Thursday, March 19, 1998
Students seek funds for visit
USAC Proposal hopes to equip South Africa with college retention programs, further develop UCLA internationally
By Dennis Lim
Daily Bruin Contributor
Officials in USAC have asked the administration for roughly $12,000 to cover the cost of a proposed trip to South Africa this April.
The trip would be the first step in a program called "Project South Africa" to develop retention programs in South African colleges.
"The goal of the program would be to help student governments in South Africa develop retention programs of their own," said Chad Williams, the African Student Union president and one of the signers of the proposal.
"The Campus Retention Committee here at UCLA is considered the best in the nation," he said. "We want to help (student leaders in Africa) develop their own retention programs to mirror ours."
If the proposal is approved, the group going to South Africa would consist of five to seven people, with members from the CRC, USAC, the administration and the Daily Bruin.
The representatives would travel to the Guanteng Province, the area of South Africa which includes Johannesburg, where much of the struggle against apartheid has taken place.
The petition comes at a time when certain administrators are also planning a trip to South Africa. Their trip, planned for next week, has a more exploratory goal than the student trip.
The administrators going on the trip hope to help the South African government develop career development services. Invitations will be offered to South Africans to come study at UCLA, and administrators on the trip will help train workers there.
In contrast, the student trip will focus more on the development of South African intellectual institutions.
"Currently, 70 percent of South Africa is black and only a small portion of that group can get into college. We want to change those figures," said Darnell Grisby, USAC general representative.
Anika Johnson, another signer of the proposal, claimed that the conditions for a trip to South Africa were perfect.
"It's the right time in South Africa's history and we have motivated people who want to do this. If we do this now we can create a link between our two countries that will improve both societies," Johnson said.
According to organizers, the trip could bring UCLA to the forefront of international politics.
"Chancellor Carnesale has declared he wants to make UCLA a great university - this is a great way to do that. This could develop UCLA internationally," Grisby said.
By developing an international program like this, UCLA could become comparable to universities like Harvard, Grisby continued.
Political science professor Edmond Keller, considered an expert on African politics and one of the administrators going on the trip next week, agreed.
With free elections coming this May, as well as its human and material capital, South Africa is at a critical juncture, Keller contends.
"UCLA has a great reputation when it comes to international relations, but trips like this and developing relations with South Africa now could improve our reputation greatly," Keller said.
Project South Africa will include the creation of retention programs, a text book drive and assistance in how to start college newspapers.
Future trips to South Africa for the project are planned on a regular basis, though no dates or intervals have been established.