Conflict arises over student media audit

By Kelly Rayburn
Daily Bruin Senior Staff

As some of last year’s members go out and next
year’s come in, and amid confusion brought on by a by-law in
its constitution, the Associated Students of UCLA Communications
Board has not yet decided on a $15,000-$20,000 audit of student
media.

The communications board ““ the entity which oversees
publishing, management and operation of all student media,
including the Daily Bruin, UCLA newsmagazines and UCLA television
and radio ““ voted 7-4 in a July 13 meeting to table a
proposed $15,000-$20,000 audit of student media.

But after the vote, graduate student board member Jim Caufield,
who voted against tabling the audit, expressed concern about the
legitimacy of the vote. He directed the board to a clause in the
communication board’s constitution, which states new board
members are to take their seats at the end of spring quarter, which
they have yet to do.

Under the constitution at least six board members’ terms,
including that of board chair Arshad Ali, had already expired
before the meeting was called ““ thus their votes would be
void.

“At this point the whole thing is in chaos,” said
alumni board member Sara Goodman, toward the end of the
meeting.

Professional representative Tim Alger, who introduced the
resolution to the board, said the audit, would be a complete review
of student media.

Though Alger later said the financial situation and the quality
of student media publications are good, he said in his presentation
that some board members had “significant concern about the
things that have gone on in the department and the management of
the department.”

Later Alger said, “there were some issues” with
media director Arvli Ward, but he would not specify what those
issues were, nor who was concerned with Ward and his
performance.

But others argued that Ward is doing and excellent job as media
director.

“Student media by every measure I know is in the best
condition its ever been,” said Mike Cline, another
professional board member.

Cline said student media is in great shape financially, offers a
quality product, and has more internships, travel programs and
alumni involvement than ever before.

“All of these programs have been put together by the media
director at the table,” Cline said, speaking of Ward.

Ward said he was opposed to an audit at this point, because he
wants take time to ensure that the audit produces a valuable
document that can be used in future years. He said of his
performance last year: “Somehow I got results.”

Typically, the communication board’s executive committee,
of which Alger was a member, gives a review of Ward’s
performance yearly.

But according to many board members, they rely heavily on
documents produced by Ward to do that review. The audit would
provide board members with additional documentation necessary to
give a more comprehensive review of Ward’s performance, some
board members said.

But Alger said a vote for the audit was not a “vote of
non-confidence in Arvli.”

Caufield agreed, stressing that all of student media, not just
Ward, would be reviewed by the audit.

“This is not about Arvli,” he said. “This is
about student media and how we can tweak it and super-tune
it.”

The proposal involved approving funding for Deloitte and Touche
““ an accounting, tax and consulting firm ““ to perform
an eight-week audit of student media, which Alger called an
“excellent opportunity to evaluate the department.”

But others did not like the idea ““ or at least were not
willing to approve funding yet.

Professional representative Norm Pattiz, who attended the
meeting via a trans-Atlantic telephone call, said he was hearing
about the audit for the first time and he was not prepared to vote
for its funding.

Others questioned the timing of the audit.

Ali said he’d rather an audit be performed during the
school year, when student media is “in full swing.”

But Alger would have preferred the audit happen during the
summer.

“My entire goal was to wrap this up before school
started,” he said. “The Bruin’s publishing once a
week instead of every day. We wouldn’t be in the
spotlight.”

Alger and three other board members voted not to table the
audit, and after it was tabled, Alger resigned as a member of the
executive committee, saying he did not want to complete the review
of Ward without the outside audit.

Student member Breana Teubner, also a member of the executive
committee, expressed concern about putting her name on a report
reviewing Ward without outside help.

“I personally do not have the professional ability ““
I want this to be done in a fair way,” she said. “I
don’t feel comfortable putting my name on something like
that, because I don’t think it would be
professional.”

Ward meanwhile said there is an alternative process to
completing his review and added that he stands ready to produce
“documentation and evidence” that would help the
communications board in accurately completing his review.

After Caufield made it known to the board that some
members’ terms were expired, administrative board member Pam
Viele put forth a resolution to view the tabling of the audit and
the upcoming review of media personnel by the executive committee
as a continuation of last year’s business, which could
therefore be done by last year’s board members.

But when it came time to vote on Viele’s resolution, there
was confusion over who could or could not vote, since some
member’s terms had technically passed.

Ward said that for the last few years, board members have served
from August 1 to August 1 of the next year, because that is the
board’s fiscal year. The clause in the constitution that says
new members must take their seats by the end of spring quarter is
left over from the time when the fiscal year ran from June 1 to
June 1.

But board members insisted on playing by the rules.

Board member Mike Kline recommended the board take its problem
to the university, saying the board was experiencing a
“constitutional crisis.”

But Alger said that was wasn’t necessary.

“I don’t think that’s appropriate at
all,” Alger said.

Alger said going to the university could hurt the autonomy of
student media.

The board is scheduled to meet again Wednesday, July 25. Members
whose terms have not expired ““ provided it meets quorum
““ will consider electing a new chair and vice-chair,
assigning board members to the executive and operational committees
and possibly voting on the tabled audit proposal.

Board members were not sure whether USAC ““ the group
responsible for undergraduate communications board appointments
““ would have appointments done by the next meeting.

GSA ““ responsible for graduate communications board
appointments ““ has already appointed its one new board
member.