USAC sees first independent president, lowest voter turnout in years

This post was updated May 5 at 11:38 p.m.

For the first time in 19 years, students elected an independent candidate as the undergraduate student government president.

This year’s Undergraduate Students Association Council election featured 16 candidates running for 12 positions, with only one slate that consisted of four candidates. All four For the People slate candidates won their seats.

Only three positions were contested, while three others had no candidates. A special election will be held in the fall for the Financial Supports commissioner and the remaining two general representative positions.

Robert Watson, the current internal vice president, was elected president as an independent candidate. The past four presidents have all come from the Bruins United slate, which did not run any candidates this year.

Watson said he was honored students have faith in him to lead the council next year and said he hopes to live up to students’ expectations.

He added he thinks the elections could have had a larger turnout.

“Obviously, elections could have gone better,” Watson said. “I think there always can be more turnout, you know, anything lower than 100%.”

At 16.18%, voter turnout for the election was the lowest it has been in at least 10 years, falling around 10% compared to 26.5% in 2018 and 27.5% in 2017.

Shahamah Tariq was elected as the inaugural international student representative. She said she was disappointed that some of the positions remain unfilled.

“It’s kind of disheartening and upsetting to see that not all positions are filled, but I’m hoping that this council will be able to project a positive image of USAC and we’ll be able to do work that will encourage students to actually apply for USAC,” Tariq said.

Several candidates said they did not think this year’s council and election were managed well.

Furkan Yalcin, one of the presidential candidates, said he was disappointed in the way the election was handled this year, as election coordinators were replaced, deadlines were changed and candidates were disqualified and reinstated throughout the campaign.

“I don’t think someone who wanted to do a bad job could have done as a bad job as it was done this year,” Yalcin said. “I just can’t believe that it was so bad.”

Kimberly Bonifacio, who was elected internal vice president, said she thinks the low voter turnout and number of candidates this year is a result of toxic politics within USAC.

“It stems from the past few years of USAC candidates being really toxic and having petty politics, basically,” Bonifacio said. “It’s really just a loss of trust the past few years.”

Some of the elected candidates also said they hope to give more students a voice on the council going forward.

Johana Guerra Martinez, who was elected external vice president, said she ran so students could feel more empowered.

“What I want to tell the general student body is that I hope and I want to highlight their courage to be here at UCLA, to advocate for themselves, whether that’s in their classes or in the future, so that they feel like they belong here,” Martinez said.

Naomi Riley, who was elected Academic Affairs commissioner, said people of color had a greater presence in this year’s elections.

“People of color have historically been left out of that space,” Riley said. “I think that, starting with this election, we’ve made a claim to that space.”

Election board chair Kyana Shajari said she does not know if she will be reappointed next year and is unsure who will run the fall special election.

“It was very stressful and I might want to preserve my mental health for the rest of my life,” Shajari said.

The results are as follows:

President

Robert Watson

External vice president

Johana Guerra Martinez

Internal vice president

Kimberly Bonifacio

General representatives

1. Eduardo Velazquez

2. No candidate

3. No candidate

Academic Affairs commissioner

Naomi Riley

Campus Events commissioner

Tara Steinmetz

Community Service commissioner

Jonathan Wisner

Cultural Affairs commissioner

Kelechi Iheanacho

Facilities commissioner

Lily Shaw

Financial Supports commissioner

No candidate

Student Wellness commissioner

Mihika Sridhar

Transfer student representative

Isabel Oraha

International student representative

Shahamah Tariq

Men’s tennis rolls past Grand Canyon to begin NCAA tournament

Comeback wins weren’t necessary this time.

No. 11 seed UCLA men’s tennis (18-5, 8-0 Pac-12) defeated Grand Canyon (19-7, 5-0 WAC) by a score of 4-0 on Friday afternoon to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The match lasted just over one and a half hours as the Bruins defeated the Antelopes for the second time this season at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. The two teams had met previously in nonconference play on Feb. 26.

The Bruins defeated the Antelopes 4-2 in their first meeting after comeback wins at No. 4, 5, and 6 singles – as senior Maxime Cressy and sophomore Keegan Smith were absent from the lineup. This time, the Bruins claimed a shutout 4-0 victory with their full squad, with every Bruin was leading their opponent as the match was called.

Coach Billy Martin said the shutout victory over Grand Canyon doesn’t indicate that his full lineup is especially dangerous.

