VOICES

“I don’t think this particular announcement will make major changes in student life. The election of the governor will probably have more effect on student life than what has happened here.”

Juan Bruce-Novoa, head of the Spanish and Portuguese department.

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“What she’s really saying is that there’s no academic discipline of ethnic studies. It seems to have been placed on the margins by some of the bigger players on campus.”

Gilbert Gonzalez, professor of comparative culture.

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“It’s a thoughtful, well-balanced scientific statement and yet I think it was quite cautious.”

Alan Hoffer, education department director

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“She has high expectations for the way in which the hard sciences are going to work with industry. The issue for humanists is that we don’t have something we can sell. What we’re really good at is improving the product of well-rounded citizens.”

John Carlos Rowe, African American studies director

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“It’s pretty clear that UCI has not really developed the kind of funding potential it should have and a lot of that is in the biomedical realm.”

Luis Villarreal, professor of molecular biology and biochemistry

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“We should not believe that a structural change solves all the problems. There are still the problems of faculty and administrators working more constructively together.”

R. Bin Wong, Asian American studies director.

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“It’s hard to see your school go through changes like these. There’s nothing here we didn’t really expect. These are the first steps, and now we will see where we will go from here.”

Michelle Tsui, 21, senior social ecology major, Tustin, and undergraduate student government vice president

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“Her goal to put UCI in the top 50 is attainable. My question is: If they can’t find funding, will she sacrifice undergraduate programs or student services or student athletics?”

Matthew Buttacavoli, 21, senior political science major, Garden Grove, and undergraduate student government vice president.

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“There’s been so many changes and cutbacks that, after a while, I think you become oblivious. I go to classes, I do my research, I do the best I can. I’m not going to spend my time worrying about something I don’t have any control over.”

Bryan Allred, 23, second-year graduate student in civil engineering,Irvine.

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“I’m thinking how this will affect my program. I think it’s a noble, glorious program, but it’s probably better for the sciences. Our program needs a lot of nurturing and I hope we won’t be neglected.”

Yushan Wu, 29, doctoral student in Asian language and literature program, Irvine.

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“I feel this is a self-centered act. Sure, it’s great for research and we may find a cure for something, but there’s such a need out there that might not be met now because of this. The main purpose of us being here is to learn and to give back to the communities.”

Jennifer Pang, 19, junior in sociology, Garden Grove.

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“I don’t know anyone who would argue with the goal of moving UCI into the top 50. But what we need is a good dialogue on how we are going to do it, real nuts and bolts.”

Bryan Hannegan, 24, vice president of graduate student government at UCI, graduate student in mechanical engineering, Irvine.