USAC signboards torn down overnight

UPDATE: A statement released by the Election Board on Wednesday condemned the vandalism of 14 Undergraduate Students Association Council candidate signboards. The board has hired security to monitor the signboards and deter further vandalism.

“In solidarity against the recent negative campus climate, the Election Board has chosen to move forward with the elections as a symbol of “˜True Bruin’ strength. Hopefully, the general student body can support our candidates tonight as they fix and put their signboards up again,” the statement said. “Let it be known, perpetrators who wish to vandalize our campus climate will not hold us down. Let us demonstrate why we, “˜True Bruins,’ passionately care about the well being of our campus and will not tolerate acts of vandalism or hatred.”

Elections will continue as scheduled. Results will be announced Thursday at 11 p.m. on the steps of Kerckhoff Hall.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly said that all of the Bruins United signboards were left intact. Two Bruins United signboards were taken down early Wednesday morning, along with all of the Students First! and Defend Affirmative Action Party signboards.

Signboards promoting candidates running for the Undergraduate Students Association Council were torn down early Wednesday morning.

Election Board Chairman Hector Lucero said he received a call this morning from a Students First! representative who said all of the slate’s signboards were taken down along with both boards from the Defend Affirmative Action Party. Two Bruins United signboards were also taken down.

Approximately 54 boards, comprised of large signboards and sandwich boards, were damaged, along with popped balloons, according to Nancy Greenstein, a spokeswoman for university police.

Police reports, as well as several complaints to the Election Board, have been filed, said Kenn Heller, associate director for the Center for Student Programming.

Greenstein said it is estimated that the incident happened in the early hours of the morning, sometime between 1 and 3 a.m.

University police are currently investigating on the scene and dusted the boards for fingerprints.

The Election Board is still working out the details of the incident, and is meeting with candidates to discuss the event and come to a solution.

“What we’re trying to do is come to some common ground. Everyone agrees this is a bigger issue than just the election,” said Robert Naples, associate vice chancellor and dean of students.

The board will determine what steps will be taken concerning elections; however, if students are concerned about the incident, they can file reports to the university, Heller said. He added that the act of vandalizing the signboards violates several portions of the student code of conduct.

After the signboards were discovered on the ground, candidates from Bruins United took down their signs to show that they do not support such campaign tactics.

“This is absolutely something we do not condone,” said Luz Maria Kumpel, the presidential candidate for Bruins United. “We want to put aside party affiliations and begin discussions to make sure these kinds of acts don’t go unnoticed and work towards making sure they do not happen.”

However, Shahida Bawa, USAC internal vice president and a member of Students First! said the signboards should remain exactly as they were found this morning in order to send a message to the campus. Bruins United representatives are victimizing themselves by taking their boards down, D’Juan Farmer, USAC Financial Support commissioner and Students First! supporter, said.

Students First! presidential candidate Jasmine Hill said, “It’s an emotional setback as well as a physical setback.” She added that they hope to put the signboards back up by Thursday, but it will be difficult to find the time to start digging again.

Hill said the incident was discouraging and that she felt it reflected a resistance against her efforts to unify the campus and promote diversity.

Students First! candidates and supporters said they will continue with the campaign now more fervently than ever.

The Defend Affirmative Action Party put their signboards back up around noon.

Students who saw suspicious activity related to the event should contact university police or use the anonymous tip line, 310-794-5824. With contributing reports from Sonali Kohli and Andra Lim, Bruin reporters.