The Decay of SunGod

A Tale of Privilege, Patronage, and Prejudice

Alec Weisman, California Review Editor-in-Chief Emeritus ‘08-‘11

The Sun God Festival is the highlight of most UCSD students’ college careers. It is a time to let loose, have fun, and de-stress from the rigors of the quarter system. Yet it is also a time for the UCSD Associated Students (AS) to take credit for an event that has been progressively declining since at least 2008. The Sun God Festival is also the time of the year that reveals the intricacies of student government and shows the full extent of the perks that they receive.

After 2007, the Sun God Festival went from a campus wide de-stress celebration to a caged and heavily policed event isolated at RIMAC. Prior to the caging, the UCSD AS spent $200,000 on the Sun God festival. After the restrictions, the AS spent $550,000 on the event. Students now pay around $15 in student fees for the Sun God festival even as they receive a smaller return on their investment, with the money being used less efficiently. Some exceptionally poor decisions by the AS have included their erection of a fence around the dance tent and their inane purchase of a giant inflatable Sun God that cost $5,000-$6,000.

In addition, Daniel Watts, a former candidate for AS President in 2005, discovered that AS had a private Sun God guest list for former AS members as recently as 2011. According to a public records request, this guest list composed several former AS members, celebrities, University affiliates, and sponsors.

According to Oliver Zhang, the AS Associate Vice President of Concerts & Events (ASCE) responsible for the 2012 Sun God Festival, a guest list is industry standard and is “consistent for all ASCE shows throughout the year.” Although the Sun God guest list has included more than 500 people since 2007, Zhang explained that the 2011-2012 AS worked “to keep the guest list as modest as possible” in order to “make our events as accessible to students as possible.”

This is not the only privilege that AS has given itself. The UCSD AS pays themselves more than $100,800 in stipends for AS cabinet members and office staff. These stipends have more than doubled since 2006-2007, when AS Cabinet and AS Office stipends were only $47,250.

Archive of My Clips on LIGNET 4/1-4/30/12

These are an assortment of the clips I have written while working for Newsmax’s new site, Langley Intelligence Group Network (LIGNET) from April 1 – April 30. These articles were published on their site following review by their Analysis Team. Shorter pieces (InBriefs) do not require any sign up, however longer articles (Analysis) do require a subscription to the site. Since starting work at LIGNET I’ve written about 183 countries.

Apr 25 – Netherlands: Ruling Coalition Collapses After Failure to Pass Budget
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Netherlands-Ruling-Coalition-Collapses-After-Failu

Apr 25 – Australia: General Electric Targets Australia’s Emerging Natural Gas Industry
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Australia–General-Electric-Targets-Australia-s-Em

Apr 25 – Beijing and Moscow to Expand Defense Cooperation With Central Asian Republics
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Beijing-and-Moscow-to-Expand-Defense-Cooperation-w

Apr 24 – China/Iceland: Chinese Premier Wins Arctic Energy Agreement
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Chinese-Premier-Wins-Arctic-Energy-Agreement-with-

Apr 24 – Germany: Copyright Ruling Major Blow to YouTube
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Germany-Copyright-Ruling-Major-Blow-to-YouTube

Apr 23 – Nigeria: Oil Companies Increase Investment Despite Instability
http://www.lignet.com/ArticleAnalysis/Nigeria–Oil-Companies-Increase-Investment-Despite

Apr 23 – Japan/Australia: Japan Signs Natural Gas Deal With Chevron
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Japan-Australia–Japan-Signs-Natural-Gas-Deal-with

Apr 23 – Comoros Official Tours Persian Gulf to Balance Economic Ties With Iran, GCC
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Comoros-Official-Tours-Persian-Gulf-to-Balance-Eco

Apr 23 – India/Bhutan: New Delhi Turns to Bhutan for Hydropower Due to Coal Shortage
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/New-Delhi-Turns-to-Bhutan-for-Hydropower-Due-to-Co

Archive of My Clips on LIGNET 3/1-3/31/12

These are an assortment of the clips I have written while working for Newsmax’s new site, Langley Intelligence Group Network (LIGNET) from February 1-February 29. These articles were published on their site following review by their Analysis Team. Shorter pieces (InBriefs) do not require any sign up, however longer articles (Analysis) do require a subscription to the site. Since starting work at LIGNET I’ve written about 173 countries

Mar 30 – Philippines: Government Turns to Smart Bombs to Combat Al Qaeda Affiliates
http://www.lignet.com/ArticleAnalysis/Philippines-Government-Turns-to-Smart-Bombs-to-Com

Mar 30 – Kenya: First Oil Find Discovered; Could be Large and Commercially Viable
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Kenya–First-Oil-Find-Discovered-Could-be-Large-an

Mar 29 – The Bahamas: Former NYPD Commissioner Consults Bahamas in Fighting Crime, Drug Trafficking
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/The-Bahamas–Former-NYPD-Commissioner-Consults-Bah

Mar 27 – Canada/Japan: Free Trade Negotiations Likely Prompted by Automobile Industry
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Canada-Japan-Free-Trade-Negotiations-Likely-to-Pro

