Automatically donated swipes would benefit food-insecure students

To swipe or not to swipe, that is the question.

Bruins may enter the quarter intending to budget their meal plan swipes wisely, but they don’t always succeed. Although some students end the quarter scrounging for a Bruin Plate dinner, others face an opposite problem: a surplus of swipes.

Luckily for them, UCLA Dining Services comes to the rescue, advertising end-of-quarter treats that include boxes of granola bars, trays of macarons and, of course, premium beverages.

However, amid these last-ditch efforts, students have another option for swipes that they often ignore – donating them.

Swipe Out Hunger is a student organization that attempts to address campus food insecurity by collecting students’ unused meal plan swipes through donation drives. The national organization said these swipes are converted into meal vouchers, which can be used at UCLA Dining facilities. Vouchers are administered by the UCLA Economic Crisis Response Team. However, the team has a cap on the amount of meal vouchers it is allowed to provide to students each quarter, largely due to regulations regarding the amount of financial aid resources UCLA can distribute.

But just because there is a cap on vouchers doesn’t give UCLA Dining an excuse to let unused swipes go to waste. Instead of encouraging a leftover swiping spree, swipes should be automatically donated to organizations like Swipe Out Hunger. Once the ECRT cap has been reached, UCLA has the responsibility to create infrastructure that ensures the excess profit from donations goes toward food-insecure students.

Although not all these swipes will be distributed as meal vouchers, there are other ways they can be useful. Profits from donated swipes can be used to better stock the multitude of underwhelming on-campus food pantries, or to provide students with Associated Students UCLA meal vouchers.

Food insecurity is a reality for many Bruins, even if it is one that is rarely publicized. These students don’t just worry about their educational success – they have the added stress of not knowing when they will get their next meal.

According to a 2018 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey, 37% of UCLA students experienced some level of food insecurity. On a campus with an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 30,000, this daunting statistic clearly requires more attention.

“I feel like a lot of this isn’t talked about on campus, and there are just so many financial issues that nobody talks about,” said Gianna Jimenez, a second-year molecular, cell, and developmental biology student.

It’s senseless for so many unused meals to be recklessly thrown away, especially when swipes disappear into the abyss at the end of the quarter regardless.

Jimenez said she hopes students would be willing to have their unused swipes automatically donated to help their food-insecure peers.

UCLA Dining has the opportunity to make a tangible impact when it comes to food insecurity on campus, and it would not require drastic change.

The Swipe Out Hunger national organization said its Fall 2018 Swipe Drive at UCLA totaled 13,500 donated swipes. And there are around 11,000 students living on the Hill – if most students had even a handful of swipes to donate, the benefits from the increased donations would be immense.

Kathleen Vidanes, a second-year physiological science student, said she usually has around 30 swipes left over and that some of her friends have much more than that.

“I feel like these students paid for (swipes), so it shouldn’t just disappear – it should definitely go towards some kind of purpose,” Vidanes said.

But in order for an influx of swipes to matter, UCLA has the responsibility to create an infrastructure that puts automatically donated swipes to use.

Despite failing to address food insecurity using this untapped potential of extra swipes for years, UCLA Dining insists this is not a problem.

UCLA Dining said unused meal plan swipes are not wasted since those meals are not prepared in the first place, allowing Dining Services to reinvest in food purchasing and keep costs steady for students.

But that logic is inherently flawed. Even though food isn’t being wasted, the value of a swipe is. If Dining Services reinvested in resources to combat food insecurity, students wouldn’t have to worry where their next meal was coming from.

Instead, they’re busy reinvesting in artisan sodas.

Although it is ultimately the choice of students to do as they please when it comes to their meal plans, automatic swipe donations would be easy and effective. Getting the permission of students is necessary of course, but Bruins clearly understand the struggles their fellow students face better than the university does.

As the quarter comes to an end, students on the Hill are prepared to lose the swipes they can’t use before they head home for the summer – but those swipes could help another in need.

To swipe or not to swipe may be the question for most Bruins.

But until UCLA chooses to address food insecurity head on, some students will only have one answer.

Lineup depth and strong senior class key component to softball’s national title

The road was long and sometimes bumpy, but the Bruins made it to the end.

No. 2 seed UCLA softball (56-6, 20-4 Pac-12) wrapped up its season Tuesday by winning the Women’s College World Series. The national title was the program’s 12th and UCLA’s 118th.

