Each quarter, the Daily Bruin’s editorial board meets with UCLA Chancellor Gene Block to discuss campus issues and to understand university policy. This quarter’s meeting on Wednesday covered topics including diversity, campus finances and hiring practices. Block also answered questions that readers submitted about entrepreneurship and large scale events.
- Block said faculty on the Moreno Report Implementation Committee are working to write the job description for the new Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion position. He said he has received recommendations about who should be on the search committee and that the university hopes to start the search in the end of spring and fill the position by fall. However, he said he was willing to wait if he needed to, in order to find the right person.
- Two new staff-level positions have been created to handle cases of discrimination and Block said he expects that the positions will be filled quickly.
- Block said he advises students to talk to faculty about their concerns about the diversity general educational requirement.
- Every email sent to Block gets read by the chancellor’s office, he said. He said that “action items” are sent to those who have expertise to respond or give advice on how Block should handle the situation.
- Block said the University of California Office of the President is negotiating with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 union about wages. While Block does not play a role in the negotiations, he said the UCOP will keep UCLA’s financial situation in mind.
- Block said he supports the creation of the African American studies department. The biggest problem with creating new departments is securing funding and recommends that campus members pursue private donations, he said.
- In response to the recent crimes that occurred in the North Village, Block said UCPD will have a higher density of police officers patrolling the area. He said UCLA should work to educate students about the risks of walking late at night.
- Increasing the frequency of large scale events such as the Hillary Clinton’s Luskin Lecture is an option Block said he will consider to make them more available to students. The biggest problem, he said, is finding a venue of the right size. While holding such events in Pauley Pavilion can pose security risks, Royce Hall is a little too small, he said.
Compiled by Chandini Soni, Bruin senior staff.