“(The Grand Canyon) team is good, but compared to the top 30 or 40 teams in the tournament, they’ve got to be in the bottom third,” Martin said. “They won their conference and that’s how they got in. But, (UCLA) was prepared and we didn’t play down to their level.”

The Bruins won the doubles point to begin the match as No. 2 and No. 3 doubles claimed 6-1 victories.

Junior Ben Goldberg was the first player to give the Bruins a win in singles with his win over Grand Canyon’s Freddie Grant 6-0, 6-2.

“In the NCAA tournament, there’s no tomorrow if you don’t bring it,” Goldberg said. “It was an efficient match today for the team. The goal for today was get in, get out, be efficient and be smart.”

Sophomore Keegan Smith followed suit and picked up the Bruins’ third win after defeating Grand Canyon’s Mathieu Rajaonah by a score of 6-3, 6-3. Smith said his opponent’s playstyle was difficult to handle.

“His (game style) was a little unorthodox and I was getting upset,” Smith said. “He’s a good player and you have to give respect to everyone you play – I was maybe doing a poor job of that. There was one backhand winner that he ripped down the line (out of nowhere), but sometimes you have to forget about the last point and move to the next one.”

Cressy clinched the shutout win for the Bruins with a 6-1, 6-4 win over the Antelopes’ Lorenzo Fucile.

UCLA advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament and will face Oklahoma State (16-11, 1-4 Big 12). Goldberg said that the OSU lineup will pose a more dangerous threat.

“(OSU) is very hungry, and they’ve had many good wins this year,” Goldberg said. “They’re full of potential and talent up and down their lineup.”

The Cowboys are ranked No. 25 in the nation and completed an upset win over No. 7 TCU at the Big 12 championships in mid-April.

“Every match gets significantly tougher,” Martin said. “A reality check (for the Bruins) is coming. Tomorrow: Will it be the end of the season, or will we live to play one more?”

The match against the Cowboys will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.

Week five: Measles quarantine, Michelle Obama, Noam Chomsky and other new faces on campus

This Week in the News serves as The Quad’s space for reflection on current events at and around UCLA. Every week, Daily Bruin staffers will analyze some of the most significant stories to keep readers up to speed.

Sure, midterms can be a bummer, but at least we’re halfway to summer?

Week five saw a quarantine of students in the wake of the measles outbreak, former first lady Michelle Obama visiting campus, and the hiring of a new soccer coach. Here are the top stories from Week five.

Students share quarantine experiences in Bradley Hall after measles outbreak

In case you haven’t heard – and if you haven’t, I don’t know where you’ve been – UCLA had a bit of a measles outbreak.

UCLA took precautions to prevent the possible spreading of measles by quarantining students who did not have proper vaccination documentation on file. Many students were pulled out of dorm rooms or class and taken to Bradley Hall until they could prove they had received the booster shots for measles immunity or blood tests showed they did not have the virus.

While students say they were treated well during their time in isolation, Jade McVay, a third-year bioengineering student quarantined last week, described the experience as initially overwhelming due to her uncertainty around possibly having contracted the virus.

The measles outbreak at UCLA came amid the highest number of measles cases across the country in more than two decades. While some blame the rise on those who choose not to vaccinate, others point to the fact that some people are allergic to the measles vaccination and cannot protect themselves from the disease.

Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck wrote in a letter to the UCLA community Thursday that all students and faculty quarantined last week have been released with no additional cases of measles.

Michelle Obama, celebrities encourage event attendees to pursue higher education

On Wednesday, former first lady Michelle Obama, alongside numerous celebrities, spoke to roughly 9,000 incoming college students inside Pauley Pavilion for the sixth annual College Signing Day.

Obama’s Better Make Room and Reach Higher initiatives aim to encourage students to pursue higher education. During her speech Wednesday, Obama emphasized that while students face many challenges in attending and graduating from college, they are not alone on their journey.

Celebrities in attendance included John Legend, Usher, Conan O’Brien, and various NBA and NFL athletes.

Students in attendance said they were inspired by Obama and the celebrities taking the time to come to College Signing Day and show their support for higher education.

Noam Chomsky kicks off lecture series on linguistics at UCLA

Noam Chomsky, widely considered the father of modern linguistics, began a weeklong lecture series at UCLA on Monday.

Chomsky’s first lecture focused on the history of linguistics as well as several prominent linguistic theories he has developed throughout his career.

The lectures were hosted by UCLA’s department of linguistics, and roughly 250 people, including UCLA undergraduate and graduate students, USC students, as well as visitors from around the world who flew in to hear Chomsky speak, were in attendance Monday.

