I wanted to clarify some inaccuracies in the May 16 editorial, “UCLA should release full survey results.” The editorial claims that UCLA has only released two brief reports about the Diverse Learning Environments survey. In fact, a detailed, 63-page report about the Diverse Learning Environments survey, which describes all of the variables used and includes comparisons with other University of California campuses’ results, has been posted on the Student Affairs Information and Research Office website since May 9, a week before the editorial was published.

Moreover, although the editorial claims that UCLA has not publicized the results of the survey, we have shared the results with students and other stakeholders on dozens of occasions, including through presentations to the UCLA Undergraduate Students Association Council, Community Programs Office organizations, the Council on Diversity and Inclusion, the Council of Student Affairs Directors and the Office of Residential Life, to name just a few.

In addition, the Student Affairs Information and Research Office and the Intergroup Relations program have, in four academic quarters, offered a Fiat Lux seminar using the Diverse Learning Environments survey data as a framework for discussion of campus climate and student experiences at UCLA.

It is true that we are unwilling to provide the entire raw data set for the survey as requested by the Daily Bruin, but we have compelling reasons for this. Neither UCLA nor any other UC campus provides raw survey data because they may include response cells so small that we run the risk of identifying individual students and thus violating their privacy. Had the Daily Bruin requested it, we would have been happy to provide aggregate data on specific areas of interest from among the topics the survey covered.

Janina Montero
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

A body found at the bottom of Boelter Hall on Tuesday was identified today as Reynaldo Quitos, 47, a UCLA library employee, according to officials.

It appears as though Quitos either fell or jumped from the building.

The cause of Quitos’ death is still under investigation, Los Angeles County coroner officials said.

UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton said there is no indication of foul play.

Police were notified that Quitos’ body was near the stairs between the California NanoSystems Institute and Boelter Hall at about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, officials said.

The stairway between the two buildings remained blocked off to access for several hours. The coroner’s office removed the body at around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.

The university is providing counseling to people affected by the death, according to a university statement.

Compiled by Yael Levin, Bruin contributor. Contributing reports by Naheed Rajwani, Bruin senior staff.

Garcetti held an eight-point lead over City Controller Wendy Greuel, with about 54 percent of the vote. Greuel trailed Garcetti with 46 percent, or about 155,500 votes, according to the L.A City Clerk’s office.

Greuel called Garcetti early Wednesday morning and conceded the mayoral election, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The race between Garcetti and Greuel was close for much of the election season; the vote in the primary election in March was split between Garcetti, with 33 percent, and Greuel, with 29 percent. Because no candidate received 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates had to compete again in the runoff election Tuesday.

Garcetti looked back on his campaign as he addressed a crowd of about 2,100 supporters in Hollywood Tuesday night, while the votes were being tallied.

“We didn’t have the most money or the biggest endorsements, but we had a people-power campaign,” he said.

Meanwhile, Greuel spoke to a crowd of about 400 supporters who gathered in downtown Los Angeles to await the ballot counts.

“No one said it’s gonna be easy or quick, and sometimes the day in politics doesn’t end,” Greuel said.

Neither of the candidates are as well-known as mayoral candidates from past years. Both campaigns focused much more on advertising endorsements the candidates received from prominent individuals or groups, said Raphael Sonenshein, a political science professor at California State University, Los Angeles.

In past debates, Garcetti said he intends to ease the job-seeking process for L.A. residents, carry out pension reform for city jobs, and facilitate greater communication between the city and its residents.

Garcetti has said he is also interested in partnering with Los Angeles-based colleges like UCLA because he thinks the city could benefit from more students immediately entering the Los Angeles job market upon graduation.

But once Garcetti is sworn in on July 1, he will probably focus more on smaller tasks rather than big picture items, Sonenshein said.

“It’s problems of fixing things like cracked sidewalks, potholes, and leaky pipes, it’s not a lack of vision,” he said.

By July 1, Garcetti will need to have built an administration that reflects his values and brings in people he trusts, Sonenshein said.

Mayoral administrations typically include city commissioners, who will help to carry out specific aspects of city government, and his chief of staff, who will work directly at city hall.

Sonenshein added that Garcetti will likely concentrate on understanding the budget and how city services are going to be financed, and to connect with those who supported the opposing candidate.

Garcetti has said he plans to rehire all department heads at city hall once he takes office in order to ensure that they are all the best people for their jobs.

