Bravo to Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, confirming that House Bill 2675 was withdrawn on Thursday. As you now know, this bill would have required all students, aside from those on national merit and athletic scholarships, to pay a mandatory $2,000 toward tuition. There would be no such thing as a “free ride” in Arizona. This is really a bravo to student activism and a collective opposition to this bill from introduction to its withdrawal. You spoke out against it on campus, at committee meetings, in our letters to the editor section of the paper and of course — online.
Boo to Italian cruise line, Costa Cruises. The British-American owned company, under the control of Carnival Corporation & plc had a rough start to 2012, to say the least, after their cruise liner Costa Concordia ran aground off the coast Isola del Giglio, Italy in January — killing 25 people and leaving seven still unaccounted for. More recently, the Costa Allegra, owned by the same company, was stranded for three days in the Indian Ocean after a fire started in the engine room, killing the ship’s power. Guests went without hot food or showers and slept outside in sweltering tropical heat for three days before being towed to Mahé, an island in the Republic of Seychelles.
Bravo to One Glove, a free STD testing event that took place on Hayden Lawn Wednesday afternoon. ASU’s Undergraduate Student Government and Devils in the Bedroom, a club devoted to informing students about safe sex, put on the event in coordination with the Maricopa County Health Department. Facing facts, Sun Devils like to spark things up, and being informed about safe sex and aware of your health is the best way to do so. Students lined up to receive information, contraception and on-site STD tests. Being sexually active also means being responsible, and events like this one are great ways to start.
Boo to the Arizona Board of Regents consideration of an increase to the minimum required number of credit hours for full-time status from 12 to 15. The notion of an increase was briefly mentioned at ABOR’s meeting Feb. 16 and was addressed because of the large amount of loan debt that a vast number of students will face upon graduation. While this might put you on a faster track to graduation, it could affect whether you can stay on your parent’s health insurance, how much you’re able to receive in FAFSA or even certain scholarship eligibility — not to mention an increasing workload.
Bravo to the growing popularity of local breweries in Arizona. Beer celebrations have quenched plenty of thirst the past couple weeks, and the Great Arizona Beer Festival returns to Tempe on Saturday. It’s great to be proud of such great tasting beer made in our state. From Four Peaks to San Tan to Phoenix Ale Brewery, the beer is delicious and it is expanding. Even local bars, like Boulders on Broadway and Taste of Tops, are taking advantage of Arizona’s expansion into the beer world. It’s fun, it tastes great and we hope it continues.
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