Some students without a background in linguistics told The Bruin they found parts of the lecture to be too technical to fully grasp. Others, like fourth-year applied linguistics student Emily Melik Aslanian, were ecstatic to hear such a prominent figure in their field speak.

Document shows three people account for majority of property appeals in Westwood

Since 1998, 72 appeals were made against Westwood businesses and properties, according to a document compiled by the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. Out of those 72 appeals, 61% were filed by just three different community members.

Steve Sann, chair of the Westwood Community Council, has filed 23 appeals since 1998. Sann has been blamed by many in the Westwood community as the person most responsible for inhibiting the amount of nightlife in the Village as well as for helping to shutter some long-time businesses like beloved sports bar Sepi’s – which closed down just last month.

Andrew Thomas, executive director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association, said he believes Sann and the two other community members responsible for filing numerous appeals over the years have created a perception that opening a business in Westwood is challenging.

The appeals process is often a costly and drawn-out affair, which raises concerns that new businesses would avoid Westwood in favor of more business-friendly neighborhoods.

Of the 23 appeals filled by Sann, seven concerned businesses’ ability to serve alcohol.

UCLA men’s soccer hires Ryan Jorden as program’s next head coach

A little over a month after the nationwide athletics admissions scandal resulted in the resignation of UCLA soccer coach Jorge Salcedo, the athletic department has finally found his replacement.

On Monday, Pacific coach Ryan Jorden was hired as the next head coach of the men’s soccer team. Jorden’s had a good run at Pacific – he led the team to the NCAA tournament in each of the past three seasons.

Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said Jorden’s high level of sports science knowledge, combined with his success at Pacific, made him an attractive candidate for the job.

Emily A. Carter appointed as new executive vice chancellor and provost

There’s a new vice chancellor in town.

The current dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton University, Emily A. Carter, was appointed as the new executive vice chancellor and provost at UCLA on Monday.

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UC Berkeley and earning a doctorate in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology, Carter served as a faculty member for chemistry and material science and engineering at UCLA between 1988 and 2004.

At Princeton, Carter’s research focused on quantum mechanics-based computer simulations in the study of sustainable energy. She has nearly 400 publications to her name and was the recipient of the 2017 Irving Langmuir Prize in Chemical Physics from the American Physical Society and the 2018 Award in Theoretical Chemistry from the American Chemical Society.

Carter will replace current Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Scott Waugh, who is returning to the faculty to continue his study of medieval history.

Movie review: ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile’ vindicates oft-forgotten female figures

Extremely Well Done, Shockingly Empathetic and Visually Stimulating. A credit to the filmmakers and not the subject himself, Netflix’s latest flick skillfully demonizes a horrific man by giving a voice to his many victims.

“Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” tells the story of serial killer Ted Bundy’s trial and its influence on the women in his life, particularly the journey of reckoning faced by his serious girlfriend Liz. Starring Zac Efron as Bundy and Lily Collins as his girlfriend Elizabeth Kloepfer, the film stands out in a genre often perceived as a glorification of criminals through its honest and female-driven narrative.

When the film’s trailer first released in January, it was shrouded immediately in controversy, mainly surrounding the editing and music choice’s apparent glorification of the killer’s charisma. However, the film effectively mirrors Bundy’s actual treatment from the media at the time of his arrests. Maintaining his innocence, Bundy’s preppy appeal to young women by emphasizing his supposed normalcy and intelligence throughout his extensive media coverage is reflected in Efron’s physical appeal, introducing a basic layer of manipulation echoed throughout the film. The film excels in reflecting this phenomenon through its casting of Efron and its honest depiction of the media.

The film at first seems to suggest it might take the boilerplate approach of handing Bundy’s character by giving him full narrative emphasis. Documenting each step of the legal process that ultimately resulted in his execution and front-loading with more domestic scenes that appear to endear his character, only to set up for a horrific reveal, follows this trend rampant in the true crime genre. It would have been easy, after all, with Efron in the driver’s seat. Giving a stunning performance in manipulation, Efron effortlessly exudes the same charm and intelligence Bundy oozed in his interviews and broadcasted trials. More impressive is Efron’s ability to showcase Bundy as a controlling force away from the media and in his own home by mirroring his nervous mannerisms, such as his forced laughter and lifeless but intense eye contact.

But despite a stellar performance, Efron isn’t the film’s star.

