TO CLIPS INDEX Clips for March 11, 2009

Opinion: Rep. Debbie Lesko: Budget cuts
must be fair to all groups
The Arizona Republic 3/11/09
Budget cuts. Let's work together, not against each
other, to solve our problems. I have three children
in public schools: one in college, one in high
school and one in elementary school. So, quality
education is important to me. But when mobs of
teachers-union officials and union-member
teachers show up at the state Capitol protesting,
screaming and demanding that their programs
not be cut, it leaves me with the impression they
are being selfish at the expense of the disabled,
abused and other Arizonans struggling in need.
I have met with various teacher-union and
student-association groups and have carefully
explained that our state is facing a $3 billion
shortfall, that education accounts for over half
of all our state spending and that asking for no
cuts to education is simply not reasonable and
not fair to other sectors of our population in need.

Obama presses for better education
Associated Press/The Arizona Republic
3/11/09
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama called
for tying teachers' pay to students' performance
and expanding innovative charter schools Tues-
day, embracing ideas that have provoked hostility
from members of teachers unions. He also
suggested longer school days - and years - to
help America's children compete in the world. In
his first big speech on education, Obama said the
United States must drastically improve student
achievement to regain lost international standing.
"The future belongs to the nation that best educates
its citizens," he said. "We have everything we need
to be that nation ... and yet, despite resources that
are unmatched anywhere in the world, we have let
our grades slip, our schools crumble, our teacher
quality fall short and other nations outpace us."

State universities present Brewer with budget-
cutting scenarios
Associated Press/The Arizona Republic
3/11/09
TUCSON - If the University of Arizona were to absorb
the heaviest possible budget cuts being explored by
state government, it would face the equivalent of
losing six colleges. As the state faces another big
budget shortfall, Gov. Jan Brewer's office has asked
leaders in state government to come up with a list of
possible budget cuts of 5, 10, 15 and 20 percent be-
low the spending levels now in place after recent
reductions. The state's public universities and the
Board of Regents did so in a document that
emphasizes a provision in the federal stimulus
funding package and the effect additional cuts would
have on higher education. Arizona State University
said a 20 percent cut would require laying off 40
percent of its faculty supported by state funds, and
Northern Arizona University said a 15 percent cut
would likely mean its student health center would
be closed.

Gordon to unveil lofty 17-point green plan for
Phoenix
The Arizona Republic 3/11/09
Mayor Phil Gordon will use today's State of the
City address to outline an ambitious strategy to
make Phoenix the first carbon-neutral city - and
the greenest - in the entire country. Green Phoenix,
a 17-point plan developed in collaboration with
Arizona State University's Global Institute of
Sustainability, would require about $1 billion in
water, renewable energy, public-transit and other
investments. .......In a bid to secure funding from
the $787 billion federal stimulus package, Gordon
and ASU President Michael Crow pitched the plan
Tuesday to Energy Secretary Steven Chu in
Washington, D.C., emphasizing that it also would
create jobs and improve neighborhoods and
health. During the meeting, Crow said, he sensed
that Phoenix was the first city to approach Chu with
a comprehensive program promoting green
technologies, which could be used as a model
across the U.S.

Education also creates and sustains jobs
Arizona Daily Sun 3/11/09
To the editor: On Feb. 24, I read in the Daily Sun
that the Legislature's House Ways and Means
Committee voted to repeal the $250 million state
property tax. The legislative leadership and the
Arizona Chamber of Commerce and the Flag-
staff Chamber of Commerce are in support of
the property tax repeal and thus the accompanying
cut in education revenues. The clearest statement
in defense of the repeal of the property tax, as
reported in the Daily Sun, was attributed to State
Representative Andy Biggs of Gilbert, who is
quoted as contending: "Education does not
create jobs, ... entrepreneurs and businesses
create jobs."

