HOOPS HOPES TO JACK UP IN-STATE RIVAL
WHAT’S UP DOC? SPORTS — 6
ARTS & LIFE — 5
QUESTIONING TECHNOLOGY’S PLACE IN GRADE SCHOOL
PERSPECTIVES — 4
DAILY WILDCAT
Friday, december ,
DAILYWILDCAT.COM
SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA SINCE 1899
Assured of a higher grad rate First Arizona Assurance program cohort set to graduate in 2012, at a greater rate than its peers By Samantha Munsey DAILY WILDCAT
McLendon said that, although there is no such thing as a “free lunch,” the importance of higher education merits state funding. “It (higher education) needs to become a high priority, if not the highest priority,” he said. Regent Mark Killian said dwindling state funding places an additional burden on students and their families. “The policymakers have to decide how much they want education to cost, and what the trade off is to society,” he said. Some suggested that students should take on larger course loads, or that the cutoff for financial aid eligibility be placed at 15 credit hours, not 12, per semester, since that’s the amount typically necessary to graduate in four years. Dan Anderson, the regents director of institutional analysis, said the number of fulltime equivalents at Arizona’s universities is greater than the system’s headcount enrollment for the first time in history. A full-time equivalent means someone who completes enough credit
The Arizona Assurance Scholars Program’s first group of students, slated to graduate in May 2012, is expected to have a higher graduation rate than the UA’s overall. According to Arezu Corella, director of Arizona Assurance and the assistant director of Academic Success and Achievement at the UA, 68 percent of the first students to enter the program in the fall of 2008 are still enrolled and are considered seniors. “But this does not mean all 68 percent are graduating in four years,” Corella said. “We don’t have a definitive number just because not everyone has filled out their graduation checks, but based on things that we have looked at, it is definitely going to be higher than the average.” Corella went on to say the average four-year graduation rate for UA students is about 34 percent. Started by the former UA President Robert Shelton in 2008, the Arizona Assurance Scholars Program provides financial assistance to Arizona high school students coming to the UA through the combination of Pell Grants, scholarships and funding. In order to qualify students must have a grade point average of a 3.0 or higher and come from a household that earns less than $42,400 a year. Stephanie Montano, a senior studying business management and mathematics, is a part of the program’s first group of students. “It’s weird to think that I am in the first cohort and how big (the program) is now,” Montano said. “It kind of reinforces the idea of them investing in your education and making sure they get a good outcome.” Throughout all four years of the program, Arizona Assurance students have an assigned mentor and can participate in a series of workshops and classes that teach them how to be successful in college and prepare them on what to do after graduation. When Montano receives her degree, she plans on going to graduate school for education and eventually earn her doctorate. This is a goal that seemed possible to her, she said, thanks to Arizona Assurance’s student support services over the last four years. “The whole point is they are not just trying to get you in or get you graduated, but they want to make sure you have plans set up afterwards and know what you want to accomplish,” Montano said. Corella said she thinks one of the reasons the program expects a higher graduation rate is because
REGENTS, 2
ASSURANCE, 2
GORDON BATES / DAILY WILDCAT
Regent Anne Mariucci talks about the challenges facing student financial aid during the Arizona Board of Regents meeting on Thursday. Some of the challenges discussed included increased cost of attendance, increased reliance on student loans and increased financial need.
Regents walk the fine line on financial aid By Luke Money DAILY WILDCAT
For the Arizona Board of Regents, potential problems for the state’s financial aid system boil down to three factors: increased financial need, increased costs of attendance and an increased student debt load. According to the board’s 2011 Financial Aid Report, the number of student loans in Arizona has increased 79 percent over the last five years. Magnifying that is a substantial increase in total financial aid allotments as enrollment continues to grow. Over the last five years, the amount of financial aid awarded within the Arizona university system has increased $745.7 million, or 75.4 percent. This increase largely comes from instiutional sources and student loans, according to the report. During the board meeting on Thursday, Regent Anne Mariucci said she was concerned with the magnitude of student loans in the greater scheme of financial aid, and that she is wary of the possibility of a financial aid “bubble,” where students will find it necessary to
HI
55 39 LOW
Titz, Germany Twinsburg, Ohio Nippers Harbour, Canada
47 / 40 40 / 29 35 / 23
QUOTE TO
NOTE
“
Instead of hallucinogen-laden, new-age hippies, we get Los Angelenos who look like they should be modeling Prada rather than playing pop.” ARTS & LIFE — 5 ‘Like‘ us on Facebook facebook.com/dailywildcat
Follow us on Twitter twitter.com/dailywildcat
WORTH
NOTING This day in history >> 1804: Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned emperor of France in Paris by Pope Pius VII. >> 1970: The Environmental Protection Agency was established. >> 2001: Enron Corp., under CEO Kenneth Lay, filed for bankruptcy.
