Yudof, who is set to step down in August after almost five years in office, leaves behind a mixed legacy including both tuition increases and improvements to financial aid programs. Only months after taking office, Yudof faced a plunging economy and harsh statewide cuts to the UC system.

Tuesday’s event was part of a speaker series on California’s future and was organized by the Public Policy Institute of California, a nonprofit and nonpartisan policy research institution.

Among the several topics discussed at the event, Yudof addressed his relationship with Gov. Jerry Brown, the challenge of delineating responsibilities between individual UC campuses and the UC Office of the President and most importantly, he said, the burdensome pension obligations that affect the UC system’s finances.

“There are many challenges facing higher education,” Yudof said. “The first is, of course, financial issues and the budget.”

He also addressed what he considers other pressing issues, including the fact that the UC system should be enrolling 30,000 more students than it currently does while also providing more opportunities for low-income and underrepresented students.

These problems do not have simple solutions, Yudof said. He noted that reforming the UC’s pension system and increasing graduation and transfer rates are multifaceted issues that require an executive.

Yudof also talked about the role of online education in the UC system, tentatively proposing a program in which students rejected from the university could take a year of online courses with the intent of transferring. But this would have its own set of financial aid implications for students who cannot afford computers, Yudof said — another example of the complexity of improving educational outcomes.

His advice to the next UC president, who has not yet been selected, was to continue searching for nonstate sources of funding and, more importantly, to understand how to work with the other regents and chancellors of the university.

Finding any remedy was only “10 percent of the solution,” Yudof said. “The other 90 percent is selling it to people.”

He also lent his own advice to incoming students.

“Study what interests you,” Yudof said. “Make sure you call your parents at least once a week. Find a subset of people on campus who share your interests, because universities can be large. They will help you keep your sense of belonging.”

Contact Sophie Ho at sho@dailycal.org.

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According to the report, released Friday afternoon, the manner of death was accidental. The report also listed morbid obesity and cardiomegaly, or enlarged heart, as significant conditions in the investigation.

BPD’s own internal investigation was also released Friday afternoon, also finding that Moore’s death was accidental.

On Feb. 13, BPD officers responded to a disturbance call on the 2000 block of Allston Way and were directed to Moore’s apartment. Moore, who originally identified as Xavier Christopher Moore, became unresponsive while officers attempted to restrain her to a gurney. She was then transported to the Alta Bates Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Moore’s death triggered substantial community response, including demonstrations at a City Council meeting and various protests, due to a perceived lack of transparency with regard to the investigation.

More updates to follow.

Contact Sophie Ho at newsdesk@dailycal.org.

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The UC Berkeley law student accused of decapitating an exotic bird in a Las Vegas hotel last October will attend an arraignment May 13 to face felony charges related to the incident.

The 25-year-old student, Justin Alexander Teixeira, was charged with felonies of killing and torture of an animal by the Clark County District Attorney’s Office after allegedly beheading a helmeted guineafowl. The 14-year-old bird, named Turk, resided in the Wildlife Habitat attraction of the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.

According to a statement released by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Teixeira and Eric Cuellar, also a UC Berkeley law student, were caught on video surveillance chasing the bird into a grove of trees and later emerging with its body and severed head.

Cuellar pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of instigating violence toward the bird. He was fined $200 and ordered to pay $150 restitution to the hotel as well as complete 48 community service hours and enroll in alcohol counseling. According to prosecutor Frank Cuomo, Cuellar has already completed his requirements.

Teixeira is expected to plead not guilty at his arraignment, at which a judge will determine whether there is enough evidence to warrant a trial. If convicted, Teixeira will face up to eight years in prison as well as a fine. Additionally, Teixeira has informed court officials that a felony conviction might jeopardize his admission to the state bar.

According to Cuomo, a third UC Berkeley student was also involved in the incident and may be charged as well. He also noted that the men appeared to be intoxicated.

“I’ve been a prosecutor for over 20 years, and this is the first animal cruelty case I’ve dealt with of this nature,” Cuomo said. “We’ve never had a case of an individual decapitating an animal. It’s definitely out of the norm.”

