Gene Block, Jerry Kang discuss campus climate, issues facing the UC

Chancellor Gene Block meets with the Daily Bruin editorial board every quarter to discuss issues affecting campus and to explain administrative policies. At their meeting on Tuesday, Block, who was joined by Vice Chancellor Jerry Kang, spoke about campus climate issues, UCLA’s purchase of the Occidental Petroleum Building, the Centennial Campaign and the UCLA Grand Challenges. Block also addressed the planned increase in in-state enrollment, among other topics.

• UCLA purchased the Occidental Petroleum Building in Westwood because it was less expensive than leasing spaces in the long run, Block said. He added UCLA needs a lot of space for operations, and purchased the building to protect the Hammer Museum.

• Block said he understood students’ concerns over campus climate, in light of recent incidents such as the “Kanye Western”-themed party. He said he met with the Afrikan Student Union to address their demands, and thought most of their demands were clear. He added he thinks UCLA is already starting to meet several of their demands and cited the creation of Kang’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as an example.

• Kang said he is working on rationalizing and making sense of the university’s various anti-discrimination policies. He said it is difficult to balance upholding the First Amendment and taking action to remove hateful speech. He added he thinks more work needs to be done to educate students on what words or symbols can be offensive, and said he thinks the diversity requirement will help accomplish that.

• Block also commented on outside influences on campus climate, including the posters targeting Students for Justice in Palestine and the creation of a UCLA White Student Union page on Facebook. Kang said the university is working with Facebook to remove the UCLA White Student Union page, which uses the UCLA trademark without permission. Block said UCLA cannot do much in response to these incidents, other than condemn inappropriate voices.

• Block said the Centennial Campaign has raised nearly $2.3 billion. He added each individual school makes decisions on how they spend the money, but most of the funding will support students.

• Block also talked about the UCLA Grand Challenges for Sustainable LA and Depression. He said UCLA is becoming more sustainable by expanding bike lanes and planting drought-resistant plants. He added this year’s Grand Challenge is working to fight depression by providing more funding and resources for research and treatment.

• Block said he disagrees with the UC Regents’ decision to end out-of-state student aid to compensate for an increase in resident student enrollment. He said he thinks this will lead to a less diverse group of out-of-state students.

• He added UCLA will have to increase the number of teaching assistants, lecturers and faculty on tenure tracks, to account for next year’s increase in enrollment.

• Block said he has not been able to meet students as often as he has in previous quarters, and canceled this quarter’s office hours because of off-campus responsibilities. He said he attends student events, and tries to hold monthly breakfasts with student groups.

Compiled by Rupan Bharanidaran, Bruin reporter.