Here we go again. If you are pining for a bygone era of bell-bottoms, disco balls and terrible haircuts, you may want to experience Pioneer Theatre Company’s production of “Mamma Mia!” This final addition to the 2017-2018 season is a comedic tale of a young bride-to-be’s misadventures, set to some of the most popular music of the 1970s. Set at a resort on a fictional Greek island, the musical tells the story of Sophie, who is preparing to marry her fiancé, Sky. Though Sophie has a close relationship with her mother Donna, she has no information about her father, and she wants to meet him and ask him to walk her down the aisle. Sophie discovers three possible candidates for her father and invites them all to the island right before her wedding. Meanwhile, Donna reconnects with her best friends (and former disco bandmates) Tanya and Rosie.

The production was a massive success on Broadway and West End, where the show has run continuously since its debut in 1999. The musical was also adapted into a successful 2008 film starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried — a sequel is scheduled for release this July. “Mamma Mia!” is new to PTC, but Utah audiences have seen this musical in Salt Lake City with Broadway Across America and at Tuacahn Amphitheatre in Ivins. This production is directed by Patricia Wilcox, who has worked as a choreographer for PTC’s “Peter and the Starcatcher” and Broadway productions of “Motown the Musical” and “A Night With Janis Joplin.”

The musical’s score is made up entirely of existing songs from the disco pop group ABBA (playwright Catherine Johnson wrote the book). This Swedish band was one of the most popular bands of the 1970s, earning millions of fans worldwide and spawning many hit singles, including “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen,” “Take a Chance On Me” and “Super Trouper.” ABBA’s music and public image became one of the defining elements of 1970s pop culture. Most of the band’s major hits are performed in the musical, and the show has been particularly well received by fans of the band.

The show has gained a reputation as a crowd pleaser for all kinds of audiences. It helps that the ABBA music is both catchy and ubiquitous. Combining good humor, appealingly goofy disco dancing and a healthy dose of 70s nostalgia, this show is a guaranteed dance-along hit. In a review of the Broadway production, The New York Times compared the show to “alchemical magic” and called it the “theatrical equivalent of comfort food.” This production is sure to please ABBA supporters while converting a brand new generation of dancing queens. Don’t miss the chance to experience this feel-good hit which has become one of the most beloved musicals of the twenty-first century.

“Mamma Mia!” will run from May 11 – May 26 at Pioneer Theatre Company. Performances will be at 7:00 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays and at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with an additional 2:00 p.m. matinee on Saturdays. For ticket pricing, including information on discounts for U of U students, visit pioneertheatre.org.

The post Take a Chance on PTC’s “Mamma Mia!” appeared first on Daily Utah Chronicle.

This letter was published in The Herald’s Dec. 6 print edition, but was not published online. The letter is published here in its entirety. The Herald regrets the error. 

To the Editor:

The article “Cafe to connect students with sponsor companies” published in The Herald Dec. 4 described a new cafe which will be opening on the University’s campus next semester. We are writing to express our concern that The Herald’s story is written to promote the cafe to students as an opportunity for free coffee and networking. As students on this campus who are concerned about the cafe’s opening, we wanted to point out the possible adverse consequences that this cafe might have on our community and propose a boycott of the cafe when it opens in February.

According to CareerLAB’s website, 42 percent of 2016 University graduates who were employed in their first year out of college were in the finance, consulting and technology industries. A mere 2 percent were in jobs related to “environment and sustainability” and 2 percent in “community development and organizing.” One contributing factor to the large number of Brown graduates pursuing careers in finance, consulting and tech is that representatives come to the University campus in the fall semester to recruit students for their companies. According to The Herald’s article about the Shiru Cafe, “last year, 40 percent of JP Morgan Japan’s new hires were Shiru Cafe patrons.” This statistic is alarming, given that JP Morgan engaged in deceitful financial practices which likely contributed to to the 2008 financial crisis and then became the only large financial institution to make a profit during the crisis.

Instead of looking forward to the days of free coffee (only if you stay in the cafe to drink it), we are writing to call upon the University community and the broader Providence community to boycott the cafe. As the cafe’s first location in the United States, Brown should send a clear message rejecting the cafe’s stated desire to draw smart and talented people to work for large corporations, whose principles are frequently at odds with those of our community.

Julia Rock ’19 and Harry August ’19

There’s been a lot of noise about campus politics the last few days, perhaps to compensate for the thundering silence from voters last week.

Voter turnout in this year’s Undergraduate Students Association Council election was a whimpering 26.5 percent, the lowest it’s been in the past 10 years. It’s gotten so bad, some candidates have even taken to violating voters’ privacy as an innovative engagement tool.

Voter turnout is not a new problem at UCLA. Over the past few years, the USAC Election Board has made consistent attempts to usher students to the polls. In addition to advertising around campus, the election board introduced an in-person polling booth this year to make voting even more accessible.

In the past, low voter turnout has also been blamed on lack of choice, as one or two slates have historically dominated elections. But this election offered more independent candidates than any in the past four years.

The problem isn’t the election. Voter turnout at UCLA has little to do with the number of bulletin reminders, political parties or polling places.

Instead, people likely don’t vote in USAC elections because they think the institution is ineffective and kind of pointless.

(Keshav Tadimenti/Daily Bruin)

Take, for example, one of the more unorthodox candidates for USAC president this year, A.J. Goldsman. Goldsman stated quite plainly that his only goal was to shut USAC down. Running as an independent, his platform began, “The corrupt institution that is USAC must be disbanded and the power returned to us, the collective students of UCLA.” More than 780 students ranked him in their votes, which likely inflated the already feeble turnout.

Goldsman seems to have a point. Outside of election week, the everyday student only seems to hear about USAC when it’s being naughty. And with another election scandal this year, involving a candidate violating a student voter’s right to privacy, public perception isn’t likely to improve.

