The system of checks and balances is a concept we’re taught in middle school and yet our student government doesn’t seem to have a firm grasp on what it really means. As it stands, the president of the Undergraduate Students Association Council has almost absolute power to make about 70 appointments to several campus committees […]
Category Archives: Opinion Columns
Zoey Freedman: Installing condom vending machines would promote student health
Buying contraception should be as convenient as buying a late night snack. Universities across the country say they want to promote healthy living and safe sex among their students, yet many of them do not have birth control readily available for students. As a response to this issue, some schools have started putting forms of […]
Julia McCarthy: Transfer resources need improvement
Sabrina Adams has an auditory learning disability, meaning sometimes it takes her longer to take in and process a lecture. Taking notes and listening at the same time can be a challenge. But when she came to UCLA as a third-year sociology transfer student this fall, she wasn’t aware of the resources available to her, […]
Alexandra Tashman: Parking crucial to educational access for Bruins with disabilities
I spent the better part of my sophomore year at UCLA in bumper-to-bumper traffic. In fact, I’d probably say I spent more time in my car than I did in class. As a commuter student, I was lucky that I had the means to afford a car. But almost as important as being able to […]
Ryan Nelson: Homeboy Industries brings LA to Bruins
Located at the northern edge of Chinatown, just two miles southeast of Dodger Stadium and a mile north of City Hall, Homeboy Industries stands out against the backdrop of a towering train overpass, across from nondescript buildings adorned in Chinese script and a massive lot half-filled with yellow school buses. It’s literally the end of the line. […]
Chloe Lew: UCLA brand abroad should reflect university values
Just before my first day at UCLA and more than 7,000 miles from campus, I came across another “UCLA” in the form of a small apparel store in Guangzhou, China. In the store, I saw bold American flags and a bronze trophy. The single-room outlet was lined with racks of starched button-up shirts, fancy neckties […]
Aram Ghoogasian: Council’s unity, success now in hands of new executives
Next year’s council has a useful example of how to improve the atmosphere of student government – the current council’s term has been characterized by repeated conflicts along slate lines, a problem that the next council has a responsibility to solve.