latimes--2020-07-29--Who should choose UC campus chancellors? Faculty protest proposal to reduce their role

In a highly unusual protest , University of California faculty leaders are collectively opposing a proposal to alter the search process for campus chancellors , which they believe will significantly reduce their role and potentially affect the quality of the UC system .
Twenty past Academic Senate chairs , who have served since 1994 , have signed a letter asking UC Board of Regents members to reject the proposal , which will be debated Wednesday at the board ’ s online meeting .
The Academic Council of current leaders has expressed similar concerns , saying the search process has resulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” according to a letter by Chair Kum-Kum Bhavnani to outgoing UC President Janet Napolitano .
The last four chancellors hired have been white women to head UC Berkeley and Santa Cruz , a Black male leader at Davis and a Latino at Merced .
The other six campus chancellors are men : Asian Americans at Santa Barbara and San Diego and white leaders at UCLA , San Francisco , Irvine and Riverside .
Regent Lark Park , chair of the group of five board members who crafted the proposal , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by widening public input , increasing the diversity of candidates and minimizing bias and inefficiencies .
The recommendations , she said in an email , “ are fundamentally about being more inclusive .
It ’ s about having better communication , greater efficiency and accountability , and engaging the broader UC community with humility.
” But two of the proposal ’ s 17 recommendations have sparked a firestorm among faculty .
One would move the role of screening candidates from the faculty to an outside search firm .
At present , five faculty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the qualifications of hundreds of potential candidates submitted by the search firm and others .
They then recommend at least five promising candidates and usually many more to fellow committee members , who include the UC president , board chair , other regents , students , alumni and staff .
The president then selects a candidate to recommend for approval by the full board .
The proposal did not clearly explain why screening should be moved to the search firm , but a report commissioned by Park ’ s group included criticism that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and too narrowly focused on candidates ’ academic credentials , with less focus on other qualities , such as leadership or vision .
The report was based on a survey of 36 former members of search committees and more than 40 interviews with people inside and outside of UC .
George Blumenthal , a former UC Santa Cruz chancellor who signed the protest letter as a past Academic Senate chair , said robust faculty involvement was critical to insuring quality and excellence at UC .
“ Faculty buy-in is crucial to the success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change that suggest that the faculty have a lesser role to play in selection will inevitably lead to a lesser faculty investment in the success of an appointee , ” the protest letter said .
The proposal also would require the UC president to obtain approval from the search committee ’ s regents before directly recommending a choice to the full board , as is now the case .
That change would “ fundamentally undercut the authority of the president in selecting chancellors , ” the past Academic Senate chairs wrote .
Faculty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group ’ s report , saying the methodology was flawed and the opinions expressed were off-base .
Robert May , a UC Davis professor who has participated in several searches and signed the protest letter as a former Academic Senate chair , said faculty members are concerned with all qualities in a would-be chancellor — leadership , interpersonal skills , ability to raise money and advocate for their campus — but that campus leaders do need to have some level of academic achievement .
“ Academic credentials matter , among other important considerations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chancellor is running a university .
Universities are , by definition , academic institutions.
” May and Blumenthal also said faculty members have fought hard for diversity — including the Academic Senate ’ s opposition to a Board of Regents decision to eliminate affirmation action in 1995 , one year before Proposition 209 did so statewide in public education and employment .
Park , however , said the proposal invites faculty , along with others , to submit candidates for consideration .
“ This is not about diminishing their role , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain as strong as ever.
” But the clash underscores concerns among some faculty over whether the board ’ s newer members respect their century-long tradition of unique authority to help govern the UC system .
That system of “ shared governance , ” many say , has made UC faculty the most powerful in the nation and is key to the university system ’ s excellence .
Park said UC traditions are important , but evolution is as well .
“ Traditions run deep in academic institutions , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ good in those traditions , but we also need to think about UC as a 21st-century public institution , where we continually work to optimize our processes and better reflect the values of community , excellence and diversity .
”

University of California regents will consider a proposal to change the search process for campus chancellors.
In a highly unusual protest, University of California faculty leaders are collectively opposing a proposal to alter the search process for campus chancellors, which they believe will significantly reduce their role and potentially affect the quality of the UC system.
Twenty past Academic Senate chairs, who have served since 1994, have signed a letter asking UC Board of Regents members to reject the proposal, which will be debated Wednesday at the board’s online meeting. The Academic Council of current leaders has expressed similar concerns, saying the search process has resulted in diverse and “stellar recent recruitments,” according to a letter by Chair Kum-Kum Bhavnani to outgoing UC President Janet Napolitano.
The last four chancellors hired have been white women to head UC Berkeley and Santa Cruz, a Black male leader at Davis and a Latino at Merced. The other six campus chancellors are men: Asian Americans at Santa Barbara and San Diego and white leaders at UCLA, San Francisco, Irvine and Riverside.
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Regent Lark Park, chair of the group of five board members who crafted the proposal, said the intent was to improve the process by widening public input, increasing the diversity of candidates and minimizing bias and inefficiencies.
The recommendations, she said in an email, “are fundamentally about being more inclusive. It’s about having better communication, greater efficiency and accountability, and engaging the broader UC community with humility.”
But two of the proposal’s 17 recommendations have sparked a firestorm among faculty.
One would move the role of screening candidates from the faculty to an outside search firm. At present, five faculty members of the 17-member search committee assess the qualifications of hundreds of potential candidates submitted by the search firm and others. They then recommend at least five promising candidates and usually many more to fellow committee members, who include the UC president, board chair, other regents, students, alumni and staff. The president then selects a candidate to recommend for approval by the full board.
The proposal did not clearly explain why screening should be moved to the search firm, but a report commissioned by Park’s group included criticism that faculty could be barriers to diverse searches and too narrowly focused on candidates’ academic credentials, with less focus on other qualities, such as leadership or vision. The report was based on a survey of 36 former members of search committees and more than 40 interviews with people inside and outside of UC.
George Blumenthal, a former UC Santa Cruz chancellor who signed the protest letter as a past Academic Senate chair, said robust faculty involvement was critical to insuring quality and excellence at UC.
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“Faculty buy-in is crucial to the success of a chancellor, and any policy change that suggest that the faculty have a lesser role to play in selection will inevitably lead to a lesser faculty investment in the success of an appointee,” the protest letter said.
The proposal also would require the UC president to obtain approval from the search committee’s regents before directly recommending a choice to the full board, as is now the case. That change would “fundamentally undercut the authority of the president in selecting chancellors,” the past Academic Senate chairs wrote.
Faculty members also took umbrage at the working group’s report, saying the methodology was flawed and the opinions expressed were off-base.
Robert May, a UC Davis professor who has participated in several searches and signed the protest letter as a former Academic Senate chair, said faculty members are concerned with all qualities in a would-be chancellor — leadership, interpersonal skills, ability to raise money and advocate for their campus — but that campus leaders do need to have some level of academic achievement.
“Academic credentials matter, among other important considerations,” May said. “The chancellor is running a university. Universities are, by definition, academic institutions.”
May and Blumenthal also said faculty members have fought hard for diversity — including the Academic Senate’s opposition to a Board of Regents decision to eliminate affirmation action in 1995, one year before Proposition 209 did so statewide in public education and employment.
Park, however, said the proposal invites faculty, along with others, to submit candidates for consideration.
“This is not about diminishing their role,” she said. “The faculty voice will remain as strong as ever.”
But the clash underscores concerns among some faculty over whether the board’s newer members respect their century-long tradition of unique authority to help govern the UC system. That system of “shared governance,” many say, has made UC faculty the most powerful in the nation and is key to the university system’s excellence.
Park said UC traditions are important, but evolution is as well.
“Traditions run deep in academic institutions,” she said. “There’s a lot of good in those traditions, but we also need to think about UC as a 21st-century public institution, where we continually work to optimize our processes and better reflect the values of community, excellence and diversity.”


latimes--2020-07-28--With ouster of priest accused of pedophilia, Coptic Church confronts sexual abuse