take out loans and not be able to pay them back when they graduate. “You live in this world where you are living with this misalignment every day,” Mariucci said. “Where is this headed, where does this end and how does this have a happy ending?” Board Chair Fred DuVal said he shared some of Mariucci’s concerns, and could see a situation where continued increases in tuition could stretch the regents’ contributions to financial aid too thin, leading to an increased reliance on loans. DuVal said it is necessary for the board to continue reviewing board policy to address, and if possible, curtail these potential problems. Regent Dennis DeConcini said he thinks it is important to convey concerns over the solvency of financial aid to the state Legislature. Regent Bob McLendon, who served as a state representative from 1982 to 2000, said that, in order to do so, the regents must stress the economic benefits of higher education. “Folks at the Capitol need to understand that education … is indeed an investment and treat it as such instead of an expense,” he said.
Prof spurs research on speech processes By Kyle Mittan DAILY WILDCAT
Stephen Wilson, an assistant professor of speech, language and hearing sciences, and a team of researchers are making breakthroughs in how the brain processes speech. While scientists have known for more than 100 years which areas of the brain actually process speech, Wilson and his colleagues are interested in developing an understanding of how grammar syntax is formed. The group’s research expands on the findings of 19th-century neurologists Pierre Paul Broca and Carl Wernicke. While Broca found that a portion of the left frontal lobe of the brain actually produced language, Wernicke determined that a part of the brain’s posterior involved language comprehension. These two regions are now known as Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area. Wilson’s work focuses on analyzing the two white matter pathways — dorsal and ventral — and which of the two is responsible for forming sentences. “We’ve got a new imaging technology called Diffusion Tensor Imaging, where it can track the neurons and look at how they’re sending information from one region to another,” Wilson said. “What we’ve realized is that there are two different pathways that lead between these regions. We wanted to figure out which one, or if both of these,
SPEECH, 2
UA’s winter graduates prepare for challenges By Alexandra Bortnik DAILY WILDCAT
The UA’s winter commencement on Dec. 17 will mark the closure of academic careers and honor both undergraduate and graduate students. As the majority of students graduate in spring, the comparatively smaller number of winter graduates allows for a combined, intimate commencement, according to Christine Salvesen, director of academic success and achievement. An estimated 1,721 UA students are expected to graduate this fall, whereas 3,612 are anticipated for this spring’s commencement, according to Melanie Brady, senior graduation services adviser. The speaker at this year’s ceremony is swim Olympian and UA alumna Lacey Nymeyer-John, formerly known as Lacey Nymeyer. NymeyerJohn was on the UA women’s swimming and diving team and received silver in the 400-meter freestyle race at the 2008 Summer Olympic games in Beijing. Salvesen, who helps coordinate the commencement, said a commencement office group meets regularly to ensure all operations run smoothly. “It’s a lot of work up to that point but once you’re there, the students are celebrating and you see them in their caps and gowns,” she said. “It’s such a good feeling … to see the families, everyone enjoying that celebration.” Winter graduate Rebecca Zayon, a marketing senior in the Eller College of Management, said she recently accepted a position as a sales representative for The Hershey Company.
KEVIN BROST / DAILY WILDCAT
Sociology senior Harry Siskin purchases a cap and gown for winter graduation at the UofA Bookstore on Thursday.
“I couldn’t be happier with this position and I will be moving to the Midwest for the first time and starting my new life at the end of January,” Zayon said. Before her senior year, Zayon switched her major from accounting to marketing, which she said delayed her graduation by one semester. “In the past six months, I have grown in many new ways that I am ready to take what I have learned here in Eller and apply it to be successful in the next chapter of my life,” Zayon added. Sociology senior Harry Siskin completed his undergraduate studies in three and a half years. Siskin said once he realized he could graduate early, he took on a heavier academic load. “I’m definitely excited because I feel like I’m ready to move on to the next step in my life and I’ve enjoyed every
experience I’ve had here,” Siskin said. In order to graduate a semester early, Siskin received credit from his summer internship and took an online course over the summer, as well as two correspondence courses, which are guided self-study courses. Siskin said his ultimate goal is to work in college basketball doing administrative work, and said he hopes to one day move on to the NBA and work for its front office. As for now, starting next fall, Siskin plans to be a graduate assistant for Pepperdine University’s men’s basketball team. “I want to get on the right path,” Siskin said. “I’m not necessarily just trying to run away from college, or I’m not just trying to get out of here because I’m not having a good time … I’ve had great experiences here and I’m ready for the next chapter in my life.”