AND THE AWARD GOES TO ... ▶ OPINION, PAGE 4 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO www.ucsdguardian.org Thursday, May 29, 2008 The Student Voice Since 1967 Four Campus Eateries to Close Their Doors SUN GOD RETROSPECTIVE By Christina Homer University Centers Protests Senior Staff Writer Beginning this summer and Festival-Day Alcohol Policies extending through next school year, Sierra Summit, El Mercado and Plaza In unanimously approved early closing times for Price Center Cafe will be temporarily shut down and restrictions on alcohol sales for extensive renovations, while Club resolution, board members at Porter’s Pub and Round Table Med will close permanently. claim they were grossly Pizza. Although UCSD’s Facilities, “It’s upsetting that UCAB was Design and Construction depart- overlooked in planning of not consulted at all about topics ment has not yet set a firm date, new festival. directly related to its responsi- the John Muir College dining halls bility as the board that manages — Sierra Summit and El Mercado — By Charles Nguyen University Centers,” Bright said. will close during the summer so that Senior Staff Writer “It’s not too much for UCAB mem- renovations may begin on Stewart bers to expect simple consider- Commons. Following the comple- One of the campus’ key facil- ation.” tion of Muir’s renovations, construc- ity boards unanimously approved The policies enacted a two-drink tion will begin on the Revelle College a resolution protesting new poli- maximum and prohibited the sale dining hall, Plaza Cafe. cies that regulated operations of of pitchers at the two campus eat- Club Med, the Medical School University Centers businesses and eries. Bright said he had no qualms dining facility, will be closed for alcohol sales during the Sun God about the nature of the policies, good and torn down at the end of Festival. but decided to present the resolu- August to make space for a new Members of the University tion in protest of how policies were medical school building that will be Centers Advisory Board, which implemented. erected on the dining hall’s current oversees central campus areas such The Sun God Planning Report, site within the next 22 months. as Price Center and Student Center, which programmers and admin- “The renovations are needed to stated in the resolution that A.S. istrators used as a touchstone in replace the 40-year-old facilities that programmers and administrators creating the event’s new structure, are becoming costly to continue to bypassed them when composing posed a number of recommenda- repair,” Associate Director of Dining and implementing policies for the tions that included early closure of Services Steve Casad said in an e- festival’s new format. Price Center. mail. “Both facilities are also being Former UCAB Chair Matthew Bright said that there were sev- designed for [the Leadership in Bright, who authored the docu- eral instances of non-communi- Energy and Environmental Design] ment before he vacated his posi- cation with UCAB, including one certification.” tion last week, said that the board where members were made for- The L.E.E.D. Green Building ANDREW RICCI/GUARDIAN was never informed of or includ- mally aware of the policies only two Top: Revelle College senior Rachel Williams works the cash register at Plaza Cafe. Bottom: Sierra ed in discussions regarding new See EATERIES, page 9 Summit, along with Plaza and two other dining facilities, will close next year for renovations. policies, which this year included See SUN GOD, page 3 REGENTS UC Seeks Restraining Order Against Union By Jesse Alm “It’s a drain on our resources,” she is just going to have negative effects on Associate News Editor said. “We know how important both patients and communities,” Savickas The Road to Progress CREATE NEW our patient-care technical and service said. “It’s not going to affect bargain- The University of California has employees are to the functioning of ing. In order to effect change in bar- Patient-care filed a request for a temporary restrain- the university, and the big concern gaining, we need to continue to meet August tech worker contract ing order with the Public Employment is that if there is some kind of an with the union.” 14 negotiations begin. STUDENT-LIFE Relations Board against the union that emergency, we’ll need our patient- Bargaining teams represent- represents the university’s roughly care technical employees on site at the ing both worker units met with UC Service worker 20,000 patient-care technical and ser- medical centers.” officials late last week and AFSCME October contract vice workers in an attempt to bar a AFSCME Local 3299 President attended a mediation session with the 4 negotiations begin. COMMITTEE two-day strike that employees over- Lakesha Harrison agreed that patient- university on Monday, but the union whelmingly supported in a vote last care technical employees play a vital has still refused to accept any of the May AFSCME workers By Diana Tith week. role in the university’s workforce, university’s contract proposals. vote to authorize strike June 4 and 5. Staff Writer