Cuomo said that he feels “confident” about the case due to the amount of evidence investigators have accrued. Along with supplying video evidence provided by the hotel and a cellphone video from Cuellar, the investigators intend to bring in an expert veterinarian to testify that the bird was indeed killed by Teixeira, Cuomo said. A woman is also prepared to testify that she witnessed Teixeira and Cuomo throwing the dead bird’s head.

Furthermore, Teixeira faces lesser charges of animal torture and cruelty, which are punishable with up to 18 months in jail. He will have a separate trial in July for those charges.

While he could not predict the outcome of the potential trial, Cuomo said there were ongoing negotiations with Teixeira’s defense attorney.

Teixeira will be represented by Las Vegas lawyer Michael Pariente, who declined to comment on the case.

Contact Sophie Ho at sho@dailycal.org.

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Former external affairs vice president Joey Freeman and former SQUELCH! senator Noah Ickowitz, a former columnist for The Daily Californian, have jointly filed charges alleging that the ASUC Senate violated the ASUC Constitution in its passage of SB 160.

Ickowitz and Freeman filed the petition early Friday afternoon, and it is currently pending review. The charges, if accepted, would lead to a trial addressing the alleged violations of SB 160.

“I strongly believe the ASUC should follow the correct procedures in passing these bills,” Ickowitz said. “Because SB 160 has such an intense conversation around it, to not follow the procedures does a disservice to the campus.”

The root of the charges lies with the language of the bill, which Ickowitz said “presupposes that the bill has the authority to restrict spending and funding without having gone through appropriate channels.”

The charges begin with the fact that the bill was not passed with a two-thirds senate majority, which the ASUC Constitution states is required for deliberations regarding ASUC financial appropriations or revenue reductions.

They also argue that the bill “restricted” the ASUC’s investment practices, a responsibility that lies with the Investment Committee and requires consent from the Constitutional and Procedural Review Committee. The bill, with its “commanding” language, oversteps these bodies and “overextends the powers of the ASUC Senate without due process,” Ickowitz said.

In the charges, Ickowitz and Freeman suggest that SB 160 be sent back to the senate for a two-thirds vote to either follow or suspend the bylaws requiring review by these committees.

Before filing, Ickowitz and Freeman notified Student Action Senator George Kadifa and independent Senator Sadia Saifuddin, author and sponsor of SB 160, respectively, of their intent to petition the bill.

“I’m disappointed that the students who brought the charges didn’t bring these up earlier,” Kadifa said. “I’m a little curious, now that the bill has passed, why they’re bringing this up now. If the petition is accepted, we would rewrite the bill to ensure there are no violations.”

The petition has joined other suits that the ASUC Judicial Council must review in the coming weeks, including charges against Safeena Mecklai, a Student Action senator and external affairs vice president-elect.

ASUC Attorney General Hinh Tran said Ickowitz and Freeman raised some “interesting points,” noting that both of them have a “strong understanding of ASUC policies.” Tran said that should the petition be accepted and litigation begin, a trial would hopefully be scheduled before the end of the semester — if not, it might be held during the summer session.

Ickowitz said he felt that there was a “high likelihood the charges will be accepted,” emphasizing that the arguments were made on legal rather than ideological grounds. However, he did note that ideology was part of the impetus for filing.

Ickowitz pointed to the charges filed by Cooperative Movement Senator Jorge Pacheco and Student Action Senator Mihir Deo against ASUC President Connor Landgraf’s executive order to place the health and wellness referendum on the ballot as an example of people filing “that which is relevant to them.”

Notably, the senators did not charge the Class Pass referendum, even though it allegedly violated the same bylaws as the health and wellness referendum.

“When people sue over legislation, it’s not at all out of the ordinary that legislation is relevant to them,” Ickowitz said. “It’s also coupled with relevance to me and my community.”

View the petition evidence below:

Contact Sophie Ho at sho@dailycal.org.

Correction(s):
A previous version of this article incorrectly identified the petition as a charge sheet.

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DeeJay Pepito, president-elect from CalSERVE, said her first move will be to continue working to improve campus safety, especially with regard to sexual assault, considering that the ASUC Senate recently passed a bill expressing no confidence in the university’s sexual assault policies.

Pepito said she has already met with with her co-authors on the bill, SB 130, to talk about creating more resources for victims of sexual assault and clarify the reporting process, among other policy changes.