The Coptic Orthodox Church in the U.S. , shaken in recent weeks by accusations of sexual abuse , has vowed to eradicate inappropriate behavior in its cloistered communities following the defrocking of a priest accused of pedophilia for decades .
The 2,000-year-old church , which was started in Egypt by the Apostle Mark and grew in the U.S. following a wave of immigration in the 1970s , is steeped in centuries-old traditions and rituals that define Christian Orthodoxy .
It is now contending with a new generation of activists among an estimated half-million Copts living in the U.S. in what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ Coptic # MeToo ” movement engrossing parishioners on social media .
The flashpoint started with Facebook and Instagram posts from Sally Zakhari , a 33-year-old Florida woman who said she was molested in Orlando , Fla. , by Father Reweiss Aziz Khalil in the late 1990s .
Zakhari wrote that she was molested at home after Khalil convinced her mother that she should start confession .
She was 11 or 12 .
“ He forcefully kissed me all over my face and in my mouth with his tongue .
He forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me and did what he had to do ( while he kept his black tunic on ) , ” she wrote on July 14 .
Khalil told the girl to remember to never tell anyone about what happens in confession , Zakhari wrote .
According to an investigative report by the church , Khalil has maintained his innocence .
The Times ’ attempts to contact him were unsuccessful .
Zakhari , a pharmacist in Orlando who is also an advocate for survivors of abuse within the church and without , is starting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media posts this month — triggered by Khalil ’ s attempts to be assigned a new parish in Chicago — were retweeted , liked and shared thousands of times by parishioners and clergy , igniting a firestorm among young Copts online .
It took Zakhari five years to tell anyone .
She didn ’ t tell her parents what she said happened in that bedroom until she was 19 .
Then , after years of inaction from church leaders , Zakhari filed a police report in Altamonte Springs , Fla. , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the report obtained by The Times .
But the statute of limitations had expired .
She remained a member of the church and was encouraged by other priests and their wives to report what she said happened to her to the Coptic patriarchs in Egypt , including the late Pope Shenouda III and its current spiritual leader , Pope Tawadros II .
After Zakhari ’ s social media posts and other accusations emerged , Tawadros issued a decree July 18 laicizing Khalil , stripping him of his priestly rank and returning him to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ By this decree , we notify all civic authorities in Egypt and in the United States of America to revoke any recognition of Yousef Aziz Khalil as a priest of the Coptic Orthodox Church , ” the signed document stated .
As it turns out , in 2014 , Khalil , who is believed to be in his 60s , had been defrocked from all Coptic ministry globally for “ repeated infringements that are unacceptable to the priesthood and its ministry , ” the decree said .
Because of the insular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khalil ’ s movements and find more alleged survivors in the U.S. and Egypt .
Word would come back to her of a visiting priest , one who would tell a credible story of his church being attacked by terrorists in Egypt and who would solicit money from sympathizers .
Khalil ’ s laicization wasn ’ t enough for Zakhari .
She is seeking the excommunication of all sexual predators in the church .
“ I ’ m pushing us to do the right thing .
I ’ m not against the church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I want this place to be safe and Christ-like.
” Zakhari said priests who rank below Bishop Youssef , the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States , told her to take down her social media posts .
A spokeswoman for Youssef , who is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area , said he did not pressure her to stop speaking out .
“ In no way did Bishop Youssef ever seek to silence Ms. Zakhari ; she was however asked to refrain from posting her personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website of which she was an administrator , ” Sara Brady , the spokeswoman , said in a statement .
Samuel Tadros , a Middle East scholar and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute , said Zakhari had “ ignited a revolution ” that would have repercussions .
“ The church was forced to move finally and remove the priest completely , ” Tadros said .
“ Bishops are forced to issue statements .
Bishop Youssef is going to find some rock to hide under for some time .
Other Copts will feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 1 million Copts have permanent immigration status outside of Egypt , and the numbers have climbed in recent years , driven by a wave of immigration to the U.S. linked to the Arab Spring .
“ The Copts are not insignificant in the U.S. , but we ’ re so isolated in our churches to the extent that most Americans remain completely ignorant that we exist , ” he said .
“ But it ’ s funny because , one of us [ Rami Malek ] won an Oscar.
” As such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Egyptian culture .
For Copts , the church is not just a religious institution but also offers community by way of relationships , recreation , housing , career opportunities and other social outlets .
“ We were hidden from the world for centuries , but the diaspora faces challenges that were not handled in Egypt , ” Tadros said .
“ Challenges of identity , social problems , sexual orientation , gay rights and marriage pose challenges to the Coptic church in America that it never faced in Egypt .
In Egypt , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and culture , so the church never needed to deal with it.
” Meanwhile , an Instagram account , @ theburningbush20 , is doing just the opposite .
Its activism coincides with a women ’ s rights movement gaining traction in Egypt after accusations surfaced of serial sexual assault at the elite American University in Cairo .
Inspired by Zakhari , its organizers have been posting anonymously submitted allegations of abuse in the church , both in the U.S. and abroad , about three times a day since mid-July .
The allegations highlighted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling of cases .
They also echoed the extremely high standards the church places on virginity , obedience and patriarchal mores , the organizers said .
Often , the church dealt with alleged predators by moving them to another parish or sending them back to Egypt , particularly in cases of visiting priests or monks .
“ We are a microcosm of this world , ” the organizers said .
“ So the problems that occur in this world are going to occur in our community.
” In the Coptic Church , priests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must do so before being ordained .
They are encouraged to have families to better understand their congregants .
All members of the clergy , including the pope , must participate in confession because of the main church tenet that all men and women are fallible and subject to sin .
These are distinctions often cited when Copts are compared to other Christians , particularly after the sexual abuse scandals that ravaged the Catholic Church .
After the papal decree and the social media campaign , statements issued by Coptic dioceses in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse and misconduct and pledged action-oriented plans .
“ We pledge our best efforts to prevent any such conduct , to immediately report allegations of such conduct to law enforcement , to promptly investigate such allegations , and to take appropriate action , ” said a joint statement from the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese in New Jersey and New York and New England .
Metropolitan Serapion , the leader of the Diocese of Los Angeles , Southern California and Hawaii , is working to revise a sexual misconduct policy and issue a handbook to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure there are no more victims.
” The policy , which has been applied across other U.S. dioceses , was last updated in 2013 and is being amended to keep up with the evolving statute of limitations laws following the # MeToo and Time ’ s Up movements that gripped Hollywood and beyond .
Serapion said in his 25 years with the diocese , only two cases of misconduct had been escalated to him ; one involved a minor and was forwarded to law enforcement .
“ Of course we say ‘ forgive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to overcome it .
It doesn ’ t mean don ’ t press charges .
Any reconciliation can not be a real reconciliation without justice , ” Serapion said .
His diocese ’ s strict policy does not allow visiting priests to serve in his churches and calls for incidents to be reported to authorities .
It applies to clergy , employees and servants within the church , he said , all of whom will be required to undergo mandatory training on the policy and related protocols , including training on state-mandated reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training himself .
Additionally , a diverse committee of clergy and laity ( men and women , including therapists ) has been working on protocols regarding investigation and reporting , as well as counseling .
He encouraged victims to come forward and use the resources at their disposal .
Priests are also speaking with their youth groups about sexual abuse and echoed the sentiments in the dioceses ’ public statements .
Some are seeking out medical and psychological professionals to build out a network of resources for victims .
Zakhari said she appreciated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church has been slow to act .
“ I ’ m some random girl in Florida , and I got this priest removed in six days , ” she said .
“ These hierarchs couldn ’ t do it for 17 years .
”