“It’s the chemistry that we’ve built, and then going into this year we had a whole group of seniors leading us,” said sophomore shortstop Briana Perez. “Everyone had each other’s backs.”

The Bruins started the season ranked No. 1 in the nation and cruised through nonconference play with only one loss over the 27-game span. They collected victories over top-ranked teams at the time – including Oklahoma, Florida and Mississippi, all of which made postseason runs.

UCLA continued its success through the beginning of Pac-12 play, sweeping three series opponents in a row – including a series win over then-No. 5 Washington. However, as conference play progressed, UCLA dropped games to unranked Oregon and Stanford and lost two of three against then-No. 6 Arizona in its final regular season series.

But the Bruins still won the Pac-12 title and clinched a spot in the postseason.

“Sometimes you just need that loss to pump you up more,” said redshirt junior pitcher Rachel Garcia. “But we did reset as a team and I look at it as a positive, … and it’s good for us either way for the postseason.”

After losing just one game in the regionals and super regionals combined, UCLA headed to Oklahoma City in search of the NCAA title, proceeding to sweep the competition and take the championship in a series against Oklahoma.

Coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said throughout the season the Bruins’ strength was their depth. The team’s depth was on full display when sophomore second baseman Kinsley Washington – who hit in the No. 8 spot for most of the season – came through with the walk-off hit to win the title game 5-4.

“The fact that we can be as successful as we’ve been this season with the versatility we’ve had to show says a lot about the players that we are recruiting,” Inouye-Perez said. “We’re recruiting great athletes that work hard in a lot of different positions and situations.”

UCLA also used its depth in the pitching rotation, despite the fact that USA Softball Player of the Year Garcia led the staff with 65 2/3 innings in Oklahoma. Garcia posted a team-low 1.14 ERA across all games, but sophomore Holly Azevedo and freshman Megan Faraimo filled out the rotation, the latter of which pitched 114 innings and was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.

“I’ve never played with so much talent before,” Faraimo said. “It was a huge stage for me and I’m going to remember it forever.”

The Bruins will have say goodbye to seven seniors this year, including three who were regular presences in UCLA’s starting lineup this season.

Senior Brianna Tautalafua started most of the season at third base and boasted a .938 fielding percentage. Tautalafua also hit two home runs in the championship series, with one putting the Bruins on top going into the last inning of the decisive game.

Senior utility Taylor Pack was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team this season after hitting .369 and driving twelve home runs from the heart of the UCLA lineup. After being listed as an outfielder/catcher on the roster, Pack moved to the infield this season, making only two errors as she split time between first and third base.

“What she’s done in that spot all year long has been super impressive,” Inouye-Perez said. “It’s because of her work ethic. She’s a strong girl, has a strong work ethic. … I’m just sad this is the last year she’s going to be on this stage.”

Senior catcher Paige Halstead was the starting catcher for the majority of the season, catching in every single postseason game. Halstead also worked together with Garcia to make the pitch calls for most of the season.

With the 2019 championship title back in Westwood, Inouye-Perez said that the Bruins will have to recover from the loss of the seniors if they want to make another run at next year’s title.

“We’ve made the (Women’s College) World Series every year since they’ve been here,” Inouye-Perez said. “(The seniors) left their mark here and know that our program is better off because of them.”

Union members protest after researcher’s postdoctoral appointment ends

About 40 union members marched through campus Thursday to protest the university’s actions regarding a postdoctoral appointment.

United Auto-Workers Local 5810, a union which represents academic and postdoctoral researchers, protested alleged retaliation against one of its members by the university.

Sandra Koch, a postdoctoral researcher, was told her appointment would end June 30, which protestors claim is in retaliation to a Title IX grievance Koch filed two years ago.

Koch filed a grievance with the Title IX office two years ago over concerns of pregnancy discrimination, after her then-supervisor fired her shortly after she informed him that she was pregnant, according to a petition to continue Koch’s appointment authored by Anke Schennink, president of UAW 5810.

Koch later signed a settlement agreement and transferred to a new lab with new funding, however, she was recently informed her postdoctoral research would come to an end on June 30, Schennink said.

“Sandra and we all thought that that was a closed chapter and all done … but now UCLA basically told her her post research would come to an end this June 30, which made no sense at all to anyone,” Schennink said.

Koch said UCLA’s termination of her research came despite having her own funding and support from her current supervisor.

Members of UAW Local 2865, a union which represents teachers, readers and tutors, marched in solidarity with UAW 5810.