Mar 27 – China/Albania: Beijing Looks to Boost Economic Ties with Albania
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/China-Albania–Beijing-Looks-to-Boost-Economic-Tie

Mar 27 – Swaziland: Students Protest Government Decision to Block Twitter and Facebook Posts Criticizing King
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Swaziland-Students-Protest-Government-Decision-to-

Mar 26 – Israel: Balancing Expanded Ties With Beijing and New Delhi
http://www.lignet.com/ArticleAnalysis/Jerusalem-Balances-Expanding-Ties-with-Beijing-and

Mar 26 – Malawi: Government Crackdown Intensifies As President Refuses to Step Down
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Malaw–Government-Crackdown-Intensifies-As-Preside

Archive of My Clips on LIGNET 2/1-2/29/12

These are an assortment of the clips I have written while working for Newsmax’s new site, Langley Intelligence Group Network (LIGNET) from February 1-February 29. These articles were published on their site following review by their Analysis Team. Shorter pieces (InBriefs) do not require any sign up, however longer articles (Analysis) do require a subscription to the site. Since starting work at LIGNET I’ve written about 151 countries

Feb 29 – Belarus: Minsk Expels EU Ambassadors Over New Sanctions
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Belarus-Minsk-Expels-EU-Ambassadors-Over-New-Sanct

Feb 29 – South Africa/Namibia/Zimbabwe: South African President Hopes Drag Regional Countries into Mugabe Controversy
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/South-Africa-Namibia-Zimbabwe–South-African-Presi

Feb 29 – Solomon Islands/Russia: Solomon Islands Appoints New FM to Distance Country From Moscow
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Solomon-Islands-Russia-Solomon-Islands-Appoints-Ne

Feb 29 – Lesotho: Prime MInister Ditches Ruling Party; Makes Them Opposition
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Lesotho-Prime-Minister-Ditches-Ruling-Party-Makes-

Feb 28 – Bahrain: Opposition Seething One Year After Arab Spring Protests
http://www.lignet.com/ArticleAnalysis/Bahrain-Religious-Conflict-Still-Seething-After-An

Feb 28 – France/Benin/Burkina Faso/Mali: French FM’s Africa Tour Focuses on Instability
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/France-Benin-Burkina-Faso-Mali–French-FM-s-Africa

Feb 28 – Brunei: Sultan Seeks to Expand Ties With Other Muslim Countries
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Brunei-Sultan-Seeks-to-Expand-Ties-With-Other-Musl

Feb 28 – Iran/Lebanon: Iranian Defense Minister Says Boosting Lebanese Army Is Part of Iranian Policy
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Iranian-Defense-Minister-Says-Boosting-Lebanese-Ar

Lies, Damned Lies, and Higher Education

How Entrenched Interests at UCSD Distort the Facts to Raise Student Fees
Alec Weisman

Washington DC – Two new ballot initiatives at the University of California, San Diego are in the works that if passed would raise student fees by $534 per year, an increase of more than 150 percent. The high stakes of these two referenda have prompted entrenched interests at UC San Diego to spread misinformation, half-truths, and factual distortions in an attempt to pass their fee hikes.

The most contentious of these referenda, the Intercollegiate Athletics (ICA) Student Activity Fee Referendum, seeks to move UCSD from NCAA Division II to Division I. To do so, UCSD needs to increase the athletics budget by $13 million to be competitive, according to a $28,000 UCSD Feasibility Study commissioned by former Associated Students (AS) President Utsav Gupta and Vice Chancellor Student Affairs Penny Rue. The study was carried out by consulting firm Athletics Staffing & Consultants and released in March 2011. This referendum requires undergraduate students to pay an additional $165 per quarter, which will generate around $11 million for the athletics annual budget if enrollment remains the same. The fee would go into effect as soon as UCSD is accepted into the Big West conference, which must happen by September 30, 2014 or else the results of this referendum would be nullified. The vote will be held on Tritonlink from Monday, February 27 and continue until Friday, March 9.

UCSD moved to Division II in 2001, however, its top sports, fencing, men’s volleyball, and water polo, already compete at Division I. After less than three years at Division II public debate had already begun to ask if UCSD should join Division I, although prior to 2007 UCSD did not even offer athletic scholarships. These scholarships are estimated to compose about a third of the ICA operating budget if the referendum is approved.

The distortions begin with the “Pro Statement” on the referendum itself. It reads, “The Division I and Student Scholarships Referendum will raise nearly $8,000,000 per year in scholarships, $3,000,000 of which will go to student grants and aid, not just to athletes.” However, only about $6 million will actually be raised from this new referendum, while the remaining $2 million comes from the $119.78 per quarter ICA Student Activity Fee that students already pay.

Archive of My Clips on LIGNET 1/1-1/31/12

These are an assortment of the clips I have written while working for Newsmax’s new site, Langley Intelligence Group Network (LIGNET) in January 2012. These articles were published on their site following review by their Analysis Team. Shorter pieces (InBriefs) do not require any sign up, however longer articles (Analysis) do require a subscription to the site. This month I was especially productive, writing 59 articles. Since starting work at LIGNET I’ve also written about 104 countries.