Pope Tawadros II, leader of Egypt’s Coptic Church, leads an Easter service at the Cathedral of Abbasiya in Cairo.
The Coptic Orthodox Church in the U.S., shaken in recent weeks by accusations of sexual abuse, has vowed to eradicate inappropriate behavior in its cloistered communities following the defrocking of a priest accused of pedophilia for decades.
The 2,000-year-old church, which was started in Egypt by the Apostle Mark and grew in the U.S. following a wave of immigration in the 1970s, is steeped in centuries-old traditions and rituals that define Christian Orthodoxy.
It is now contending with a new generation of activists among an estimated half-million Copts living in the U.S. in what is being described in the community as a “Coptic #MeToo” movement engrossing parishioners on social media.
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The flashpoint started with Facebook and Instagram posts from Sally Zakhari, a 33-year-old Florida woman who said she was molested in Orlando, Fla., by Father Reweiss Aziz Khalil in the late 1990s. Zakhari wrote that she was molested at home after Khalil convinced her mother that she should start confession. She was 11 or 12.
“He forcefully kissed me all over my face and in my mouth with his tongue. He forced me down, laid on top of me and did what he had to do (while he kept his black tunic on),” she wrote on July 14.
Khalil told the girl to remember to never tell anyone about what happens in confession, Zakhari wrote.
California From Cairo to California : Fast-Growing Coptic Church Getting Ready to Install First Bishop for L.A. Fueled by steady immigration from Egypt, the Coptic Orthodox Church has grown from three to 13 congregations in Southern California since 1980--growth so rapid that the first bishop for Los Angeles will be installed today.
According to an investigative report by the church, Khalil has maintained his innocence. The Times’ attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.
Zakhari, a pharmacist in Orlando who is also an advocate for survivors of abuse within the church and without, is starting a nonprofit organization called Coptic Survivor. Her social media posts this month — triggered by Khalil’s attempts to be assigned a new parish in Chicago — were retweeted, liked and shared thousands of times by parishioners and clergy, igniting a firestorm among young Copts online.
It took Zakhari five years to tell anyone. She didn’t tell her parents what she said happened in that bedroom until she was 19. Then, after years of inaction from church leaders, Zakhari filed a police report in Altamonte Springs, Fla., in 2013, according to a copy of the report obtained by The Times. But the statute of limitations had expired.
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She remained a member of the church and was encouraged by other priests and their wives to report what she said happened to her to the Coptic patriarchs in Egypt, including the late Pope Shenouda III and its current spiritual leader, Pope Tawadros II.
After Zakhari’s social media posts and other accusations emerged, Tawadros issued a decree July 18 laicizing Khalil, stripping him of his priestly rank and returning him to his preordination name: Yousef Aziz Khalil.
“By this decree, we notify all civic authorities in Egypt and in the United States of America to revoke any recognition of Yousef Aziz Khalil as a priest of the Coptic Orthodox Church,” the signed document stated.
As it turns out, in 2014, Khalil, who is believed to be in his 60s, had been defrocked from all Coptic ministry globally for “repeated infringements that are unacceptable to the priesthood and its ministry,” the decree said.
Because of the insular community, Zakhari was able to track Khalil’s movements and find more alleged survivors in the U.S. and Egypt. Word would come back to her of a visiting priest, one who would tell a credible story of his church being attacked by terrorists in Egypt and who would solicit money from sympathizers.
Khalil’s laicization wasn’t enough for Zakhari. She is seeking the excommunication of all sexual predators in the church.
“I’m pushing us to do the right thing. I’m not against the church,” Zakhari said in an interview. “I want this place to be safe and Christ-like.”
Zakhari said priests who rank below Bishop Youssef, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, told her to take down her social media posts. A spokeswoman for Youssef, who is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, said he did not pressure her to stop speaking out.
“In no way did Bishop Youssef ever seek to silence Ms. Zakhari; she was however asked to refrain from posting her personal statements on the diocese’s basketball website of which she was an administrator,” Sara Brady, the spokeswoman, said in a statement.
Samuel Tadros, a Middle East scholar and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said Zakhari had “ignited a revolution” that would have repercussions.
“The church was forced to move finally and remove the priest completely,” Tadros said. “Bishops are forced to issue statements. Bishop Youssef is going to find some rock to hide under for some time. Other Copts will feel motivated to act.”
Tadros said that about 1 million Copts have permanent immigration status outside of Egypt, and the numbers have climbed in recent years, driven by a wave of immigration to the U.S. linked to the Arab Spring.
“The Copts are not insignificant in the U.S., but we’re so isolated in our churches to the extent that most Americans remain completely ignorant that we exist,” he said. “But it’s funny because, one of us [Rami Malek] won an Oscar.”
As such, the Coptic church is entrenched in Egyptian culture. For Copts, the church is not just a religious institution but also offers community by way of relationships, recreation, housing, career opportunities and other social outlets.
“We were hidden from the world for centuries, but the diaspora faces challenges that were not handled in Egypt,” Tadros said. “Challenges of identity, social problems, sexual orientation, gay rights and marriage pose challenges to the Coptic church in America that it never faced in Egypt. In Egypt, these issues are hidden by societal pressure and culture, so the church never needed to deal with it.”
Meanwhile, an Instagram account, @theburningbush20, is doing just the opposite. Its activism coincides with a women’s rights movement gaining traction in Egypt after accusations surfaced of serial sexual assault at the elite American University in Cairo.
Inspired by Zakhari, its organizers have been posting anonymously submitted allegations of abuse in the church, both in the U.S. and abroad, about three times a day since mid-July.
The allegations highlighted patterns of victim-blaming, silencing and inappropriate handling of cases. They also echoed the extremely high standards the church places on virginity, obedience and patriarchal mores, the organizers said. Often, the church dealt with alleged predators by moving them to another parish or sending them back to Egypt, particularly in cases of visiting priests or monks.
“We are a microcosm of this world,” the organizers said. “So the problems that occur in this world are going to occur in our community.”
In the Coptic Church, priests are allowed to marry. They usually must do so before being ordained. They are encouraged to have families to better understand their congregants. All members of the clergy, including the pope, must participate in confession because of the main church tenet that all men and women are fallible and subject to sin. These are distinctions often cited when Copts are compared to other Christians, particularly after the sexual abuse scandals that ravaged the Catholic Church.
After the papal decree and the social media campaign, statements issued by Coptic dioceses in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. denounced abuse and misconduct and pledged action-oriented plans.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea” Mk9:42
Our clear mandate:
We are entrusted to faithfully protect our children, and accountable if we do not, or if we do harm pic.twitter.com/Xx2aM6HLXd — Archbishop Angaelos (@BishopAngaelos) July 22, 2020
“We pledge our best efforts to prevent any such conduct, to immediately report allegations of such conduct to law enforcement, to promptly investigate such allegations, and to take appropriate action,” said a joint statement from the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese in New Jersey and New York and New England.
Metropolitan Serapion, the leader of the Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii, is working to revise a sexual misconduct policy and issue a handbook to “take real and transparent action to ensure there are no more victims.”
Statement Regarding Sexual Misconduct pic.twitter.com/SK1clnvAHc — LACopts (@lacopts) July 27, 2020
The policy, which has been applied across other U.S. dioceses, was last updated in 2013 and is being amended to keep up with the evolving statute of limitations laws following the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements that gripped Hollywood and beyond.
Serapion said in his 25 years with the diocese, only two cases of misconduct had been escalated to him; one involved a minor and was forwarded to law enforcement.
“Of course we say ‘forgive and forget’ to be healed, to overcome it. It doesn’t mean don’t press charges. Any reconciliation cannot be a real reconciliation without justice,” Serapion said.
His diocese’s strict policy does not allow visiting priests to serve in his churches and calls for incidents to be reported to authorities. It applies to clergy, employees and servants within the church, he said, all of whom will be required to undergo mandatory training on the policy and related protocols, including training on state-mandated reporting. He said he has done the training himself.
Additionally, a diverse committee of clergy and laity (men and women, including therapists) has been working on protocols regarding investigation and reporting, as well as counseling. He encouraged victims to come forward and use the resources at their disposal.
Priests are also speaking with their youth groups about sexual abuse and echoed the sentiments in the dioceses’ public statements. Some are seeking out medical and psychological professionals to build out a network of resources for victims.
Zakhari said she appreciated the words, but still thinks the church has been slow to act.
“I’m some random girl in Florida, and I got this priest removed in six days,” she said. “These hierarchs couldn’t do it for 17 years.”


latimes--2020-07-26--California is easing its bar exam score, which critics argue fails to measure ability

For more than three decades , California has clung to one of the nation ’ s toughest testing standards for law school students hoping to practice law in the most populous state in the country .
But this month , the California Supreme Court , which oversees the state bar , agreed to lower the passing score for the exam , a victory for law school deans who have long hoped the change would raise the number of Black and Latino people practicing law .
After holding virtual meetings with law school graduates and deans , the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passing score , allowed for law school graduates to work temporarily under supervision with provisional licenses during the pandemic and permitted graduates to take the bar exam remotely in early October .
“ There is absolutely no evidence that shows having a higher score makes for better lawyers , ” said UCLA School of Law Dean Jennifer L. Mnookin , a longtime supporter of lowering the passing score .
“ There is significant evidence that it reduces the diversity of the bar.
” Forty percent of California ’ s population is white , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But 68 % of California lawyers are white , and only 32 % are people of color , according to a new report by the State Bar of California .
UC Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky said the court ’ s action would not have come now if it were not for the coronavirus outbreak .
“ I think they were trying to fashion a compromise that took into account the unique circumstances ” of the health crisis , he said .
The Black Lives Matter movement also might have influenced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand , the pressure to lower the score has existed for some time , ” Chemerinsky said .
“ On the other hand , the racially disparate impact of the higher cut score may have had particular importance for the court in light of what has happened in the last few months.
” The court did not give the law deans and students what they asked for : a remote bar exam in September and the right to practice law permanently with a diploma but no test .
Chemerinsky said he was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a complete “ diploma privilege.
” California , unlike other states , has law schools that are unaccredited or accredited only by the state .
Some of those schools have a bar exam pass rate of less than 10 % , the dean said .
The spread of COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the July bar exam , and the court had to decide when the next exam would be held and whether it could be taken remotely .
The court took that opportunity to address the bar exam score .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long time , and the court has never stopped thinking about it , ” said a source who was not authorized to speak publicly but was familiar with the decision-making process .
Some speculated that the results of the February bar exam may also have influenced the court .
In February , a time when many graduates who failed the bar the first time retake it , only 26.8 % of all test takers passed .
Of the first-time test takers from law schools accredited by the American Bar Assn.
, considered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of white graduates passed , compared with 5 % of Black grads , 32.6 % of Latinos and 42.2 % of Asians .
Whether the exam is culturally biased has been a question for law journals over the years , and critics have written that it fails to measure the real abilities required to be good lawyers .
The average national bar exam passing score is 1350 .
New York ’ s is 1330 .
California ’ s was 1440 until the court permanently reduced it to 1390 .
Both Chemerinsky and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass rate by 10 % .
The court did not apply the new score retroactively .
Victor D. Quintanilla , a professor at Indiana University ’ s Maurer School of Law and an adjunct faculty member of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences , said pass rates for the California bar have been falling for all applicants , but the effects of California ’ s particularly high test score have disproportionately hurt racial and ethnic minorities .
He is part of a foundation-funded team of law professors and social psychologists who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results for the last 10 years .
He said 19.5 % of white test takers never pass the bar even after multiple attempts .
By contrast , he added , 46.9 % of Black test takers and 30.5 % of Latinos never pass .
Quintanilla , who also chairs the Assn .
of American Law Schools section on the empirical study of legal education , said Black people and Latinos generally do worse than white counterparts on “ high-stakes ” standardized tests , such as the SAT .
Studies attribute the differences to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factors .
Social psychologists also have found that people of color worry when taking standardized tests if the results might reinforce negative stereotypes , and that anxiety hurts their performance , Quintanilla said .
“ There is social psychological research that shows that even when people of color take an exam and do well , that exam may not reflect their true potential , ” said Quintanilla , who has a law degree and is getting his doctorate in social psychology .
The team studying the bar , which includes faculty from Stanford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the California Supreme Court next month .
Quintanilla said he was glad that the court lowered the score , but added : “ It is clear from the data that there are substantial benefits to be gained by moving further still.
” The seven-member state high court has two white justices , one Black justice , one Latino and three Asian Americans .
Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye and Justices Goodwin H. Liu and Joshua P. Groban participated in a three-hour remote meeting with 2,700 law students and graduates .
Liu , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate remote meeting with law school deans .
The court refused three years ago to lower the passing score , the second highest in the nation after Delaware ’ s .
In a written decision , the court noted that the pass rate had risen and fallen over the decades , with periods of pass rates for first-time test takers ranging from the upper 60th to the middle 70th percentiles from 1989 to 1997 , in 2001 , and from 2006 to 2013 .
“ The pass score did not appear a matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court said .
It added that the data about the pass rate did not support adjusting the score but urged the state bar to continue to study the question .
Janet L. Brewer , who was a bar trustee when the court first considered dropping the passing score , had expressed concern then that a large drop might lead to incompetent people practicing law .
But the lawyer said the drop approved by the court was “ pretty inconsequential.
” In a letter to the bar this month calling for the score @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find “ the safest , most humane and practical ” options for licensing law graduates during the pandemic .
“ Some graduates have lost job offers , ” the court said .
“ Many are about to lose health insurance , can not find a job to pay bills , or are in fear of deportation if they can not enter the bar in time to retain job offers .
Many more have student loan payments that become due in mid-November , but without a law license and the ability to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The justices also directed the bar to develop the provisional license program allowing 2020 California graduates to practice law under the supervision of licensed lawyers through February 2022 .
“ This time frame will afford the 2020 graduates several opportunities to take the exam of their choosing through February 2022 and await the exam results , ” the court said .
The California bar is the regulatory arm of the California Supreme Court and submits professional rule changes and bar exam matters for the court to review .
The court has the final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do most state high courts across the country .

