A two-unit companion course to the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, created by members of the Grand Challenges team working toward reaching 100 percent sustainability in Los Angeles by 2050, is paving the way for a new form of education that UCLA should consider implementing. A year has passed since UCLA launched the Grand Challenges initiative […]
Author Archives: Samah Pirzada
Samah Pirzada: Circle of 6 safety app useful despite rough edges
The Undergraduate Students Association Council Internal Vice President’s office has accomplished a feat in moving a safety application called Circle of 6 to a UCLA-specific app development and marketing development stage. The app could make a huge difference for students in terms of sexual assault prevention and post-assault assistance. To be clear, the app is […]
Samah Pirzada: Dining Services must serve up sustainable info
Instead of blindly accepting what UCLA dining halls are feeding us, UCLA students should start asking questions about where their food is coming from. Whole Foods Market, Walmart and even McDonald’s have launched programs that educate the public about the value of responsibly grown food. Whole Foods’ program, Responsibly Grown, provides information for consumers about […]
Samah Pirzada: Success of plastic bag ban dependent on student commitment
The California ban on single-use plastic bags is a huge step toward reducing litter, but it might not be as effective a change as its advocates assume. On Sept. 30, Gov. Jerry Brown became the first governor to sign a statewide ban on plastic bags in grocery and convenience stores. Many California cities already instituted […]
Samah Pirzada: Positive dialogue about mental health necessary to erase stigma
Last year, the demand for student mental health services at UCLA increased by 23 percent. But even as demand increases and college students continue to struggle mentally and emotionally, a stigma still exists around mental health issues that prevents students from being proactive in seeking help. This year, the Undergraduate Students Association Council, through its […]
Samah Pirzada: Students should take action against restrictive voter ID laws
College students across the nation are rising up against Republican-sponsored voter ID laws, which are making the process of voting harder and decreasing young voter participation rates. Many civil rights groups, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Advancement Project, based in Washington, D.C., are up in arms about these […]
Samah Pirzada: Campus safety statistics need context to give a complete picture
Normally, high crime numbers are a bad thing. But when crimes are underreported, as is the case with sexual assault, UCLA’s high rates of reporting are something to be proud of. Nonetheless, a proposal to account for reported crimes in college rankings could penalize UCLA for these numbers. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough), along with several […]