What makes the film worth seeing is the special care taken to highlight the women, using them as a platform to analyze Bundy’s horrific actions. Most Bundy-centric media tends to neglect his two girlfriends, which this film rectifies through providing them ample screen time and substantial character development. The central character arc belongs to Liz, not Bundy, which emphasizes the true shock of his conviction through her relationship with the man she, like others, at one time believed was innocent.

A montage sequence early in the film introduces these contrasts between Bundy the family man to his girlfriend Liz, and Bundy the monster, overlaying fake home video with news coverage of his gruesome acts. Still, the film insists on showcasing the full extent of Bundy’s evil, particularly within his intimate relationships with women such as Liz and his later girlfriend Carole Ann Boone. Kaya Scodelario delivers a nuanced portrayal of a severely influenced Boone in her punctuated delivery, lending a human connection to the woman vilified at the time for her loyalty to Bundy.

The film delves into an honest and unromanticized examination into the effects of Bundy’s control over Liz, including the alcoholism and disintegrating relationships that resulted from his relentlessly controlling nature. The audience spends as much time focusing on Bundy through Liz’s perspective as it does the overarching circumstances, grounding the narrative in how she was impacted by his actions – a neglected story line in other films of this ilk.

Collins delivers an emotional but assertive tribute to the women affected by men in this way, veering away from what could have been a Bundy-dominated ego trip of a true crime film. In one of the film’s final scenes, her stoic demeanor in the face of Efron’s horror, ultimately leading her to necessary closure, is a credit to Collins’ command of body language and immersion into the role.

As a figure often criticized for not seeing the red flags in Bundy, Collins as the driving force in the film’s conclusion is able to voice the guilt she feels for not being able to help the other women Bundy fatally manipulated. The same can be said for Scodelario, whose multidimensional dialogue allows her to both honestly voice her emotions with Bundy and demonstrate the true lack of agency she had under Bundy’s control. Tight shots on both Collins and Efron’s faces showcase their emotive capabilities, and serve to contrast Liz’s genuine emotional journey with Bundy’s dance with deception.

The color palette is muted, and reflects the normalcy of the environment wherein Bundy’s crimes were allowed to thrive. Still, it does nothing revolutionary beyond elevating the true crime genre into more advanced cinematography. Flawless integration of real video and audio clips regarding Bundy’s trials, mainly at the conclusion of the film, legitimizes the reality in which these fictionalized characters interact. However, the film to some extent takes advantage of the sensationalization of Bundy himself through Efron’s acting to energize a potentially predictable plot. Nevertheless, the film fulfills its goal in telling the story honestly, even if it means the story line errs on the slower side.

Violence against women is as pervasive in society as it was at the time “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” was set, and it stays true to delivering an honestly emotional and female perspective – a step forward in the genre of true crime.

Album review: Vampire Weekend’s ‘Father of the Bride’ is mostly lovely, but feels far too lengthy

Vampire Weekend’s “Father of the Bride” is like a cheesy rom-com: nice to look back on and smile, but with few memorable moments.

The band released its fourth studio album Friday following a six-year hiatus. Lead singer Ezra Koenig has posted on social media over the last two years hinting at new music for anxious fans. The long break proved fruitful, with “Father of the Bride” toting a lengthy 18-song tracklist. A consistent upbeat feel permeates the album, but fewer songs would have prevented the repetitive sonic qualities that tend to bog it down.

Acoustic guitar ballad “Hold You Now” opens the album with a more stripped-back sound than is found on the band’s prior projects. The song surprisingly features Danielle Haim – a shift from the lack of collaborations over the majority of the band’s discography. Haim’s soft vocals, the slight twang of the guitar and lovestruck lyrics begin the record on a warm and romantic note.

“Harmony Hall” plays on a lyrical callback to the outro of “Finger Back,” a track from 2013. The playful rhythm is juxtaposed with the song’s darker lyrical content about a world tainted with negativity. Koenig voices his concerns as he sings, “Anybody with a worried mind could never forgive the sight / Of wicked snakes inside a place you thought was dignified / I don’t want to live like this, but I don’t wanna die.”

Other similar guitar-driven tracks occupying the body of the record tend to blend together despite their complex lyrical content. Although tracks “Bambina,” “How Long?” and “This Life” are easy enough to listen to, their consistently upbeat and island vacation sound do little to break up the lengthy album.

But the endearing, yet bleak lyrics of “Married in a Gold Rush” worked alongside a violin to offer much needed variety amid the monotonous tracks. The follow-up Haim vocal feature expertly carries on the love story that unfolds in the lyrics of “Hold You Now.”

