The two largest slates in the undergraduate student government elections seem to live in glass houses. Yet again, a scandal has hit the Undergraduate Students Association Council. This time, LET’S ACT! is in the hot seat. A series of documents was leaked on Facebook Monday alleging that members of the slate illegally spent student fees […]
Category Archives: Opinion Columns
Chloe Lew: USAC internal vice president should revamp underutilized campus spots
Most of my first friendships at UCLA were consolidated in the dorms, sprawled across Rendezvous-stained couches in the floor lounge or losing badly at pool in the recreation rooms. But when I moved off of the Hill, I quickly realized that the places I grew so fond of in the dorms my freshman year didn’t […]
Ara Shirinian: Students need a voice in commencement speaker decisions
At this year’s graduation ceremony, the class of 2015 will get the chance to learn an important lesson: In the real world, success is measured in bills, not principles. The keynote speaker for UCLA’s commencement ceremony has just been announced as Nathan Myhrvold. He is the cofounder of Intellectual Ventures, the worlds biggest “patent troll,” […]
Aram Ghoogasian: Still no restitution 100 years after Armenian Genocide
If you sift through the sands of the Syrian desert today, you can still find 100-year-old bones. The Armenian Genocide began 100 years ago today. Roughly 1.5 million Armenians were sent to their graves over the course of the following eight years, creating a trauma that transcends generations. Perhaps what is most painful for people […]
Shani Shahmoon: Israeli Independence Day provides opportunity for campus discussion
Sometimes, one people’s independence is another people’s displacement. In 1948, Israel declared itself a state. As a result of the declaration of the State of Israel, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced from their homes and forced to flee to neighboring countries. While Israelis celebrate their independence, Palestinians mourn Al-Nakba, or “the catastrophe.” This […]
Ryan Nelson: Students should back plans for eco-friendly LA through voting, advocacy
In college, C’s get degrees. When it comes to county governments though, a C tends to denote a lot less accomplishment. Which is why it must have hurt about two weeks ago when the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability issued a report that gave Los Angeles County a big, fat C+. The report, […]
Kunal Patel: UC must support legislation that improves treatment of research animals
As a biochemistry student who has worked in research labs, one of my greatest dilemmas has been whether research conducted on animals is ethical. It is understandable why scientists test on animals – it’s the closest thing to human trials. But more importantly, scientists can attempt all sorts of experiments that range from benign nutrition […]