VOLUME 47, ISSUE 59
MONDAY, JUNE 2, 2014
www.ucsdguardian.org
concerts and events
student life
A STUDENT POLITICIAN USED WITH PERMISSION FROM ALLEN THEWENY
Leadership Panel Holds First Meeting The Civic Leadership Fund’s newest chapter members include past and present A.S. councilmemebers. BY andrew huang
senior staff Writer Muir College junior transfer student Allen Theweny is a mayoral candidate for the city of El Cajon. He shares his inspiration behind running for office and his plans to change El Cajon as mayor. FEATURES, PAGE 7
our endorsements
2014 Primaries voting guide Opinion, Page 4
and the winners are..
athletic awards of the year sPORTS, Page 12
FORECAST
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TUESDAY H 74 L 62
WEDNESDaY THURSDAY H 74 L 61
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JUST A DREAM
authorization from the designated university official or those on legiti-
The Civic Leadership Fund’s new UCSD chapter, a division of the national nonprofit organization, hosted its first leadership panel on Tuesday, May 27, in Price Center Theater. The panel included five total incoming and outgoing members of A.S. Council who hope to foster civic engagement and interdisciplinary discussions. The cofounders of CLF UCSD invited former Associate VicePresident of Enterprise Operations Irene Chang, Associate Vice-President of Environmental and Social Justice Sierra Donaldson, Vice President of Finance and Resources Igor Geyn, former Sixth College Senator Allison Bagnol and former Campuswide Senator Jehoan Espinoza to speak at the panel. The organization’s Executive Director Anuj Kommareddy asked the panel questions that focused on A.S. Council’s finances and communication. Kommareddy began by pointing out the various budget difficulties that the previous and current Council encountered — including the large mandate reserve withdrawal to fund cultural, graduation-related events — and asked what reevaluations or changes were made to prevent any future crises in the coming year. Geyn explained that the Council would pay particular attention to student organization funding, which currently receives one of the largest allocations from the A.S. budget. “We’re looking at the existing policies and looking at ways we can be more transparent,” Geyn said. “Obviously only some of us are in A.S. Council, but almost all of us here at UCSD are in some kind of student org, so we want to make sure that students have the ability to put on events and programs, as well as looking at ways to boost our enterprises and services.” Donaldson added how pivotal it was for A.S. Council to have recognized that overspending was a real issue, thus leading to discussions about possible long-term solutions. Geyn acknowledged the difficulty in prioritizing certain programs over others, but said that gaining input from students was an important first step. He further noted that college councils were a great, alternative source of student organization funding. Kommareddy later asked about the panel’s view on past A.S. Council relations with college councils, as well as ways to better facilitate cooperation between them. Espinoza said that communication was not always adequate, especially due to tensions arising from last year’s budget constraints. He suggested that A.S. Council and college councils collaborate on campuswide projects
See Policy, page 3
See panel, page 3
Idenity Projects Co. hosted a music event entitled “The Dream Festival” in the Matthews Quad on May 23. Various artists, including Daniel Rhuffles Rhee, took the stage throughout the evening. Photo by Yasmeen Elsawaf/Guardian.
Uc System
UC Reaches Agreement with Postdoctoral Union
T
BY brian iniguez
he University of California and the postdoctoral union, United Auto Workers Local 5810 reached a settlement on May 28 after two years of negotiations regarding the University’s alleged overcharging or altogether exclusion of post doctorates’ (or postdocs) health benefits guaranteed in their union contract. The settlement included $140,000 in retroactive compensation to those affected by the mismanagement and preventative stipulations. It also guaranteed that union members will be given up-to-the-minute information about their plans. The settlement accounts for union alumni as well. “We’ve been discussing settlements for over a year,” Local 5810 President Neal Sweeney, representative of over 6,000 union workers, said. “Working together, we presented a strong argument to the University and were able to demand fairness.”
contributing writer According to Sweeney, some of the people being paid back are no longer in their postdoc positions. He said that there are effectively 121 people sharing the $140,000. Normally, UC health benefits for postdocs are contracted at $10 to $50 per month for health coverage. After the union filed grievances against the management last year, it was made apparent that the contract was broken by the Uuniversity. One of the grievances, according to Sweeney, detailed the UC system telling a group of postdocs they had to pay the UC’s share of the health plan, at times up to $1,300 a month. The union — made up predominantly of recent immigrants with work visas and employed at the university labs, earning an average salary of $46,000 in 2012 — began a petition in February 2013 to provide equal access and fair payment plans to all of its members.
See Settlement, page 3
“
VERBATIM
The dishonesty within the current VA system is completely disgraceful and does not show the proper respect for veterans and their sacrifices.”
- Nico Hemsley
JUSTICE IS SERVED opinion, PAGE 4
INSIDE Average Cat..................... 2 Lights and Sirens............. 3 Kirsten Koa...................... 6 Crossword..................... 10 Sports............................ 12
campus
Proposed Rules Would Set New Curfew Non-affiliates would be barred between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. under new guidelines. BY gabriella fleischman
news editor The Office of the Vice Chancellor of Resource Management and Planning proposed to implement the UC Regent’s Policy on Non-Affiliate Access at UCSD, which would limit the rights and access of non-university affiliates while on campus. The policy defines non-affiliates as “any person who is not any of the following: a student, officer, official volunteer, employee, regent or emeritus of the University of California or a member of a household authorized to reside in university property.” The policy includes a curfew for non-affiliates from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. but this rule does not apply
Geisel Library at night. New restrictions on non-affiliates could keep Geisel and other buildings open only to students and staff during certain times of the day. Photo by Kyle Szeto/Guardian.
to “university-housing residents or their invited guests, invited guests of university faculty, emeritus or staff, persons possessing valid, written