Editorial: Year’s politics begets question of what USAC role should be

The tenure of the 2013-2014 Undergraduate Students Association Council was a boom-and-bust cycle, marked by the highs of successful inter-office projects and the lows of persistent missteps in transparency and procedure. More often than not, it was the failures in decision-making and collaboration that set the tone at the council table. Controversies such as the […]

Editorial: UC’s court settlements fail to address root grievances

As the University of California Board of Regents well knows, court settlements can be useful in dodging unfavorable legal outcomes and the bad press that accompanies them. But a recent $10 million settlement in a whistleblower-retaliation case involving UCLA doctors illustrates why settlements pose a challenge for a public university. Namely, they bury information and […]

Editorial: Bill would improve hospital security, response to violence

The unrelated stabbings of two nurses at separate UCLA hospitals Sunday morning left one nurse in critical condition and shook the feeling of comfort and safety in the medical centers. The injuries inflicted upon these on-duty nurses serve as a chilling reminder of a couple of stark realities: First, hospitals are some of the most […]

Editorial: Lick Observatory still vital to students, researchers

The University of California’s Lick Observatory will face some serious financial hardships in coming years if the University does not re-evaluate its priorities. Built near San Jose in 1888, the observatory is the only one entirely owned by the University. But as the University invests in new technology elsewhere, the Lick Observatory has seen its […]

Editorial: SAT changes need more emphasis on writing skills

When prospective University of California students open up their SAT booklets starting in spring 2016, they will dive into a test that could overlook writing, a skill vital to performance both at the university level and beyond. The College Board announced major changes to the structure of the exam in March, including a return to […]