Thursday, 5/15/97 Regents visit UCLA after long absence REGENTS:
Discussion includes construction, VIP admissions ban
By Mason Stockstill Daily Bruin Contributor After a
year-and-a-half absence, the University of California Regents are
returning Thursday to UCLA. The last time the regents came to UCLA
was March 1995, when they were met with heavy protestation against
their UC-wide plan to dismantle affirmative action. Since that
time, the regents have held their meetings in the central office in
Laurel Heights, near UCSF, because of "security concerns," said
Terry Colvin, UC Regents spokesperson. "Traditionally," he said,
"the regents’ meetings have rotated among all the campuses." The
items on this meeting’s agenda, however, are unlikely to cause any
concern among students, regents said. "We don’t foresee any
problems," said Regent Frank Clark. However, Westwood merchants
plan on protesting UCLA’s supposed "unfair business practices" on
campus during the meeting, as well as taking advantage of the
public comment period early in the meeting Thursday. Regents will
discuss the funding of UCLA construction, a financial report on the
UCs hospitals, and a proposed ban on VIP admissions. Also under
consideration is a proposal to change regulations regarding the
position of student regent. These topics will hopefully raise less
protesting from students, which is one of the reasons the regents
stayed in Laurel Heights for so long. Clark also speculated that
the reason the regents had stayed in the Bay Area so long was for
cost efficiency and convenience. "You have to move the whole staff
down here for meetings," he said. "It gets expensive." Despite
this, the regents have resumed rotating their meetings among the UC
campuses. The next meeting of the regents will be held at
University of California at Irvine. UCLA Chancellor-designate
Albert Carnesale will come from Harvard University to meet with the
regents on Friday, and will then stick around until Saturday to be
present in the kick-off for UCLA’s new fund-raising campaign. The
"kick-off" for the fund-raising campaign is merely a formality, as
UCLA has already been in the process of aggressively raising funds
for the past two years. Because Carnesale is busy at Harvard, he
will be unable to come to UCLA again until he assumes the post of
chancellor in July. It is for this reason that ceremonies in honor
of Chancellor Charles Young will be during this weekend as well.
"Chancellor Young wanted Carnesale to be present to welcome him to
UCLA," said Assistant Chancellor Gloria Stypinski. Colvin says that
the regents will have no official role in the ceremonies held in
honor of Chancellor Young, but they will be available to attend and
participate in the functions. While many have considered Young to
be a thorn in the sides of the UC Regents for the last few years,
especially in light of his open opposition to the regents’ stance
on affirmative action, it is still to be determined what
Carnesale’s relationship with the regents will be like. Carnesale
has avoided making any statements about his positions on the
policies of the regents, including affirmative action, because he
has yet to assume the title of UCLA chancellor. "I’m not the
chancellor yet," he said in a recent interview. "I don’t want to
take a position on anything before I take office." Related Links:
Inside the UC Regents