DW
Wednesday, November 1, 2017 – Tuesday, November 7, 2017 • VOLUME 111 • ISSUE 11
2 | NEWS | UA alum Bakari Henderson honored
10 | SCIENCE | Looking beyond the bikini line
16 | ARTS & LIFE | Comic-Con comes to Tucson
UA weaves complex web of lobbying
DAILYWILDCAT.COM SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA & TUCSON COMMUNITIES SINCE 1899
BY JORDAN WILLIAMS @DailyWildcat
What’s the
of data.” The report states that UA undergraduates made approximately $3,000 less in median wages than the other two Arizona universities’ undergraduates. However, UA students with graduate degrees made approximately $2,000 more than the other two Arizona universities’ graduate students. These statistics may not be as alarming for UA students as they seem.
The way in which the University of Arizona funds lobbying efforts was the subject of a recent report by the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, which specifically targeted the UA Foundation. The UA has a state relations team, whose primary job is to oversee government and community relations between the university and the state legislature. “We work at the direction of the leadership of the university and the Arizona Board of Regents to promote the agenda of the university or, a better word would be, the priorities of the university at the state capitol,” said Tim Bee, vice president of Government and Community Relations at the UA. All three in-state universities are governed by the board, which in charge of what the universities lobby for at the state legislature. “The board approves a legislative agenda for the public university system, which aligns with its mission to provide opportunity for learning, discovery, research, public service and economic development for Arizona residents and the global community,” said Sarah Harper, vice president of communications for the board. “The board also sets expectations for all university lobbyists regarding engagement with lawmakers, executive staff and other stakeholders.” The UA has three full-time lobbyists on staff to help advance this agenda. It has also enlisted Molera Alvarez, LLC., a government affairs firm that has represented the UA since 2003, according to state lobbying records. “Historically, they have worked to represent us with health science initiatives,” Bee said. “This year will be the first year that they are working
DEGREE VALUE, A4
LOBBYISTS, A8
value of your degree? BY SHANNON SNEATH AND MARQUIES WHITE @DailyWildcat
The Arizona Board of Regents released a recent report comparing the wages of college graduates and high school graduates in the state of Arizona. According to the board, a college graduate earns about $22,000 more than an individual with only a high school diploma. The survey was taken at the three public universities in Arizona: University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University. The gap is continuing to widen. In 2007, students with undergraduate degrees earned 70 percent more in median wages than
19 | SPORTS | UA lacrosse through the years
Graduates from the state’s three public universities earn on average $22,000 more a year than those with just a high school diploma high school graduates. In 2015, that gap had increased to 82 percent. Dan Anderson, director of institutional analysis for the board, said the reason the report wasn’t done sooner was simply because of a lack of information. In order to complete the annual report, social security numbers were needed. “The coverage of students who graduated is not high enough quality,” Anderson said. “ There’s no other reason. In 1990, it was a lack
SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE: DAILY WILDCAT/UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA FALL 2017 GRADUATE SCHOOL FAIR GUIDE