USAC receives Carnesale’s speech poorly
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 14, 1998 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 15, 1998
USAC receives Carnesale’s speech poorly
CHANCELLOR: Listeners demand official, public anti-Prop. 209
statement
By Dennis Lim
Daily Bruin Contributor
Surrounded by some 80 students angered by UCLA’s recent minority
admissions rates, Chancellor Albert Carnesale spoke at the USAC
meeting Tuesday night.
Carnesale declared his support for using race, gender and
national origin as part of the admissions process, but fell short
of making a direct statement against Proposition 209.
Carnesale also answered questions from USAC members and other
students on affirmative action, outreach and the low admissions for
underrepresented minority students.
With signs reading "Take a stand or take a hike," "Legal
segregation lives," and "We love you Carnesale! Bruins for
spineless bureaucrats," students demanded that Carnesale take a
stand on the new admissions numbers and Proposition 209, which bars
race, gender or ethnicity as criteria for admission to the
university.
"Are you willing to make a public statement against Proposition
209 and its negative effects on admission rates for minorities?"
asked Kandea Mosley, USAC president.
Carnesale responded by saying that he was willing to make a
statement, though he did not say when students could expect such a
statement.
"I am prepared to make a public statement about the importance
of including race, gender and ethnicity in enriching the
university," Carnesale said.
Carnesale also added that should admissions rates continue to
fall in the future, he believed that the university would decline
along with those rates.
"If this university becomes only Asian and white males, that
fact will drastically affect our resources," Carnesale said.
"I do believe that if the numbers continue to decline, this
university will be worse off," he continued.
Advocating a direct stance against Proposition 209, students
demanded a more direct statement from the chancellor, or his
resignation if he failed to do so in the future.
"I was disappointed that Carnesale didn’t make a stronger
statement. He could have lent his moral leadership to this
initiative instead of the loose support that he has given," said
Darnell Grisby, USAC general representative.
In response, Carnesale stressed his inability, as chancellor, to
directly impact California law and the ability of the UC Regents to
remove him from his position.
"My resignation or being removed from office would do nothing to
help maintain diversity at this campus," Carnesale said.
"The only thing that would happen is that the UC Regents would
appoint a chancellor who would support Proposition 209," he
continued.
Instead, Carnesale stressed the need to work within the current
legal framework to do what he could to improve minority admissions
rates. He hinted at future programs to help increase those rates,
though did not give any specific examples.
After the meeting, Carnesale left Kerckhoff Hall with a group of
10 students chanting "No more lies, don’t comply," following behind
him. The pursuit did not end until Carnesale entered Murphy Hall,
closing the door on the following students.
"Go ahead and close the door on us like 209 has," said one
follower.
"He felt our presence," the demonstrator added with a smile.
With reports from Daily Bruin Contributor Barbara Ortutay.
DERRICK KUDO/Daily Bruin
Chancellor Albert Carnesale speaks during a USAC meeting about
post-Prop. 209 UCLA admissions.