Another big issue Pepito must grapple with as president is that of the campus climate in light of the recent senate vote to divest from companies affiliated with the Israeli military. Grant Fineman, a recently elected senator from SQUELCH!, said the vote “disheartened” many within the Jewish community.

“There’s definitely some rebuilding to be done, especially because some people are not confident about the ASUC,” Fineman said.

As part of this rebuilding process, Pepito said she intends to establish a campus climate department within the ASUC to address these issues and create opportunities for disparate communities to collaborate with one another.

“Regardless of what ‘side’ students might identify with, there were people hurt, and there were people impacted on both sides of the issue,” Pepito said. “We want to stay away from framing this as a one-sided issue. This bill (SB 160) really highlights that there are still problems on our campus. We all need to take responsibility and accountability by taking responsibility for our actions and acknowledging that our words hurt others.”

Pepito will start shadowing current ASUC President Connor Landgraf in the coming weeks.

Executive Vice President-elect Nolan Pack of CalSERVE emphasized that he aims to work closely with the new senatorial class and will meet with senators individually before the end of the semester to build constructive relationships.

“For the past few years, the power dynamic has been such that executives believe they do not have to act at the direction of the senate, and the senate has been reluctant to exercise its power as the final legislative and administrative authority of the ASUC,” Pack said in an email. “Instead, the senate has assigned itself an unreasonable amount of administrative tasks. This has made the senate a structurally inefficient body.”

Pack said he hopes the senate will feel more comfortable in assigning more tasks to the executive slate, which will allow senators more time to work on platforms and community projects.

Valerie Jameson of CalSERVE and Safeena Mecklai of Student Action, academic affairs and external affairs vice presidential-elects respectively, echoed Pack’s sentiments. Both said they look forward to reaching out to the new senators. In the past, Jameson said she has seen a “strong disconnect” between the executive officers and senators.

“It’s twofold,” Jameson said. ”The senators have to keep the executives accountable, and the executives have to be out there and to help them in their ideas.” Along with reaching out to senators, Jameson said she will continue working on her textbook scholarship program.

Although Mecklai was the only Student Action candidate elected to executive office, neither she nor any of the other newly elected executive officials expressed concern over partisanship.

“The four of us want to do what’s best for the student body and are going to work well together,” Mecklai said. “I am not looking to the future as concern but as a challenge. There are a lot of external issues and so much to be done.”

Contact Sophie Ho at sho@dailycal.org.

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CalSERVE won a majority of the executive slate positions, ending Student Action’s dominant streak of the last few years. Student Action also lost its 11-seat majority within the senate, relinquishing one seat to CalSERVE and the other to SQUELCH!. Notably, the Cooperative Movement party lost its single senatorial seat for the first time in four years.

“I thought that in this election year, more than others, there was the most number of curveballs,” said SQUELCH! party chair and former columnist for The Daily Californian Noah Ickowitz. “It’s the craziest election in the last four years.”

The emergence of SQUELCH! as a serious party is perhaps the largest “curveball” of this election season; its decision to run a nonsatirical slate made it a “driving force” in the campus political arena, according to CalSERVE Communications Coordinator Matthew Enger.

Student Action Party Signatory Joey Lam also emphasized SQUELCH!’s new presence and effect on the election.

“It’s definitely disappointing that we couldn’t repeat the success that we’ve had in previous years,” Lam said. “SQUELCH! having such a strong presence and serious slate definitely had an impact on us this year.”

According to Lam, some of SQUELCH!’s candidates and some from Student Action had mutual friends, which might have split votes during the election.

“I would say that Student Action wasn’t used to be challenged, especially from two strong parties,” Enger said. ”SQUELCH! running a serious slate could seriously encroach on the communities that Student Action usually represents.” He noted that presidential candidates Jason Bellet of SQUELCH! and Rafi Lurie of Student Action were drawing on many of the same communities.

SQUELCH!’s success this year — electing two of its seven senatorial candidates and having its presidential candidate come in second — may not be short-lived, either. Ickowitz said that SQUELCH! intends to continue running as a serious third party, pointing to Bellet’s success as indicative of its ability to elect a candidate to an executive seat.

