Is former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich the next Nelson Mandela? He'd like you to think so.

Comparing himself not only to Mandela, but also Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, Blagojevich professed his innocence across the airwaves and at his impeachment trial last week to no avail.

The now former governor has consistently denied any wrongdoing since U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald filed corruption charges against him in December.

Numbers can only say so much about a person.

With an essay now required for study abroad applications, this new approach gives The Center for International Studies a better look at the level of interest from students rather than just their qualifications. In the past, the only requirement was a grade point average and while it gives some insight into how focused students are on their grades, it doesn't offer their personal perspective on the experiences that lie ahead.

The football program announced major changes in the coaching staff yesterday, including promoting Jarrett Anderson and Justin Fuente to co-offensive coordinators.

Anderson was wide receivers coach the last eight seasons and will now coach the running backs along with being co-offensive coordinator.

Fuente is entering his third year with the Frogs and was the running backs coach before being promoted. Fuente will also coach the quarterbacks, moving from running backs coach.

The student body president vetoed a controversial bill Tuesday that would remove the runoff system from Student Government Association elections. The bill, which passed in the House of Student Representatives with minimal objection, lacked the specificity needed to prevent future Judicial Board hearings during election season, she said.

Kelsie Johnson, SGA president, said the runoff system adds to the legitimacy of the election process because it requires the winner to attain a majority of votes.

Michael Lauck's Jan. 30 column "Obama shouldn't shut out dissenters" is another example of the persecution complex that seems to drive modern American conservatism. The article characterized Obama's remark...

In the 30 years that Hillary Clinton has graced the political limelight, she has worked her way from the governor of Arkansas' wife to first lady of the United States and then to a New York senator before becoming the only female presidential candidate to ever really be taken seriously.

Now she has been appointed to one of the most prestigious positions in U.S. politics, and you can call her Madame Secretary.

Men's tennis beats South Florida, falls to Texas

The men's tennis team finished 1-1 this weekend in two matches at Penick-Allison Tennis Center in Austin.

The team faced the University of South Florida on Saturday and came away with a 4-1 victory. South Florida was ranked 28th coming into the match.

Things went a little differently for the Horned Frogs on Sunday against the University of Texas Longhorns squad.

The No. 2 Longhorns defeated the Horned Frogs 4-1.

Over the past two weeks the debate raged on: Arizona Cardinals or Pittsburgh Steelers?

The Steelers won, who honestly were my pick to win it all in the preseason, thanks to some shady officiating.

Before the weeks of analysis, we watched the NFL playoffs and before that there was the annual debate about the BCS.

Before that, we had college football and preceding that every year is Major League Baseball.

Cynthia Montes arrived at the university eight years ago as a first-generation college student. She did not know where to go, how to study or anything about college life.

Then Montes found the Student Support Services program, aimed at transitioning first-generation students to college life. With the help of the Student Support Services program, Montes graduated in four years and is now an academic adviser for the program.

In these times of economic uncertainty, everyone is looking to save a buck, especially those paying for college or working to pay rent on their own. If you think the only way students can receive a scholarship is by making straight A's or being the star basketball player, you're wrong. The university and other programs and institutions offer a handful of scholarships with unusual criteria but not so unusual rewards (money). If you spin the dreidel in December or aspire to be the next Willy Wonka, you might be eligible to receive one of these scholarships.