A controversial student regent pick, Medicaid cuts, a corrupt Fiesta Bowl and more news on Libya. Yup, it’s the end of the week — and a packed week at that — which means its time for The Round-Up. Your weekly speed-read starts now.
Around ASU
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer chose ASU student Tyler Bowyer to serve as the next student regent on Monday. The selection of Bowyer, who is the College Republican president and USG presidential candidate for the Tempe campus, sparked controversy because he did not go through the regular student government-sponsored application and recommendation process that student regents normally go through.
Several organizations at ASU are putting together an initiative for gender-neutral housing that, if implemented, could open as early as the fall of 2012. This housing is used as a safe place for members of the LGBTQ community to reside — some do not feel safe living in regular dorms. Another option would allow them to request gender-neutral roommates and live in regular dorms.
For the first time, ASU is implementing priority registration for veterans. This means they will be among the first students to register for classes each semester. Currently student-athletes, honors students and those who receive disability assistance also get priority registration.
Around Arizona
The Bowl Championship Series director has toned down his rhetoric on stripping the Fiesta Bowl of its BCS status, reports Craig Harris of The Arizona Republic. The Fiesta Bowl fired its CEO John Junker on Tuesday amid revelations of financial misuse. In response the BCS initially threatened to strip the bowl of its status. These included spending $1,200 in one night on a strip-club outing, throwing a birthday party for Junker that totaled more than $30,000 and potentially illegal political donations.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has submitted a proposal that would overhaul the state’s Medicaid program, report Mary K. Reinhart and Ginger Rough of The Arizona Republic. It would freeze enrollment and doing so eliminate 160,000 people from the program, but it would restore organ-transplant funding that was cut last fall. The proposal would save the $500 million.
Around the country
In light of an impending government shutdown, reports that a deal had been reached between House Republican leaders and Senate Democratic leaders appear to be shaky. Some GOP representatives have balked at the deal, which would have cut $33 billion from the federal budget, because the cuts don’t go far enough. The government is currently operating on a continuing resolution until this Friday, which is April 8.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that other nations should arm Libyan rebels. The question, which has come up in recent debate on the U.S.’s strategy in Libya, has remained unanswered for some time. Gates, who took this stance during Congressional testimony, is the first member of the president’s national security team to answer the question directly.
