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TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2012
SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL COVERAGE
SPRING SPLASH & COACHELLA ON PAGE 10
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[YOU]CR party sweeps ASUCR elections, but with controversy E r i c G a m b oa SENIOR STAFF WRITER
ASUCR elections have concluded with the passage of all three referenda items—ASUCR constitutional substitution, ASPB fee referendum and theater free referendum—and all 20 senate positions filled by [YOU]CR candidates. The goal of 20 percent student voting rates was exceeded with a total of 27.5 percent student participation (4693 votes). “The 27.5 percent turnout for the ASUCR elections was remarkable! It was great to witness over a quarter of the student population using their empowered voice to elect their future ASUCR representatives…We cannot be more thrilled to see a more politically active student population,” stated Elections Chair Jonathan Mansoori in an interview with the Highlander. Graduate Student Association (GSA) results, however, only witnessed 16.9 percent voter participation. Henry Huang
I r i n S o n /HIGHLANDER
UCR recognized as environmentally friendly campus Dean Mayorga CONTRIBUTING WRITER
UC Riverside has been recognized by “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2012 Edition” for its green practices. The guide, which was released April 17 and includes a profile of each school’s progress in sustaining a green campus, stated that in the areas of “academics, buildings, energy and climate, food, procurement, recycling and waste management, sites, transportation, and water… [UC Riverside] is maintaining aggressive initiatives.” In total, 768 campuses were evaluated by the Princeton Review and given a score ranging from 60-99, with 83 considered a “passing” score; UC Riverside received a score of 95. Weston Lewis, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) analyst for the campus and one of the individuals responsible for the LEED
became the first GSA president to hail from UC Riverside’s Graduate School of Management. Candidates from R’Voice, Students United and independent candidates were notably absent from the results; R’Voice candidates were the only outside party to be designated as “alternates” choices, meaning that they will fill any senate vacancies that may arise. The closest margin between an R’Voice alternate and an elected [YOU]CR student was 128 votes among BCOE students. The same gap for CHASS and CNAS candidates were 433 and 206, respectively. The ASUCR constitutional substitution and ASPB fee referendum both passed with comfortable leads; the “yes” votes outnumbered the “no” votes by over 1,000 entries for these two referenda items. The ASUCR constitutional substitution will result in the restructuring of ASUCR ELECTIONS CONT’D ON PAGE 2
Report calls for more UC campus autonomy, authority to set tuition
L i n C hai /HIGHLANDER
certification, shared his reaction with the Highlander. “It was definitely a positive that we’re recognized. Now we’re really able to show our commitment to our sustainability,” stated Lewis. Lewis is currently working on trying to get more students and members of the community involved with on-campus initiatives aimed at promoting a green future. He also stated that it is his goal to have ev-
ery new building that’s constructed at UC Riverside to receive a minimum LEED rating of Silver standard. One of the achievements that the Princeton Review gave special attention to was the LEED Gold Certification that was awarded to the UC Riverside’s School of Medicine Research Building. John Cook, campus sustainability coordinator, described ENVIRON. CONT’D ON PAGE 2
I r i n S o n /HIGHLANDER
E r i c G a m b oa SENIOR STAFF WRITER
A group of top UC administrators, including UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and former UC Provost C. Judson King, have published a report calling for increased autonomy for UC campuses. The report urges the UC regents to consider
the implementation of individual campus governing boards that would be able to determine their own tuition and out-of-state student enrollment rates—decisions currently reserved for the UC Board of Regents. “[The UC] should adopt a hybrid governance model that preserves constitutionUC REPORT CONT’D ON PAGE 6
THIS WEEK’S EVENTS ALL WEEK
Soles for Souls Shoe Donation Drive 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. The Well - HUB 248
TUES 5/1
From Sex Trade to Legal Aid 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. HUB 302
Free Speech and Civil Disobedience 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. INTS 1113
WED 5/2
G-Eazy 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. The Barn
FRI 5/4
Baseball vs. Cal State Northridge 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Riverside Sports Complex
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Volume 60
Issue 26