highlandernews.org
TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2011
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
UC STUDENT INVESTMENT PROPOSAL ON PAGE 2
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Chancellor White creates task force, Grant enables UCR to continue community outreach promptly removes protest guidelines
White addressing protesters during 2009’s Day of Action.
E r i c G a m b oa SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The UC Riverside Task Force on Speech and Assembly had their first meeting last Friday following the release and subsequent removal of guidelines concerning student protest. The publication of the protest guidelines occurred in the aftermath of the highly controversial incidents that marred protests on the UC Davis and UC Berkeley campuses, where numerous students were injured by police. The guidelines, however, were promptly removed following backlash from uni-
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versity students, faculty and other concerned members of the community—many of whom resorted to an online petition that garnered nearly one thousand signatures. UC Riverside Chancellor Timothy White, who is serving as the head of the task force, announced the removal of the protest guidelines in an email dated Dec. 14. “It is clear that the document does not accurately reflect UC Riverside’s demonstrated commitment to free expression and peaceful, non-violent protest. We were in error to post guidelines that neither comport with our values
nor reflect the realities of how the campus exercises the right to free speech,” stated Chancellor White in the email. A major source of backlash was a clause in the protest guidelines which made it a violation to “hold a protest without planning and scheduling ahead with UCR,” thereby posing a prior restraint on public speech (a restriction which is subject to the highest tier of judicial scrutiny). “We fully understand that most protests and demonstrations are spontaneous, and are in response to current events. TASKFORCE CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
UCR leads efforts to eliminate citrus pest E r i c G a m b oa SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Gordon Huang/HIGHLANDER
The usage of parasitic wasps by UC Riverside scientists is among the most recent and innovative strategies implemented in the fight against the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP), a highly problematic agricultural pest. The release of the parasitic wasps marks the first time that these creatures have been introduced to California. “We anticipate that over the next year or so thousands of these parasitoids from Pakistan will be released throughout Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties and other areas as the pest
continues to spread. Once [the wasp species] establishes, it will move and find new populations of ACP to attack and kill,” stated UC Riverside Professor and Director of the Center for Invasive Species Research Mark Hoddle in an article by the UC Riverside Newsroom. Hoddle and his wife, Christina Hoddle, have spent the past year traveling to Pakistan in order to obtain and study the parasitic wasps whose release was recently authorized by the state and federal government. Mark and Christina Hoddle received widespread recognition last September when their CITRUS CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Students in the ETS Program visiting UCSD.
Carrie Meng STAFF WRITER
The Educational Talent Search (ETS) program at UC Riverside has been selected to receive a five year, $1.15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This educational program, first implemented at UC Riverside in 2002, aims to provide guidance and resources to promote higher rates of college attendance among low-income students in the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD). The ETS program is one of over 450 such programs nationwide, 60 of which reside in California. Arroyo Valley High School, Pacific High School, San Bernardino High School and San Gorgonio High School are the four schools that are involved with UC Riverside’s chapter of the program. “The schools were chosen based on need and the working relationship we have established with SBCUSD. The target populations at these schools have a high need for assistance,” stated Program Director Alicia Valezquez in an article by the UC Riverside Newsroom. Velazquez said that she anticipates the involvement of 1,000 students to participate in the program, which consists of oneon-one academic advising, men-
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toring, college campus visits, cultural activities, and summer residential visit at UC Riverside, as stated in the newsroom article. The summer residential visit, in addition to staff mentoring, is a new development of the program and is a feature that is not offered at every participating educational institution. ““This will be the first year that we offer the summer residential visit. Students will stay on campus and take collegelike classes taught by graduate students, listen to guest speakers and participate in enrichment programs and team-building exercises,” explained Velazquez. Velazquez also notes that students in the program are not urged or encouraged to attending any specific college even though UC Riverside is conducting the program, nor does the program highlight any particular fields of study. “ETS provides students who are motivated to pursue a higher education with the information and tools that they need to prepare and apply for college, and to succeed once they get there,” stated Velazquez. Past trips by students in the program including visits to the University of Southern California and UC San Diego. The $230,000 annual grant payments will continue until H 2016. ■
THIS WEEK’S EVENTS MON 1/09
Winter Quarter classes begin
WED 1/11
Wellness Wednesday: We R’ Fit 4:00pm -6:00pm HUB 260
THUR 1/12
Men’s Basketball vs. UC Santa Barbara 7:00pm - 9:00pm Student Rec Center
SAT 1/14
Men’s Basketball vs. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 7:00pm - 9:00pm Student Rec Center
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Volume 60
Issue 12