US Department of Education to investigate UCLA, schools involved in bribery scheme

The U.S. Department of Education sent letters Tuesday stating it will investigate UCLA and seven other universities involved in a recent admissions scandal.

Parents and coaches were accused March 12 of falsifying standardized test scores and bribing coaches to secure admission for their children at prestigious universities.

Jorge Salcedo, the recently resigned men’s soccer coach allegedly involved in the scheme, pled not guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering Monday.

The department will conduct a preliminary investigation to determine whether the schools mismanaged federal student aid during the admissions scandal, according to the Associated Press.

A letter released by the department stated each university is required to provide documentation outlining the admissions process for student-athletes, as well as any evidence of misrepresentation or fraud.

UCLA is reviewing the department’s letter and intends to cooperate with the investigation, said Ricardo Vasquez, a UCLA spokesperson.

If any university is found to have engaged in fraudulent or illegal activity, it may have its federal student aid revoked, the AP reported.

 

Beach volleyball bolsters win streak after sweeping Oregon, Loyola Marymount

Two more sweeps. One new record.

Behind a new school record by senior Izzy Carey, No. 1 UCLA beach volleyball (17-0, 1-0 Pac-12) swept both Oregon (1-7, 0-3) and No. 13 Loyola Marymount (13-6) on Tuesday afternoon at Ocean Park Beach in Santa Monica.

Carey set a new UCLA record for most wins in a career after her win against the Ducks pushed her to 103 victories. She extended her new record to 104 with a three-set win over the Lions.

“(I was) just trying to stay focused and be in the moment,” Carey said. “I did know it was coming, and people kept bringing it up. But it was fun because my teammates are incredibly supportive, so it was fun to experience it with them.”

Coach Stein Metzger said he has never seen a more disciplined or harder worker than Carey in his years as the UCLA coach.

“In terms of leadership, both on and off the court, (Carey) is second to none,” Metzger said. “It has translated into a wonderful career for her, and she’s still going. I can’t think of anyone more deserving than her to hold the current title of most wins at UCLA.”

With players such as junior Lily Justine and sophomore Lea Monkhouse out through illness, new duos were formed just before the team headed to Santa Monica.

Sophomore Mac May played in her first competitive match since Feb. 24 when she paired with junior Savvy Simo on court three against the Ducks. The pair clinched the match with a straight set win of 21-12, 21-14.

Senior Sarah Sponcil and junior Madi Yeomans won all four sets, beating the Ducks 21-17, 21-10 and the Lions 21-14, 21-19, both on court two. Senior Zana Muno and freshman Abby Van Winkle played on court four against the Ducks and court three against the Lions, winning in straight sets in both games.

Against the Lions, seniors Megan and Nicole McNamara clinched for the Bruins with a 21-18, 21-10 to win their 14th match of the year. The twins have only lost once this season, falling at No. 2 USC (16-2).

May said the weeks off allowed her to continue to fine tune her game, and she felt that her and Simo played well together even though their communication was not completely ideal at the start of their match against Oregon.

“It is a little nerve-wracking going back into the lineup,” May said. “I kept trying to get better and kept trying to improve so that if I went back in, I wouldn’t have to feel any rust. I’m happy that I didn’t let up at all.”

The Bruins will now head to Miami to compete in the Surf & Turf Invitational. UCLA is scheduled to face No. 3 Florida State (14-4, 7-1 CCSA), No. 4 LSU (13-4, 5-0), No. 8 FIU (8-5, 2-0), and No. 10 Stetson (14-4 ASUN).

The Bruins have already faced the Seminoles, the Tigers and the Panthers during the East Meets West Invitational earlier this year. UCLA won all three of those games 4-1 as they completed an undefeated weekend.

Carey said the team is looking forward to the cross-country trip as the Bruins use this opportunity to get a feel for what conditions might be like at the NCAA championships in May later this season.

“Miami is always a fun trip,” Carey said. “It’s always over spring break, so it’s a really fun time. It gets really hot there, so it’s good preparation for Alabama in May. It’s really good conditioningwise, playing four matches in a weekend in intense heat.”

Concert review: James Bay’s ‘Electric Light’ tour energizes audience with vibrant sounds

James Bay strutted on stage in a leather jacket, wielding a jet-black guitar while strumming electricity into the air.

The indie rock artist brought melodic vocals to The Wiltern on Monday night during the Los Angeles leg of the “Electric Light” tour. Although the tour was supposed to take place last year, Bay said it was rescheduled because he needed to work on some songs. A sold-out crowd came for the performance that featured tracks from both his latest album, “Electric Light,” and his 2014 debut, “Chaos and the Calm.” Bay’s rich vocals atop the live instrumentals showcased layers of full-bodied sound more vibrant and pronounced than the ones found in the recorded versions.

Before Bay and his four bandmates flooded the hall with near-deafening beats, opener Noah Kahan welcomed the audience with rustic, minimalist tracks and wistful hair tosses. Dressed with a denim button-up and acoustic guitar, the folksy pop singer serenaded the crowd with a range of fragile refrains and soulful runs during a set that included “False Confidence” and “Hurt Somebody.” His sentimental ballad dedicated to a friend who died, “Carlos Song,” swarmed the atmosphere with heart-wrenching emotions.