Allison Carlisle, a doctoral student and the southern vice president of UAW 2865, said their union was protesting in support of UAW 5810 to help hold UCLA accountable in the future.

“We are here to hold UCLA accountable for respecting the rights of workers, of working mothers, of women in stem, of any worker,” Carlisle said. “Workers in our unit also face discrimination and retaliation. We know that what UCLA does to one person they’ll do to many other people and so we all have to show up together to make sure that everybody’s rights are respected.”

Throwback Thursday: Non-UCLA students have had a place in campus summer sessions for decades

Summer sessions are coming up soon.

On top of the sweatier commute to the classroom, summer session presents a number of differences from the regular school year. One particularly distinct aspect of summer sessions, as opposed to the regular school year, is the increased integration of students from outside UCLA into the classroom. In fact, UCLA has been striving to make this a goal for its summer sessions since 1993.

A column published in the Daily Bruin on July 5, 1993, discusses UCLA’s initiative to reach out to non-UCLA students to attend summer sessions.

“Part of what summer sessions is about is outreach,” said John Johnson, then-director of the summer sessions. “Forty percent of summer session students are non-UCLA students.”

Today, UCLA has kept its promise of attempting to maintain a diverse and immersive summer program by providing opportunities for international students and high school students to attend summer classes.

According to the article, the student body attending UCLA summer sessions came for various reasons, from classes to conventions. Today, UCLA has broadened the scope of the programs it provides, offering myriad options to enroll in such as academic and online courses, summer intensive studies, immersion programs and precollege summer institutes.

A notable change in the summer session system, however, is the cost of tuition. Back in 1993, UCLA had a policy which eliminated out-of-state tuition fees for those attending summer sessions, making it easier for non-UC and out-of-state students to attend summer classes. Recent tuition fees, however, have increased prices for non-UC students attending UCLA summer sessions.

For those sticking around for the summer, enrolling in summer sessions is a popular option for students. In fact, 80% of undergraduate Bruins – approximately 25,000 students – attend summer sessions at one point in their studies. This percentage demonstrates the popularity of the program, which can be compared to the 1993 sessions which enrolled 11,500 attendees.

The Daily Bruin article explained reasons for attending summer sessions in the 1990s, including graduating early, getting a preview of the academic rigors of college life, or coming for professional reasons.

These reasons for attending summer sessions prevail even 26 years later.

Interest in taking summer sessions remains strong to this day, and now students have even greater incentives to participate. Over 1,000 UCLA academic courses are offered in the summer, which can be partially attributed to the availability of online courses. This allows for a greater outreach to students who want to pursue a college path that fits their specific interests and capabilities.

Beyond classes, UCLA hosted conferences in the summer in 1993, a form of outreach that the university continues to take part in today.

The 1993 article explains the allure of UCLA as the site of annual conventions for businesses and organizations. Compared to a hotel, the university setting gives employees a sense of going back to school, said Lisa Williams, then-conference manager for UCLA Conference Services.

From international students to business professionals, many have something to gain from summer sessions at UCLA. Though the difference in time spans nearly three decades, UCLA has not only maintained a multifaceted vision for summer sessions, but has worked to increase its scope, offering new opportunities for the diverse and growing student body attending its programs.

Program-record 13 players selected in MLB Draft for UCLA baseball

The Bruins continued to set program records at this week’s MLB Draft.

The 13 players taken in this year’s draft broke UCLA baseball’s program record for most Bruins taken in a single MLB Draft, a record formerly held by the 12 pro-hopefuls selected from the 2000 and 2006 squads. Days two and three of the draft had 10 Bruins picked by major league organizations.

Day two featured junior shortstop Ryan Kreidler going No. 112 overall to the Detroit Tigers, followed by redshirt junior right-hander Jack Ralston going to the St. Louis Cardinals with pick No. 215 and junior outfielder Jeremy Ydens getting picked No. 243 overall by the Washington Nationals.

This was the second time that Kreidler had been drafted and the third time for Ydens.

This season, Kreidler has started all 60 games for the Bruins and his hit total has nearly doubled from last year. He also set career-highs in almost every major offensive statistic category this season.

Ydens missed two and a half months this year due to a wrist injury, and has batted .244 with three home runs and seven RBIs since his return to the starting lineup May 14.

Unlike Kreidler and Ydens, this was Ralston’s first time being drafted. This season, the 6-foot, 6-inch right-hander leads UCLA with 11 wins, winning Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors twice and setting career-bests in ERA, innings pitched and strikeouts.

