Letters

Letters

Big bad Republicans

Editor:

Once again, Princeton Kim ("Who’s afraid of the big, bad
Democrat?," Feb. 7) has given us an article that fails to make a
persuasive argument. He warns us to "beware of friendly liberals,"
but offers no reason to embrace the Republican Party. Instead, he
relies on stereotypes and hyperbole to denigrate the Democratic
Party – the very same media-manipulative scare tactics of which he
claims Republicans are the victims.

Though it would be possible to engage in a sentence-by-sentence
rebuttal of Kim’s ludicrous arguments, there are more important
issues at hand. Since Kim failed to give the facts necessary to
make crucial political decisions, here they are:

The Democratic Party will continue to stand for equal
opportunity in education by supporting affirmative action; we will
advocate the rights of women, minorities and gays; we will fight to
raise the minimum wage to a level in accordance with inflation; and
most urgently, we will fight the Republican budget.

We support a budget plan which will meet the needs of an
ever-changing nation without disenfranchising millions of
hardworking Americans. We will vehemently resist the implementation
of the Republican budget, which, among other hazardous cuts,
will:

* cut Medicare by $270 billion

* cut Medicaid by $187 billion

* cut student loans by $4.9 billion to $10.5 billion, which will
directly threaten the education of approximately 4,300 UCLA
students.

These substantial, rash slashes in funding are all to subsidize
the Republicans’ $245 billion tax cut which will benefit only the
wealthiest 5 percent of Americans.

It is important to realize that these are the issues which will
heavily impact students, both now and in the future. The Democratic
Party is fighting to ensure that the future will be prosperous for
us, as students and as Americans.

Contrary to what Kim believes, Democrats would not prefer the
silence of conservatives. However, if the Republican Party has only
Kim to speak for it, it’s time to look for a new spokesperson.

Wendy Felton

Deputy Administrator

Bruin Democrats

Regent robbery

Editor:

Here we go again. Just when you think it’s safe to relax on the
issue of fees – whamo, Action Item 502. University of California
President Richard Atkinson is asking that we, as students, faculty
and staff, allow that certain "selected professional school
students" be singled out and robbed right in front of us with
increased fees for new students.

Robbed of a chance not only to get a public education at a
reasonable cost, but also a chance at a real future. Many of the
students in the programs that will be impacted will incur debts
into the tens of thousands of dollars.

This debt will not only place our brothers and sisters in a
position of servitude to the banking institutions of this country
for years to come, but will eliminate many of their dreams to serve
in the public’s interest.

No one who has $80,000 of debt could dream of paying it off on
the salaries provided by most of the community-oriented positions
available. The only choice for these people will be to go into
private practices which charge exorbitant rates. When this happens,
our society as a whole suffers.

If you have any comments on this item, I urge you to call
President Atkinson at (510) 987-9074, or call the chair of the
finance committee, Regent Ward Connerly, at (916) 456-4784.

Ed Gomez

Student regent

Late-drop monopoly

Editor:

A clarification on the Feb. 8 article, "Late-drop policies
frustrate UCLA students:"

There are many policies, procedures, deadlines and the like on
campus that differ by college or school. The School of Arts and
Architecture late-drop policy is one such case.

After fourth week, students must submit the blue UCLA enrollment
petition and our school’s supplemental late or retroactive drop/add
petition to the office of student services (1100 Dickson Art
Center), not the registrar’s office in Murphy Hall.

If a late drop is approved, the $13 late fee is assessed and a
late-drop notation is made on the student’s transcript.

The major difference, however, is that we rarely approve late
drops for reasons other than verifiable personal/family medical
problems.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Merrillyn Pace

Director

Office of Student Services

School of Arts and ArchitectureComments to
[email protected]