won approval
from the Arizona Board of Regents to take research
from the lab and use it to form Tucson-based Cancer
Prevention Pharmaceuticals. He's doing so along
with Frank L. Meyskens Jr., a professor of medicine
at the University of California-Irvine. The new UA spin-
off company is developing Eflornithine, a drug meant
for colon-cancer prevention, rather than treatment. UC-
Irvine and the UA hold the patent for Eflornithine and
will receive a portion of its profits.

ASU to shut social- work program here
Arizona Daily Star 2/17/09
The Tucson branch of an ASU program that provides
the only public social-work education in the region is
scheduled to close as part of state budget cuts.
Arizona State University officials identified the Tucson
satellite of the School of Social Work — which has
about 200 undergraduate and graduate students —
as one of several programs it would shut down in the
wake of $88 million in state cuts the institution has
taken since last summer. But the local leader of the
program as well as a prominent graduate are
questioning whether the closure will actually save
money because the Tucson program's income from
outside grants outweighs its costs.

Editorial: Higher taxes? Maybe so. Ignore voters?
Absolutely not!
Tucson Citizen 2/17/09
Gov. Jan Brewer reportedly is considering something
that once was unthinkable to the conservative Republican:
asking Arizonans to approve a tax increase. Although we
don't generally support higher taxes, these are extra-
ordinary times calling for extraordinary leaders who think
outside traditional parameters. So a tax increase may be
warranted - but only if the revenue is targeted for specific
purposes and not dumped into the General Fund.

Legislator wants to protect university tuition from
budget raids
Cronkite News Service/Tucson Citizen 2/17/09
PHOENIX - With the Legislature searching for ways to
close a gaping budget deficit for the coming fiscal year,
Arizona needs to guarantee in law that tuition paid to
public universities goes to those universities, a
Democratic lawmaker said Monday. Rep. Rae Waters,
D-Ahwatukee, said she introduced HB 2521 because
40 percent of tuition money paid to public universities
ends up with the Legislature, which she said has the
flexibility under current law to allocate it based on bud-
get needs. The money traditionally has gone back to
universities through the Board of Regents, but not
necessarily to the school it came from, she said.

Arizona could receive $803 million in stimulus cash
Tucson Citizen 2/17/09
The University of Arizona could get back some of the
$57 million cut from its budget last month if Gov. Jan
Brewer applies for Arizona’s estimated $803 million
share of the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act. President Obama is expected to sign the bill
Tuesday morning. And amid billions in tax breaks,
tax credits, increases in unemployment insurance
and investment in infrastructure and technology
through 2010 is a $53 billion "state fiscal
stabilization fund." Most of that fund - $39 billion -
is earmarked to help states "backfill" cuts made
to K-12 and higher education in the past year,
said Shay Stautz, UA associate vice president
for federal relations.

2 ASU economics professors scoff at stimulus plan
Tucson Citizen 2/17/09
TEMPE - Stephen Happel won't be cheering when
President Obama tells Arizonans how his $787 billion
economic stimulus will provide relief to one of the
states hit hardest by the recession. An economics
professor at Arizona State University's W.P. Carey
School of Business, Happel says the stimulus, while
well intentioned, will do little to resolve the long-term
economic problems America is facing. "It's heart over
mind. It's hope over reality," Happel said in an inter-
view. "The only way I can see that the Obama plan
works is if it gives vast numbers of people hope
that the recession is about to end."

Lawmakers shoot down tax increase idea
azcapitoltimes.com 2/17/09
Lawmakers today shot down the idea of raising taxes
to help plug the state's budget deficit. The legislators
were reacting to a report that Gov. Jan Brewer's office
is quietly making plans for a special election later this
year to ask voters to raise taxes and loosen spending
mandates on certain programs. The governor's office
did not immediately return phone calls for comment.
Resistance to the idea comes from both sides of the
political aisle, with Republicans saying raising taxes
would slow down the state's economic recovery and
Democrats saying there are other options on the table.

Frys.com Open helps boost math education
Phoenix Business Journal 2/17/09 11:27am MST
Organizers of the Frys.com Open Tournament made a
$50,000 donation Tuesday to Arizona State University
School of Mathematics and Statistical Sciences. The
money will help the school move forward with strategic
initiatives and support educational priorities in
mathematics, said professor Wayne Raskind, director
of the school. The 2008 Frys.com Open, was played
Oct. 22-26 and raised a total of $600,000. Over the
past two years, the event has raised more than $1
million for charity.

