University Of California At Los Angeles

UCLA has offered admission for the fall to 392 African American students, up from the 249 who were offered a place in the current freshman class, officials announced Thursday. That part of the University of California's detailed annual release on freshman admissions was greeted with satisfaction and a measure of relief by UCLA administrators and others who had expressed concern about declining numbers of black students on the Westwood campus.

In the volatile mix of academia and sex, UCLA psychology professor Paul R. Abramson says he is trying to light a torch for liberty. Abramson is sharply criticizing his own employer and colleges nationwide that have adopted restrictions -- and, in a few cases, outright bans -- on romances between faculty and students. Of course, sexual harassment should not be allowed and no one should supervise or give grades to a romantic partner, says Abramson, who has taught at UCLA for 31 years.

UCLA's basketball team received more bad news, as freshman forward Reeves Nelson underwent laser surgery on his left eye to repair a slight tear in his retina. Nelson will be reevaluated Wednesday to determine whether he will be able to play against Oregon State on Thursday. He injured his right eye Thursday, when he landed face-first on the court against Washington State, opening a gash that required 15 stitches. "The retinal tear was very far from his central and meaningful peripheral vision and will not affect his ability to see the court," Dr. Steven Schwartz said in a statement.

Mohini Bhardwaj has a tattoo. She has many pierced body parts. She owns up to a youth spent drinking too much, smoking too many cigarettes, hosting and attending too many parties, missing too many curfews. She has cut class--in high school and college--overslept, understudied. She has abused her athletic talent and then found religion--in the form of discipline, a team and a coach who gave her boundaries and limits.

The guy who salvaged UCLA's season -- at least for the moment -- could be found last summer dribbling a basketball over the streets of Meknes, Morocco, looking for a place to play. Mustafa Abdul-Hamid was spending the time overseas to fulfill a requirement for his academic major, global studies. The ball was his constant companion. "It was this $100 official NCAA basketball and I was dribbling it in the oily dirt, the streets, all over," Abdul-Hamid said. "I finally found a court, ironically, in what is probably the only church in the country."

Everyone agrees on this much: Forty years ago today, USC receiver Sam Dickerson was somewhere inside the Coliseum when he was involved in two key plays that changed the course of a season -- and maybe more. Exactly where he was is still the topic of debate. Some joke that Dickerson's only shot at catching one late-in-the-game, fourth-down pass would have been if he were standing on Mt. Whitney. And that follow-up touchdown grab, the one that is still cursed around Westwood?

Make a list of everything that has gone wrong for UCLA just four weeks into the basketball season. Injuries and upset losses. A team leader -- senior Nikola Dragovic -- charged with felony assault. Now comes another jolt with the abrupt departure of starting center Drew Gordon, who left the team Tuesday by mutual agreement after butting heads with Coach Ben Howland. It all adds up to a Bruins program that, at least from the outside, looks to be sinking fast. "We've had a lot of adversity this season already," point guard Jerime Anderson said.

The head of California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health said Monday he will personally oversee a "rigorous and effective" criminal investigation into the Dec. 29 chemistry lab fire that killed a UCLA staff research assistant. Cal/OSHA Chief Len Welsh's pledge came after a civil probe last month resulted in one regulatory and three "serious" violations, and fines totaling $31,875. The family of the research assistant, Sheri Sangji, had criticized the review as inadequate.

The brothers of Lambda Phi Epsilon at UCLA were excited to find the gray-and-teal apartment complex several blocks from campus. They had no house on Fraternity Row, but the complex could serve as their home base. About a dozen members of the Asian American fraternity moved into eight units in the 600 block of Midvale Avenue before the fall quarter started. In late September, they hosted a housewarming mixer to recruit new members. "Let us show you how Lambdas throw the sickest house parties in town and experience the social life that you can't experience any where else!"

UCLA guard Mustafa Abdul-Hamid had a moment of concern in the giddiness that followed his recent game-winning shot against Washington. Teammate Reeves Nelson was bearing down on him. "I saw Reeves came running at me, lifted me up and bearhugged me," Abdul-Hamid said. "That scared me." There are reasons to be concerned when Nelson is in your face, whether you're an opponent in the key or a teammate who has made a key shot. There are the seven tattoos, all etched into his skin since he arrived in Westwood, each with a special meaning.