The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has announced a strike for members working on University of California campuses, such as the 5,425 UCLA employees who are a part of the union. Over half of the workers expected to strike are employed at the campus’ famed medical center while the rest work in services, primarily on the main campus.
The school plans to maintain the quality of services usually rendered by the striking employees until the labor dispute is resolved, but it may be hard to find a way to replace the medical technicians, facilities services crew and catering personnel striking with the AFSCME. The strike may be resolved sooner than later, as it happens to fall close to the hectic end of UCLA’s regular school year.
USC Honored at L.A. LGBT Pride Heritage Month Celebration
Coming on the heels of the major decision by California’s Supreme Court to overturn the gay marriage ban is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Heritage Month this June. On June 27, USC will be honored at the LGBT Pride Heritage Month Celebration in the Tom Bradley Tower of City Hall at 9 a.m. for the programs the university has developed to aid and unite LGBT people on its campus. Other honorees at the celebration include Sheila Kuehl of the California State Senate and the Metropolitan Community Church.
John Wooden Global Leadership Award Ceremony
The Anderson School of Management at UCLA has awarded the first John Wooden Global Leadership Award to Howard Schultz, CEO of the ever-popular Starbucks coffee company. Wooden was in attendance to discuss leadership and ethics in the business world with the Starbucks magnate before the award ceremony audience.
Wooden, famous as the coach of many UCLA NCAA Tournament Championships, namesake for the current basketball arena on campus and this new award, may have found the perfect kinsman here in Schultz. Schultz, the former majority owner of the Seattle SuperSonics, is currently embroiled in a legal battle with current Sonics ownership over allegedly defrauding the people of Seattle and misrepresenting their intentions to move the team from Seattle.
It sounds like they couldn’t have picked someone more successful (Starbucks earned over $4 billion last year), more appropriate (a former basketball coach honoring a former basketball team owner) or more principled (he’s standing up for the people of Seattle and their basketball team).
Graduation Season in Full Swing
Some schools are out already, some schools are just finishing up, but everyone agrees that long, flowing gowns and silly-looking mortarboards are in. So, if you’ve graduated already or if it’s still on your docket, congratulations!
And, if not, why not check out what all the fuss is about, catch a lengthy speech or two and maybe enjoy a vision of what’s to come in your academic career. After all, ’tis the season.
Comment
