EDITORIAL BOARD Editor in
Chief  Timothy Kudo
Managing Editor
 Michael Falcone
Viewpoint Editor
 Cuauhtemoc Ortega
Staff Representatives
 Maegan Carberry
 Edward Chiao
 Kelly Rayburn
Editorial Board Assistants
 Maegan Carberry
 Edward Chiao
  Unsigned editorials represent a majority opinion of
the Daily Bruin Editorial Board. All other columns, letters and
artwork represent the opinions of their authors. Â Â All
submitted material must bear the author’s name, address, telephone
number, registration number, or affiliation with UCLA. Names will
not be withheld except in extreme cases. Â Â The Bruin
complies with the Communication Board’s policy prohibiting the
publication of articles that perpetuate derogatory cultural or
ethnic stereotypes. Â Â When multiple authors submit
material, some names may be kept on file rather than published with
the material. The Bruin reserves the right to edit submitted
material and to determine its placement in the paper. All
submissions become the property of The Bruin. The Communications
Board has a media grievance procedure for resolving complaints
against any of its publications. For a copy of the complete
procedure, contact the Publications office at 118 Kerckhoff Hall.
Daily Bruin 118 Kerckhoff Hall 308 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, CA
90024 (310) 825-9898
California state legislators have the habit of using the
University of California as a political tool, passing token
measures to help their reelection instead of pursuing real
improvements. Just look at the Latino caucus, which several members
of the UC Board of Regents have said threatened them with
legislative backlash if they didn’t pass admissions policies
they supported.
While their hearts may be in the right place, such manipulation
has little impact when the legislature is simultaneously pulling
the funding out from under the university. Gov. Gray Davis’
proposed 40 percent cut from the UC outreach fund will almost
certainly hinder the effects of plans like comprehensive review,
and dual admissions has already been hurt due to insufficient
funding.
But don’t think that these policies, which stop short of
fundamental change, will stop politicians from lauding these
“victories” in their reelection bids. To win campaign
races every two years ““ and to boost their political careers
after their three-term limit on the legislature ““ these
politicians have undermined the regents’ theoretical role as
an apolitical and autonomous body, as indicated in the California
constitution. The reason regents serve 12-year terms appointed by
the governor is because good political policy doesn’t
necessarily translate to good educational policy.
But, even regents exploit the UC for their own political
agendas. Regent Ward Connerly laid the groundwork for Prop. 209
““ his pet political project to eliminate affirmative action
in California ““ by using his position. While Connerly
complains about the actions of legislators, he must realize that
his tactics only invite politics into the board. If Connerly wants
to end the politics, he needs to end the hypocrisy.