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THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2012
VOLUME 45, ISSUE 50
WWW.UCSDGUARDIAN.ORG
I had to do what I had to do to survive.”
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Student left in Drug Enforcement Administration cell for five days without food, water. By Zev Hurwitz • Associate News Editor
UCSD student who was left in a Drug Enforcement Administration cell for five days without food, water or human contact is planning to file suit against the agency. Engineering student Daniel Chong, along with eight others, was taken to the DEA OPINION Kearny Mesa headThis is only the quarters on April beginning of Chong’s ordeal. 21, following a raid on a house where he PAGE 4 and the others were allegedly smoking marijuana. Chong resorted to drinking urine during his stay in the 5-foot by
10-foot cell. “I had to recycle my own urine,” Chong said in an interview with the U-T San Diego. “I had to do what I had to do to survive.” D aniel C hong While at headquarters, DEA agents made seven arrests, but officers purportedly told Chong that he would not be charged. Chong was then left in his cell for five days until two DEA agents
CAMPUS LIFE
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found him on April 25. The DEA paid for Chong’s hospital stay, where he was treated for kidney failure, cramps, dehydration and a perforated esophagus. While in solitary confinement, Chong attempted to take his own life by breaking his eyeglasses and attempting to cut his wrists. He also tried unsuccessfully to carve the words “Sorry Mom” into his arm. “I hallucinated by the third day,” Chong said during a press conference on May 1. “I was completely insane.” Chong had also ingested a white powdery substance that he found in the cell. The substance was later iden-
tified as methamphetamine. Chong also said that he could hear agents walking in the hallways and in adjacent cells but no one responded to his screaming or cries for help. On Wednesday, DEA spokesman William R. Sherman apologized to Chong for the entrapment. “I am deeply troubled by the incident that occurred here last week,” Sherman said in the statement. “I have personally ordered an extensive review of our policies and procedures.” California Senator Barbara Boxer echoed the call for investigation in
a letter she wrote to United States Attorney General Eric Holder asking for a thorough review of the incident. At UCSD, A.S. Council passed a resolution on May 2 denouncing the DEA for Chong’s detention and urging Chancellor Fox to take a stance on the issue. Chong’s attorney Eugene Iredale said that they intend to file a claim against the federal government. If the claim is denied, they will file a federal lawsuit. Readers can contact Zev Hurwitz at zhurwitz@ucsd.edu.
a.s. council
Concerns Student Fees May Fund Office of Over New President as Result of New UC Tax forced UC Santa Conduct Tax Barbara to freeze student org funding; Code Merced and Riverside
Council Senator Project Updates
New code is vague when defining “disruptions” that could lead students, or student orgs, to be sanctioned and punished.
By Kashi Khorasani Staff Writer
By Emily Pham Contributing Writer The new Student Conduct Code, which standardizes the disciplinary process for all colleges, will be implemented beginning Fall 2012. Members of A.S. Council, after working with UCSD administration to write the code, are concerned with vague wording in the revision that may restrict students’ rights if left unchecked. “I am, and A.S. as a whole is, very concerned about a number of things in the newest draft [of the code],” Associate Vice President of Student Advocacy Bryce Farrington said in an email. “The vagueness [allows] the See CONDUCT, page 3
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condemned initiative.
By Daniel Song Staff Writer A tax passed by the UC Board of Regents may cause student fees to go toward funding the UC Office of the President. The Regents passed the tax, known as the Funding Stream Initiative, in July 2011 with the goal of increasing financial transparency. Before, revenue generated by each campus went through UCOP, which took a 6-percent share and redistributed the funds back to the campuses. This revenue came from Core Funds, which includes sources such as medical centers and grants and contracts, but did not include campus-based fees, such as sports fees and college activity fees. Now, revenues will remain on the campuses they originate from, and UCOP will gain funds through a 1.69-percent flat tax of all campuses. The chancellors and vice chancellors of the universities can choose when to implement the tax and how
FORECAST
We had solid defense, great pitching, clutch hitting and an energy in the dugout that was undeniable.”
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much to draw from each funding source to meet the total 1.69 percent. Student fees may be included as a funding source. “The impact on campuses will vary from one to another because they don’t have exactly the same revenue sources,” UCOP spokesperson Shelly Meron wrote in an email. “For example, some UCs have medical centers, some have less research, some have more professional schools, etc. All of that affects campuslevel revenues, and by extension affects what funds will be assessed and what impact this will have.” The chancellors of UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara have already instituted the tax, with Riverside paying 2 percent of its overall revenue. UC Santa Barbara Student Affairs now owes $700,000 to UCOP, leading UCSB Student Affairs to ask the student council to pay anywhere from $99,000 to $180,000. UCSB’s council has frozen student org funds until further notice. The Davis A.S. council faces an estimated $250,000 reduction to its annual budget. The A.S. Councils of UC Riverside and UC Merced have passed resolutions criticizing the inclusion of student-initiated fees in the Funding Streams Initiative. Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Sammy Chang
NIGHT WATCH
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brought up the new tax at council’s April 25 meeting. “Action must be taken or there will be fiscal disaster,” Chang said during his April 25 presentation to council. According to Chang, the tax will go into effect at UCSD starting Fall 2012. The tax did not affect UCSD this year because the university’s annual budget was set by the time the UC Regents passed the tax. Chang added that council plans to inform students about the tax and petition Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Penny Rue to ask her not to include student fee funds in the tax. Chancellor Marye Anne Fox has voiced support for the tax, but has also proposed some alterations — such as a reduction in the 1.69-percent total taxation rate. UCOP hopes that this will eventually reduce fees for students, even if they have an increased financial burden in the present. “I believe the outcome of the Financial Streams Initiative will enhance transparency and will help set the 10 campuses on a path towards continued excellence in the coming years,” UC President Mark Yudof said in a Sept. 12 memo addressed to UC chancellors and budgeting staff. Readers can contact Daniel Song at d9song@ucsd.edu.
Each A.S. senator is required to do two projects per academic year as part of his or her duties. A.S. senators are elected officials, except in cases when they are appointed to fill a vacancy. In order to write an update on these projects, the Guardian repeatedly contacted the following campuswide senators: Karen Liang, Carlos Molina, Amanda Malamud, Kirk Freeman, Ashton Cohen, Brad Segal, Matt Bradbury and Clinton Rodriguez. Of these, Brad Segal, Matt Bradbury and Clinton Rodriguez responded regarding their projects. Brad Segal stepped into his role as campuswide senator on March 14, after the resignation of former senator Annie Yu. Segal said that he received funding for his senator project the same night he was appointed into his position.
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See SENATORS, page 3
INSIDE Quite Frankly..........................2 New Business.........................3 Spin Cycle..............................4 Letters to the Editor................5 Beer and Loathing..................6 Sudoku...................................9 Left, Center, Tackle...............12