Professor Stephen Bainbridge and Implications for UCLA Diversity

Last month, UCLA student Alexandra Wallace was blasted by the University's administration for posting a YouTube video titled Asians in the Library, where she spouted ignorant and revolting comments about the Asian community on UCLA's campus. Astoundingly, UCLA is dealing with yet another expression of insensitive and hurtful language coming from one of the University's own: Law Professor Stephen Bainbridge.

As detailed in The Daily Bruin, Bainbridge's blog (which is endorsed by the American Bar Association) contained a "xenophobic" blog post that called a FedEx customer service representative a "moron with an impenetrable accent." Bainbridge pretentiously added, "What third world shithole do they have him penned up in?" Bainbridge has since removed the post, apologized, and called his words "offending passages." Ironically, Bainbridge is known as a pro-immigration conservative.

Bainbridge's language is both shocking and disrespectful, and raises concerns about how diversity is talked about and understood on college campuses. As many journalists and students have pointed out, UCLA might be statistically diverse, but it is clear that social exchanges between various groups is far from integrated. As Frank Shyong of the Daily Bruin so eloquently states, "We have effectively amalgamated different groups of people within a square mile, but diversity is more than the numerical presence of variety. A functional conception of diversity implies a meaningful cultural exchange that we sorely lack."

Wallace's video and Bainbridge's post are painful reminders that UCLA is far from where it needs to be in regards to ethnic and cultural integration. While I don't have any grand solutions to this systemic problem, I do believe students attending the Luskin School of Public Affairs can serve as an example to the rest of the UCLA community. Between lectures, student-run caucuses, and developing relationships with faculty and peers, there is tremendous opportunity to model what true integration can look like.

Photo Source

It's Official: The Meyer and Renee Luskin School of Public Affairs

Last month, UCLA held a ceremony to officialize the renaming of The School of Public Affairs to The Meyer and Renee Luskin School of Public Affairs. As mentioned in a previous post, the Luskin family donated a generous $100 million to the University, $50 million of which is for The Public Affairs program.

In attendance was Dean Frank D. Gilliam Jr., Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, Chancellor Gene Block, Director of the Luskin Center for Innovation JR. DeShazo, Vice Chancellor of UCLA Scott Waugh, Meyer and Renee Luskin, their family and friends, UCLA faculty, and students.

After opening remarks and acknowledgements, Meyer Luskin delivered a speech that was both humorous and heartfelt. I especially enjoyed his explanation as to why he chose to donate his family's fortune to The School of Public Affairs, rather than other equally deserving academic departments.

"Gutenberg invented the printing press, but that magnificent achievement did not prevent a Hitler. Mendeleev developed the periodic table, but that great breakthrough did not prevent a Stalin. And the inventive genius of an Edison, did not prevent a Joe McCarthy. It is imperative that we develop the plans, techniques, and laws for a peaceful and productive society. Not only for this world, but for the one we leave for our children and our grandchildren. And thus, we are led to the School of Public Affairs."

It feels great to be part of a graduate program recognized for its contributions to society at large. Meyer's entire speech can be watched in the following video:



A few more photos from the event:

Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa

Meyer and Renee Luskin; Chancellor Gene Block

Chancellor Gene Block

Luskin Director JR. DeShazo

Naming Reveal

UCLA MSW Program: A $50 Million Gift

UCLA alumnus, Meyer and Renee Luskin, announced that they are donating $100 million to UCLA, half of which is going directly to The School of Public Affairs. Because of this generous donation, the school will be renamed The Meyer and Renee Luskin School of Public Affairs (officially on March 18, 2011). According to the LA Times, this is the second largest donation in UCLA's history (David Geffen holds the top spot at $200 million for the Geffen Medical School).

This gift could not come at a more pressing time. Governor Jerry Brown recently announced budget cuts of $500 million in funding for UC campuses. Tuition is increasing for students across the board (8% for MSW students for the 2011-2012 academic year), and the Restructuring Steering Committee is looking for ways to trim fat in any way they can.

According to Chancellor Block, the money will be used to fund an endowment, build a new conference building for the Luskin Center, support research, and develop new programs in urban planning and social justice.

What does this mean, specifically for students in the MSW program? I'm not quite sure. What I do know is that in order for the program to continue to attract talent, in addition to compete with USC, tuition costs must remain affordable and competitive.