Student Regent Dexter Ligot-Gordon answered questions and tried
to get a feel for UCLA students’ concerns at an open forum on
campus yesterday.

He discussed rising student fees, diversity, programs and
environmental efforts in front of nearly 25 people, including
members of the graduate and undergraduate student governments.

One of the largest concerns brought up at the meeting is the
state’s budget problems, which could have a direct impact on
students.

In Gov. Gray Davis’ budget proposal, students face the
prospect of paying $795 more per quarter in student fees while
getting fewer services.

The university would say it is protecting students by not
cutting the instructional budget ““ used for paying faculty
salaries and other costs of teaching ““ even though it plans
on raising student fees, according to Ligot-Gordon.

“Everyone argues they are doing what is in the best
interest of students,” Ligot-Gordon said. “Students
need to speak up and say what they want.”

He explained the legislature is currently debating the
governor’s budget proposal, and students have an opportunity
to influence the final budget.

“I think he did a good job of saying where we currently
stand,” said T.J. Cordero, internal vice president of
UCLA’s undergraduate student government.

“I think it was a good effort on his part to come
here,” Cordero added.

The UC Regents have already increased student fees by $135 per
quarter starting in the spring, a decision Ligot-Gordon voted
against.

Student services face a 20 percent cut in Davis’ proposed
budget, and Bob Naples ““ assistant vice chancellor of student
and campus life ““ said a majority of the cuts are likely to
come in funding for student programming.

Campus administrators are not given any flexibility in how to
implement these cuts, said Chancellor Albert Carnesale, who was
present for the entire forum.

“There’s no way to get out of this without everyone
feeling some pain,” Carnesale said.

But Ligot-Gordon tried to persuade the students who were there
to make their voices heard anyway, saying regents and legislators
can be swayed.

He was not concerned with the relatively small turnout, which he
said gave those in attendance a better opportunity to ask him
questions.

One of Ligot-Gordon’s largest concerns is student
outreach, which Davis proposed to cut in half.

He said he got into UC Berkeley through student outreach, and
the university has a responsibility to protect it as part of its
core mission.

Carnesale told students he spoke with state legislators last
week and does not expect them to approve the outreach cuts.

The student regent also discussed other diversity issues,
calling the Racial Privacy Initiative a “really bad
idea” and the lack of discussion about it
“tragic.”

The RPI, proposed by UC Regent Ward Connerly, would prevent the
state from collecting data regarding the race, gender or ethnicity
of people in state programs.

Scheduled for a vote in 2004, the initiative has been criticized
for harming social science research and outreach.

“The Regents will take a stance on this before I
leave,” Ligot-Gordon said. “That’s a
promise.”

He did not specify what the position would be but predicted it
would describe how the RPI would harm the university.