Guest Opinion: Joseph Simmons and Ardeth
Barnhart: AzRISE brings STEM subjects to life
Arizona Daily Star 3/11/09
Tucson, Arizona - Science, technology, engineering
and math form the mighty foursome known as STEM,
the subjects that leaders throughout the nation agree
we need more teachers to teach and more students
to study if the United States is going to again assume
a lead role in innovation and invention. Despite
extensive research that underscores the need for
STEM programs to inspire teachers and students,
our universities are being forced to shut down the
science centers where STEM subjects come to life.
Harvard University just announced delays in building
a $1 billion science center in the Allston neighbor-
hood of Boston. Closer to home, the University of
Arizona suspended all work on the science center
that has long been planned as a centerpiece of
Downtown Tucson.

Politicos hammer city over Rio Nuevo
Arizona Daily Star 3/11/09
PHOENIX — Tucson can't be trusted with any more
money for Downtown's Rio Nuevo project, a group
of key Republican state lawmakers said Tuesday.
A month after city officials testified in front of the
Senate Finance Committee, Republican lawmakers
discussed ways to break a deal that lets the city
keep a share of state sales taxes for Downtown
redevelopment — dollars that would otherwise end
up in the state treasury. That move, in effect, would
doom a planned hotel, arena and Convention Center
expansion. But some Tucson Republicans are looking
to persuade their GOP colleagues to let the funding
continue if it's tied to greater legislative oversight and
public accounting.

Some skeptical of liquid water existing on Mars
Arizona Daily Star 3/11/09
Tucson, Arizona - Researchers working on the
UA-led Phoenix Mars Mission say they've found
evidence that liquid water exists on the red planet,
though some mission scientists remain skeptical
of the conclusion. If true, the theory would
significantly expand scientific understanding of
Mars and strengthen the possibility of the existence
of life on the planet. While Phoenix scientifically
proved that Mars contains ice, researchers continue
to debate whether the planet has conditions that
could support liquid water. Central to the theory,
which will be presented in a research paper at
a national conference later this month, are a
series of photographs taken by Phoenix and
research on the role salts can play in freezing
water.

Regents may cut 25 UA majors
Tucson Citizen 3/11/09
16 bachelor's, 9 graduate tracts targeted as part
reorganization plan. New students enrolling at
the University of Arizona will have 16 fewer under-
graduate majors and nine fewer graduate study
areas to choose from next year under proposals
that the UA Faculty Senate and the Arizona Board
of Regents are expected to approve. Under-
graduate majors proposed for elimination include
bachelor of arts degrees in engineering and all
secondary education majors. Graduate degrees
to be cut include French and the professional
science master's in mathematical sciences.

Science 'stimulus' put in jeopardy
Inside Tucson Business 3/11/09
Southern Arizona could feel the pinch if the
Arizona Legislature decides to eliminate
funding for Science Foundation Arizona. “I
think Science Foundation Arizona is the
equivalent of a stimulus package for Arizona
in terms of its innovation and its ability to
help create the future because it has
attracted industry resources for research
and development,” said Bill Harris, president
and CEO of the foundation. The public-private
partnership distributes funds state and private
funds to bolster technological research in the
state. A report released last month said that
every dollar distributed by the foundation to
grant recipients has generated $1.18. For the
fiscal year starting July 1, Science Foundation
Arizona was set to receive $22.5 million in
state money, which would be matched by
private ventures. However, the state’s
projected $3 billion budget shortfall could
endanger this funding.

