Editorials

After poor enrollment in Global Campus — 360 students to be exact — University administrators had two options. They could have either listened to the students and shut down the program. Or they could have held out and remained strong in their belief that Global Campus will someday — yes, someday — prosper. They chose the latter, and they chose wrong. In doing so, they have effectively alienated loyal Illini from the discussion.

On Tuesday, University Police began making arrests as part of an on-going drug investigation. Twenty-five people were arrested. Twenty-one out of the 25 being University students. At least eight of those students are involved in the Greek system. More than likely, they thought they wouldn’t get caught this close to school being out.

The Market at the Square in Urbana offers traditional items found in many other farmer's markets or homemade goods sales: homegrown or homemade fruits, vegetables and baked goods.

Apparently NBC is calling all has-beens to Costa Rica to film a reality TV show "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here." If you're pathetic, sleazy or possess scumbag qualities, send your resume to NBC.

And if you're former governor Rod Blagojevich, all you have to do is wait for permission from a federal court to leave the country.

April is national Sexually Transmitted Infection Awareness month, and in recognition of that, MTV and Planned Parenthood have joined forces to create the "GYT: Get yourself tested" campaign to increase testing and treatment for STIs, particularly among the under-25 crowd.

House Bill 723, referred to as the "Protect Incumbents Act" by the Green Party, will be heard in the Illinois Senate on April 21 for the first time after it was passed by the Illinois House of Representatives on April 2. Bill 723 would amend Illinois' election code, ending the practice of "slating," a practice popular among Green Party candidates who don't usually run in primary elections.

All we can say is that it took them long enough. After two years and more than $10 million invested, University of Illinois trustees are finally considering whether to shut down Global Campus. The online campus has only attracted a few hundred students — 360 to be exact, which is only 4 percent of the initial prediction. University leaders originally stated Global Campus would bring in more than 9,000 students within five years.

On Jan. 9, Rod Blagojevich became the only governor in Illinois to be impeached, and one of a very small group of others in the nation.

The Urbana Park District has already reduced programs in fiscal year 2008-09 and will inevitably have to cut more programs, more community nights and operating hours of recreation centers if Tuesday's referendum fails — cuts that will affect all areas of the community. It's in the best interests of the Urbana residents for this referendum to pass.

As the saying goes, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. The city of Urbana is doing well with economic development, sustainability, public safety and fiscal responsibility — largely because of Mayor Laurel Prussing. Urbana’s government is stable and to make any drastic changes, particularly during an economic recession, would be asking for trouble. That’s why we urge those of you who can vote in the April 7 Urbana mayoral election to re-elect Mayor Prussing.