Parties also had to deal with new spending caps, which meant in some cases redesigning their campaigns. CalSERVE redesigned its spending budget to reduce costs and maximize visibility, Enger said, declining to give specifics on the exact changes.

CalSERVE Elections Coordinator Anais LaVoie attributed CalSERVE’s success to the broadening of its coalition by slating a larger number of candidates from a variety of communities. Along with apportioning funds to amplify its online presence, CalSERVE began running workshops to train candidates in campaigning, recruiting volunteers and maximizing social-media presence, Enger said.

In comparison, Lam said that Student Action’s campaign did not differ dramatically from that of last year. Similar to CalSERVE, Student Action ran a retreat for its candidates to train them as potential senators. Lam said that Student Action aimed to spend its budget as transparently as possible, noting no specific changes from previous years.

LaVoie, however, said she felt that Student Action’s slate was not as strong as in past years.

“When it came down to it, they were complacent, having swept two years in a row,” LaVoie said. “I don’t think they were very ambitious about picking their candidates.”

While Student Action did run a smaller senatorial slate than it did last year, Lam said he believed this year’s slate was just as qualified as any other.

“We slated every single one of our candidates because we always have great belief in them and think they’re going to make great changes,” Lam said. “We pick our students to represent as wide of a community as possible. We did the same this year.”

All party leaders look forward to the next year with high hopes. In particular, Ickowitz said he hopes that the changed makeup of the senate, in which no party has a majority, will force collaboration among senators.

“When parties have to learn to cooperate with each other, it does more than create an atmosphere of collaboration,” Ickowitz said. “The larger diversity in the senate creates an atmosphere of collaboration in the wider Berkeley campus.”

Contact Sophie Ho at sho@dailycal.org.

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It has been an exciting year for Jay Keasling, one that marks the climax of a long journey to help develop an inexpensive treatment for malaria.

Earlier this year, the UC Berkeley professor of chemical engineering won the prestigious Heinz Award for his research. Last week, he flew to Italy to watch his work be implemented in a solution that could help millions of malaria victims worldwide.

“(The experience) has been fantastic,” Keasling said. “You don’t often get to see your research being turned into actual medication.”

His research on the synthetic production of artemisinin, a key component in the today’s dominant medication for malaria, began more than 12 years ago. Artemisinin was previously only produced by harvesting wormwood plants, the supply of which fluctuated dramatically, affecting the price of the medication.

Scientists in Keasling’s lab began to look for alternative sources to complement the botanical supply. By isolating the gene that produces artemisinin and implanting it in yeast plants, Keasling and his team were able to find a cheaper and faster way to harvest the chemical.

The implications are huge. With an alternative source of this crucial chemical, pharmaceutical companies will be able to produce and perhaps stabilize antimalarial medication at a lower price.

“Most people that have malaria are very poor, some living on less than a dollar per day,” Keasling said. “Any time you can decrease the cost for them, that’s a huge deal and means they might even be able to buy the medication themselves.”

Pharmaceutical company Sanofi launched large-scale production of semi-synthetic artemisinin last week. The hope is that Sanofi will be able to produce up to 60 tons of the chemical per year by 2014, or roughly 80 million to 150 million treatments, according to a press release.

The synthetic biology research company Amyris helped transition Keasling’s initial work to commercial production, and its road from research to development was facilitated by nonprofit organization PATH.

“I’m a physician, and I’ve had the opportunity to work in India and Uganda,” said Ponni Subbiah, global program leader of PATH. “I see how devastating it can be when my patients don’t have access to the medication. Getting these medications to these people at a lower cost is crucial.”

Subbiah noted that steps remain until treatment can be officially produced, saying that the World Health Organization still has to approve the semi-synthetic material and its distribution. She and others agree, however, that the experience has been very fulfilling and is an example of a successful collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Jack Newman, co-founder and chief science officer of Amyris and one of Keasling’s colleagues, emphasized that Keasling’s contribution was the foundation of the effort.

“Jay is somebody who creates change through positive attitude,” Newman said. “The stuff we do is difficult and can be frustrating, but he always leads with optimism and always leads with (an) outlook that accepts what’s in front of us.”

Contact Sophie Ho at sho@dailycal.org.