Law students, in a time before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, take a practice California state bar exam on the UC Berkeley campus.
For more than three decades, California has clung to one of the nation’s toughest testing standards for law school students hoping to practice law in the most populous state in the country.
But this month, the California Supreme Court, which oversees the state bar, agreed to lower the passing score for the exam, a victory for law school deans who have long hoped the change would raise the number of Black and Latino people practicing law.
After holding virtual meetings with law school graduates and deans, the state’s highest court this month permanently lowered the passing score, allowed for law school graduates to work temporarily under supervision with provisional licenses during the pandemic and permitted graduates to take the bar exam remotely in early October.
“There is absolutely no evidence that shows having a higher score makes for better lawyers,” said UCLA School of Law Dean Jennifer L. Mnookin, a longtime supporter of lowering the passing score. “There is significant evidence that it reduces the diversity of the bar.”
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Forty percent of California’s population is white, 60% are people of color. But 68% of California lawyers are white, and only 32% are people of color, according to a new report by the State Bar of California.
UC Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky said the court’s action would not have come now if it were not for the coronavirus outbreak.
“I think they were trying to fashion a compromise that took into account the unique circumstances” of the health crisis, he said.
The Black Lives Matter movement also might have influenced the court.
“On the one hand, the pressure to lower the score has existed for some time,” Chemerinsky said. “On the other hand, the racially disparate impact of the higher cut score may have had particular importance for the court in light of what has happened in the last few months.”
The court did not give the law deans and students what they asked for: a remote bar exam in September and the right to practice law permanently with a diploma but no test.
Chemerinsky said he was not surprised the court refused to grant graduates a complete “diploma privilege.” California, unlike other states, has law schools that are unaccredited or accredited only by the state. Some of those schools have a bar exam pass rate of less than 10%, the dean said.
The spread of COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the July bar exam, and the court had to decide when the next exam would be held and whether it could be taken remotely. The court took that opportunity to address the bar exam score.
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“The cut score issue has been around a long time, and the court has never stopped thinking about it,” said a source who was not authorized to speak publicly but was familiar with the decision-making process.
Some speculated that the results of the February bar exam may also have influenced the court.
In February, a time when many graduates who failed the bar the first time retake it, only 26.8% of all test takers passed.
Of the first-time test takers from law schools accredited by the American Bar Assn., considered the top schools in the state, 51.7% of white graduates passed, compared with 5% of Black grads, 32.6% of Latinos and 42.2% of Asians.
Whether the exam is culturally biased has been a question for law journals over the years, and critics have written that it fails to measure the real abilities required to be good lawyers.
The average national bar exam passing score is 1350. New York’s is 1330. California’s was 1440 until the court permanently reduced it to 1390. Both Chemerinsky and Mnookin estimated that change will raise the pass rate by 10%. The court did not apply the new score retroactively.
Victor D. Quintanilla, a professor at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law and an adjunct faculty member of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, said pass rates for the California bar have been falling for all applicants, but the effects of California’s particularly high test score have disproportionately hurt racial and ethnic minorities.
He is part of a foundation-funded team of law professors and social psychologists who have been studying California’s bar exam results for the last 10 years. He said 19.5% of white test takers never pass the bar even after multiple attempts. By contrast, he added, 46.9% of Black test takers and 30.5% of Latinos never pass.
Quintanilla, who also chairs the Assn. of American Law Schools section on the empirical study of legal education, said Black people and Latinos generally do worse than white counterparts on “high-stakes” standardized tests, such as the SAT.
Studies attribute the differences to disparities in educational opportunities and other socioeconomic factors. Social psychologists also have found that people of color worry when taking standardized tests if the results might reinforce negative stereotypes, and that anxiety hurts their performance, Quintanilla said.
“There is social psychological research that shows that even when people of color take an exam and do well, that exam may not reflect their true potential,” said Quintanilla, who has a law degree and is getting his doctorate in social psychology.
The team studying the bar, which includes faculty from Stanford University and USC, will deliver findings to the California Supreme Court next month. Quintanilla said he was glad that the court lowered the score, but added: “It is clear from the data that there are substantial benefits to be gained by moving further still.”
The seven-member state high court has two white justices, one Black justice, one Latino and three Asian Americans. Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye and Justices Goodwin H. Liu and Joshua P. Groban participated in a three-hour remote meeting with 2,700 law students and graduates. Liu, Groban and Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar joined a separate remote meeting with law school deans.
The court refused three years ago to lower the passing score, the second highest in the nation after Delaware’s. In a written decision, the court noted that the pass rate had risen and fallen over the decades, with periods of pass rates for first-time test takers ranging from the upper 60th to the middle 70th percentiles from 1989 to 1997, in 2001, and from 2006 to 2013.
“The pass score did not appear a matter of controversy during these periods,” the court said. It added that the data about the pass rate did not support adjusting the score but urged the state bar to continue to study the question.
Janet L. Brewer, who was a bar trustee when the court first considered dropping the passing score, had expressed concern then that a large drop might lead to incompetent people practicing law. But the lawyer said the drop approved by the court was “pretty inconsequential.”
In a letter to the bar this month calling for the score cut, the court spoke of trying to find “the safest, most humane and practical” options for licensing law graduates during the pandemic.
“Some graduates have lost job offers,” the court said. “Many are about to lose health insurance, cannot find a job to pay bills, or are in fear of deportation if they cannot enter the bar in time to retain job offers. Many more have student loan payments that become due in mid-November, but without a law license and the ability to work, they fear going into default.”
The justices also directed the bar to develop the provisional license program allowing 2020 California graduates to practice law under the supervision of licensed lawyers through February 2022.
“This time frame will afford the 2020 graduates several opportunities to take the exam of their choosing through February 2022 and await the exam results,” the court said.
The California bar is the regulatory arm of the California Supreme Court and submits professional rule changes and bar exam matters for the court to review. The court has the final say over bar exam scores, as do most state high courts across the country.


latimes--2020-07-30--Hubert and Kalisa, longtime African lion partners at the L.A. Zoo, are euthanized

After living long lives , the L.A.
Zoo ’ s African lion companions Hubert and Kalisa have died , zoo officials said Thursday .
The lions , both 21 years old , were euthanized after age-related health problems began diminishing their quality of life , the L.A .
Zoo said in a news release .
Hubert and Kalisa were inseparable during their time as companions in the past six years at the L.A .
Zoo .
Though Hubert fathered 10 cubs over his life , he and Kalisa did not have cubs together .
“ This is a very hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alisa Behar , the zoo ’ s curator of mammals , said in a statement .
“ In the early mornings , staff would routinely hear Hubert ’ s waking roars , and I will personally miss hearing them on my walks around the grounds .
You can not think of Hubert without thinking of his companion , Kalisa ; they ’ ve been an inseparable couple for years.
” Hubert was born Feb. 7 , 1999 , at Chicago ’ s Lincoln Park Zoo and Kalisa was born Dec. 26 , 1998 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They eventually made their separate ways to Seattle ’ s Woodland Park Zoo , then moved to the L.A .
Zoo together in 2014 .
The lions lived longer than most .
According to zoo officials , most African lions in the wild live to be in their early teens , and those in captivity live to be 17 on average .
“ Hubert and Kalisa are an iconic part of the L.A .
Zoo experience , and our staff and guests have been touched by their loyal companionship , ” zoo CEO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Their longevity is truly a testament to the level of expert care our veterinary and animal care teams provide for our elderly animals .
These lions will remain a positive part of our history , and they will be greatly missed.
” Due to prey depletion and the illegal trade of lion body parts for traditional medicine and other uses , African lions are considered vulnerable .
There are believed to be fewer than 25,000 lions living in Africa .