Russell Pearce: Cuts won't force ASU closures
Phoenix Business Journal 2/17/09, 12:24pm MST
State budget cuts will not cause Arizona State University
to close its West or East campuses despite warnings
by ASU President Michael Crow, according to one of the
legislators crafting the plan. “Neither will close, we will
make sure of that,” said State Sen. Russell Pearce, R-
Mesa. “This is an attempt to intimidate the West Valley
and East Valley legislators and create a climate of fear
for those constituents served by those campuses and
that have worked for years to make these two
campuses serve our communities. That is simply a
publicity ploy I believe,” said Pearce, a fiscal conservative
who chairs the State Senate Appropriations Committee.
Crow has said if the university faces more budget cuts
it might close ASU West or ASU Polytechnic. ASU
announced earlier this month a host of program and
budget cuts prompted by the $88 million taken away
by the state to deal with its shortfall. More cuts could
come as Arizona faces a $3 billion budget gap for the
next fiscal year.


Universities Partner on Technology Grant
editor@evliving.com 2/16/09
PHOENIX — Many K-12 teachers across the Valley
soon will learn new ways to use technologies to
better teach and inspire students. Educators from
six underserved schools will take part in “Teach-
Tec,” a certificate program that will show how
technologies such as podcasting, text messaging
and videoconferencing can serve as high-impact
tools to enhance the learning experience. This is
the result of a unique partnership between Arizona
State University, the University of Arizona Mel and
Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, and the
Arizona Telemedicine Program at the College of
Medicine.

Going high-tech for underserved Arizona schools
ABC15.com 2/17/09 5:52 am
Arizona State University and University of Arizona
are teaming up on a new project to help teachers.
Educators from six underserved schools will take
part in the Teach-Tec certificate program. The
Phoenix Business Journal says the program will
show how technologies like podcasting, text
messaging and videoconferencing can help the
learning experience.

Brewer spokesman: 'All options on the table'
Associated Press/abc15.com
2/17/09 1:24 am
Gov. Jan Brewer's spokesman says Brewer is
considering all options to solving the state's
budget crisis. Brewer spokesman Paul
Senseman on Monday cited various ideas
under consideration, including deeper state
budget cuts, spending federal economic
stimulus dollars and sales of state assets.
But Senseman would not specifically address
whether those options include a spring special
election on a temporary tax increase and
loosening voters' spending mandates. The
Arizona Republic reported Saturday that
Brewer's office is considering a special
election on those possible topics.

Economic stimulus: What's in it for AZ?
KOLD News 13 2/16/09 7:21 PM MST
Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords says the
federal economic stimulus package will bring bring
about one billion dollars to Arizona, although it is
uncertain how much will trickle down to the Southern
part of the state. More than 300 politicians, educators,
business people and others filled a fairly small room
at the University of Arizona Monday morning to get
Giffords take on the stimulus. She noted that tax cuts
or tax credits comprise about 40% of package.

Editorial: Taking roll
ASU Web Devil 2/17/09
Twenty-seven people trickled into the town-hall
meeting at the Polytechnic campus on Monday
afternoon to discuss with University officials the
repercussions of the University cuts to campus-
specific programs. Last Friday, about 35 people
 — about eight of whom were students —
attended a similar town-hall meeting at the
same campus. If we’re doing our math right —
and we’re pretty sure we are — that total comes
up to 62 people. That’s 62 people out of an
estimated 8,700 students — and that number
grows when counting faculty and staff —
currently taking classes at the Polytechnic
campus, according to the ASU Web site. The
reason for Friday’s small turnout can be partially
credited to the late notice given to students by
University administration. According to Polytechnic
campus student-body president Kelley Stewart,
there was less than 24-hours notice of the first
meeting.

Opinion : Lamentations from the devastated
ASU West campus
ASU Web Devil 2/17/09
As the token West campus columnist, it fell upon
me to explain the reactions to the changes to the
University proposed by President Michael Crow
last week. Though my particular program was
already slated to be moved to the Downtown
campus, the several changes proposed to the
West campus sadden me. Programs are in the
process of being eliminated, moved, re-organized
or downsized. Some programs are moving to
other campuses, such as the School of Social
Work and the West campus nursing program,
both of which are joining the School of Criminology
and Criminal Justice and moving to the Downtown
campus.

Officials say Poly students can still complete
degrees
ASU Web Devil 2/17/09
Amid the changes at the Polytechnic campus,
University officials let students know at a town-
hall meeting that they will still have the
opportunity to complete their degree programs
despite the elimination of some programs.
About 27 students attended the meeting on
Monday held by administrators and faculty to
answer questions from the University
community. “Whatever you are doing now will
continue. You will be able to continue your
degree on this campus,” said Keith Hjelmstad,
vice president and dean of the College of
Technology and Innovation. In response to
state budget cuts, programs at the Polytechnic
campus will all be brought under one college
or administered from other campuses.

Stimulus may alleviate cuts to universities
ASU Web Devil 2/17/09
The federal stimulus package that passed Friday
may, in part, reduce the impact of budget cuts on
the university system. Legislators said the pack-
age includes about $650 million in federal
funding to the state university system and will
allow legislators to cut less than the $191 million
originally proposed for the 2010 fiscal year.
Republican legislators had previously said they
were unsure whether the state would be eligible
for federal funding because of provisions requiring
the state to maintain a certain level of spending.
Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee
Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said the
stimulus only requires the state to maintain levels
of spending consistent with those in 2006. This
means the package will not conflict with the
proposed 2010 cuts.

