A free meal could signify a first date or a birthday celebration, but for student government members, it could easily represent a conflict of interest. While members of the Undergraduate Students Association Council are not being treated to steak dinners, a few have accepted expenses-paid trips to the other side of the world. Among these […]
Category Archives: Opinion Columns
Zoey Freedman: Current counseling unhelpful for undeclared students
I came into college as an undeclared student, and as I near the end of my second year, one thing hasn’t changed – I’m still undeclared. Throughout my first year, I was continually reassured by both my peers and counselors that I still had time to choose a major and should just enjoy my classes […]
Travis Fife: LA law enforcement must be open about license plate data collection
With the revelation that the National Security Agency, among other federal bodies, is collecting huge amounts of data on American citizens, it’s probably not surprising that Los Angeles County law enforcement agencies have adopted similar tactics. News reports and a lawsuit have revealed details of a police program that employs technology to indiscriminately take pictures […]
Chloe Lew: Standardize UC foreign language reqs across the board
It is difficult to grade someone’s ability to hold a conversation when you have never heard them speak. Yet several University of California campuses look at foreign language education the same way many students look at their least significant classes: “pass” or “no pass.” Although the foreign language requirement is firmly rooted in UCLA’s College […]
Alexandra Tashman: Campus climate calls for immediate effort
When one in four members of the UCLA community report experiencing hostile, exclusionary, intimidating or offensive conduct, it becomes necessary to do everything possible to decrease that number.
Natalie Delgadillo: General representative candidates should have cohesive platform
After this summer’s stipend increase, every student government officer gets paid $672 a month. For most members of the Undergraduate Students Association Council who have clearly defined roles and a very structured office, it’s relatively clear what the student body is paying them to do. For the three general representatives that sit on council, however, […]
Ryan Nelson: UC, AFSCME agreement shows change is possible
Three strikes, and the University of California is out. Or so it appears, given the fact that the yearlong, contentious contract negotiations between the American Federation State, County and Municipal Employees 3299 and the UC ended mere days before the union was set to host its third strike. It’s a result that shocked many (including […]