Daily Bruin Alumni News

News Update
Campus Update: Title for women's water polo; students held at gunpoint
UCLA NEWS FROM May 5 – May 9

UCLA Pow Wow offers glimpse of native culture
The American Indian Student Association held the 23rd Annual UCLA Pow Wow near the Intramural Field on Sat. May 3 and Sun. May 4. Students and members gathered together in the circular arena in celebration of their culture. With music, costumes, and dances, the event celebrated Native American culture; a tradition dating back to the 1970s, when the Pow Wow was first organized in response to a sense of cultural dilution among many Native Americans.

Birth control prices increase
A recent increase in the prices of birth control has made protection from unwanted pregnancies more expensive. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2000 was enacted to help low-income and college-age women afford birth control, but an unintentional glitch in the bill has resulted in college health centers not being able to purchase pharmaceuticals at the discounted price. The price of birth control has increased from between $5 and $10 per month to $40 or $50 per month on many campuses.

Undefeated Bruins take home No. 1 at tournament
The Bruin’s women’s water polo team captured the national title this weekend in Palo, their fourth straight NCAA championship title. They went 30-0 during the regular season as the top seed and defeated USC 6-3 in the deciding match.

Krav Maga teaches Panhellenic
The Panhellenic Council is sponsoring self-defense sessions for the Greek community for the first time in years. The event will help sorority women with attack-prevention skills and defense techniques throughout college and beyond. Trainers from the Krav Maga Association of America will be teaching three sessions at difference houses, restricted to sorority girls. Krav Maga is a group that promotes and teaches an Israeli self-defense system, which does not require years of training and is not based on strength, characteristics especially suitable for women.

Students held at gunpoint
Three students walking down Hilgard Avenue were robbed at gunpoint Tuesday morning at 12:55. The gun was pressed onto one of the victim’s torso and all three victims’ property was stolen. The suspect had a vehicle waiting and was able to leave once he retrieved the victims’ belongings. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 25 years old, 5 feet, 11 inches, and around 175 pounds. The weapon he carried was a blue steel automatic handgun. The vehicle his accomplice drove had no license plates and was described as a newer-model, coupe Lexus or Infiniti.

Parking debt persists despite ticket revenues
Even though UCLA transportation grossed over $3 million from parking tickets, they are still $1 million in debt for the current year. The revenue they receive goes to debt repayment on the services of parking structures, alternative transportation, and staff payments. The deficit has many blaming inefficiency and inflexibility, especially since UCLA has more parking spaces than any other UC campus.

Bill would set legal age for salvia
A bill is currently pending in the California Senate that would punish any selling of the drug salvia divinorum to minors as a misdemeanor. The drug is becoming popular with high school and college students and is known for its hallucinogenic effects that can be dangerous in a concentrated form. The extent of salvia’s effects are still not very well understood, but doctors claim that these “out-of-body experiences” could actually lead to teens losing control of their own bodies and harming themselves or someone else.

Frats condemn crimes at SDSU
After numerous students at San Diego State University—including several members of the Greek system—were arrested for possession of cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, and weapons, many Greek members at UCLA have been speaking out as advocates against drug abuse. The Greek system at UCLA doubts that the same extent of drug activity exists in Westwood and believes the reputation of fraternities will not be damaged from the crimes at SDSU.

Universities test coed housing as UCLA looks into options
Many universities currently allow students to choose to live with anyone, regardless of sex, when it comes to on-campus housing. The UCLA Office of Residential Life said it would strongly consider coed housing in on-campus rooms if demand or interest was high enough in the future. Those who already live with members of the opposite sex in apartment housing cite benefits and challenges such as an extended circle of friends or possible embarrassing moments.

Students First! Captures 7 Seats
Students First! won a majority of the council seats in the undergraduate student government elections for 2008, including the presidency. Currently occupying only one seat, Students First! looks forward to a revamped government, especially considering that the Bruins United slate has held majority rule for the past three years.

The Green Initiative Fund
The Green Initiative Fund won by a 3-1 majority in the student elections, which will raise student fees by $4 per quarter to create a fund for student-led projects that reduce UCLA’s negative impact on the environment. Future projects could include a community garden to feed the dorms, a student-run recycling program, or an off-campus wind farm to offset UCLA’s energy.

On an International Scale
The Spring Festival of World Music continued this weekend with the Music of the Balkans Ensemble and Music of Korea Ensemble, continuing a tradition that has been part of UCLA for the past 40 years. Established in the early 1960s along with the creation of the Ethnomusicology department by Mantle Hood, these performances have become "especially relevant, considering the cultural and ethnical diversity of Los Angeles." Also in conjunction with the festival, students will be putting on Worldstock, a free and completely student-run world music festival that features other groups outside of UCLA.

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

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