Ucla Students

Thirteen graduate students of UCLA's department of theater, film and television and 10 actors from Theatre des Amandiers in Paris will participate in a seven-week exchange program during the current spring quarter. After six weeks of study, all the students will meet in Paris and participate in a production at the Theatre des Amandiers. The Theatre des Amandiers, conceived by director Patrice Chereau, was established by the French Ministry of Culture in 1983.

Under a three-year agreement with San Diego Gas & Electric Co., a UCLA architecture professor and his students are investigating new approaches for heating and cooling houses through solar and other natural energy sources. Prof. Baruch Givoni and his students will work at the Pala Passive Solar Facilities station, 22 miles east of Oceanside, bordering the Pala Indian Reservation in northern San Diego County. The station, built in 1981, consists of eight small test houses.

A little more than a week after heated anti-war rallies rocked the UCLA campus, a student-sponsored teach-in at the university Thursday was colored by a new kind of emotion--mixed. At the student union, surrounded by peace demonstrators just eight days ago, turnout was light for the talk on sexism and war. The Bruin Republicans got a good draw for their flag-waving "Blame Hussein" rally, but even there, the crowd was only about 100 strong. Some classes were canceled. Many were cut short.

Construction is nothing new at UCLA, but post-earthquake rebuilding efforts have propelled hard-hat activity to new heights this fall, transforming the heart of the Westwood campus into a rat's maze of chain-link corridors, dirt trenches and scaffolding. Students and professors dodge dump trucks and endure whining drills and rumbling bulldozers. The setting is anything but pastoral. In spite of it all, students seem to be adapting.

UCLA students tallied the first victory of the new Pauley Pavilion era Tuesday when Athletic Director Dan Guerrero announced they would continue to have sideline floor seating inside the renovated arena. It was a come-from-behind triumph for the students, who in an advisory vote last week as part of undergraduate student elections overwhelmingly rejected the athletic department's plans to move all students behind one basket. "I'm thrilled," said Sean Wang, a graduate student in statistics who was instrumental in getting the advisory vote on the student ballot.

Another hearing was set Tuesday for the man suspected of posing as a talent scout to lure 14 UCLA students to his apartment and secretly videotaping his sexual assaults on them. Michael Peers, 50, is due back in court April 4. He remains jailed, with bond set at $38,500. Prosecutors and defenders said they are still reviewing evidence, but expect the trial to begin April 14. The UCLA women allegedly were lured to an apartment in 1998 with promises of jobs in the entertainment industry.

I strongly disagree with Titus Wong's letter (Viewpoint, April 9) in which he claims that the UCLA alumni and supporters are "spoiled" because they are not happy with an NIT championship and 62% success rate during Walt Hazzard's tenure. The students and alumni at UCLA are accustomed to excellence, be it medical, educational, cultural or athletic. Wong epitomizes the character of his university (USC?) by implying that he would be willing to settle for mediocrity (at twice the tuition rate)

UCLA police sent thousands of e-mails and posted hundreds of fliers Thursday on the Westwood campus, warning students to be extra careful after a female student was sexually assaulted Wednesday evening and another was threatened, apparently by the same man. "We feel that it's important to alert the campus community, given the nature of students," said Nancy Greenstein, director of police community services.

Two UCLA students were killed and three others injured when their van overturned on the way back from a debate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, a UCLA spokeswoman said. The vehicle flipped over near Barstow on Monday afternoon when the tread separated on its left rear tire, she said, citing a California Highway Patrol report. The van came to rest after rolling over onto the median strip. The dead students were identified as Aaron D. Lesser, 20, of Beverly Hills and Amanda K.

Two Orange County students have been named distinguished scholars at UCLA, campus officials said Wednesday. Pooneh Hendi of Anaheim Hills and Oliver Wright of Costa Mesa won the prestigious award. The students are among 21 undergraduates to be recognized by the UCLA Alumni Assn. for outstanding achievement in the classroom and service to the campus and surrounding community. Undergraduate distinguished scholars must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.