Walkouts, sit-ins, teach-ins and rallies ““ these are some
of the expressions of political awareness at UCLA.
For many graduating UCLA students, the last four years have been
a time to become acquainted with various ethnic and political
groups, the concerns of these groups and the myriad of political
ideologies that exist.
Numerous students said that during their careers at UCLA, their
political ideology shifted, and more often than not, that shift was
identified in a liberal direction. Many students attributed this
change to the prevalence of protests and political activism at
UCLA.
On March 14, 2001, over 1,000 people protested a University of
California Board of Regents’ meeting held at UCLA. They
demanded the regents repeal the UC’s policy that prohibited
considering race or ethnicity in the admissions process ““
better known as SP-1 and -2.
Many students recognize the benefit of this kind of political
activism, especially at a public university marked by diverse
ethnic groups and political ideas.
“Going to different political things, and talking to
friends, you start to realize there are two sides to every
issue,” said fourth-year business economics student Iman
Navand.
But the feelings of many students, even those who support
liberal ideologies, is that UCLA tends to push students left of
center.
“Rallies and protests polarize student views towards the
left,” said David Gonzales, a fifth-year economics and
American literature and culture student.
James Sidanius, a psychology professor who specializes in
political and social psychology, said this phenomenon is not
atypical of American universities.
“American universities have been for a long time, fairly
liberal environments,” he said.
Mary Bresticker, a fourth-year English student, attributed this
university characteristic to the increased discussion of ideas and
the personal freedom students experience when they move away to
college and leave the environment in which they grew up.
“Your natural inclination when you come to a university is
to open your mind to new possibilities,” she said.
“These liberalizing changes,” Sidanius added,
“tend to stay with them for the rest of their
lives.”
But for some students, the politicization works in the opposite
direction.
Andrew Jones, former chairman of the Bruin Republicans, has been
highly visible as a conservative political student voice.
Jones, who said he came to college with a more liberal ideology,
said his interactions with other students and professors at UCLA
moved him towards conservatism.
“What I was being taught and what I was hearing
didn’t sound right, but I didn’t know what was
right,” said Jones, a fourth-year political science
student.
“When you have that sense of outrage that you are only
getting half the education you deserve, that is when you either
become an activist, or give up,” he added.
Jones took the activist route, becoming an outspoken Republican
voice at UCLA and involving himself in numerous political protests
and counter-protests.
In March, when students walked out on their classes during the
middle of lecture to protest military action in Iraq, Jones and
other Bruin Republicans were waiting for the anti-war protesters as
they moved into Bruin Plaza. The Bruin Republicans were protesting
the protest.
Jones said he appreciated the opportunities UCLA provided
politically aware students, but that sadly, the only political
stance many students take is apathy.
Some students said their political involvement, or lack thereof,
was a matter of priorities.
“Politics take a back seat to homework and finals,”
said Sean Matsuoka, a fifth-year biology student.
For students like Brittany O’Dale, a fourth-year
biochemistry student, the decision to not take a political stance
is an act of exercising her right to be undecided.
Regardless of her own position, O’Dale said the political
atmosphere of UCLA is a beneficial thing.
“It’s easier to stay well-informed,” she
said.
But Asiya Razvi, who has been politically active as both an
undergraduate and graduate student at UCLA, said students must take
the initiative if they wish to be politically challenged.
“Otherwise, you just slide right through,” she
said.