Hubert grooms his longtime companion, Kalisa, in March 2018. The 21-year-old African lions were euthanized Thursday due to age-related health problems.
After living long lives, the L.A. Zoo’s African lion companions Hubert and Kalisa have died, zoo officials said Thursday.
The lions, both 21 years old, were euthanized after age-related health problems began diminishing their quality of life, the L.A. Zoo said in a news release.
Hubert and Kalisa shared a strong bond that was visible to guests and staff over the past six years of their companionship at the L.A. Zoo, said animal programs director Beth Schaefer.
“These lions were charismatic both together as partners and separately, but they were hardly ever apart from one another,” she said. “Their undivided attention was always on the other as they rested together, cuddled and nuzzled often.”
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Though Hubert fathered 10 cubs over his life, he and Kalisa did not have cubs together.
“This is a very hard loss for our zoo community,” Alisa Behar, the zoo’s curator of mammals, said in a statement.
Hubert and Kalisa in 2017. (Jamie Pham/ L.A. Zoo)
“In the early mornings, staff would routinely hear Hubert’s waking roars, and I will personally miss hearing them on my walks around the grounds. You cannot think of Hubert without thinking of his companion, Kalisa; they’ve been an inseparable couple for years.”
Hubert was born Feb. 7, 1999, at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo and Kalisa was born Dec. 26, 1998, at the Oklahoma City Zoo. They eventually made their separate ways to Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo, then moved to the L.A. Zoo together in 2014.
The lions lived longer than most. According to zoo officials, most African lions in the wild live to be in their early teens, and those in captivity live to be 17 on average.
“Hubert and Kalisa are an iconic part of the L.A. Zoo experience, and our staff and guests have been touched by their loyal companionship,” zoo CEO Denise Verret said in a statement. “Their longevity is truly a testament to the level of expert care our veterinary and animal care teams provide for our elderly animals. These lions will remain a positive part of our history, and they will be greatly missed.”
Due to prey depletion and the illegal trade of lion body parts for traditional medicine and other uses, African lions are considered vulnerable. There are believed to be fewer than 25,000 lions living in Africa.


latimes--2020-07-30--Lawmakers and jobless workers lash out at California's unemployment agency

California lawmakers lashed out Thursday at a state plan that would take two months to resolve a backlog of nearly 1 million unemployment benefit claims , warning at a legislative hearing that many jobless people are struggling to pay for food and rent .
Workers left unemployed by the COVID-19 pandemic also voiced frustration during an hours-long hearing of an Assembly budget subcommittee on state administration , complaining they have been unable for months to get through clogged phone lines or overcome computer glitches to obtain approval of unemployment benefits .
With the supplemental federal unemployment benefit of $ 600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing at the state Capitol reflected a new level of despair by those struggling to get benefits from the state Employment Development Department .
“ Because of EDD ’ s failures , our constituents are depleting their life savings , going into extreme debt and having trouble paying rent and putting food on the table , ” said Assemblyman David Chiu ( D-San Francisco ) , who clashed with the head of the state employment agency and said “ fundamental reform ” is needed .
Assemblyman Jim Cooper ( D-Elk Grove ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how long the state is taking to get to claims .
“ It ’ s tragic , it ’ s unconscionable what is happening to these people , and now we are hearing that we are still two months behind , ” Cooper said , adding that people are suffering “ because we can ’ t get our act together.
” Other lawmakers , including Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris ( D-Laguna Beach ) , told of constituents who filed for unemployment benefits months ago but have not heard back from the EDD or received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , ” Petrie-Norris said .
She said the desperation of unemployed Californians is being met by a “ disinterested bureaucracy ” that fails to answer the phone or return emails , and she called the current situation “ heart-wrenching.
” “ It is maddening and it is totally unacceptable , ” she said .
Testifying by phone , EDD Director Sharon Hilliard said plans are in the works to improve the state ’ s system and added that the agency “ sincerely regrets any payment delays experienced by our customers.
” Hilliard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Congress to extend supplemental unemployment benefits could require up to 20 weeks of programming to allow the state ’ s computer system to make payments .
Assemblyman Jay Obernolte ( R-Big Bear Lake ) warned that such delays would cause “ outrage ” by the public and urged Hilliard to find a quicker solution .
The hearing was held a day after Gov .
Gavin Newsom disclosed that nearly 1 million unpaid claims may be eligible for payment but require more information , including identity verification .
Hilliard said the EDD has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the claims , but the rest require claimants to provide additional information .
The governor said he has ordered the EDD to focus on resolving those claims with hopes of eliminating the backlog by the end of September .
That timetable is drawing criticism from state lawmakers who note that some unemployed Californians have gone without income for months because they have been unable to get claims approved .
“ Waiting until late September to clear the backlog of unfulfilled claims and to devise a blueprint for web improvements feels inadequate given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , ” Chiu said .
He accused Hilliard of lying to the public for months about the scope of the problem .
She denied that she has misrepresented how many people have gone without payments .
The lawmakers heard more than an hour of testimony from unemployed Californians — some in tears and others whose voices broke with emotion — who told of calling the EDD hundreds of times and being unable to get help to resolve their problems .
“ I have heart palpitations when thinking of the emotional trauma I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dysfunction of EDD , ” said one caller , who identified herself as Jennifer .
She said she waited on hold for six hours one day only to have an EDD representative hang up on her after saying she could not answer her questions .
Joanne D ’ Antonio of Valley Glen said she had been receiving unemployment insurance payments before she missed an email from the EDD that required a response for her to stay certified .
That caused her to miss six weeks of benefits totaling more than $ 5,300 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can help ?
” she asked .
A caller who identified herself as Kelly from the San Diego area said she filed a claim in May but has not received any benefits .
“ The EDD experience has been nothing but abominable , ” she said .
On Wednesday , Newsom announced that he has created a “ strike team ” to draft a plan in 45 days for improvements at the EDD , including an overhaul of its inefficient technology systems .
The COVID-19 pandemic has left millions without jobs as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay at home forced many businesses to close or scale back operations .
On Thursday , the EDD said it has processed 9.3 million claims from people who lost jobs or work hours since March , more than double the number filed during the worst year of the Great Recession .
Lawmakers have expressed concerns over a call center that operates from 8 a.m. to noon to resolve problems for claim filers and is staffed by only 100 of the EDD ’ s more than 7,500 employees .
Hilliard said that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers assigned to it with 700 more on the way .
She told legislators at the hearing that her agency is merging its two call centers to better serve customers and plans to adopt a new routing system to send calls to specialized agents in mid-October .
There is currently a four- to six-week wait time for EDD workers to call back customers with problems , she said .
“ We realize that the current call center operations are not currently serving all of our customers in a timely manner , ” Hilliard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to replace the “ obsolete ” technology at the agency is scheduled to be awarded in October .
“ My concern is that all of these timelines just seem totally out of step with the urgency we are in , ” Petrie-Norris told the director .
Newsom ’ s strike team will develop short- and long-term plans for overhauling the technology so it works better , the governor said .
“ There should be no barriers between Californians and the benefits they have earned , ” Newsom said in a statement Wednesday .

California lawmakers lashed out Thursday at a state plan that would take two months to resolve a backlog of nearly 1 million unemployment benefit claims, warning at a legislative hearing that many jobless people are struggling to pay for food and rent.
Workers left unemployed by the COVID-19 pandemic also voiced frustration during an hours-long hearing of an Assembly budget subcommittee on state administration, complaining they have been unable for months to get through clogged phone lines or overcome computer glitches to obtain approval of unemployment benefits.
With the supplemental federal unemployment benefit of $600 a week having expired Saturday, the hearing at the state Capitol reflected a new level of despair by those struggling to get benefits from the state Employment Development Department.
“Because of EDD’s failures, our constituents are depleting their life savings, going into extreme debt and having trouble paying rent and putting food on the table,” said Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco), who clashed with the head of the state employment agency and said “fundamental reform” is needed.
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Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove), the panel’s chairman, criticized how long the state is taking to get to claims.
“It’s tragic, it’s unconscionable what is happening to these people, and now we are hearing that we are still two months behind,” Cooper said, adding that people are suffering “because we can’t get our act together.”
Other lawmakers, including Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach), told of constituents who filed for unemployment benefits months ago but have not heard back from the EDD or received any benefits.
“EDD is failing California,” Petrie-Norris said. She said the desperation of unemployed Californians is being met by a “disinterested bureaucracy” that fails to answer the phone or return emails, and she called the current situation “heart-wrenching.”
“It is maddening and it is totally unacceptable,” she said.
Testifying by phone, EDD Director Sharon Hilliard said plans are in the works to improve the state’s system and added that the agency “sincerely regrets any payment delays experienced by our customers.”
Hilliard acknowledged that complex new formulas being considered by Congress to extend supplemental unemployment benefits could require up to 20 weeks of programming to allow the state’s computer system to make payments.
Assemblyman Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake) warned that such delays would cause “outrage” by the public and urged Hilliard to find a quicker solution.
The hearing was held a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom disclosed that nearly 1 million unpaid claims may be eligible for payment but require more information, including identity verification.
Hilliard said the EDD has the information needed to approve 239,000 of the claims, but the rest require claimants to provide additional information.
The governor said he has ordered the EDD to focus on resolving those claims with hopes of eliminating the backlog by the end of September.
That timetable is drawing criticism from state lawmakers who note that some unemployed Californians have gone without income for months because they have been unable to get claims approved.
“Waiting until late September to clear the backlog of unfulfilled claims and to devise a blueprint for web improvements feels inadequate given the number of people left without income since March,” Chiu said.
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He accused Hilliard of lying to the public for months about the scope of the problem. She denied that she has misrepresented how many people have gone without payments.
The lawmakers heard more than an hour of testimony from unemployed Californians — some in tears and others whose voices broke with emotion — who told of calling the EDD hundreds of times and being unable to get help to resolve their problems.
“I have heart palpitations when thinking of the emotional trauma I have endured at the hands of the dysfunction of EDD,” said one caller, who identified herself as Jennifer. She said she waited on hold for six hours one day only to have an EDD representative hang up on her after saying she could not answer her questions.
Joanne D’Antonio of Valley Glen said she had been receiving unemployment insurance payments before she missed an email from the EDD that required a response for her to stay certified. That caused her to miss six weeks of benefits totaling more than $5,300. “Is there a way the Assembly can help?” she asked.
A caller who identified herself as Kelly from the San Diego area said she filed a claim in May but has not received any benefits.
“The EDD experience has been nothing but abominable,” she said.
On Wednesday, Newsom announced that he has created a “strike team” to draft a plan in 45 days for improvements at the EDD, including an overhaul of its inefficient technology systems.
The COVID-19 pandemic has left millions without jobs as the governor’s March order for residents to stay at home forced many businesses to close or scale back operations.
On Thursday, the EDD said it has processed 9.3 million claims from people who lost jobs or work hours since March, more than double the number filed during the worst year of the Great Recession.
Lawmakers have expressed concerns over a call center that operates from 8 a.m. to noon to resolve problems for claim filers and is staffed by only 100 of the EDD’s more than 7,500 employees. Hilliard said that a new, second phone line has 1,100 workers assigned to it with 700 more on the way.
She told legislators at the hearing that her agency is merging its two call centers to better serve customers and plans to adopt a new routing system to send calls to specialized agents in mid-October. There is currently a four- to six-week wait time for EDD workers to call back customers with problems, she said.
“We realize that the current call center operations are not currently serving all of our customers in a timely manner,” Hilliard said.
She also said a contract to replace the “obsolete” technology at the agency is scheduled to be awarded in October.
Lawmakers voiced dissatisfaction with Hilliard’s plans.
“My concern is that all of these timelines just seem totally out of step with the urgency we are in,” Petrie-Norris told the director.
Newsom’s strike team will develop short- and long-term plans for overhauling the technology so it works better, the governor said.
“There should be no barriers between Californians and the benefits they have earned,” Newsom said in a statement Wednesday.


