ANGIE LEVINE One thousand protesters from around the
state gathered in Westwood Plaza Wednesday to urge the UC Board of
Regents to repeal SP-1 and 2. The day ended peacefully with no
arrests.
By Robert Salonga
Daily Bruin Reporter
After the voices of more than 1,000 peaceful protesters echoed
throughout campus, several hundred students took over Royce Hall
Wednesday, demanding that the UC Board of Regents vote to repeal
its ban on affirmative action.
“I fight today for people who fought for equal access
before us and for future generations,” said Ryan Smith, a
member of the African Student Union. “We will not be
denied.”
Despite the looming threat of arrests throughout the evening, no
one was apprehended for the takeover, which also led to the
cancellation of a mayoral debate to be held later in the
evening.
The takeover was the culmination of two marches and several
speeches throughout the day to call for the repeal of the
regents’ 1995 policies, SP-1 and 2, that ended affirmative
action in university admissions and hiring.
“The last time there were this many students, a student
demonstration this powerful, was when they passed the
policies,” said Undergraduate Students Association Council
Internal Vice President Elias Enciso at the day’s end.
“It was a really emotional day.”
Protesters from across the state gathered at UCLA, including
students from other UC campuses, local high schools and various
advocacy groups. They gathered at Westwood Plaza at 11 a.m. and
proceeded to march through campus, chanting continuously.
Demonstrators carried banners, signs and stickers with the words
“Access Denied” imprinted on them ““ referring to
the drop in the number of underrepresented minority students
admitted to the UC since the loss of affirmative action. They also
sported colored armbands and chanted along with rally leaders,
using bullhorns, amplified speakers and even a conch shell to make
themselves heard.
Fifty-eight university police officers were assigned to patrol
the demonstration, according to UCPD Assistant Chief Karl Ross.
UCPD officials also said they enlisted the aid of California
Highway Patrol officers for back-up support.
“We were very pleased with the absence of arrests,”
said Nancy Greenstein, community services director for UCPD.
Coordinated by the Affirmative Action Coalition, the first march
eventually settled in front of the James West Alumni Center, where
the regents were meeting, where students chanted “You work
for us,” to the regents.
After negotiations between students and administrators, a
delegation of four students, including ASU Chair Karren Lane, went
inside the alumni center to speak with the regents.
Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, a regent by virtue of his office,
emerged from the board meeting with Lane and a contingent of
bodyguards to tell the crowd why the vote to repeal SP-1 would not
be on the regents’ agenda until the May meeting.
 MINDY ROSS/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Chicana/o studies and
political science student Eric Lopez protests
Wednesday. “If we took the vote today, it wouldn’t
pass,” Bustamante said as some protesters drowned out his
voice. “We’re going to make sure that when the vote
comes, we put this thing away.”
Demonstrators responded by shouting “Show us, don’t
tell us,” accompanied by the beating of drums.
Noni Limar of the African Student Union refuted
Bustamante’s claim, saying the regents have postponed action
for six years.
“In May, they may postpone it again; we can’t afford
to wait,” Limar said, adding that even if the repeal is on
the May agenda, it will not affect next year’s admissions
policies.
Noluthando Williams, a UCLA graduate and former chair of ASU,
did not sympathize with Bustamante’s statement either.
“Until there’s a vote, none of (the regents) are on
our side,” Williams said.
Even if the regents were to repeal SP-1, the passage of
Proposition 209 in 1996 by California voters which eliminated
affirmative action in all state-funded programs would still make
affirmative action illegal under state law.
After several more speeches, Lane initiated a second march
through campus ““ this time stopping at Royce Hall. The
protesters, who dwindled to half their original number, staged a
sit-in in the Royce lobby shortly after 3 p.m. After dismissing
minors for liability issues, they held an open forum.
Eventually they gained access to the auditorium, which was being
prepared for the mayoral debate scheduled that evening. Filling
several rows, the crowd ““ mostly current and former UCLA
students ““ stated their intentions to use the upcoming
mayoral debate to convey their views.
“If we get the mayoral debates cancelled, it’s a
victory,” Ghaith Mahmood, president of the Muslim Student
Association, said to those still outside Royce. “It sends the
message that an event cannot be held on campus when there is a
student crisis.”
University police, led by Chief Clarence R. Chapman, were ready
to intervene at 5 p.m., but Chancellor Albert Carnesale had them
wait until 6:30 p.m. Carnesale then approached the protesters,
saying that if they left Royce by 6 p.m., he would write a letter
stating his support for the repeal of SP-1.
The protesters refused, saying this matter had to do with the
regents and not the chancellor. Carnesale then repeated that police
would take action at 6:30 p.m. as planned. As 6 p.m. approached,
Los Angeles mayoral candidates Xavier Becerra and Antonio
Villaraigosa arrived on campus, fully aware that the debate was
cancelled.
Both Becerra and Villaraigosa talked with Carnesale and asked
for time to speak to the demonstrators. Carnesale agreed on the
condition that the demonstrators leave Royce before 8 p.m.
The two candidates spoke with protesters and gave their support
of the repeal. At 7:45 p.m., everyone filed out of the building
peacefully.
Following their exit, the demonstrators collected in front of
Royce and chanted, “We’ll be back and we’ll be
better.”
With reports from Lily Jamali, Timothy Kudo, Shauna Mecartea,
Barbara Ortutay, Marcelle Richards, Linh Tat, Marion Wise and Scott
B. Wong, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.
UC ADMIT NUMBERS 1997-2000
Minority population increases since 1997 have been gradual and
actual percentages of minorities continue to lag behind affirmative
action levels.
SOURCE: UC Office of the President Original by VICTOR CHEN/Daily
Bruin Web Adaptation by HERNANE TABAY/Daily Bruin Senior Staff