It's amazing how little can be resolved after a full day of Congressional hearings on a topic as complex, and uncomfortable, as President Bush's approval of the National Security Agency's international "surveillance program." The policy, which has recently fallen under legislative criticism, allows the NSA to wire-tap phone calls between suspected foreign al-Qaida supporters and American affiliates. Although the program is intended to further safeguard American citizens from terrorist attacks like the ones they endured Sept. 11, 2001, logic may reveal that it is fundamentally flawed.

In one of its most competitive tournaments of the year, the men's golf team will be starting one of its most unorthodox lineups.Four freshmen will round out a five-man roster today as the Horned Frogs tee off on their first day of play at the Waikoloa Intercollegiate in Hawaii.

Head coach Bill Montigel said despite the underclassman-heavy rotation, he has high hopes for the team's chances.

"They still have to get used to college golf," Montigel said. "I feel good about these four guys."

A new tuition increase for students was approved Friday at the winter meeting of the Board of Trustees for the 2006-2007 academic year.The current tuition is $21,280, but students taking 12-18 hours will pay a combined tuition and fee of $22,980, Tracy Syler-Jones, assistant vice chancellor for marketing and communications, said in an e-mail.

Chancellor Victor Boschini said increasing tuition ensures a good education without giving up the service the student body wants.

With a retention rate of 53.57 percent from last semester's House of Representatives to this semester, Student Government Association members said they hope to improve the body's reputation and in turn, retention by changing the focus from internal issues to student concerns."Students don't want to see SGA doing things for SGA - they want to see them doing things for students," said Tori Hutchens, chairwoman of elections and regulations.

Although she said there is only so much SGA can do to get people to participate; it's all cyclical.

Projected increases to the TCU budget will take into account rising costs in tuition, housing, health insurance, utilities and athletics, the vice chancellor for finance and administration said Tuesday.Vice Chancellor Brian Gutierrez said at a Staff Assembly meeting that while TCU currently remains under the national trend line for increasing tuition costs at four-year private universities, an anticipated rise in tuition would cause the university to meet the national average by 2007.

With the speakers blasting Lil' Jon's "Snap ya fingers," that's exactly what the performers did Saturday evening at the first annual Funkytown Stompdown step show competition.The show raised more than $1,700 in ticket sales, which will be donated to charities decided on by the Eta Psi chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and the sorority members of Zeta Tau Alpha, the event's hosts, in the coming weeks.

Jerret Holmes, a senior Alpha Phi Alpha member, said he was pleased with the success of the event and the positive response of the people in attendance.

The Skiff has been criticized time and time again by the Student Government Association for a slanted, often biased portrayal of what SGA does. That is just the point. What do they do? With five positions in the executive branch, 10 in the legislative branch, another five on Programming Council and four on the Judicial Board, one wonders, what do all these people do and what purpose is served?

The TCU track and field team continues to push the season's medal count even higher.The Flyin' Frogs took home eight golds Feb. 4 after a dominant showing at the Wes Kittley Open at Texas Tech University and swept the medal stands in two different events.

Head coach Darryl Anderson said he was pleased with the squad's strong result.

"I thought it went fairly well," Anderson said. "When you come out of it with eight wins, it's always a plus."