latimes--2020-07-30--Evacuations ordered and Highway 39 closed as fire spreads in Angeles National Forest

Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders and closed Highway 39 as the Dam fire spread rapidly in the Angeles National Forest on Thursday afternoon .
Firefighters responded to the initially 1-acre fire in the 9500 block of North San Gabriel Canyon Road about 1:20 p.m. , according to officials with the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service .
By 4 p.m. , it had grown to 240 acres and was 0 % contained .
Mandatory evacuations were ordered in the area north of the Morris Dam along Highway 39 to Crystal Lake , said John Clearwater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forest .
Residents can use East Fork Road to Glendora Mountain Road as an evacuation route .
“ With a little bit of wind behind it , it is expanding rapidly , ” he said .
“ I suspect this one is going to go quite a bit larger.
” About 100 firefighters are at the scene .
Clearwater said six fire crews are on the ground with three bulldozers , and several air tankers are working to add containment and retardant lines ahead of the blaze to limit its spread .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area on Silver Mountain , west of Highway 39 , he said .
The area has heavy , dry brush that hasn ’ t burned “ in a long while , ” Clearwater said .
So far no structures are threatened , but firefighters ’ priority is “ ensuring public safety and evacuation routes if necessary , ” he said .

Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders and closed Highway 39 as the Dam fire spread rapidly in the Angeles National Forest on Thursday afternoon.
Firefighters responded to the initially 1-acre fire in the 9500 block of North San Gabriel Canyon Road about 1:20 p.m., according to officials with the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service.
By 4 p.m., it had grown to 240 acres and was 0% contained.
Alert: HIGHWAY 39 CLOSED, north of Glendora, due to #DamFire. Please keep roadways clear & pull over for emergency vehicles. Fire has a rapid rate of spread. No threat to Glendora at this time. Air response on scene. pic.twitter.com/BvdguPx93u — Angeles_NF (@Angeles_NF) July 30, 2020
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Mandatory evacuations were ordered in the area north of the Morris Dam along Highway 39 to Crystal Lake, said John Clearwater, a spokesman for the Angeles National Forest. Residents can use East Fork Road to Glendora Mountain Road as an evacuation route.
“With a little bit of wind behind it, it is expanding rapidly,” he said. “I suspect this one is going to go quite a bit larger.”
About 100 firefighters are at the scene.
Clearwater said six fire crews are on the ground with three bulldozers, and several air tankers are working to add containment and retardant lines ahead of the blaze to limit its spread. The fire is burning uphill in an isolated area on Silver Mountain, west of Highway 39, he said.
The area has heavy, dry brush that hasn’t burned “in a long while,” Clearwater said.
So far no structures are threatened, but firefighters’ priority is “ensuring public safety and evacuation routes if necessary,” he said.


latimes--2020-07-30--L.A. County deputy alleges 'Executioner' gang dominates Compton sheriff station

Days after Austreberto Gonzalez anonymously reported a fellow Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputy to internal affairs for assaulting a colleague behind the parking lot of Compton station , a text popped up on his phone .
It was a photo of graffiti scrawled on a dial pad at the station ’ s parking lot entrance : “ ART IS A RAT , ” it read .
It was one of the first instances of retaliation that continued for months , exacted by the Executioners , a band of deputies with matching tattoos that wields vast power at Compton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed against Los Angeles County .
The claim says the group — sporting tattoos of a skull with Nazi imagery and an AK-47 — celebrates deputy shootings and the induction of new members with “ inking parties.
” In recent years , the claim says , its members were involved in setting illegal arrest quotas and threatening work slowdowns — which involve ignoring or responding slowly to calls — when they did not get preferred assignments .
The allegations have revived long-standing concerns that inked deputy groups — with monikers such as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Banditos — operate out of several sheriff ’ s stations and represent what many in the community see as criminal gangs within law enforcement .
The existence of such fraternities has sparked multiple internal investigations and recently a federal probe by the FBI , but the groups have remained entrenched , with many civil liberties advocates accusing the Sheriff ’ s Department of turning a blind eye .
“ We have a gang here that has grown to the point where it dominates every aspect of life at the Compton station , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gonzalez in the claim , which is a precursor to a lawsuit .
“ It essentially controls scheduling , the distribution of informant tips , and assignments to deputies in the station with preference shown to members of the gang as well as prospects.
” Sheriff Alex Villanueva said during a live Facebook broadcast Wednesday that “ there is no gang of any deputies running any station.
” But he said he was disturbed by the allegations in the claim and that “ swift administrative action ” is being taken .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an investigation .
“ I take these allegations very seriously and recently enacted a policy specifically addressing illicit groups , deputy cliques , and subgroups , ” he said , referring to measures he enacted in February that prohibit deputies from participating in cliques .
Inspector General Max Huntsman said Thursday that he is “ aware of no implementation whatsoever ” of the policy and said his office can ’ t effectively investigate the secret societies “ because of the obstruction of the Sheriff ’ s Department.
” He said the criminal investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an off-duty beating in 2018 amounted to a “ cover up , ” noting that more than 20 deputies were not required to give statements .
Gonzalez ’ s claim alleges the Compton station clique numbers about 20 deputies , while 20 more are prospects or associates .
Many work at night , the claim says , and communicate through WhatsApp .
Black and female deputies are not allowed in the clique , the claim says .
“ Nearly all the CPT Deputies who have been involved in high-profile shootings and out-of-policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been ‘ inked ’ members of The Executioners , ” the claim alleges .
“ ‘ Inking ’ refers to the act of each newly made member of The Executioners receiving a matching tattoo indicating membership in the organization .
... Members become inked as ‘ Executioners ’ after executing members of the public , or otherwise committing acts of violence in furtherance of the gang.
” Retaliation against Gonzalez , the claim states , forced him to step down from his field training officer position .
Deputies refused to partner with him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saddled him with calls .
For decades , a subculture of matching tattoos has been rooted in the Sheriff ’ s Department , where secret societies have been accused of glorifying an aggressive style of policing .
Sean Kennedy , member of the Civilian Oversight Commission and professor at Loyola Law School , said Thursday that he and his students have identified at least 17 gangs — some of them historical — in the department .
Defenders of the groups say they represent hard work and boost morale by fostering camaraderie .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputies over the last year about whether clique members are actively violating civil rights of the public with false reports or violence .
The Rand Corporation , a nonprofit research agency , has also been studying the clique culture and plans to publish its report in January .
The new allegations out of Compton come as the station faces extra scrutiny recently due to a number of high-profile uses of force , including the arrest and beating in May of Dalvin Price , who was pinned to the ground and struck by three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the fatal shooting last month in Gardena of Andres Guardado , an 18-year-old who was shot by a deputy five times in the back .
Details about the Compton clique were first revealed in a civil case brought by the family of Donta Taylor , a 31-year-old man who was shot and killed when deputies opened fire during a foot chase in 2016 .
Deputies claimed Taylor had a handgun , but no weapon was found .
One of the deputies , Samuel Aldama , admitted under oath to having ink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rifle and a military-style helmet surrounded by flames , along with the letters “ CPT ” for Compton .
Romero alleges that the same image was found on a mouse pad and pencil holder at the station desk of someone belonging to the Executioners .
The Taylor family lawsuit was settled for $ 7 million last year .
The revelations were disturbing to observers who watched the department try to implement reforms following a jail abuse and corruption scandal that ultimately led to the convictions of several high-ranking officials including former Sheriff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tanaka , who was a tattooed member of the Vikings .
A top jail official had described exclusive gangs of deputies in Men ’ s Central Jail who would “ earn their ink ” by breaking inmates ’ bones .
According to Gonzalez ’ s claim , two other deputies complained in 2017 that they were being improperly punished with undesirable assignments for not meeting illegal quotas and were told by a sergeant : “ Yes , you should have known that by now , ” according to the claim .
Illegal quotas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest numbers each month , which meant the “ violation of the civil rights ” of hundreds of residents , the claim states .
“ This is an atomic bomb that has been dropped on law enforcement , ” John Sweeney , an attorney who represented Taylor ’ s family , said of Gonzalez ’ s claim .
Sweeney ’ s firm brought another excessive-force case involving the same deputies in the Taylor case , which is pending in federal court .
The county has denied allegations that the deputies beat the plaintiff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slurs against him during the incident in 2016 .
Now , Lockett ’ s attorneys are citing Gonzalez ’ s claim in a court filing seeking to reopen discovery , depose several deputies again and examine their WhatsApp accounts .
Compton has long had a troubled history with law enforcement .
In 2000 , the city disbanded its police force after struggling to contain rising crime and gang violence .
The solution , as city leaders saw it , was to hire the Sheriff ’ s Department to patrol the streets , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more sophisticated policing that would save the city $ 7 million a year out of its $ 20-million budget for policing costs .
Proponents claimed the money would be reinvested in the community and would lead to an economic revival .
But sheriff ’ s deputies in Compton were increasingly seen as outsiders and developed a reputation among some locals for aggressive tactics .
Deputies were heavily criticized in 2005 after firing about 120 rounds at a moving vehicle driven by an unarmed man , who was shot four times .
In 2009 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the back by a Compton station deputy , who claimed the boy pointed a gun at him .
An attorney for the boy ’ s family suggested the deputy planted the weapon .

