Regents meet with UC public
Community raises issues of equality, reg fees at summit
By Betty Song
For two and a half hours, University of California students,
parents and alumni forced UC Regents to take a stand on issues
ranging from stopping fee increases to equality in domestic student
housing at the first-ever systemwide regents forum Sunday.
As a part of the UC Student Association’s annual UC-wide student
summit, regents addressed the current issues affecting systemwide
education in addition to expressing their position on such
topics.
The group representing the regents included 1994-95 Student
Regent Terrence Wooten, 1995-96 Student Regent Ed Gomez, Regent
Velma Montoya and UC Provost and Senior Vice President Walter
Massey.
Regents heard individual testimony on fee increases, affirmative
action, the elimination of some federal financial aid,
discrimination toward same-sex couples in domestic student housing
and student lobbying issues. Afterward, each was asked by student
association panelists to respond to various issues and take
positions they will be held accountable to in the future.
"We’re going to check up on the regents like Montoya who made a
commitment not to raise fees, and who supports domestic student
housing for same-sex couples," said UCLA Campus Office Director
John Du, citing accountability as one of the purposes of Sunday’s
forum.
"The whole purpose was to make sure that one, (the regents)
understand that students are working on these issues and are
concerned about them. Two, to demonstrate the power of the student
body when it comes together, and three, to keep the regents
accountable to what they say," Du added.
In addition to the forum, the summit included small group
workshops all day Saturday covering a more specialized variety of
topics including curricular reform, student health insurance and
campus safety.
And as many anticipated, debate over current affirmative action
policies also consumed discussion during the weekend’s two-part
workshop. In addition, many said they were disappointed with the
regents’ position on affirmative action.
"The African Student Union has been very disappointed in the way
this issue has gone in  that the defense of affirmative
action has been nothing more than lip service to diversity," said
Jioni Palmer, political affairs director for UCLA’s African Student
Union, during his testimony.
Although both student regents expressed their strong commitment
to oppose the elimination of affirmative action, Regent Montoya
emphasized the importance of outreach and community programs. But
she could not give a definite commitment to preserve present
affirmative action policies.
However, UC Provost and Senior Vice President Walter Massey,
second in command to UC President Jack Peltason, expressed optimism
about the regents’ policy toward the current program.
"Our records are showing that affirmative action in the UC has
been working, and we will probably use the regents to preserve
(it)," Massey said.
Over 120 students systemwide attended the summit, according to
estimations by the undergraduate external vice president’s office
which organized the event. And aside from the workshops and forum,
the students had an opportunity to interact socially during a party
held Saturday night.
For some students who attended the summit, the chance to meet
other concerned students highlighted their feelings of political
empowerment.
"The party was a great opportunity for people with common goals
to interact across racial and ethnic lines in a more relaxed
atmosphere," said fourth-year sociology student David Silver, one
of the student representatives to the chancellor’s Council on
Diversity.
"The feeling I got (from the conference) was really positive
 I’m planning to go up to the next Regent’s meeting in May at
UC Berkeley."