Empowerment! is consistent
I am writing in response to the editorial, “Slates should
focus on ideas, not elections” (April 2). As a member of
Student Empowerment! I am writing to add some more information to
the editorial’s initial assertions. Student Empowerment!
and its predecessors have been nothing but consistent for the years
it has been active in running candidates for Undergraduate Student
Association Council. Always focused on advocacy in its broadest
context, Student Empowerment! and its predecessors were a driving
force in repealing SP-1 and 2 which banned the use of race,
ethnicity or gender in admissions or hiring at the University of
California. It has been active in obtaining and maintaining
funding and support for student initiated outreach and retention
programs. The pride of the school, BruinGo!, was an idea initiated
by a council member affiliated with Student Empowerment!. The
list of accomplishments in advocacy goes on, and so does the
slate’s consistency in advocating for students and our
respective communities.Â
Each year Student Empowerment! or its previous manifestations is
demonized as being non-inclusive, overly radical and solely out for
the gain of a few student groups. A close examination would
show that Student Empowerment! council members have had
affiliations with groups ranging from environmental organizations,
On Campus Housing, religious organizations, groups representing
under-served communities like Asian Pacific Islanders and
Latinos. The very broad base of students that Student
Empowerment! has worked with this year alone is a testament to the
commitment to campus Student Empowerment! has. Allegations of
inconsistency, in anything but the name of our slate, are
completely unfounded.
Chris Neal USAC external vice president
Athletes make their own choices
I’m writing in response to Ryan Smith’s column,
“Black athletes’ education should be priority”
(April 3). While everyone can agree that black athletes should
strive to finish college, let’s not forget the fact that
their admission into UCLA was based on their athletic ability. The
athlete’s ability got him into UCLA; he should be glad he got
the opportunity and that alone should be the driving force to
graduate. It is not the university’s responsibility to urge
athletes to graduate or to offer incentives like cash.
Those large numbers of athletes that drop out to become
professionals have made the choice that education is not what they
need in their lives, that they need to make money as soon as
possible. It’s not the university’s fault that the
student athlete doesn’t cherish his education as much as he
should.
Zachary de Corse First-year, mathematics
BruinGo! changes will harm UCLA
I echo Professor Donald Shoup’s opposition to the proposed
changes to the BruinGo! program in his submission, “Proposals
for raising BruinGo! funds impractical” (April 1). The
proposals to cancel it on weekends and holidays and to charge users
25 cents for every ride will have very negative consequences for
UCLA students and, I believe, the university as a whole. As a UCLA
graduate student and resident of University Village Apartments, I
see first hand the value of BruinGo! in providing a cheap and
efficient way of getting to campus for UCLA graduate students, many
of whom are on fixed incomes and have increasing financial
responsibilities due to rising housing and child care expenses.
And UCLA graduate students do not just work on weekdays; I see
many students travelling by bus to campus on the weekends and
holidays to conduct research, prepare for classes, and do all the
things that make UCLA a top educational institution. I believe both
of the proposed changes to BruinGo! would negatively affect
hardworking students, who are major assets to the university. I
also fear that the revisions to BruinGo! would hurt UCLA’s
ability to attract top graduate students. While housing and other
costs continue to rise, the current BruinGo! program remains a
viable attraction to students considering coming to UCLA. I urge
UCLA Transportation Services to reject these two proposed revisions
to BruinGO! for the good of the UCLA community and reputation of
this institution.
Bill Pitkin Ph.D. candidate, urban planning