Columnist has become complacent
I just finished reading Pearring’s column (“A ten-minute talk with Block,” Feb. 16) about your 10 minutes of nothing to say and it leaves me a bit stunned. You had me for the first half, and then you just blew it.
I used to write a column for the Daily Bruin when I was a student.
Now that I’m teaching here (three of my current students are on your editorial board) I certainly would know what I’d like to hear you say to the chancellor.
This is your fourth year, and you never took one of my classes (Art of the Interview, Literature of Journalism, Articles to Film, Memoir Writing).
So, I guess I just have to shake my head in wonder about your glibness at being so satisfied about how good you have it here, when in fact next year may be a whole different kettle of fish.
But you’ll be out of here, so what the heck.
Still, you’re a columnist, and you should be delving deeper into issues that concern your fellow students.
If you had taken one of my classes this quarter, or last, I doubt that you would find yourself at a loss when you get your 10 minutes.
Larry Grobel,
Lecturer, English
Alumnus
UCLA’s bounty worth the sacrifice
I would like to thank Pearring for his wonderful column (“A ten-minute talk with Block,” Feb. 16) about his planned visit with Chancellor Block.
I’ve worked at UCLA for 30 years and attended graduate school here. I’ve also visited more than 100 other major U.S. universities, from Yale to UC Santa Cruz, and I believe that UCLA is about as good as it gets.
I often read the complaints of students, and I don’t mean to belittle them. Someone upset enough to write about something is usually pretty upset.
But I believe all you have to do is attend Spring Sing, a football game at the Rose Bowl, any sporting event in the hallowed halls of Pauley, or a lecture by one of our amazing faculty ““ or just hang out under the jacarandas in the Sculpture Garden in May, swim and sun at Sunset Canyon, sip a latte under the streaming stained-glass colors in Kerckhoff, or get a great spot in line for the Kogi truck ““ and you’ll know that UCLA is special enough to make us realize that fee hikes are inevitable in tough times, and that rules and bureaucracy are essential to keep a community of this size operating.
Thank you for reminding your fellow Bruins that UCLA is amazing and that it’s good to be a Bruin!
Jackie Reynolds
Director, Campus Services
Office of Information Technology
MBA ’85