Business students don’t need new groups
A recent article cited students founding Bruin Finance, a “student organization hoping to compensate for the lack of finance and business-related majors on campus” (“Bruin Finance counts on new members,” May 5).
All six students are members of Delta Sigma Pi, a business fraternity that already founded Bruin Consulting to compensate for the lack of finance and business-related majors on campus. Yes, UCLA does not have a business major on campus at this time, and yes, economics majors are at a disadvantage because of the lack of a business program here. But adding another homogenized business group on campus is not the right solution.
Founding new business groups only shows an inherent problem in business organizations in general. Existing groups should be pioneering these issues, not making new groups with the same ideology and the same events. Delta Sigma Pi’s Bruin Consulting already tried to bring the Boston Consulting Group to UCLA recruitment. The result: more business panels. Recruitment has not changed much since then.
Please stop founding unnecessary business groups. If Bruin Finance wants to facilitate change, include a Delta Sigma Pi subdivision that deals with getting a business major on campus, improving programs with the funds you already have and thinking of new ways to attract more firms to UCLA. Don’t rob USAC of funding so you can dazzle students with the same routine and no change.
Dudley Chen
Fourth-year, economics
UC president’s remark is misleading
UC President Mark G. Yudof said, “I think many of you are exaggerating a little on the consequences that will result from the fee increases. Looking at the numbers, 81 percent of families with incomes under $180,000 will not pay a penny more due to financial aid.” (“Board raises UC fees,” May 8) For many UC students, that “financial aid” comes in the form of increased student loans, which we’ll likely be paying off for the rest of our careers. On what planet does that constitute not paying a penny more? It’s not even just a penny more ““ it’s a penny with interest.
Lisa Concoff Kronbeck
Graduate student, law school and public policy
Reporters did not ask for my side of story
I was surprised to read about my alleged actions in the May 7 article “Bruins United may have violated USAC election code.” Both the Daily Bruin and the writer of the article, Audrey Kuo ““ who was not present at the event and based her article on other peoples’ accounts ““ acted, wrote and printed the article without ever contacting me for my side of the story.
The reporters who interacted with me ““ Elise Swanson and Kate Stanhope ““ got their chance to make accusations about my supposed actions, but not once was I contacted by Kuo to have my chance at explaining my side of the story. The article did not present both sides so readers could make up their own minds, but rather accused me of things that I did not do and also left certain things out to make me look even guiltier.
The Daily Bruin has told me that it cannot publish anything that goes against its reporters’ accounts; so unfortunately I cannot use this space to effectively defend myself. The fact that the Daily Bruin failed to contact me for my side speaks volumes.
They did not even try to verify that I was actually the person who interacted with the reporters, being that I never gave them my full name. It is reprehensible for the Daily Bruin to print these accusations about me without giving me a chance to defend myself and without any evidence. This paper has unfortunately sunk to the level of tabloid journalism.
Roxana Pourshalimi
Fourth-year, political science
2007-2008 General Representative, Undergraduate Council
Obama’s health plan panders to industry
As a fourth-year medical student set to begin a Family Medicine residency in June, I am quite upset to hear President Obama lauding the various corporate players in his health-reform game over their “concession” that would save us “trillions” over the next few years.
Clearly, their gift is a last-ditch effort to preserve their own bottom lines and has nothing to do with working toward real reform. These companies will continue to put profits over people.
We need real reform, not public relations stunts. Insurance companies, Big Pharma, HMOs and other corporations have too many seats at the table, and as long as they are the go-to players, we will never have true reform.
My mother is a 10-year breast cancer survivor who cannot get any health insurance coverage for less than $15,000 a year. What good is $2,500 in savings going to do her? She will still have an outrageous co-pay for every doctor visit, and she still will not have prescription coverage.
Obama’s corporate players would not make the offer they have made unless they remain able to profit at the expense of our health. This profiteering is not right, and it is not why so many Americans cast their votes for change.
We expect, and deserve, more from our president. We want real leadership, which requires that Obama invite consumer health care advocates to the table. If the president cares about our health more than corporate profits and future campaign donations, he must listen to the people best positioned to advise him: consumers (and not those who are industry lackeys) and physicians, including those involved with Physicians for a National Health Program.
President Obama should use his time speaking to the American public to engage people in the debate and keep the floor open to the idea that people really do come before profits. After eight years of corporations dictating the White House’s every move, it’s time to for the real change we were promised.
Scott Nass
Graduate student,
David Geffen School of Medicine