Q&A: Alum Henry Waxman discusses future as UCLA regents’ professor
By Andrea Henthorn
March 3, 2015 1:09 a.m.
Henry Waxman, a UCLA alumnus and a longtime congressman who represented the 33rd District that includes Westwood, announced last week that he will teach at the UCLA School of Law next academic year.
Waxman retired from Congress in January after 40 years and was replaced by Ted Lieu, a former state senator. Waxman will serve as a regents’ professor, whose appointment is approved by the University of California Board of Regents.
He said he hasn’t yet decided what topic he plans to teach next fall or winter, though he wants to discuss areas he focused on as a congressman, such as climate change and health care. He also plans to give a lecture at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health during the next academic year.
Waxman pushed for the Affordable Care Act, which was passed in 2010 and sought to expand health care coverage, and he chaired the Health and Environment Subcommittee for 16 years.
Daily Bruin’s Andrea Henthorn spoke with Waxman Monday about his plans as a regents’ professor.
Daily Bruin: What is your goal for students? How do you want students to benefit from your teaching?
Henry Waxman: I want to give people the perspective I saw during that time (in Congress) on how to deal with policy, how to get legislation adopted and how courts interpret that legislation, and some of the outstanding issues that need to be resolved for the future.
DB: How will your experience in Congress shape your teaching?
HW: I’m going to give students both at the law school and students who wish to attend the lectures my point of view, experiences and kinds of changes I think we need to make in the law, and the consequences of not only acting, but not acting, and what it means for the future.
DB: Given your background as a UCLA alumnus, what does it mean for you to come here as a professor?
HW: Turning to UCLA in this capacity will be different to me, and hopefully helpful to the students … I’m excited about the chance to be back on the UCLA campus and to talk about things that are on my mind and are on the minds of young students … and be a help to them as they think about what they want to do in their futures.
Compiled by Andrea Henthorn, Bruin contributor.
