UCLA news from April 14 to 18, 2008

UC Welcomes a diverse class
Last Monday the University of California released a compilation of statistics on its admissions for fall of 2008. The new statistics show an astoundingly high number of freshmen and transfer applicants as well as an increase in the number of students admitted from minority and underrepresented backgrounds at many campuses. The actual number of students admitted to the UC system increased by 2,690. The number and percentage of minority students admitted to UCLA increased from the past year. The UC system set a goal to increase the diversity of its student population, which is happening possibly due to the holistic admissions process, designed to help all disadvantaged students, regardless of their ethnic background.

Protestors: Free Tibet?
On Tuesday afternoon, Chinese and Tibetan supporters gathered on Bruin Walk for an unorganized protest. The Chinese supporters advocated support for the Olympics, while the Tibetan supporters spoke about the injustices of the Chinese government. Both sides made their arguments and tried gaining the support of the many Bruins that passed by while walking to or from class. Since many of the supporters from both sides are not affiliated with UCLA, they were eventually forced to leave campus.

A time to sift through options
High school students all over the country have received their college acceptance letters and now have to decide which school is best for them. Many students accepted into UCLA have to choose between rival schools like UC Berkeley and USC, who are also highly ranked and reputable. UCLA’s approach in attracting prospective students is to provide more personal attention by having smaller receptions like College Honors and Welcome Days as opposed to Cal Day at Berkeley that holds one big reception. UCLA also gives the comfort of guaranteed housing for three years, while USC and Berkeley can only guarantee one year.

UCLA football team under scrutiny
The upcoming football season for UCLA is filled with new coaches and new offense. Many feel that the numerous changes in the football program would call for a strict off-season for the football players. However, they have proven the contrary. The UCLA football team decided to ditch practice on Tuesday, which was ultimately approved by the coaching staff. Since formal practices are limited, each practice is significant to the rebuilding of a very new and inexperienced team, leaving many to criticize the team for not utilizing the limited time they have on the field before the season starts.

Water Polo: No. 1 UCLA faces Olympic team
The undefeated UCLA women’s water polo team faced the U.S. National Team last Thursday, at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center. On the road to a fourth consecutive NCAA Championship, coach Adam Krikorian emphasized the learning experience that this intense competition would bring. The U.S. National Team holds two former Bruin players and has a good shot for the gold medal in the Olympic games this summer.

Ash Grove: Folk’s L.A. stomping ground
This past weekend, the Ash Grove folk music club celebrated its 50th anniversary by holding performances on the UCLA campus in Royce Hall. This club represented the uprising of bluegrass and roots music in the 1950s that inspired youth to counter the strict cultural repression of this time period. This club combined music and politics and these performances celebrate the freedom to express such ideas in this era in contrast to the severe opposition put forth in the ’50s.

Lie-in honors Virginia Tech victims
Last Wednesday, UCLA students organized a lie-in at Kerckhoff Hall to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the devastating Virginia Tech shootings. Students created two quilts meant to bring unity, peace, and hope to the students and staff in Virginia, which will be sent out soon. Victims were remembered by moments of silence and calling out names, but themes of mental health and preventing gun violence were also emphasized as well.

Love & Westbrook Headed for NBA
Though it might not come as a shock to many, Kevin Love & Russell Westbrook both announced that they are putting their names on the NBA Draft. Anticipated to be placed in No. 4 to No. 14 range on the draft, Love is expected to leave UCLA to pursue a career in the NBA, while Westbrook is not as confident with his decision as he is projected to place between the No. 15 to No. 25 range on the draft. Neither Love nor Westbrook have hired agents, and both plan to maintain their academic eligibility at UCLA in case plans fall through. However, if all goes as planned, it looks like UCLA will be losing two of the basketball team's best assets.

Budget Cuts May Hurt UC, Economy
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed 10 percent budget cuts across the board could force the UCs to accept fewer students, raise fees and ultimately weaken the state's economy. While Schwarzenegger claims the cuts to be vital, others, like Michele Siqueiros, executive director of the Campaign for College Opportunity, state that higher education is the key to preventing budget cuts in the future. Increased student fees, a likely result of the budget cuts, have been widely protested across many of the UC campuses, as minority and underprivileged students might have to postpone or seek other ways to become educated if costs were to rise.

Compiled by Carolina Chau, Megan Smith, Jenna Kieselbach and Tiffany Hsia