UA: A 20 Percent Cut Equates to Losing 6
Campuses
Associated Press/ Fox11AZ.com/
University Business 3/11/2009
If the University of Arizona were to absorb the
heaviest possible budget cuts being explored
by state government, it would face the equivalent
of losing six colleges. As the state faces another
big budget shortfall, Gov. Jan Brewer's office has
asked leaders in state government to come up
with a list of possible budget cuts of 5, 10, 15
and 20 percent below the spending levels now
in place after recent reductions. The state's
three public universities and the Arizona Board
of Regents did so in a 30-page document that
emphasizes a provision in the federal stimulus
funding package and the effect additional cuts
would have on higher education

Effect of UA budget cuts ripples across Tucson
and Arizona
KOLD.com 3/10/09 7:48 PM MST
The governor's office asked the University of
Arizona, Arizona State University and Northern
Arizona University make plans to slash up to
20 percent from next year's budget. What it got
was a prediction that the cuts would cost every-
one far more than they would save. If you live
in Arizona, especially in the Tucson metro, and
you think budget cuts at the University of Arizona
won't hurt you because you're not a student,
parent or employee, school leaders say you are
missing the big picture. Budget cuts already are
having their effect on students at the U of A.

25 majors face chopping block at UA
Associated Press/KTAR.com
3/11/09 5:58am
If the Arizona Board of Regents and the University
of Arizona Faculty Senate approve, the UA will be
cutting 16 undergraduate majors and nine
graduate study areas next year. In all, 25 majors,
16 bachelors and nine graduate courses are
targeted as part of a reorganization plan at the
Tucson school. Undergraduate majors proposed
for elimination include bachelor of arts degrees
in engineering and all secondary education
majors. Graduate degrees facing elimination
include French and the professional science
masters in mathematical sciences. Students
currently enrolled in the majors proposed for
elimination will be able to finish their programs,
but no new students will be allowed to enroll.

The cost of a new coach
UA Daily Wildcat 3/11/09
As the U.S. government spent an unprecedented
$787 billion on an economic stimulus package
in an effort to relieve the current recession on
Wall Street, UA athletics director Jim Livengood
looks to stimulate his own athletic department
by hiring a big-name men's basketball coach in
the next month. Despite the false perception that
sports are immune to economic troubles, the UA
athletics department is still feeling the effects of
America's current recession. The money-making
program Lute Olson built for 25 years has
endured difficulties parallel to America's plunging
economic situation over the past year. Olson, who
abruptly retired in October, left the basketball pro-
gram in its second consecutive season with an
interim head coach - both Kevin O'Neill and Russ
Pennell were promoted assistants. The 74-year-
old Hall-of-Famer's contract made Olson the
state's highest-paid employer with an $737,790
annual base salary at the time of his retirement.
That would be considered a bargain in today's
big-business college basketball culture. As the
program heads toward a crucial crossroad, Liven-
good wants long-term stability with a permanent
successor who can turn heads around the college
basketball realm and boost the program's image
nationally.

Tim Rutten: L.A.'s animal terrorists
LA Times 3/11/09
Animal rights advocates must repudiate the
extremists who attack medical researchers --
and those who provide them support. On Mon-
day in Washington, President Obama heralded
the return of what he terms "sound science" to
the administration of federal policy. At that
moment in Los Angeles, a joint federal and
local law enforcement task force was
investigating the latest incident in a 3-year-old
terrorist campaign being waged against UCLA
medical researchers. This time, a group that
calls itself the Animal Liberation Front fire-
bombed a car on Saturday belonging to a
neuroscientist whose research into psychiatric
disorders involves primates. This was the
latest incident in a long-running war.

Building Capacity, Slowly
Inside Higher Ed 3/11/09
On a day that President Obama reinforced
his call to increase the number of Americans
in college, the federal government released
data showing that higher education's capacity
is growing, albeit too slowly to meet the goal
set by the president and others. The data also
continue to show that a disproportionate share
of the growth can be attributed to for-profit
colleges, which are expanding at a rapid clip.
In a speech to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce Tuesday, Obama reiterated his
goal of having every American attend at least
one year of college and having the country
reclaim its mantle as the nation with the
highest proportion of college graduates.
To reach that goal, which has also been
a focus of groups like the Lumina
Foundation for Education and the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation, the college
going rate would have to increase by
significantly more than half over the next
15 years.