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Newsom was invited as a lecturer for Political Science 179, a speaker series facilitated by Haas School of Business professor Alan Ross. Speaking to roughly 700 students in Wheeler Auditorium, Newsom addressed digital media’s role in innovating civic engagement -— the premise of his new book, “Citizenville.”

“Technology has radically leveled the hierarchy of the top-down structure of governance,” Newsom said.

He stated that digital tools have empowered citizens to seek their own change in a bottom-up approach.

Throughout the lecture, Newsom expressed his distrust of politics and government. He criticized politicians from his own party and emphasized that politics cannot continue to operate in a 20th-century mindset, in which politicians act independently of their constituents’ needs.

“We have to meet people where they are and engage them peer to peer,” Newsom said in the lecture. “Your generation is more civically engaged than any other generation. How do we re-engage you? I believe we can do so much better.”

Citizens have adapted to creating their own change, Newsom argued. He pointed to examples like online petitions, saying that people have become “hyperconnected” and involved.

Newsom also addressed online education and the role of special-interest funding in politics. Above all, he urged students to stand firmly on their principles.

“Don’t try to be perfect — just try to be outstanding,” Newsom said in the lecture. “Be open to argument and interested in the evidence. Share your voice, because no one else has it.”

This is the fifth time Newsom has delivered a lecture for Political Science 179. Earlier in the semester, students heard lectures on issues including human trafficking, solar energy and drug policy.

Ross said that Newsom’s lectures “just get better and better,” noting that no other speaker is able to generate as much interest and enthusiasm from students.

“Even students who have heard him before have said he’s always mind-blowing,” Ross said.

Ross said that he will ask Newsom to return for the fall 2014 semester to address issues regarding the election.

“I thought his lecture was very interesting,” said Anna Costello, a UC Berkeley freshman at the lecture. “It was interesting that even though he’s a progressive Democrat, he dislikes government and how it works.”

As for Newsom, he said he enjoys speaking with students and hearing their questions.

“I feel more of a connection with students in the front row than people back in Sacramento,” Newsom said. “I love the idealism and authenticity of the students.”

Contact Sophie Ho at sho@dailycal.org.

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While his competitors walk students through Upper Sproul Plaza, pitching platforms in a last-minute attempt to garner support, ASUC presidential candidate David Ramirez Douglass will protest alongside strangers on the National Mall to demand for equality for all immigrants.

Douglass will leave for Washington, D.C., Tuesday in what may seem like a risky move for a presidential hopeful from a party that has never had a candidate elected to an executive position. But for Douglass, who is running with the Defend Affirmative Action Party, it was a natural decision with the best timing — the march is a way to live up to the legacy of being a UC Berkeley student responsible for fighting for civil rights, he said.

“We, as students, have to take action and challenge power and the status quo. We can stand by our own ideas,” Douglass said. “We can stand on our principles and do the right thing, not the popular thing.”

DAAP is a campus political party working to restore affirmative action policies, fight for immigration reform, open the border between Mexico and the United States and make public education accessible to all, among other goals, according to its website.

During his campaign, Douglass has emphasized this legacy of action and protest, saying that he hopes to revive the “youth-led progressive movement.” If elected, Douglass, a film and Latin American studies double major, aims to lead students against fee hikes, advocate for immigrant rights and double the underrepresented minority enrollment on campus.

“We’ve seen a resegregation of higher education with this manipulation of statistics and data when the UC Regents say the numbers of underrepresented minorities are increasing,” Douglass said. “In reality, they’re segregating them to campuses like UC Merced and Riverside, which don’t have the same access and resources that UC Berkeley or UCLA has.”

Douglass compares this “resegregation” to Jim Crow laws of the 1950s American South, saying that the system cannot be separate and equal. He emphasizes a need for integration and affirmative action policies, beginning with the repeal of Proposition 209.

“We just need leadership, and I’m prepared to be that leader for the students,” Douglass said.

Part of that preparation, according to Douglass, comes from growing up in a politically active immigrant family and seeing inequality firsthand throughout his childhood. He remembers hearing stories of the struggles faced by his family, especially his mother, a migrant farm worker from Mexico.

