Letters to the editor

Tuesday, November 4, 1997

Letters to the editor

Ethnic studies for whom?

In Natalie Stites and Hugo Maldonado’s article ("Editors’ attack
of rally misinformed," Oct. 29), they suggested that ethnic studies
are "badly needed" at UCLA. Let’s ignore for a moment that calls
for "ethnic studies" often ignore any ethnicity which happens to
originate in Europe, and instead look at those sounding the call.
If what UCLA "needs" is more paranoid, myopic, bitter,
race-obsessed individuals, then by all means, make ethnic studies a
requirement. However, if we want those coming out of UCLA to be
able to live in harmony with people of all different backgrounds,
we should steer students away from victimization indoctrination
classes and into more employable studies.

MacLane Key

Graduate student

Computer science

Criticism lacks any foundation

Where do the Daily Bruin editors get off by calling Chancellor
Carnesale’s office hours a PR stunt? ("Are Carnesale’s office hours
a PR stunt?" Oct. 29) The Bruin had a reporter and a photographer
at the general office hours that the chancellor held after the
individual office hours. They would be able to tell the editors
that the chancellor was not in it for the PR. Chancellor Carnesale
even asked us if it was all right for The Bruin to take pictures of
us, and Chancellor Carnesale also stated that was not a PR stunt
when he spoke to us. We all knew that we would be able to get a few
minutes to express our problem, and we knew that he would not be
familiar with it. He had the office hours to hear what we as
students had to say. Everyone was invited to the general office
hours, but only 20 of us showed up.

What makes you think another medium would be better? There were
extra seats in the conference room. It is the students who did not
wish to attend. Why USAC has not met with the chancellor is their
own problem. If they wanted to meet him, I am sure that they could
have arranged a meeting already. Calling Chancellor Carnesale’s
office hours a "hollow effort" is plain misleading, and an
unjustified act. Maybe if the editors of The Bruin would have shown
up to the meeting, they would see their misguided criticism of
Chancellor Carnesale’s efforts is unfounded.

Robert Guyader

Third-year

Economics