Koenig then croons about being betrayed in “My Mistake.” The simple piano track captures a live and unprocessed quality within the lead vocals. Running water and soft horns add a calm yet somber tone to the slower song. It also marks the end of the lull created by overly parallel tracks found in middle of the album.

A spoken intro leads into “Sympathy,” which is by far the most distinct song on “Father of the Bride.” The narrator hints at the album’s shift in sound as he says, “I think I take myself too serious / It’s not that serious.” Loud guitar instrumentals come as a shock following the simplistic tracks that precede the song. Fast-paced guitar strums along with dramatic chorus vocals generate a feeling akin to something played in an intense horse-riding scene during a western movie. Isolated string picking in the chorus gives a calm variety to the otherwise full-on track and tactfully led into each heavier instrumental.

“Sunflower” continues the streak of more memorable tracks with its catchy electric chord progression. Although the chorus is made up of sounds that are indistinguishable as any real lyrics, its lighthearted nature and repetition make it just as unforgettable as the instrumental portion of the song. The sunflower acts as a symbol of hope in the track as Koenig sings, “No power can compel me / Back into the daylight / Let that evil wait.”

The last stretch of the album shows that Vampire Weekend did not shy away from collaborations, as many of the tracks feature extra vocalists. The addition of Steve Lacy to “Flower Moon” pulls the song even further away from the grouping of similar songs earlier in the album. However, Haim’s continued features on the record’s final tracks, “We Belong Together,” “Stranger” and “Jerusalem, New York, Berlin” are overdone and lack nuance. Her presence becomes predictable instead of tasteful, lessening the strength of the storytelling arc formed by her features in earlier tracks.

The repetition of Haim’s backing vocals were just subtle enough to be overlooked on the album’s powerful final track, “Jerusalem, New York, Berlin.” A simple piano instrumental pairs well with the more melancholy and moving lyrics, giving the song a hopeful tone.

“Father of the Bride” showcases powerful lyrics that tell of love, loss and moving forward. While the deeper lyrical content may get lost on some of the more redundant tracks, moments of sonic individuality set others apart. Vampire Weekend has definitely grown in its six years away from the spotlight, but the depth of its music and storytelling still stands – it just might be set to a more repetitive sound.

Beach volleyball sweeps Florida State in second round of NCAA championship

GULF SHORES, Ala. — All five courts went to three sets – and the dual was decided by a pair that hadn’t gone to three since exactly a month ago.

A block by senior Izzy Carey on court five helped No. 2 seed UCLA beach volleyball (33-3) sweep No. 3 seed Florida State (29-6) 3-0 on Friday afternoon to advance to the winners bracket final of the NCAA championship.

“(Carey and freshman Lindsey Sparks) don’t always have those close matches,” said coach Stein Metzger. “I think it’s a great opportunity to be tested and be able to come through at that point against an FSU team that was playing really well.”

Carey and Sparks won the first set on court five 21-13, but dropped the second 21-18 before coming back to win the third against a Florida State pair who defeated them in their last meeting.

“I had no idea that we were the dual-clinching match either, so I was just staying present,” Carey said. “(Sparks) was really confident in us and that made me stay really confident in us.”

Florida State has knocked UCLA into the elimination bracket in the same round for the past two years.

The Bruins stormed the court in celebration of a win over the team they beat to win last year’s NCAA title – but were whistled off by the referee until the players shook hands.

“To win both matches on day one (of the NCAA championship) is a new feeling,” said senior Megan McNamara. “This is our fourth championship in Gulf Shores, and all three years we lost on day one.”

Juniors Savvy Simo and Madi Yeomans gave UCLA its first dual point, coming back to win the second and third sets after dropping the first.

Yeomans has played just four matches this season prior to Friday, but went 4-0 with Simo last year when Simo’s partner then-junior Zana Muno was out with an injury. Yeomans also stepped into the lineup to help the Bruins win last year’s Pac-12 championship.

“(Yeomans) is one of the strongest people I know in all aspects of life,” Nicole McNamara said. “I have so much confident that she’s going to fill those shoes.”

Sophomore Lea Monkhouse did not compete in her usual court four position due to dehydration. NCAA championship rules disallow her from returning to the lineup this weekend.

The Bruins’ other victory came on court one, where seniors Nicole and Megan McNamara won 19-21, 21-19, 15-7.

UCLA will take on No. 5 seed LSU in the winner’s bracket final Saturday at 9 a.m.