The new mayor will face one of his first major challenges in January when he will have to negotiate new contracts related to salary increases and pension with city employees, Sonenshein said.

“This is the big mystery for voters, who’s going to be the better negotiator,” he said.

Both candidates have worked with the university for years, partnering on issues related to transportation such as the future construction on the Westside Metro stop and the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, said Felicia Brannon, executive director of government and community relations at UCLA.

As the next mayor takes office, Brannon said she hopes to continue partnering with them on any issues connected with UCLA.

“I see the same happening as we (move) forward,” she said.

The Undergraduate Students Association Council is the official student government of UCLA’s undergraduate students. Council meetings are Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Kerckhoff 417 and are open to all students.

Agenda

• Council members discussed when meetings will take place this summer and how many members of council will need to be present for quorum. The council will vote on the topics next week.
• Council unanimously approved the placement of current council members to the Appointments Review Committee, Constitutional Review Committee and the Budget Review Committee.
• Council unanimously approved all funding allocations.

Officer Reports

• John Joanino, USAC president, said two people will be needed to work the USAC tables at the new student orientations.
• Avi Oved, internal vice president, said his office is updating the resolution on the USAC website and wants to provide a space to students so that they can provide feedback that the council can access.
• Maryssa Hall, external vice president, said that she and Joanino went to Sacramento last week and confirmed two regents are coming to campus next fall. She said she also spoke with a University of California Student Association field organizer to bring the Student of Color Conference to UCLA.
• Darren Ramalho, academic affairs commissioner, said his office completed the last part of its three part diversity workshop.

Special Presentations

• Representatives from the On Campus Housing Council presented about potential sources for complementary funding for offices’ programs and ways to advertise programs.
• Cynthia Jasso presented to the council about the Student Government Operational Fund and items it could fund within the council members’ offices such as flyers, t-shirts and office supplies.

Compiled by Amanda Schallert, Bruin contributor.

Correction: Darren Ramalho’s last name was misspelled.

UCLA School of Law professor Eugene Volokh, one of the nation’s leading First Amendment scholars, will teach the students how to draft amicus curiae briefs on behalf of organizations or academic groups for the consideration of state and federal courts.

Amicus briefs can affect the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to hear a case, influence a lower court’s decision to allow a case to be reheard, or add credibility to an argument by presenting expertise or support for one side of a case, Volokh said.

For example, in August 2012, the UC president and chancellors of all 10 campusessubmitted an amicus curiae brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, siding in support of a race-conscious admissions policy at the University of Texas, according to Daily Bruin archives. The case is still before the Supreme Court.

With Volokh’s help, small teams of students in the new clinic will write briefs for organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union on cases relating to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, Volokh added.

“For many students, this will be their first experience with real cases, real deadlines and real clients,” he said.

About nine students in their second or third year of law school will be able to enroll in the four-unit course, which will meet weekly throughout the semester.

Volokh said he came up with the idea for the clinic while filing petitions to the U.S. Supreme Court. He said he realized that many people and organizations do not have the long hours or money it takes to write amicus curiae briefs.

Clinics provide practical training for aspiring lawyers, and are taken by most law students even though they are not required, said David Babbe, the interim director of clinical programs. The UCLA School of Law  was one of the first law schools to offer clinics, and continues to offer clinical courses in areas such as litigation and public interest, he said.

The process of filing amicus curiae briefs is similar to that of appellate briefs, a skill all lawyers need, Babbe said.

With the course, students will learn how to trim down lengthy legal briefs, which Volokh said is another important skill for law students.

“There’s a reason briefs are called briefs,” he said. “You’re facing the limits of the attention span of judges – if it looks like you’re being long-winded, they may not read it as closely.”

Gary Orfield, a professor in the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, has submitted several amicus curiae briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court as a member of groups of social scientists.

Amicus briefs can either be completely ignored or very important, Orfield said. He said he submitted a brief that was cited by the court in their decision on affirmative action policies in admissions at the University of Michigan.

Bita Yazdanian, a fourth-year political science student who plans to attend the UCLA School of Law in the fall, said she thinks the exposure to First Amendment law would be a good way to specialize her education.

She said she would be open to taking the clinic if it was offered again in the future because it offers skills that supplement normal law school classes.

The success of the clinic will determine if it will be brought back in the future, Volokh said.