He said that, while in middle school, his friends of color used to tell him they were afraid to walk in certain areas of his hometown, Santa Rosa, for fear of “white supremacists.” Seeing their struggle firsthand, he said, encouraged him to fight for equality.

“Since he was little, he always had incredible things to do,” said Nieves Douglass, his mother. “We always saw a leader in David.”

Additionally, Douglass’ work as a student organizer with By Any Means Necessary (BAMN), a coalition fighting for affirmative action and immigrant rights, has also provided him with experience leading students. Douglass has gone to Detroit with BAMN to fight against home foreclosures and to keep schools open. Two weeks ago, he marched with workers from Fruitvale calling for increased immigrant rights.

According to fellow organizers, Douglass has naturally fit into these leadership roles.

“I think David is an extremely committed and very radical political person who has a deep belief in the power and possibility of oppressed communities of students,” said Yvette Felarca, a national organizer for BAMN and former ASUC senator with DAAP. “I think he’s been the real leader of the fleet and of the party, and the campus needs more leaders like David Douglass.”

However, student groups on campus have expressed their concern about Douglass’ ability and the DAAP platform.

“DAAP’s goals and platforms are worthwhile but beyond the scope of the ASUC,” said Matthew Enger, communications coordinator for CalSERVE. He noted that during the ASUC executive slate forum last Friday, Douglass and the rest of the DAAP candidates had nothing to say in response to questions regarding school policy, instead pivoting to their platform points about affirmative action and immigrant rights.

At the same forum, Douglass mentioned that he would disband the UCPD based on alleged discrimination and would shut down the school to have students march.

“They speak loudly, but it drowns out the voices of the people who actually know what to do and have the plan to do it,” Enger said.

Win or lose, Douglass said he will continue to fight for equality and rights.

“I love the struggle, and I love the fight. It’s through the struggle and seeing a person by your side who is also addressing the issue, fighting with you for what is right, that you understand people,” Douglass said. “I need to fight to combat the idea that there isn’t a progressive movement. It’s exciting to be a part of that.”

Contact Sophie Ho at sho@dailycal.org.

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Introduced by Assemblymember Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, the “New University of California” will not provide any instruction but only grant degrees to students who pass a certain number of examinations, according to a statement released by Wilk.

“It exists for a single purpose: to certify by examination that an individual has acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to compete and succeed in the work force,” read the statement. “It has no tuition, no faculty, and no bureaucracy.”

The creation of the university follows the proliferation of online education programs like Udacity and edX, which provide instruction but not academic credit.

“This bill would allow students to use whatever approach works best for them to obtain the knowledge needed to receive a college education, whether that is online courses, paid courses, or self-directed study,” read the statement.

Students would only be charged a small fee to finance the administration of exams.

“This smaller, more affordable fee makes college education more accessible for California’s students,” read the statement.

The university would have the authority to contract the development of the exams out to other organizations and would be structured similarly to the University of California. It would be managed by a board of 11 trustees and a chancellor.

The bill was introduced to the Legislature in late February and is currently waiting for review by the Assembly Committee on Higher Education.

Student leaders have expressed mixed reactions to the bill.

“Part of my feeling towards this bill is to be cautious about modifying our higher education system in ways that would substantially alter it,” said ASUC Senator and CalSERVE external affairs vice president candidate Nolan Pack. “I think the problem is that, while there may be arguments saying that it is cheaper, it circumvents the problem that we are not currently funding our higher education system to where it should be.”

UC Student Association Organizing and Communications Director Darius Kemp echoed Pack’s concerns.

“We always believe in a progressive conversation to improve higher education and are willing to sit down with any legislators looking to improve the accessibility and affordability of the UC system,” Kemp said. “While we encourage discussion towards any improvement to higher education, we also feel that it’s important that we fix the broken system we have now.”

The UC Office of the President has yet to review the bill and at this point has no comment, according to UC spokesperson Dianne Klein.

Analysis of the bill will occur in late April, with a hearing scheduled shortly thereafter, according to Josh Molina, legislative director for Assemblymember Das Williams, D-Santa Barbara, chair of the Committee on Higher Education.

“What we have to do now is invest in public education again,” Pack said. “It might be an unnecessary fix to our higher education problem.”

Contact Sophie Ho at sho@dailycal.org.

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