Friday, 5/9/97 New light focused on controversial USAC ad
Last-minute switch caused by time constraints, Du says
By Brooke Olson Daily Bruin Senior Staff Students First! members
changed a pre-approved advertisement to an ad some construe as an
Undergraduate Student Association Council (USAC) endorsement of
Students First! presidential candidate Kandea Mosley. The original
ad – which was shown to the Daily Bruin’s internal advertising
department and Student Union interim director Jerry Mann – was in
support of a "diversity requirement." What the advertising
department received, though, was far different than what was
promised by Academic Affairs Commissioner Max Espinoza. The ad that
actually appeared in the Daily Bruin detailed this year’s student
government accomplishments and listed Mosley as the contact. After
a complaint was filed, the Election Board released a statement
yesterday concluding that no violation had occurred, noting that
"the ad in question makes no reference to the candidacy of the
individual in question." But students – including several Students
First! members – concede that listing Mosley as a contact was
inappropriate. However, time constraints left USAC with little time
to edit their submission, according to Espinoza and undergraduate
President John Du. Espinoza originally wanted the diversity ad to
run, but after an argument with advertising representatives over
the ad’s content, he demanded that the contract be nulled and void.
Advertising department managers said they were unsure if the
original ad, which had been hastily scribbled on a sheet of
notebook-sized paper, was in line with departmental policy.
Although advertising decided to allow the ad, Espinoza decided not
to run the diversity requirement ad as a result of the conflict
that had ensued. Believing that the money was nonrefundable,
Espinoza felt he had no choice but to run an ad or else USAC would
lose well over $1,000. External Vice President Alberto Retana and
several other Students First! members "quickly" drew up the ad that
later appeared in the paper, USAC members said. Assuming that Mann
had already approved the ad, the Daily Bruin printed the new
version. Mann, though, said he was unaware of the new advertisement
and would have questioned the new ad. "I would want to make sure
that the ad did not cross the line and blatantly endorse a
candidate," Mann said. However, since the ad already ran, questions
concerning the ad’s legitimacy will now be handled by the Judicial
Board. Already, a new anti-Students First! coalition plans to file
a complaint with the board.