A band of Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies with matching skull tattoos represent what many in the community see as a criminal gang within law enforcement.
Days after Austreberto Gonzalez anonymously reported a fellow Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy to internal affairs for assaulting a colleague behind the parking lot of the Compton station, a text popped up on his phone.
It was a photo of graffiti scrawled on a dial pad at the station’s parking lot entrance: “ART IS A RAT,” it read.
It was one of the first instances of retaliation that continued for months, exacted by the Executioners, a band of deputies with matching tattoos that wields vast power at the Compton station, he alleged in a claim filed against Los Angeles County. The claim says the group — sporting tattoos of a skull with Nazi imagery and an AK-47 — celebrates deputy shootings and the induction of new members with “inking parties.”
In recent years, the claim says, its members were involved in setting illegal arrest quotas and threatening work slowdowns — which involve ignoring or responding slowly to calls — when they did not get preferred assignments.
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The allegations have revived long-standing concerns that inked deputy groups — with monikers such as the Spartans, Regulators, Grim Reapers and Banditos — operate out of several Sheriff’s Department stations and represent what many in the community see as criminal gangs within law enforcement. The existence of such fraternities has sparked multiple internal investigations and recently a federal probe by the FBI, but the groups have remained entrenched, with many civil liberties advocates accusing the Sheriff’s Department of turning a blind eye.
“We have a gang here that has grown to the point where it dominates every aspect of life at the Compton station,” said Alan Romero, an attorney representing Gonzalez in the claim, which is a precursor to a lawsuit. “It essentially controls scheduling, the distribution of informant tips, and assignments to deputies in the station with preference shown to members of the gang as well as prospects.”
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said during a live Facebook broadcast Wednesday that “there is no gang of any deputies running any station.” But he said that he was disturbed by the allegations in the claim and that “swift administrative action” is being taken.
California Cop group with matching skull tattoos costs taxpayers $7 million in fatal shooting Secret societies of Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies with matching skeleton tattoos have long been a liability in cases in which inked deputies are accused of excessive force and harassment.
In a statement later, Villanueva said he ordered an investigation.
“I take these allegations very seriously and recently enacted a policy specifically addressing illicit groups, deputy cliques, and subgroups,” he said, referring to measures he enacted in February that prohibit deputies from participating in cliques.
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Inspector General Max Huntsman said Thursday that he is “aware of no implementation whatsoever” of the policy and that his office can’t effectively investigate the secret societies “because of the obstruction of the Sheriff’s Department.” He said the criminal investigation of Banditos members who were allegedly involved in an off-duty beating in 2018 amounted to a “cover-up,” noting that more than 20 deputies were not required to give statements.
Gonzalez’s claim alleges the Compton station clique numbers about 20 deputies, while 20 more are prospects or associates. Many work at night, the claim says, and communicate through WhatsApp. Black and female deputies are not allowed in the clique, the claim says.
“Nearly all the CPT Deputies who have been involved in high-profile shootings and out-of-policy beatings at CPT in recent years have been ‘inked’ members of The Executioners,” the claim alleges. “‘Inking’ refers to the act of each newly made member of The Executioners receiving a matching tattoo indicating membership in the organization. … Members become inked as ‘Executioners’ after executing members of the public, or otherwise committing acts of violence in furtherance of the gang.”
Retaliation against Gonzalez, the claim states, forced him to step down from his field training officer position. Deputies refused to partner with him, while an inked deputy in dispatch saddled him with calls.
For decades, a subculture of matching tattoos has been rooted in the Sheriff’s Department, where secret societies have been accused of glorifying an aggressive style of policing. Sean Kennedy, member of the Civilian Oversight Commission and professor at Loyola Law School, said Thursday that he and his students have identified at least 17 gangs — some of them historical — in the department.
Defenders of the groups say they represent hard work and boost morale by fostering camaraderie.
The logo of the Executioners clique on a mousepad and pencil holder at Compton sheriff’s station. (Courtesy of Alan J. Romero)
The FBI, however, has been interviewing deputies over the last year about whether clique members are actively violating civil rights of the public with false reports or violence. Rand Corp., a nonprofit research agency, has also been studying the clique culture and plans to publish its report in January.
The new allegations out of Compton come as the station faces extra scrutiny recently in a number of high-profile uses of force, including the arrest and beating in May of Dalvin Price, who was pinned to the ground and struck by three deputies at Rosecrans and Santa Fe avenues, and the fatal shooting last month in Gardena of Andres Guardado, an 18-year-old who was shot by a deputy five times in the back.
Details about the Compton clique were first revealed in a civil case brought by the family of Donta Taylor, a 31-year-old man who was shot and killed when deputies opened fire during a foot chase in 2016. Deputies claimed Taylor had a handgun, but no weapon was found.
One of the deputies, Samuel Aldama, admitted under oath to having ink on his calf depicting a skull with a rifle and a military-style helmet surrounded by flames, along with the letters “CPT” for Compton. Romero alleges that the same image was found on a mouse pad and pencil holder at the station desk of someone belonging to the Executioners.
The Taylor family lawsuit was settled for $7 million last year.
The revelations were disturbing to observers who watched the department try to implement reforms following a jail abuse and corruption scandal that ultimately led to the convictions of several high-ranking officials including former Sheriff Lee Baca and his undersheriff, Paul Tanaka, who was a tattooed member of the Vikings.
A top jail official had described exclusive gangs of deputies in Men’s Central Jail who would “earn their ink” by breaking inmates’ bones.
According to Gonzalez’s claim, he and two other deputies complained in 2017 that they were being improperly punished with undesirable assignments for not meeting illegal quotas and were told by a sergeant, “Yes, you should have known that by now,” according to the claim.
Illegal quotas resulted in deputies more than doubling their arrest numbers each month, which meant the “violation of the civil rights” of hundreds of residents, the claim states.
“This is an atomic bomb that has been dropped on law enforcement,” John Sweeney, an attorney who represented Taylor’s family, said of Gonzalez’s claim.
Sweeney’s firm brought another excessive-force case involving the same deputies in the Taylor case, which is pending in federal court. The county has denied allegations that the deputies beat the plaintiff, Sheldon Lockett, or used racial slurs against him during the incident in 2016.
Now, Lockett’s attorneys are citing Gonzalez’s claim in a court filing seeking to reopen discovery, depose several deputies again and examine their WhatsApp accounts.
Compton has long had a troubled history with law enforcement. In 2000, the city disbanded its police force after struggling to contain rising crime and gang violence.
The solution, as city leaders saw it, was to hire the Sheriff’s Department to patrol the streets, a move advertised as a way to have more sophisticated policing that would save the city $7 million a year out of its $20-million budget for policing costs. Proponents claimed the money would be reinvested in the community and would lead to an economic revival.
But sheriff’s deputies in Compton were increasingly seen as outsiders and developed a reputation among some locals for aggressive tactics. Deputies were heavily criticized in 2005 after firing about 120 rounds at a moving vehicle driven by an unarmed man, who was shot four times. In 2009, a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot in the back by a Compton station deputy, who claimed the boy pointed a gun at him. An attorney for the boy’s family suggested the deputy planted the weapon.


latimes--2020-07-30--Coronavirus outbreak at USC's fraternity row leaves at least 40 people infected

