Aram Ghoogasian’s unfair and inaccurate portrayal of the Graduate Students Association, along with Students for Justice in Palestine’s usage of uncharitable tactics to express concerns with our funding of a Diversity Caucus Town Hall, leave us very worried about the level and style of political discourse at UCLA. It is important to clarify what actually […]
Category Archives: Community
Submission: USAC EVP aims to use student power to cause, enforce change
I first came into this office with the promise of consolidating and leveraging student power to better our lives. I said that we must build a bridge with University of California President Janet Napolitano and the governor’s office. Many said it could not be done. I said that we must use our resources to directly […]
Submission: USAC bylaw changes could erase history, silence students of color
As a first-year African-American transfer student here at UCLA, I thought I would walk into a welcoming environment where my voice and activism would be respected given my position of marginalization. Instead, I experienced many instances of racism and microaggression. For example, the “Kanye Western-themed” party during Black Bruin Welcome Week. I did not think […]
Letter to the Editor: SJP should have brought concerns to GSA instead of acquiring lawyers
The Graduate Student Association does not have a dedicated funding body for events. When the Diversity Caucus requested GSA funding for their town hall with Vice Chancellor Jerry Kang, GSA’s cabinet made an exception and provided ad-hoc funding from surplus funds. Out of respect to all Bruins, GSA sought to avoid the potentially divisive and […]
Submission: GSA must revoke policies that bar group funding based on viewpoints
It has recently been reported that the Graduate Student Association has adopted a policy to deny student funding to groups that endorse or are even connected to campaigns in support of divestment from companies that violate Palestinian human rights. In an official email sent to organizers of the Diversity Caucus, GSA President Milan Chatterjee declared […]
Submission: Bruin seeks UCLA legal help following litigation from SJP leaders
On Nov. 19, 2015, Students for Justice in Palestine leaders sent me an email requesting documentation. Because they’ve retained attorneys and filed a legal letter with the chancellor, I followed protocol and referred them to UCLA’s legal department. After SJP followed up with administrators on this matter, they released a blog post, making a baseless […]
Submission: Arab-American Bruins must defeat apathy, advocate at national level
One of the most disappointing moments for Arab-Americans at UCLA occurred when I asked a room of 15 UCLA Arab and Arab-interest students about going to Harvard Arab Weekend, or HAW – the largest pan-Arab conference in the Western Hemisphere, as a UCLA delegation (with airfare and other fees almost fully covered). I received four […]