Leading up to the August start date of the course, Volokh said he has been keeping an eye out for interesting cases and reaching out to groups, like the American Civil Liberties Union and media law firms, to find opportunities to submit briefs.

Students will submit electronic applications to enter the clinic, consisting of their grades, writing samples and the names of their former writing professors, Volokh said. Applications are due in early July, he said.

“It’s helpful to have an intermediate experience, where the clients won’t be going to jail,” Volokh said. “(The students) will be dipping their toes into the river of responsibility.”

City Councilman Eric Garcetti held a slight lead with about 51 percent, or about 81,300 votes, as of 11 p.m., while City Controller Wendy Greuel trailed slightly with about 49 percent, or about 77,800 votes, as of press time. Only about 16 percent of poll ballots and 84 percent of mail-in ballots had been counted.

Garcetti looked back on his campaign as he addressed a crowd of about 2,100 supporters in Hollywood Tuesday night.

“We didn’t have the most money or the biggest endorsements, but we had a people power campaign,” he said.

Meanwhile, Greuel spoke to a crowd of about 400 supporters who gathered in downtown Los Angeles to await the ballot counts Tuesday night.

“No one said it’s gonna be easy or quick, and sometimes the day in politics doesn’t end,” Greuel said.

It may take up to several weeks to count all the ballots. Experts have said votes might not be counted immediately because of their distance from downtown Los Angeles, and many voters may have mailed in their ballots at the last minute, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Ben LaZebnik, a campaign intern responsible for calling voters, said he believes the Garcetti campaign can pull through because they have passionate volunteers and a quality candidate.

It is not unusual for mayoral races to be close, but Garcetti had recently been experiencing a lead in the polls, said Raphael Sonenshein, a political science professor at California State University, Los Angeles.

“There seems to be less at stake in this election (than in previous ones) because the candidates are very similar,” he said.

Xavier Cardiel, a Roosevelt High School student who attended a rally in downtown Los Angeles for Wendy Greuel on Tuesday, said he supports Greuel because of her education policies.

“She is the candidate that will help out public schools the most. She has a kid in public school and her family is from the same area as us,” he said.

The race between Garcetti and Greuel was close for much of the election season.

The vote in the primary election in March was split between Garcetti, with 33 percent, and Greuel, with 29 percent. Because no candidate received 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates had to compete again in the runoff election Tuesday.

Neither of the candidates are as well known as mayoral candidates from past years, Sonenshein said. Both campaigns focused much more on advertising endorsements the candidates received from prominent individuals or groups, he said.

In past debates, Garcetti said he intends to ease the job-seeking process for L.A. residents, carry out pension reform for city jobs, and facilitate greater communication between the city and its residents.

Garcetti has said he is also interested in partnering with Los Angeles-based colleges like UCLA because he thinks the city could benefit from more students immediately entering the Los Angeles job market upon graduation.

Greuel, who is also a UCLA alumna, has said she plans to balance the city budget without pandering to special interest groups.

She has also said she will focus on business tax reform, pension reform and fixing administrative inefficiencies in City Hall.

In past debates, she has said she intends to keep college students in Los Angeles after they graduate by encouraging the growth of Los Angeles businesses and actively recruiting college students.

If elected, Greuel will be Los Angeles’ first female mayor.

After being sworn in on July 1, Sonenshein said he thinks the elected mayor – either Garcetti or Greuel – will probably focus more on smaller tasks rather than big picture items.

“It’s problems of fixing things like cracked sidewalks, potholes and leaky pipes; it’s not a lack of vision,” he said.

The new mayor will also need to build an administration that reflects his or her values and brings in people he or she trusts, Sonenshein said.

Mayoral administrations typically include city commissioners, who will help to carry out specific aspects of city government, and the chief of staff, who will work directly at City Hall.

Sonenshein added the elected candidate will likely concentrate on understanding the budget and how city services are going to be financed, and try to connect with those who supported his or her opposing candidate.

The new mayor will face one of his or her first major challenges in January when negotiating new contracts related to salary increases and pension with city employees, Sonenshein said.

“This is the big mystery for voters, who’s going to be the better negotiator,” he said.

Both candidates have worked with the university for years, partnering on issues related to transportation and to the environment, said Felicia Brannon, executive director of community and local relations at UCLA.

“I see the same happening as we forward with either candidate,” she said.

Contributing reports from Annie Lu and Hee Jae Xai, Bruin contributors.