Dear U of L students,

The man who sparked interest and debate across campus in the weeks leading up to his arrival explained to a diverse crowd of more than 250 people at the University of Louisville why affirmative action should be done away with. Ward Connerly, a nationally recognized black opponent of affirmative action, gave a public lecture and answered audience questions in Bigelow Hall in the Miller Technology Center on March 6 on his opposition to race-based government policies.

Students who have considered pursuing a career in public administration or are interested in working for a non-profit, business, political or public organization are encouraged to attend a roundtable event sponsored by the Metropolitan Louisville American Society for Public Administration Association and the University of Louisville Department of Urban an Public Affairs.

Pres. Ramsey to hold forum on tuition University of Louisville President Dr. James R. Ramsey will be holding an open forum on tuition on today from 2:30-4 p.m. in the Floyd Theater of the Student Activities Center. Ramsey plans to address the factors that influence tuition increases and encourages students to bring questions.

The University of Louisville softball team picked up two wins and two losses over the weekend playing two doubleheaders against Western Kentucky University and Eastern Michigan University. Friday, Louisville traveled to Bowling Green to take on the Hilltoppers at WKU.

Led by sophomore forward Angel McCoughtry, the Big East player of the year, the Louisville Cardinals women's basketball team won their first NCAA tournament game since 1998. The sixth seeded Cards took down the 11th seeded Brigham Young University by a score of 80-54 after exiting the NCAA tournament in the first round of the previous two years.

Freshman nursing student Kim King has lived in Radcliff, Ky. for most of her life. "It's a pretty small town right between Ft. Knox and Elizabethtown and I usually get a funny face when I say that's where I'm from," King said. "Nobody seems to know where it is, or at least the people I talk to.

While most students were lounging on couches, beaches or sleeping in, University of Louisville sophomore jumpers Andre Black and Tone Belt were hard at work. Both athletes took national titles. Black won the triple jump while Belt won the long jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Ronald McDonald's big red shoes will hit the hardwood on March 28 for the 30th anniversary of the McDonald's All American Games. The best high school players in the nation will showcase their skills at Freedom Hall for the annual charity event. The week leading up to the main event will feature the high school hoopsters' special visit to the local Ronald McDonald House Charity, a slam-dunk competition, a visit to the Muhammad Ali Center and a photo opportunity where the stars of tomorrow will flip burgers and serve customers.

Wow, was this basketball season a wild ride. University of Louisville basketball went from a program that had no business playing in March to nearly knocking off Texas A&M University for a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. Head coach Rick Pitino, who was being questioned by many people early this year, turned it all around.