Giffords speaks at UA
UA Daily Wildcat  2/17/09
District Eight Representative Gabrielle Giffords
(D-AZ) held up a map of the United States
showing states that are currently in recession
or at risk, to kick off a presentation on the
federal government's economic stimulus plan
and how it will be infused into the city of Tucson.
In the meeting held yesterday in the Tucson and
Catalina rooms of the Student Union Memorial
Center, Giffords presented an overview of the
aims of the stimulus plan, specifically touching
on unemployment, education, science and re-
newable energy funding. I believe that in order
for us to maximize the opportunity that we have,
we are going to have to work together; state,
city, federal, local, national, all of us coming
together regardless of party affiliation," Giffords
said. "We have to make sure that we can get
our economy back on track."

Water on the moon?
UA Daily Wildcat 2/17/09
UA astronomers have plans to witness an astro-
nomical explosion as NASA launches rockets on-
to the moon in the quest to prove the existence of
ice in its polar craters. "They're going to crash that
puppy into the moon," said Faith Vilas, director of
the MMT Observatory said. "This is meant to do it
big. Do it and do it well." Vilas said NASA is
currently making an effort to return to the moon.
As part of this effort they have set up a project
named LCROSS, Lunar Crater Observation and
Sensing Satellite, that is currently searching for
water that could be stored in the form of ice in the
permanently shaded craters at the north and
south poles of the moon. As part of this project,
scheduled for Aug. 1, they will be impacting the
moon with two rockets and observing the results.

Pennell for Pac-10 Coach of the Year
UA Daily Wildcat 2/17/09
Coming into this season, Russ Pennell wanted to
be the head coach for the Arizona men's basketball
team like a 7-year-old wants to go to the dentist the
day after Halloween. It wasn't defiance. It was
knowing his place. Not that Pennell is a walking
cavity, but who in their right mind would be comfort-
able taking over for a Hall-of-Famer right after
coaching at the AAU level? How do you become the
coach of a dynasty, especially when you were the
second choice to take over the program, behind
Mike Dunlap? What do you tell yourself in the mirror
when four-star recruit Jeff Withey says he doesn't
want to play for you and transfers to Kansas? If
you're Pennell, you make the best of each and every
day with what you have. It's about turning the cliché
into a well-oiled machine that runs out of necessity.

The Buzz and Spin on 3-Year Degrees
Inside Higher Ed 2/17/09
When U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander spoke this month
at the annual meeting of the American Council on
Education, he urged college leaders to offer three-
year bachelor’s degrees. The concept would cut “
one fourth of the time and up to one third of the cost,”
he said, calling three-year degrees the “higher ed
equivalent of a fuel-efficient car,” compared to the
traditional “gas guzzling four-year course.” Alexander
is a Republican with both political and academic
experience (he is former president of the University
of Tennessee). At another session at the meeting,
Richard Celeste said he was interested in the idea
of three-year degrees. Celeste, a former Democratic
governor of Ohio, is president of Colorado College.

The ‘Business Model’ Is the Wrong Model
Inside Higher Ed 2/17/09
In their honest desire to satisfy the current demand
for “accountability” in higher education, many
academics have begun to worship at the altar of
the “business model,” believing that it provides
the answers to student success that they seek.
The business model is imposed, for example,
when otherwise worthy academic programs are
eliminated based on low enrollment alone since
they couldn’t possibly be academically valuable if
they don’t attract throngs; when professors are
evaluated more on their popularity with students
than on their teaching abilities (see Inside Higher
Ed’s coverage of a particularly chilling example
from Texas A&M University); or when institutions
shun teaching high-risk students who might
require more time and attention to graduate. How-
ever, the business model, which prizes “customer
satisfaction” or “efficiency” above all else, has led
in higher education to an imbalance in the relation
between student and institution, has led to a culture
of entitlement and instant gratification, and has
causal ties to the current fiscal crisis.

Community Colleges See Stimulus Bill as
Bonanza for Their Students
The Chronicle of Higher Education 2/17/09
Community colleges are touting the economic-stimulus
bill as a big win for their job-training programs, which
under the mammoth legislation would be eligible for
billions of dollars in grants. The bill, which President
Obama is expected to sign today, would also broaden
the Trade Adjustment Assistance program and programs
authorized by the Workforce Investment Act by allowing
community colleges to participate in them more directly.
The stimulus package would provide $3.95-billion for
the Department of Labor to spend on training and
employment services. Almost $3-billion of that amount
would support programs under the Workforce Investment
Act, a 1998 law that provides vouchers to individual
students to use for job training.