Speaks Out

How do you think DeShaun Foster and Cory Paus’
actions off the football field will reflect on UCLA and its
athletics program? What should be done about it?
Alex Robinson Graduate student Geology “I
don’t think the actions of the football team off the field
reflect on the athletic program at UCLA as a whole. The opinions of
students coming to UCLA from high school and alumni donating money
are important, but we should be able to stand above that as an
academic institution and be treated separately. As for the actions
of (Foster and Paus), appropriate disciplinary actions should be
taken.” Brian Lewis Third-year Mathematics
“I think these actions are only related to the football team.
Because the team is so well-covered in the news, the players think
they’re such a big deal and they feel like they’re
above everything else. I think we just need to focus on other
sports and how well we do in them too. The other programs we have
are so good, football is really an anomaly. Other sports just
don’t get the same amount of publicity.” Chris
Denove First-year Undeclared “To the rest of the
world, it looks like UCLA gets all these extra benefits, but
we’re really so closely scrutinized by the media that the way
we appear to other schools isn’t the way we actually are in
reality. I think the players should be treated fairly, just as
anybody else should be, without any advantages or disadvantages,
and they shouldn’t be made an example of. If they did
something wrong they should pay the consequences, no more, no
less.” Laura Dawson First-year Electrical
engineering “We are a high-profile school with a very good
academic reputation, and we need to keep those standards up in
athletics as well. Other schools are not going to look at us as
highly in light of these actions. As far as the DUI with Paus,
shouldn’t he be in jail? Yet they let him play. That’s
not good. Athletes are not above the law. They need to keep
standards, not double standards.” Speaks Out compiled by
Edward Chiao, Daily Bruin Senior Staff. Photos by Mariam Krikorian,
Daily Bruin Contributor.