VOLUME 52, ISSUE 3
MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2018
WWW.UCSDGUARDIAN.ORG
ADMINISTRATION
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LSAT Announces Transition to Digital Format Some students are concerned about the reliability of the technology with regards to cheating and accuracy. BY Abigail Staggemeier
Staff Writer
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This past week, the American Federation of County, State, and Municipal Employees Local 3299, the largest employee union in the University of California, released a number of press releases leading up to the confirmation of a three-day strike. Scheduled for Oct. 23-25 by the University’s patient care technical workers and coalition of sympathizing parties, the protest will take place at all UC Medical Centers. The UC patient care technical workers of AFSCME Local 3299, which represents a total of 24,000 service and patient care workers on UC campuses and hospitals, approved of the decision by a 96-percent margin. Confirmed participation also included that of UC service workers, professional healthcare, research and technical workers represented by UPTE-CWA. This is the second state-wide strike of year. The first protest took place in May, when 9,000 UC service workers and more than 50,000 AFSCME members united to speak out against the UC system’ outsourcing practices and the rise in the socioeconomic disparity of many of the workers
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who often are from marginalized communities. AFSCME Local 3299 President Kathryn Lybarger spoke out on the prevalence of this concern. “When the UC outsources these jobs, [it is] eliminating what were once career ladders into the middle-class for women and people of color,... [which] is in major conflict with the University’s mission of serving as an engine of economic mobility for all Californians,” Lybarger said. AFSCME Local 3299 decisions leading up to last week’s vote come after a series of ongoing legal disputes and negotiations regarding the University’s unilateral implementation of labor policies. Meanwhile, the Public Employment Relations Board, a quasi-judicial agency that adjudicates disputes between public employee unions and most public employers, is mitigating the discussion of the two formally filed complaints — referencing the June 27 Janus ruling. Directed to the state Public Employment Relations Board, the union alleges the University to stymie access to data on
See STRIKE page 3
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Senior staff Writer
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State Superintendent Candidate Hosts Town Hall on College Affordability The panel featured representatives of student leadership from UCSD and SDSU, as well UCSD administrators. BY Tyler Faurot
News Editor A town hall on college affordability was hosted by California Assembly Member Tony Thurmond at Eleanor Roosevelt College on Thursday, Oct. 4. The event was co-sponsored by UCSD College Democrats. Thurmond, who is currently running to be California’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the top elected position for an education official, said that he “wanted to hear from students directly.” “What I’d like to do is invite students at all our institutions to work with me on legislation that I
can sponsor for next year to address affordability,” Thurmond said. “I believe that listening to our students is important as a superintendent. I intend to lead and govern that way.” The town hall featured a panel of various student leaders and officials in California education and administration. Among the panel was Caroline Siegel-Singh, statewide UC student senator and A.S. vice president of external affairs. Also representing UC San Diego on the panel was Patty Mahaffee, assistant vice chancellor of student life, and Alicia Magallanes, member of the Basic Needs Committee. The conversation at the town hall addressed a broad variety of issues facing students, but a few recurring
talking points included tuition costs, housing and food insecurity, and mental well-being. Michael Wiafe, A.S. vice president of external relations at San Diego State University, who also participated in the panel, said that the focus should be on “holistic review.” “There’s a lot more that goes into a college student than just tuition,” Wiafe said. “There’s the classes you take, the food you eat, where you live, everything else that surrounds your living situation.” “I’m open to all kinds of creative solutions,” Thurmond said, “but I’m not willing to accept that we will tell students that ‘you can just be See TOWN HALL, page 3
On Oct. 3, the Law School Admission Council announced a plan to digitalize the LSAT law school aptitude test experience by transitioning from the standard pencil-and-paper format to a Samsung tablet approach. The LSAT is the final graduate admissions exam to go digital — the Medical College Admission Test and Graduate Management Admission Test have already made the switch. The transition, which will begin in July of 2019, will mark the biggest change in LSAT test-taking in over 30 years. According to Kaplan Test Prep’s Executive Director of PreLaw Jeff Thomas the new approach “shouldn’t scare students — it’s just a shift. Students will be presented with the same content, which will appear in the same format.” Cynthia Rodriguez, a senior pre-law student from Earl Warren College, expressed concerns over the possibility of technological complications. “The change is exciting, but as with all things that go virtual or digital, there’s always room for error,” Rodriguez said. “Typing is more efficient than using a pencil, but if the system goes down or if there is a security breach, everyone would likely have to start over.” Other students expressed similar reservations. “I like the idea of a pencil and paper better. It’s what I’m comfortable with — plus, I’m wary of technology error. Not much can go wrong when you’re using just a pen or pencil,” Christine Lee, a senior pre-law student from Roger Revelle College, told the Guardian. Although switching to an electronic platform always presents the possibility of hacking, Thomas is not concerned about cheating. “There will be extremely rigid measures against cheating in place,” Thomas said. “Tablets will be controlled by a centralized computer that will send and retract content as needed. Once a student leaves the room, the testing content will become inaccessible.” The final exam that will use the standard pencil and paper format will be administered in June 2019, after which the Samsung tablets will be integrated into the testing process, with the occasional pencil and paper test. Another change resulting from the transition to the tablets is that students will no longer be able to cancel their scores after taking the exam, with the exception of those See LSAT, page 3