In juxtaposition with Kahan’s homey appeal, Bay opened his set with a performance of “Pink Lemonade,” his slender frame rambunctiously bouncing along with the bass line. After switching guitars – which he did after every song – Bay continued the upbeat energy with “Craving,” the first track from his debut album. As he moved effortlessly between the soft verses and drum-driven chorus, beams of light oscillated between the stage and audience, creating a captivating display that immersed the crowd in the dynamic performance.

The lighting shifted to a deep blue before Bay ignited “Just for Tonight,” an upbeat song about giving in to the lust of a past romance, with his electric guitar. Though the instruments overpowered Bay’s vocals during the verses, the sheer volume exuding from the stage charged the ambiance with palpable excitement.

Soon after, the audience relaxed its rocking to a soft sway as Bay transitioned into a series of love songs, including “Wild Love.” Hot pink lighting and soothing falsettos – which some audience members straining to sing alongside Bay’s more on-key notes – set the mood for youthful spring romance.

An audience cheer and one relaxed song later, Bay performed “Us,” a fan favorite from his latest album. The ballad, notable for its dialed-back instrumentation, allowed Bay’s soulful voice to shine more than it previously did.

Midway through the set, Bay invigorated the crowd with one of his most popular songs: “Let it Go.” The chart-topper prompted a mass karaoke performance, with the audience singing its heart out alongside the crooning Bay.

Now jacketless with sweat-drenched hair, Bay and his fellow bandmate added a surprise guitar duet breakaway during the middle of the “Best Fake Smile.” Full of energy, Bay flounced around the stage, bringing the audience toward another spirited climax. The band left the stage after the song came to a close.

Bay’s encore, which the crowd anxiously awaited, featured a special performance of an unreleased song called, “Bad.” The song’s intricate falsettos and soothing chords captivated the crowd and injected romance into the air. One audience member’s scream of “Oh, my God” and the resulting laughter best summarized the feeling of the moment.

Bay’s band returned to accompany him in a cover of the Beatles’ “Come Together” as an ode to his English roots. Though Bay stayed true to the original version, his addition of a boisterous, yet drawn-out guitar solo reminded audience’s that this was a rendition, not a remake.

Bay finished his encore with his Grammy-nominated single, “Hold Back the River.” The crowd shouted along, ending the night in a culmination of carefree enjoyment. Bay thanked the crowd for sticking with him despite pushing back his concert, but the energetic highs and emotionally rich rhythms evident in the band’s music made this delayed tour well worth the wait.

Former UCLA men’s soccer coach pleads not guilty to racketeering charges

Jorge Salcedo pled not guilty to charges of racketeering Monday, according to court documents.

The former men’s soccer coach appeared in a Boston federal court on Monday regarding allegations that he accepted bribes from parents in exchange for securing spots on the UCLA soccer teams, as well as admission into the university, for their children. He was released from court on bond and will return June 6 for the initial status conference.

Salcedo also resigned from his position as the men’s soccer coach Thursday. Before his resignation, Salcedo coached 15 seasons at UCLA and led the Bruins to a 10-9 record during the 2018 season.

Davina Isackson, a mother accused of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to get her daughter on UCLA’s women’s soccer team, was released on a $1 million dollar bond March 18.

Her husband, Bruce Isackson, will appear before federal court in Boston on Friday. Lauren Isackson, the couple’s daughter, is currently enrolled at UCLA and was formerly a member of the women’s soccer team, according to a university spokesperson. However, they did not comment on whether an investigation is being conducted.

AFSCME Local 3299 files Unfair Labor Practice charge against UC

A labor union filed charges Monday against the University of California for allegedly intimidating striking workers.

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, the UC’s largest employee union, filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the California Public Employment Relations Board, alleging the UC illegally intimidated strikers through workplace retaliation, threats of police citation and condoning physical assault of workers on the picket line, according to an AFSCME Local 3299 press release.

The charge cites examples including the arrest of David Cole, an African-American UC employee and striker, in February 2018 during a peaceful protest at UC Berkeley. Cole required stitches after being injured during the arrest.

AFSCME Local 3299 held a solidarity strike alongside University Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America 9119, which represents about 14,000 research and technical workers, March 20 to protest outsourcing and income inequality.

The charge also cites incidents from the March 20 strike, in which University police threatened citations against strikers for peaceful behavior which had not been cited in past strikes, said John de los Angeles, an AFSCME spokesperson.

De los Angeles said AFSCME Local 3299 felt it was necessary to file the charge because the UC’s tactics create an atmosphere of fear for some of the lowest-paid workers at the university.

“Through their intimidation tactics, the University is trampling the ability of workers to voice their concerns,” de los Angeles said.

Claire Doan, a UC Office of the President spokesperson, said in an email statement the UC has not received the charge from the California PERB.

She added that the charge comes after the third strike in a year, all of which have not changed the University’s stance on wage increases.

“They want raises that are nearly triple those given to other UC employees,” Doan said. “We hope AFSCME leaders will channel more time and effort into actual bargaining.”

The union is reviewing further measures to respond to the charge, including a potential strike in protest of UC’s actions, according to the press release.