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Crunching the numbers
The faculty poll numbers, what they mean, and where the UA goes from here
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Arizona Daily Wildcat
Roll this up and smoke it thursday, october ,
tucson, arizona
dailywildcat.com
Medical pot may make ballot Grads
to draft bill of rights By Tim McDonnell ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT The graduate student government began efforts to construct a graduate student bill of rights at its meeting Wednesday night at the urgent behest of the group’s president. Graduate and Professional Student Council president David Talenfeld, a second-year law student, said that the need for a bill of rights is pressing and should become a primary focus for the group in coming weeks. “I think we need to get this done immediately,” he said. A bill of rights for graduate students would not be an entirely new concept, said GPSC Representative Jim Collins, a non-degree-seeking graduate student. Former sessions of GPSC have put such bills into place in the past. The matter at hand now, Collins said, is to revive the old document and rework it to meet the current needs of graduate students. President Robert Shelton has offered an “unprecedented” level of support for such a bill, and it is up to GPSC to“hold his feet to the fire” on the issue, Talenfeld said. The council approved a movement to delegate the responsibility of forming a draft to its policy subcommittee, which will have two weeks to do so before presenting the draft to Shelton at a meeting scheduled for Oct. 13. While it remains unclear what the exact content of the new bill would be, Representative Lucy Blaney, a Spanish and Portuguese doctoral student, said she was uncertain whether Shelton and GPSC were on the same page about the purpose of the bill. Comments from the president have led some GPSC representatives to believe that his perception of the bill-writing committee is that
Tim Glass/Arizona Daily Wildcat
Frank Gray, a 35 year resident of Arizona, tried to get registered voters to sign a petition to legalize medical marijuana. Frank believes legalization of medical marijuana would generate needed tax dollars for Arizona’s economy.
Supporters of medicinal marijuana work to get proposition on 2010 ballot By Austin Counts ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT Marijuana reform advocates say patients in need of herbal pain medication are closer to relief, as efforts increase in Arizona to turn out support for a proposition in favor of the legalization of medical marijuana. To date, The Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project says it has collected more than 130,000 voters’ signatures — approximately 23,000 short of the 153,000 voter signatures required to get the proposition onto the November 2010 ballot. “There are thousands of sick Arizonans who need medical marijuana
for pain relief,” said Andrew Myers, campaign manager for the project. “Currently, they have two choices: continue to suffer or go to the criminal market to purchase illegal marijuana. We hope to change that.” The proposition aims to allow Arizonans with qualifying ailments to receive limited amounts of medical marijuana from dispensaries regulated by the state. The Arizona Department of Health Services would issue permits to these patients, granting them the choice between herbal and pharmaceutical medication. If the proposal makes the 2010 ballot and passes, the law will protect
the rights of doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to patients who suffer from painful diseases from state and federal prosecution. Mary MacKenzie, Treasurer for AZ-4-National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, advocates ending medical marijuana prohibition so that qualifying patients can receive the treatment they deserve. “We have a lot of patients in need in Arizona and we don’t need doctors going to jail for doing their job,” said MacKenzie. However, opponents to the proposition believe that it is nothing more than a step toward the decriminalization — and eventually legalization —
of recreational marijuana use. Myers disagrees with this sentiment due to the proposition’s stance on upholding restrictions on such things as the public use of marijuana. “The legalization of medical marijuana is our priority, not the legalization for recreational use,” Myers said. “If (legalization of marijuana for personal use) was going to happen, it would have passed already.” Bill Godfrey, a medical marijuana user who recently lost part of his foot due to diabetes, uses the drug as prescribed by his California doctor. Godfrey supports Arizona tak-
GPSC, page 3
PETITION, page 3
UAPD officer dies Some students still housed in scuba accident in temporary dorm space
By Carly Kennedy ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT
By Austin Counts ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT
“He was well-liked in the department and well-known in the traffic unit. Officer Forchione will be missed,” The University of Arizona Police Alvarez said. Department is saying goodbye to a In addition to serving on the traflost comrade who died Tuesday in a fic unit, Forchione was one of the best scuba diving accident while on vaca- police liaisons that served the UA tion with his family. community, Alvarez said. Officer Daniel Forchione, “He was a dedicated poa 15-year veteran of the lice officer who could put force, was scuba diving almost anyone at ease,” he off the coast of Southern said. “It’s a great loss, and California . we’re all dealing with it in Complications with our own way.” Forchione’s air tank Forchione is survived by apparently led the officer his wife and eight-monthto remove the apparatus Daniel Forchione old daughter. The famafter a dive off the Southern ily is receiving assistance California coast, according from the San Diego Police to Lifeguard Lt. Andy Lerum. Department, UAPD and the Tucson He was recovered 65 feet underwa- Police Department. Forchione’s wife ter and attempts to resuscitate him is a TPD officer. proved unsuccessful. Information about services is not Forchione was 46 years old. available at this time. UAPD asks the Forchione began his career with the community to show support while loUAPD in February 1994. He was initial- cal law enforcement grieves the loss ly assigned as a motor officer with the of a dedicated officer and friend to the traffic unit, which also trains officers in UA student body. police motorcycle driving techniques. UAPD Sgt. Juan Alvarez, a police — The Associated Press spokesman, said he knew Forchione well. contributed to this article.
Emily Jones/Arizona Daily Wildcat
From left, freshman Lizzie Graham, sophomore Lauren Slyker and freshman Chula Robertson leave their home in the temporary housing at the Coconino Residence Hall to attend the War of the Roses greek olympics held on the Mall on Thursday afternoon.
There are still 120 students living in temporary dormitory housing, and Residence Life officials say they don’t expect the situation to improve by next year. Due to lack of space at the beginning of the semester, Residence Life boarded students with resident assistants and converted both study rooms and the Alpha Chi Omega sorority house into temporary housing. Nearly 300 students were placed in alternate housing. Jim Van Arsdel, director of Residence Life and University Housing, said his team has been chipping away at the number by placing some students in permanent housing, but that it’s been a slow process. “We have made significant progress,” Van Arsdel said. “The reason why we haven’t been able to move more quickly is that more people have not been moving out — so I guess that is the good news in all of this.” Faith Flynn, an undecided freshman, said she actually prefers living in her temporary housing assignment to moving midway through the semester. “I would actually rather stay here for the rest of the year rather than
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DORMS, page 3