Jan 31 – Algeria: Crackdown On Al Qaeda-Linked Terrorists
http://www.lignet.com/ArticleAnalysis/Algeria–Government-Stops-Al-Qaeda-Linked-Terror-A

Jan 31 – Venezuela: Chavez Threat to Nationalize Banks Part of Reelection Campaign
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Venezuela–Chavez-Threat-to-Nationalize-Banks-Part

Jan 31 – Pakistan/BUrma: Islamabad Seeks to Expand Economic Ties With Burma
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Pakistan-Burma-Islamabad-Seeks-to-Expand-Economic-

Jan 31 – Germany/France: Merkel To Support Sarkozy in French Elections
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Germany-France-Merkel-To-Support-Sarkozy-in-French

Jan 30 – Senegal: Protests Erupt After Court Allows President to Seek Third Term
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Senegal-Protests-Erupt-After-Court-Allows-Presiden

Jan 30 – Jordan: Hamas Chief Looks to Restore Relations With Jordan
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Jordan–Hamas-Chief-Looks-To-Restore-Relations-Wit

Jan 30 – Japan/Russia: Tokyo and Moscow to Improve Economic And Security Ties; Kuril Islands Dispute Lingers
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Japan-Russia–Tokyo-and-Moscow-to-Improve-Economic

Jan 30 – Sudan/China: Sudanese Rebels Kidnap Chinese Workers
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Sudan-China-Sudanese-Rebels-Kidnap-Chinese-Workers

Popping the UCSD Housing Bubble

Los Angeles – The University of California, San Diego Housing, Dining, and Hospitality (HDH) Services has made more than $250,000 in profit over the past five years through unused dining dollars, according to data released through a California Public Records Act Request. In addition, data also revealed the price per square foot for UCSD residence halls far exceeds the surrounding community.

A total of $286,421 unused dining dollars have returned to the HDH since the 2006-2007 academic year. The largest inflow of unused dining dollars occurred in the 2008-2009 academic year, when the HDH received $68,722. This increase in unused dining dollars corresponds to a mandatory meal plan increase of $650 for all students living in the dorms. In the years since, the price of many goods in campus dining halls have been inflated dramatically, which has reduced the amount of unused dining dollars received by the school from the 2008-2009 peak by more than $20,000 and $15,000 in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 academic years, respectively.

This is profit for the self-supporting department of Housing, Dining, and Hospitality Services, which operates without any state funding and relies on students who choose to live on-campus to be conveniently located close to their classes. Although HDH claims that its meal plan is intended to be flexible, plans are not refundable and do not carry over to the next academic year. Therefore HDH keeps all dining dollars that are not used by students. Only in “unique circumstances,” such as withdrawal and participation in a Study Abroad program, can students recover a portion of their unused dining dollars.

This profit from dining dollars has been used by HDH on projects that include a fully vegan restaurant called Roots in Muir College, Meatless Mondays (where the dining halls provide vegan-only grill options), Farm 2U (where local farmers sell their goods on-campus), and cage-free eggs. However, student opinion has been repeatedly ignored in the development of these programs, as shown by a 2009 study sponsored by The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) of the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Archive of My Clips on LIGNET 12/2-12/27

These are an assortment of the clips I have written while working for Newsmax’s new site, Langley Intelligence Group Network (LIGNET) from December 2-December 31. These articles were published on their site following review by their Analysis Team. Shorter pieces (InBriefs) do not require any sign up, however longer articles (Analysis) do require a subscription to the site.

Dec 27 – Guinea-Bissau/Gambia: Banjul Likely Behind Failed Coup in Guinea-Bissau
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Guinea-Bissau-Gambia–Banjul-Likely-Behind-Failed-

Dec 27 – Philippines: Abu Sayyaf Attacks As Deaths From Flooding Hits 1,500
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Abu-Sayyaf-Attacks-in-Phillipines-as-Deaths-From-F

Dec 23 – Yemen: Growth of Criminal Gangs Threatens Stability
http://www.lignet.com/ArticleAnalysis/Growth-of-Criminal-Gangs-in-Yemen-Threatens-Stabil

Dec 23 – Rwanda: Kigali to Crackdown on Drug Use and Cross Border Smuggling
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Rwanda-Kigali-to-Crackdown-on-Drug-Use-and-Cross-B.aspx

Dec 23 – Democratic Republic of Congo: Confrontation LIkely Following Competing Inaugurations
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Democratic-Republic-of-Congo-Confrontation-Likely-

Dec 23 – Ethiopia/Sweden: Two Swedish Journalists Convicted of Aiding Terrorism Could Prompt Reduction of European Aid
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Ethipoia-Sweden-tension.aspx

Dec 21 – Philippines: Flash Floods Devastate Island With Large Terrorist Group Presence
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Philippines-Flash-Floods-Devastate-Island-With-Lar