Editorial: New Year’s resolutions to keep UCLA, the UC and The Bruin accountable
By Editorial Board
Jan. 4, 2016 12:08 a.m.
Just like the masses of people that will swell the John Wooden Center to capacity this month, it’s time to make a few New Year’s resolutions.
We here at The Bruin have a few of our own. But before that, it seems appropriate to look at what changes we expect from some in the administration and others this year.
First, BruinAlert has to be updated. This editorial board has made the point, again and again, that the ineffective nature of BruinAlert is embarrassing at best and dangerous for students at worst. During a meeting with the editorial board toward the end of last quarter, Chancellor Gene Block said he trusted the experts in charge of BruinAlert to discern which messages were appropriate to send to the student body without eliciting or disseminating widespread panic.
READ MORE: Editorial: BruinAlert should update UCLA community as situations progress
Yet in the post-digital age, where students are constantly updated through questionable sources on platforms such as Facebook or Yik Yak, BruinAlert can best serve the student body by providing clarity, however limited, rather than being silent during developing incidents. Before the meeting ended, Block said he would look into a new approach to handling emergency alerts. Let’s see that he follows through.
Speaking of Block, it’s imperative that he takes more time to meet with students. That would mean greatly expanding his office hours from an hour a quarter to an hour a month or more. More importantly, he needs to maintain an open and transparent line of communication with students. Last quarter, his office hour was cancelled with little explanation and no fanfare.
It’s understandable that Block is busy, especially while fundraising for the Centennial Campaign, but that’s no excuse for ignoring the very people for whom he’s supposed to be fundraising.
Going higher up the ladder, those who are drafting the University of California Statement of Principles against Intolerance have to be more transparent in their efforts. This document will most likely be widely scrutinized and spawn fierce debate. Yet, there is a startling lack of transparency from the group in charge of creating it, and as such, rumors swirl about the statement’s ultimate purpose.
Even if the UC has yet to determine how far-reaching and definitive its statement will be, it’s important it discloses which experts are being consulted in its decision-making process so the public is aware of which stakeholders are being represented.
Of course, it would be hypocritical to criticize without examining our own resolutions. As we begin 2016, The Bruin has a resolution of its own.
We will continue to be accountable to our readers. In order to do that, we will step up our efforts to reach out to the community. The Daily Bruin has a responsibility to all members of the campus community, but sometimes we don’t do enough to reach every person.
This list certainly isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a start. 2016 will produce its own set of challenges unforeseen and unpredictable. However, it’s this board’s firm belief that with a continued commitment to excellence, transparency and outreach, this university and its students can and will overcome any obstacle thrown their way.
