We can only understand life by looking to the past, even though in the present we are constantly consumed with our projections of the future. Every so often we have to take the time to reflect on what has happened and the calm before the storm of finals is as good a time as ever.
Here are the events we think shaped the school year and deserve a second thought:
Professor plagiarizes
After an investigation substantiated the claim that Professor Matthew Whitaker’s book, “Peace Be Still: Modern Black America from World War II to Barack Obama,” was riddled with plagiarism, he was demoted from his position as director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy. The controversy surrounding the ordeal was not quelled with the demotion though, as many, including last semester's State Press Editorial Board felt that the punishment was not harsh enough.
ASU most innovative
By now you certainly know that ASU has been named the most innovative university in the country. However you feel about the award, there is certainly no doubt that ASU as a university is innovating with the New American University model and that ASU students continue to make great strides innovating themselves.
Tempe Town Lake drained
If you are on the ASU rowing team, the draining of Tempe Town Lake was a major inconvenience. For most, however, it was an aesthetic shift for the worst and a time to opine about the countless weapons and trash found at the bottom of the lake.
Hockey's first season in Division I
ASU hockey took the ice for their inaugural season as a Division I program this year, and although their record wasn’t a winning one, they showed promise and Sun Devils can be optimistic about the future of the program.
Football stadium renovations
The never-ending construction on ASU campus has made its way over to the football stadium, the inside of which currently looks a monster truck arena more than a football field. This year's graduates had to forego the tradition of throwing their caps on the football field for the promise of better facilities in the future.
Issues at the polls
Whether you had to wait in line for hours to cast your primary vote, or voter suppression laws disenfranchised your voice, there were many issues to be upset about this election cycle.
Across-the-board tuition increases
After Arizona topped the list for the single biggest cut to state university funding in the country last year, ASU was forced to raise tuition again in order to make up for the loss of funds. While the state has just recently recouped some of the funding for universities, the jury is still out as to whether or not ASU can expect to receive the 50 percent of total cost in funding we require.
ASU wins e-sports national championship
ASU won its first e-sports national championship when The Real Dream Team became the Heroes of the Dorm on April 10 in Seattle, Washington. The team went undefeated in the nationally broadcasted tournament and the support of the athletics department shows that e-sports might have a future in collegiate sports.
MU Taco Bell closes
We stand in solidarity with the students afflicted by the closing of longtime MU favorite, Taco Bell, as it has served its final Chalupa in order to make room for an expansion of Pitchforks dining hall.
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