University officials announced but urged university officials to shift According to Savickas, the uni- 19-23 Tuesday that the union — the their focus to the long-term effects of versity’s most recent offer — which At its May meeting, the UC Board of below-market wages, which she said includes nearly $25 million in com- University requests American Federation of State, County May restraining order Regents approved the creation of a new and Municipal Employees — has have produced dangerously low work- bined wage increases in the first year 27 against AFSCME. committee aimed at addressing student failed to bargain in good faith in the er retention rates. of the contracts — would bring wages affairs, concerns, last 10 months, and that the workers it “It’s interesting how all of a sud- for patient-care technical workers up and questions, represents are crucial to public health den we’ve become very important to to market-level. for strikes. introducing what and safety at the university’s five medi- the university,” she said. “If they really But Harrison questioned this “They said they have the basics student Regent cal centers. value our work, they need to give us calculation, calling the figure insuf- covered, and they put out information Ben Allen hopes “The university continues to be the contract. If they really care about ficient. saying, ‘We have a plan; it’s going to will be a new, available for any further discussions patient care, they will try to retain “They neglected to say what $25 run smoothly,’” she said. “So, do they more efficient to achieve an acceptable compromise,” workers for the long haul.” million means,” she said. “It means have a plan or not?” mode of commu- said Howard Pripas, UC executive Negotiations between AFSCME nothing. We’re always ready to talk She added that patient-care protec- nication between director of labor relations. “However, and the university regarding contracts and negotiate, but we’re not going to tion teams on the strike lines will be the regents and we are obligated to take this action to for patient-care technical and service accept anything that’s not going to prepared to enter medical centers if students. Ben Allen protect our patients and the commu- staffs have lasted 10 and seven months, provide what we need to provide for additional assistance is required. The newly Student Regent nities that rely on UC medical centers respectively. UC patient-care techni- the patients, that’s not going to retain “We’re right outside,” she said. “If it’s established Special for vital services.” cal employees have been without a the workforce, that’s not going to get a true emergency, we’ll know about it.” Committee on Student Life and Alumni Nicole Savickas, human resourc- contract since September 2007, while our workers out of poverty. We have PERB is expected to respond to the Affairs seeks to bring to the forefront es and labor coordinator for the UC service workers’ contract expired in to have a contract that accomplishes university’s request for a restraining student and alumni issues that Allen Office of the President, said the strike January. these things.” order by the end of this week. feels have been less-than-adequately would compromise the hospitals’ level Savickas said the strike will not Harrison cited a May 23 statement of patient safety in case of an emer- influence contract negotiations. released by UCOP, which said the uni- Readers can contact Jesse Alm at See COMMITTEE, page 3 gency. “The fact of the matter is the strike versity has contingency plans in place [email protected]. INSIDE WEB EXCLUSIVES FULL DETAILS PAGE 2 HIATUS Who’s That SPORTS Tennis’ Poorly Drawn Lines .........2 The Hiatus Podcast: This week, editors talk Knocking? Ace in the Hole New Business ..................3 Sun God reactions and the box-office Letter to the Editor ..........4 Review: “The Strangers” wants Profile: Senior Eric Rubens revival of Indiana Jones. Perplexed Pragmatist ......5 to be a slasher flick but can’t has been a key asset to the Classifieds .....................10 An Inside Look: Photo Editor Will Parson takes his audio stomach its own moronic Tritons tennis team for Sudoku ..........................10 slideshow to the Earth Day Trash Sort Extravaganza. characters. PAGE 6 four years. PAGE 12 2 NEWS THE UCSD GUARDIAN THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2008 POORLY DRAWN LINES BY REZA FARAZMAND Charles Nguyen Editor in Chief Matthew L’Heureux Managing Editors Matthew McArdle Hadley Mendoza Nicole Teixeira Copy Editors Teresa Wu Jesse Alm Associate News Editors Kimberly Cheng Reza Farazmand Charles Nguyen Opinion Editor Hadley Mendoza Associate Opinion Editor Rael Enteen Sports Editor Jake Blanc Associate Sports Editors Danai Leininger Janani Sridharan CURRENTS Alyssa Bereznak Focus Editor Katie Corotto Associate Focus Editors Serena Renner Chris Kokiousis Associate Hiatus Editors Harvard Medical School analyzed Chris Mertan Two UCSD Graduates Sonia Minden changes in smoking behavior from GUARDIAN ONLINE Found Dead in Home 1971 to 2003 in a social network Will Parson Photo Editor of 12,067 people.