Idan Ivri Ivri is a third-year political
science student. Send comments to iivri@media.ucla.edu.
Why are spiral notebooks cheaper at Rite-Aid than at Ackerman
Union? Why can you buy a skateboard but not eggs in the student
store?
The concept of a university providing a cheaper, more convenient
living to students has been completely lost to the Associated
Students of UCLA, who oversee Ackerman Union.
Westwood may be a college town, but it cannot be expected to
focus on student needs alone. In spite of the over 30,000 students
at UCLA, there are nearby communities that influence what
businesses are allowed to operate in Westwood. Under these
circumstances, it’s understandable why a warehouse-sized
upscale camera boutique and various jewelry stores sit in the
center of a college town.
But knowing this, the university has an added responsibility to
expand Ackerman Union to fill more of the average student’s
needs.
It’s difficult for students with full class loads and a
dozen extracurricular activities to find time to go to Westwood to
buy simple items.
For example, why is the sale of cigarettes banned on campus? All
(or nearly all) UCLA students are over 18 years old, and a great
many campuses around the country provide this service. It would
provide a great convenience to students who smoke while creating
another source of income for ASUCLA.
Illustration by JARRETT QUON/Daily Bruin Students who live off
campus (but spend most of their time in class or working on campus)
are especially hurt by Ackerman’s high prices and meager
variety. Ackerman’s food market should expand to
Breadstick’s size and beat their prices. ASUCLA could require
a Bruin ID upon any purchase so non-university affiliated persons
couldn’t capitalize on the lower rates.
UCLA should force restaurant chains that want to operate
lucrative franchises in the Union to charge cheaper prices than
their equivalents in Westwood, as well as require a Bruin ID upon
purchase. For about $4, you can get a fast-food panda bowl at
Ackerman. For the same amount, you can buy an entire steak over
rice at a Korean restaurant on Gayley.
On-campus residents are at a greater financial disadvantage than
their off-campus counterparts. Those with premier meal plans redeem
their unused meals for Snapples and Frappacinos at the end of each
quarter, which severely reduces their value.
Unused meals should be redeemable for BruinCard credit that can
be used at any business that accepts a BruinCard as payment. The
stores in the Union present an excellent opportunity for the
university to correct the disadvantage.
Electronics are also insanely expensive at Ackerman. The school
knows that many incoming freshman will have forgotten to buy
Ethernet cards for their dorm Internet connections every fall.
Nevertheless, Ethernet cards are up to four times more expensive at
Ackerman than at a discount electronics store. Here they range from
$40 to $80, and I have seen the same cards priced at $15
elsewhere.
Bruin clothing may be the most absurd example of the price
gouging at Ackerman. For UCLA students to display their school
pride, they pay on average over $50 for a sweatshirt. I understand
such prices may be appropriate for visitors as souvenirs, but
certainly not for our own students! The university knowingly
exploits the dependable student habit of buying school clothes and
leeches as much extra cash from us as possible.
To distract us from the ridiculous prices, ASUCLA hosts
occasional sales where costs are slashed to semi-normal levels
(approximately the amounts charged for the same items in many
off-campus stores) to spur renewed interest.
In the meantime, ASUCLA student employee starting salaries hover
near minimum wage, ensuring that absolutely none of the profits
from the extra-high prices return to the student consumers.
The logic that students should pay less should apply to all
businesses running in Ackerman: the music store, school supplies
and the bookstore (not to mention textbooks, which involve a whole
separate debate).
UCLA fails to realize an important fact: most students are
broke. Forcing us to pay higher prices on campus defeats the
purpose of living on campus. If the university catered to more
varied student needs, everyone would benefit.
Instead of spending money on food, CDs, cigarettes and books in
Westwood, students could be sending that money back into the
university if the student store increased its usefulness.
Living on campus already puts students at a disadvantage
compared to their off-campus peers. The rent prices, meal plan
prices and parking situation are generally more inconvenient or
expensive than off-campus alternatives.
Ensuring that students can at least buy some essentials cheaply
is a duty that the UCLA administration must address.
Correction: posted
1/9/02CORRECTION:
The column “ASUCLA fails to meet student needs”
(Viewpoint, Jan. 8) should have stated that the market in Ackerman
Union carries eggs