The UCLA draft picks continued into day three Wednesday, when seven more Bruins were selected. Redshirt junior left-hander Justin Hooper was the first Bruin to be selected on day three – going No. 409 overall to the Kansas City Royals – followed by junior third baseman Jack Stronach’s No. 623 selection by the San Diego Padres.

Hooper missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery, but was ranked the No. 33 MLB Draft preseason Pac-12 prospect by D1Baseball.com. Hooper made only one appearance for UCLA this season, pitching a scoreless 2/3 of an inning against UC Irvine on May 14.

Similar to Kreidler, Stronach is having a much-improved season, as his .330 average is third-best on the team. He has also set career-highs in hits, RBIs and on-base percentage during the Bruins’ 2019 campaign.

Three rounds later, senior left fielder Jake Pries was taken by the New York Yankees at No. 735 overall. Redshirt senior right-hander Nathan Hadley and senior right-hander Kyle Molnar were selected by the Minnesota Twins at No. 749 overall and Los Angeles Angels at No. 781 overall, respectively.

Pries has become UCLA’s everyday designated hitter and – along with junior first baseman Michael Toglia – is one of two Bruins with double-digit home runs on the year. In last weekend’s Los Angeles regional, Pries hit two homers.

Hadley posted a career-low 2.32 ERA out of the bullpen this season. Despite never starting a game in 2019, Hadley has a 0.92 WHIP and eight wins – third-most on the team behind Ralston with 11 and junior right-hander Ryan Garcia with 10.

Molnar was a Freshman All-American in 2016 but was not on the roster for UCLA this season.

In the 39th round, senior third baseman Jake Hirabayashi was taken No. 1,169 overall by the Minnesota Twins and, in the 40th and final round, former catcher Ty Haselman was selected No. 1,211 overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Women’s golf tees up 2 more recruits for one of largest teams in program history

The Bruins’ roster will grow from six players to nine in the fall.

UCLA women’s golf added two additional recruits to the group of three players who signed in November. The incoming class will replace one graduating senior and one athlete who turned pro to create one of the Bruins’ largest rosters in program history.

“They all have different games, they all bring something different, but I think every one of them is a real competitor,” said coach Carrie Forsyth. “We have that on our team (now), but without the numbers to really push the lineup and to keep everyone on the top of their games these last couple of years, I think that having a large roster again is going to be a real benefit.”

Ty Akabane, Emilie Alba Paltrinieri and Annabel Wilson signed letters of intent to UCLA in November before Forsyth added two more players – Emma Spitz and Yukino Yoshihara in May.

“It was kind of a whirlwind because we were in the middle of our busiest playing season and we were putting together visits and trying to get them on campus,” Forsyth said. “But that was just something that we had to do because we’re in a position of having to rebuild our team in the coming years and we just needed to have a big class come in.”

Two of the recruits – Akabane and Yoshihara – are California natives, but three of the recruits will come from overseas. Paltrinieri is from Italy, Wilson is from Northern Ireland and Spitz is from Austria.

Yoshihara was a three-time Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player at Woodbridge High School and finished 11th at the 2019 Junior Orange Bowl International. Akabane competed in the 2017 and 2019 U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship and has recorded a top-20 finish in eight American Junior Golf Association tournaments.

“I’m really excited about (Akabane),” Forsyth said. “She’s a long hitter, she’s a high-ball hitter, she’s just a really hard worker, a great student.”

Spitz is ranked 19th in the Women’s Amateur Golf Ranking and was one of 30 players invited to compete in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship in April. She earned a bronze medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and placed first in the Slovenian Amateur Championship.

Paltrinieri helped Italy win the 2018 European Girls’ Team Championship and earned the Isa Goldschmid Trophy at the Italian Ladies Stroke Play Championship. Wilson has represented Ireland at a slew of tournaments. Individually, she tied for eighth at the Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship and tied for ninth at the Spanish Ladies’ Amateur Championship.

Forsyth said the international players have been more well-versed in match play than the American recruits – which will benefit the Bruins since the NCAA championship format switched to match play in 2015.

“(The international recruits) have a ton of experience traveling and playing on a team and playing match play,” Forsyth said. “That’s something that a lot of American players don’t get – that match play experience. The change in our championship format has really dictated that we need to have more players with match play experience.”

UCLA failed to advance past stroke play in this year’s NCAA championship. But the fall marks the beginning of a new season, and more than half of the Bruins’ roster will be new players.