As the war in Iraq dies down, Bruins are divided over whether
the conflict has changed their university.
Some students see the campus as a different place as compared to
the beginning of the year, marked by protests and more interest in
world politics.
But others say the effects of a conflict half a world away have
not had a long-term impact on UCLA, especially as it was resolved
quickly.
One of the most visible changes on and around campus this year
have been various protests against the war.
On March 5 over 1,000 students walked out of their classes and
gathered at Bruin Plaza in the campus’ largest protest this
year.
While students walked out of their classes across the nation,
UCLA had one of the highest turnout rates, said Sophia Kozak, who
helped coordinate the walkout. Kozak is also the undergraduate
government Academic Affairs commissioner.
She said students have become more connected to political issues
as a result of the war and the protests.
“One of the most important parts of education is that
we’re able to connect education to the injustices that are
happening in the world today,” Kozak said.
Some students protested regularly during fall and winter
quarters. Many took to the streets during finals week when the
United States began bombing Iraq.
But political science professor Thomas Schwartz said this does
not show the war has had a major effect on the campus.
“People on college campuses are always looking for reasons
to get involved in things,” Schwartz said.
This school year’s series of protests has often been
compared to protests against the Vietnam War.
But Schwartz said the war in Iraq cannot be compared to Vietnam
because the former was much shorter and there was no threat of a
draft.
As a result, the current conflict did not have as much of an
impact on the campus community, he added.
Some students said the campus is in a bubble, isolated from the
rest of the world.
“The war is so far away that no one really cares,”
said Marie Choi, a fourth-year international economics and
international development studies student who is graduating this
week.
But while the campus as a whole may not be affected, many
students ““ including Choi ““ were affected personally by
the war.
Choi said she opposed the war, but at the same time she was
concerned for her boyfriend, who is in the army but was not sent to
Iraq.
“In the beginning, I was really worried he would be sent
to Iraq,” Choi said.
Meanwhile, some students fear what may happen to family members
currently living in Iraq.
“A lot of people are praying every night … just hoping
that their family is alive and well,” said Mariam Jukaku,
incoming president of the Muslim Student Association.
She said the war has made students pay more attention to world
events ““ including the suffering of Muslims in the Middle
East ““ and that students have generally been supportive.
The protests helped to show the UCLA community that they cannot
go about business as usual, Jukaku added.
Since the end of winter quarter, when the U.S. military began
marching toward Baghdad, the anti-war protests have become less
frequent.
This quarter Kozak and other protesters turned to student fees,
an issue they argue is related to the war.
Because the federal government is spending more money on war,
there is less money for social programs such as education, and
students are being asked to foot the bill, she said.
“It’s very telling of where the
administration’s priorities lie,” Kozak said.