Local unfriendliness just NorCal bias
Dear Editor:
I find the premise that La Jolla residents hate UCSD students [“College Culture Doesn’t Fit In,” Jan. 31] to be both fallacious and insulting. Of course, you will always be able to find residents of any college town who dislike the student population, but to imply that this is somehow an exclusive characteristic of La Jolla is just plain ignorant. However, I will concede that La Jolla is a largely affluent community, and the possibility of encountering self-centered elitists is more likely here than in other areas of San Diego. This phenomenon of condescending behavior, however, is completely independent of one’s status as a student: These types of people dislike anyone who is not as wealthy and elitist as they are.
Furthermore, I find it apparent from the various articles written by Marianne Madden that she dislikes Southern Californian culture in general. You are right — UCSD is not the same as UC Berkeley or Santa Cruz, but you knew that when you decided to come here. I think it would be far more beneficial to acculturate to this society than to criticize it and/or compare it to Northern California at every chance. If you really love Northern California so much, why are you down here? I guess what I’m trying to say is either quit bitching or move back to NorCal.
— Jordan Boyce
Thurgood Marshall College senior
Students need to support outreach
Dear Editor:
A few months ago, I created quite a stir when I filed a complaint against the Asian and Pacific-Islander Student Alliance in regards to funding their annual high school conference. My intentions at that time were honest, yet so terribly misguided. I believed that providing funding to a high school conference would violate our Warren College Student Council Constitution, but after an acrimonious hearing before the Warren Judicial Board, I stood corrected.
Over the past few months, I have realized that my actions were guided in large part by naivete. I was barely living on campus for two months when I jumped into a situation that was inappropriate for me to be in.
In serving the UCSD community as a senator, I have come to the realization that the University of California, as well as the state of California, places outreach to high school students on a low pedestal. In this year’s budget, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger included $0 for outreach.
As a student leader, I now feel that student organizations must take up the mantle of outreach funding, for there is no one else out there to do the job. A few months ago, I made the mistake of demonizing APSA for its efforts in this arena. I would like to apologize for what was previously said and now say, “Thank you.”
I am sorry for any pain that I have caused to any members of APSA or the Asian Pacific community at large. Providing outreach to potential students is a huge job, and now is not the time for student leaders to become divided. I pledge to work with APSA and other community groups to provide when the state does not.
— Matt Herrick
Earl Warren College
Freshman Senator