USC is dealing with an outbreak of the coronavirus spread across the university ’ s Greek row .
The school has detected around 40 positive COVID-19 cases involving individuals living on 28th Street , where many fraternity groups associated with the university are based , chief student health officer Sarah Van Orman said .
“ A significant number of the cases were associated with four fraternity houses , ” Van Orman said .
To date , around 150 USC students and employees have tested positive .
USC and other universities have adapted to the coronavirus in an effort to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .
Many schools , including UCLA and USC , have moved the vast majority of fall semester classes online and canceled events , limited the availability of on-campus housing to decrease density , added mask , social-distancing and symptom-checking measures , and regularly report infection data .
Still , as students continue to return officially and unofficially , on-campus and off , universities face a daunting worry : Can the spread of COVID at colleges be stopped ?
That answer depends on the decisions individuals make , Van Orman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent outbreaks occurred at off-campus spaces not controlled by the university .
“ Unless all of us understand that right now our only tools are physical distancing and wearing masks , we ’ re going to continue to have devastation , not only in terms of the economy , our learning , our academics , our jobs , but people dying , ” she said .
“ Each of us have to decide what we stand for .
Frats need to do that as well.
” She said that although the outbreak affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear that the infection involved fraternity members , who often lease out rooms during the summer .
UCLA spokesman Steve Ritea agreed that the pandemic ’ s toll will be depend on community members ’ choices .
“ If you have three or four of our students who are living together in an off-campus apartment , all we can do is give them our best recommendation and the best knowledge .
They have to make those decisions from there , ” he said .
Students living in official UCLA dorms face certain health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Coronavirus outbreaks have occurred in fraternity spaces at universities across the country , including the University of Washington and UC Berkeley .
Van Orman attributed the spread in such spaces to the increased household exposure that comes with congregate living situations and social gatherings .
“ When we think about the population size that they expose , it can quickly become quite large , ” Van Orman said .
The outbreak among USC fraternities is mostly over , she said .
The school first reported 15 positive cases on 28th Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Continued testing and aggressive contact tracing allowed the university to identify exposed individuals and new positives .
Mandatory quarantining ordered by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health helped stop the spread .
“ We haven ’ t seen any more cases for the last week or so , ” Van Orman said .
The testing , tracing and quarantining are all parts of USC ’ s pandemic plan , which is laid out on the school ’ s website .
In the fall , outbreaks at USC could lead to more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set aside for students infected in the future , Van Orman said .
The university is encouraging undergraduates to not return , working to educate students about spread and is set to enforce strong policies blocking rule-breakers from the campus , she added .
Keeping students from getting together in groups will play an important role in preventing future outbreaks .
“ Gatherings are a huge issue .
Whether that ’ s at a church or a fraternity , that ’ s what we ’ re seeing : People get together , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the room you can quickly have half of them infected in one gathering , ” Van Orman said .
On Wednesday , UCLA ’ s COVID total was similar to USC ’ s .
The university reported 153 individuals have tested positive and reported their diagnosis to the university since testing began .
52 cases have been reported since June 15 .
Ritea said the data include self-reported cases from out-of-state students and that the Westwood campus is not experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak .
UCLA isn ’ t seeing abnormal spread involving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UCLA has its own COVID procedures written up online too .
The intentionally that ’ s gone into preparing makes Ritea feel better about the school ’ s outlook .
“ When you ’ re talking about a global pandemic where there ’ s no vaccine yet , I would never say that any of us feel good about any number of cases , ” he said .
“ But what I do feel good about is that our leadership has taken this so seriously .
There ’ s been so much thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how we ’ re doing this , ” he said .
He noted , however , the planning can only go so far .
“ The best we can do is minimize the risk as much as we can , ” Ritea said .
Both schools ’ student populations are full of young people , who Van Orman acknowledged COVID-19 typically hits less hard .
She said no one infected at USC has been hospitalized yet .
But young people aren ’ t immune to the virus ’ s worst consequences , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , healthy people who contract the virus , who have severe disease , who are hospitalized and even die , ” she said .
She added that a developing understanding of the virus ’ s long-term effects should concern young people , along with the fact that they can pass on the virus to more vulnerable people .
“ They ’ re exposing their parents and their grandparents , they ’ re exposing the person that ’ s working in the store , ” she said .

Around 40 individuals living near the USC campus on fraternity-filled 28th Street have tested positive for the coronavirus. Around 150 USC students and employees have tested positive in total.
USC is dealing with an outbreak of the coronavirus spread across the university’s Greek row.
The school has detected around 40 positive COVID-19 cases involving individuals living on 28th Street, where many fraternity groups associated with the university are based, said Dr. Sarah Van Orman, USC’s chief student health officer.
“A significant number of the cases were associated with four fraternity houses,” Van Orman said. To date, around 150 USC students and employees have tested positive.
USC and other universities have adapted in an effort to keep students, staff and local communities safe during the pandemic. Many schools, including UCLA and USC, have moved the vast majority of fall semester classes online and canceled events; limited the availability of on-campus housing to decrease density; added mask, social-distancing and symptom-checking measures; and are regularly reporting infection data. Still, as students continue to return officially and unofficially, on-campus and off, universities face a daunting worry: Can the spread of COVID-19 at colleges be stopped?
That answer depends on the decisions individuals make, Van Orman said, pointing out that USC’s recent outbreaks occurred at off-campus spaces not controlled by the university.
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“Unless all of us understand that right now our only tools are physical distancing and wearing masks, we’re going to continue to have devastation, not only in terms of the economy, our learning, our academics, our jobs, but people dying,” she said. “Each of us have to decide what we stand for. Frats need to do that as well.”
She said that although the outbreak affected fraternity houses, it wasn’t clear that the infections involved fraternity members, who often lease out rooms during the summer.
UCLA spokesman Steve Ritea agreed that the pandemic’s toll will depend on community members’ choices.
“If you have three or four of our students who are living together in an off-campus apartment, all we can do is give them our best recommendation and the best knowledge. They have to make those decisions from there,” he said. Students living in official UCLA dorms face certain health restrictions imposed by the school, he added.
Coronavirus outbreaks have occurred in fraternity spaces at universities across the country, including the University of Washington and UC Berkeley. Van Orman attributed the spread in such spaces to the increased household exposure that comes with congregate living situations and social gatherings.
“When we think about the population size that they expose, it can quickly become quite large,” Van Orman said.
The outbreak among USC fraternities is mostly over, she said. The school first reported 15 positive cases on 28th Street through a July 9 press release. Continued testing and aggressive contact tracing allowed the university to identify exposed individuals and new positives. Mandatory quarantining ordered by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health helped stop the spread.
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“We haven’t seen any more cases for the last week or so,” Van Orman said. The testing, tracing and quarantining are all parts of USC’s pandemic plan, which is laid out on the school’s website.
In the fall, outbreaks at USC could lead to more remote classes. Hotel space has been set aside for students infected in the future, Van Orman said. The university is encouraging undergraduates to not return, working to educate students about spread and is set to enforce strong policies blocking rule-breakers from the campus, she added. Keeping students from getting together in groups will play an important role in preventing future outbreaks.
“Gatherings are a huge issue. Whether that’s at a church or a fraternity, that’s what we’re seeing: People get together, and if you have 20 or 30 people in the room you can quickly have half of them infected in one gathering,” Van Orman said.
On Wednesday, UCLA’s coronavirus total was similar to USC’s. The university reported 153 individuals have tested positive and reported their diagnosis to the university since testing began. Fifty-two cases have been reported since June 15. Ritea said that the data include self-reported cases from out-of-state students and that the Westwood campus is not experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak. UCLA isn’t seeing abnormal spread involving conjugal living spaces, he added.
UCLA has its own COVID procedures written up online too. The intention that’s gone into preparing makes Ritea feel better about the school’s outlook.
“When you’re talking about a global pandemic where there’s no vaccine yet, I would never say that any of us feel good about any number of cases,” he said. “But what I do feel good about is that our leadership has taken this so seriously. There’s been so much thought and care and planning that goes into how we’re doing this.”
He noted, however, that the planning can only go so far.
“The best we can do is minimize the risk as much as we can,” Ritea said.
Both schools’ student populations are full of young people, who are typically hit less hard by the coronavirus. Van Orman said no one infected at USC has been hospitalized yet. But young people aren’t immune to the virus’ worst consequences, she added.
“We still see young, healthy people who contract the virus, who have severe disease, who are hospitalized and even die,” she said.
She added that a developing understanding of the virus’ long-term effects should concern young people, along with the fact that they can pass on the virus to more vulnerable people.
“They’re exposing their parents and their grandparents; they’re exposing the person that’s working in the store,” she said.


latimes--2020-07-30--Pasadena apartment fire that killed 4-year-old is blamed on electrical malfunction

An apartment fire in Pasadena that killed a 4-year-old boy and critically injured his mother and 3-year-old brother was likely caused by an electrical issue related to a refrigerator , officials said Thursday .
The fire started at about 2 p.m. Wednesday at an eight-unit apartment complex in the 100 block of East Washington Boulevard .
Firefighters arrived within four minutes and knocked down the blaze about 21 minutes later , said Pasadena city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian .
The boy who died was found in the apartment ’ s kitchen , where the fire is believed to have started , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dog also was found inside the unit , which was completely destroyed .
The boy ’ s 29-year-old mother and younger brother were found outside when firefighters arrived on the scene and were transported to a local hospital before being airlifted to a burn unit in critical condition , officials said .
“ We ’ re hoping they show signs of improvement , ” Deredian said Thursday .
“ They sustained smoke inhalation and fire injuries.
” The boys ’ father was not home at the time of the fire , and no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Derderian said .
The blaze affected one other unit above the apartment that burned , but its occupants were able to escape .
Other residents were displaced for the night because utilities were shut off , Deredian said .
All but those in the two affected units will be able to return once utilities are turned back on , she said .
Several firefighters who helped battle the blaze have young children around the same age as the two boys , Deredian said .
A newly launched chaplain program run by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacted fire personnel , she said .

A 4-year-old boy died in a Pasadena apartment fire on Wednesday. His brother and mother were both critically injured.
An apartment fire in Pasadena that killed a 4-year-old boy and critically injured his mother and 3-year-old brother was probably caused by an electrical problem related to a refrigerator, officials said Thursday.
The fire started about 2 p.m. Wednesday at an eight-unit apartment complex in the 100 block of East Washington Boulevard. Firefighters arrived within four minutes and knocked down the blaze about 21 minutes later, Pasadena city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
About 55 firefighters helped extinguish the flames, interim Pasadena Fire Chief Bryan Frieders told KTLA-TV Channel 5.
The boy who died was found in the apartment’s kitchen, where the fire is believed to have started, authorities said. The body of a dog also was found inside the unit, which was destroyed.
The boy’s 29-year-old mother and younger brother were found outside when firefighters arrived on the scene and were transported in critical condition to a hospital before being airlifted to a burn unit, officials said.
“We’re hoping they show signs of improvement,” Derderian said Thursday. “They sustained smoke inhalation and fire injuries.”
The boys’ father was not home at the time of the fire, and no other residents inside the complex were injured, Derderian said. The blaze affected one other unit above the apartment that burned, but its occupants were able to escape.
Other residents were displaced for the night because utilities were shut off, Derderian said. All but those in the two affected units will be able to return once utilities are turned back on, she said.
Several firefighters who helped battle the blaze have young children around the same age as the two boys, Derderian said. A newly launched chaplain program run by a former firefighter has provided counseling for the affected fire personnel, she said.