MICHAEL JENNINGS Debbie Davis (left) and
Irene Yun listen to Blinker
Punsulan-Wood speak at a UCSA conference in Ackerman Union
on Saturday.
By Marjorie Hernandez
Daily Bruin Reporter
Members of the University of California Student Association met
at UCLA over the weekend to discuss student issues, including
housing, dual admissions, student group funding, affirmative action
and the status of two bill proposals.
UCSA’s concerns included the increased need for student
housing. Due to Tidal Wave II, the expected influx of an additional
60,000 undergraduate students by the year 2010, the issue of
overcrowding and insufficient living arrangements have alarmed
board members.
“I think it’s a crisis,” said UCSA President
Debbie Davis. “We’re looking at a serious housing
problem, and I think it will require a heroic effort to meet the
demand.”
But the problem of overcrowding may also affect graduate
housing, since space may be given to incoming undergraduates
instead, Davis said.
UCSA and the Cal State Students Association are working together
for a legislative hearing tentatively set in San Jose within the
next seven to eight weeks to discuss the housing problem, Davis
said.
UCSA also discussed problems with dual admissions, which the UC
Regents hope to implement by 2002.
Currently, high school students who graduate in the top top 12.5
percent of high schools statewide or top 4 percent of their school
are guaranteed admission to a UC. With dual admissions, those who
graduate in the next 4 to 12.5 percent of their high school are
guaranteed transfer to a UC after completing two years at a
community college.
Some problems board members listed include not knowing how many
students will pursue a bachelor’s degree after receiving
their associates, and determining how many special counselors to
hire for the program.
“I think it’s a really good idea in theory,”
said Jenna Clemmens, student representative on the board of
admissions and relations with schools. “But there’s
still a lot of logistic problems that have to be worked
out.”
The third item on UCSA’s agenda was student fees. The UC
Office of the President will come out with a draft within the next
two weeks of new guidelines that will affect allocation of
mandatory student fees.
Last March, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the use of compulsory
student fees to fund groups in the case of Southworth v. University
of Wisconsin, provided allocations are made on a content neutral
basis.
The case was brought forward by law student Scott Southworth,
who claimed the school’s policy on allocating mandatory fees
violated students’ First Amendment right to free speech by
using the money to support campus organizations students
opposed.
UCSA hopes to mobilize students to support the student
perspective concerning student fees allocation.
“This is an issue of free speech, ” said UCSA field
organizer Blinker Punsulan-Wood. “We anticipate that the
university is drafting a policy that allows the administration to
define what student activities and events can and cannot be funded
with mandatory student fees.”
Recently, the UCLA Undergraduate Students Association Council
approved amendments to its bylaws for viewpoint-neutral funding for
student groups.
UCSA also updated the status of two proposed bills which would
limit the debt of graduate and professional students and provide
loan reinbursements.
But according to Peter Pursley, legislative affairs director and
special counsel of UCSA, California’s recent energy crisis
has consumed state legislators’ attention.
“The energy crisis has made legislators much more cautious
about which bills they are willing to introduce,” said
Pursley. “It’s a real challenge because there is so
much competition.”
Recently, UCSA and the UC Council of Student Fees secured $3
million for student services from UCOP CSF chair Nika Omid said
during the meeting that allocation of these funds have not been
determined.
“The standard is to (divide the money) by
population,” Davis said. “But it’s still not
written in stone.”
UCSA members also debated whether they were spending too much
time addressing the issue of affirmative action.
“I realize SP-1 is a huge issue, but there are still other
issues we have to look at,” said Nick Papas, UCSA board
member from Berkeley.
Student Regent Justin Fong said recent reports showing an
increase in the number of underrepresented student applications
does not reflect the actual drop in minority enrollment.
“The University of California has set up a system of smoke
and mirrors to hide reality,” Fong said.
“If we want to solve this problem, we have to be honest
about it,” he said.