The California public education system may soon gain a new adviser through a new council proposed last month. The P-16 council, proposed by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell in December of 2004, would make recommendations to the superintendent based on observations of the current status of the school system, including all grades from pre-school to four-year universities. Read more...

As the investigation continues into a UCLA graduate student’s controversial performance art piece, others are speaking up to defend the student and his Nov. 29, 2004, performance. Read more...

New information regarding security lapses at the Los Alamos National Laboratory has not led the UC Board of Regents to release a decision on whether to submit a bid to continue the lab’s management. Read more...

The recent proposed structural changes to undergraduate student government include changes in the voting system that undergraduates use to elect officials. Proponents of the changes say the new system will offer greater representation for all students. Read more...

One of the biggest student advocacy group’s efforts to stop the rise of textbook prices have culminated in the second edition of Ripoff 101, a report published a year ago that finds how the “publishing industry’s practices needlessly drive up textbook costs.” This report was released simultaneously on Tuesday at a multitude of California Public Interest Research Group chapters. Read more...

The observation of Black History Month has become a bittersweet celebration for some black scholars. While the recognition of the societal impact blacks have had on American culture is generally thought by scholars to be positive, some believe that the condensing of black history into a single month, rather than having it be a part of day-to-day education and cultural understanding, has its downsides. Read more...

A major water main broke near the UCLA campus about 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, leaving thousands on campus and across the Westside without water. Jack Powazek, assistant vice chancellor for general services, said the problem had been repaired by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and that the campus water pressure was being restored. Read more...