Students will likely continue to avoid the polls because they simply don’t know or readily see what USAC does.

Aside from posting on Facebook, USAC seems to make itself visible exactly one week each year. During that week, despite terrorizing Election Walk with towering glamour headshots and cheeky video ads, not much is done to explain what these candidates want you to pick them to do. We’re given the candidates’ experience and their mission statements, but often know nothing about the capacities of their roles as student government officials.

True, there are official candidate statements. But like most political statements, they almost seem intentionally vague. And while there is a public debate each year, this appeals more toward candidates’ bases than to the average student.

But contrary to Goldsman’s proposals, USAC shouldn’t be disbanded. Student government representation can create productive communication with the administration and help fight for underrepresented communities’ needs. Hopefully, student voters will be engaged because they know these organizations matter and that who represents them makes a difference.

To be fair, voter turnout is a tough, if not impossible question. Hordes of political scientists have tried and failed to derive one-line intuitions to explain the apparent chaos. However, one prevailing notion that seems relevant is the idea of political efficacy, namely, people’s faith in government and the belief that their actions actually matter. And from students’ declining voter turnout, it’s clear USAC isn’t viewed by many as an honest and effective campus governing body.

There isn’t a simple solution to addressing this widely held perception.

Many people are not versed in the USAC bylaws and constitution. Like some USAC candidates, they haven’t read them. Perhaps USAC should hold town hall meetings multiple times each quarter so students have the opportunity to develop a working relationship with their representatives and find out exactly what they do.

Additionally, the election board could more clearly analyze and explain USAC’s budget and capacities so that voters know where their money is specifically going and what the stakes of each year’s elections are.

And perhaps, USAC candidates could simply be a little better behaved.

There’s no guarantee that these actions will cure voter apathy. But the fact remains: It’s not the election, but the elected body that students seem to be fed up with.

Voter turnout will improve when the system we’re voting for does too.

When two issues are in conflict, some choose the path that vigorously supports their side, while others prefer a strategy focused exclusively on defeating the other. These are not the same thing.

One option implies the ability to reach out to like-minded people across the table and find a win-win solution for supporters of both sides. The latter can only speak in a language of victory or defeat.

Peaceful coexistence is not on the table.

Unfortunately for the University of Houston, there is a dynamic at play that mimics this situation perfectly with the frequent and sharp-edged demonstrations that highlight negative aspects of Israeli society. These demonstrations are not pro-Palestinian. They are anti-Israel. There is a difference.

A pro-Palestinian demonstration would support the rights and well being of all Palestinians everywhere.

When the Egyptian government shut down the border with Gaza and refused the passage of people and goods, there should have been protests. When Palestinians in Lebanon continued to be denied their rights and citizenship, there should have been protesters. When the Palestinian Authority withheld much needed funds for the suffering people of Gaza because of political infighting, there should have been protests.

The Gaza Strip is ruled by Hamas, a non-democratic Islamist entity designated as a terrorist organization by the EU, Australia, Egypt and others. Week after week, Hamas helps push hapless Palestinians across barbed wire and into border troops with the stated goal of taking over Israeli territory, and every week blood is predictably spilled.

Pro-Palestinian sentiment would urge a different approach, explore compromise, peace and co-existence with the Israelis, as the Jordanians and Egyptians have done.

When one is exclusively anti-Israel, otherwise well-meaning students don’t realize their message sounds like this: We don’t care what happens to Palestinians in the short term. We understand that Palestinians will have to be patient until things get better.

If this makes sense to you, you will begin to realize the popular chant heard on campus, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” is really a call to war against Israel and has nothing to do with pro-Palestinian sentiment. With Israel possessing the most powerful military in the Middle East, that chant encourages one-sided bloodletting and suffering.

There is another way.

A Palestinian intellectual, Edward Said, talked about how one group condemns itself to ignorance by stereotyping “The Other” for their own agenda. He was referring to the Western history of stereotyping the Arab as a caricature far removed from reality.

The UH students that have reduced Israel to a caricature should read up on their Said and understand that intellectual honesty and courage is the path to mutual understanding. Peace will only come when people on all sides work together for it.

Steve Tobias is a guest columnist and has been published in Berlingske (Denmark), Houston Chronicle, Independent (UK) and Jerusalem Post (Israel) and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

—
“Peace in Palestine only possible when both sides want it” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

Veteran newspaper executive Bill Kunerth will be  the next president and publisher of Emerald Media Group, the Emerald’s board of directors announced Monday.. He will begin July 1.

EMG board chairman Ben Schorzman said Kunerth is someone who can be the face of the Emerald, mentor  future students, and l bring a wealth of knowledge from the newspaper industry.

Kunerth has worked as the publisher for newspapers in California, Washington, Idaho and Alaska, which had circulation of up to 15,000 daily copies.

“He has more than 27 years of publisher experience. He brings a deep understanding of the business and he has a passion for journalism that really stands out,” Schorzman said.

Kunerth wanted to work in journalism since he was a child because his father had taught journalism at multiple universities and advised student newspapers throughout his career. Kunerth said his father was one of his greatest mentors growing up, always living up to his values of integrity and ethics.

Kunerth has worked in various roles at newspapers around the country and has experience with other student-run newspapers at college campuses including Central Washington University, Idaho State University and the University of Alaska.

“There is something special about student-run newspapers: The opportunity to take chances and innovate,” said Kunerth. “In today’s media age, being an independent voice is something that has been lost.”

Kunerth said in a presentation to the staff of EMG that the next publisher’s role will be to protect independent student journalism.

“I think the journalism being produced at Emerald Media Group is some of the best in the community. The fact that its autonomous, student-run and independent, it’s something that should be respected,” he said.

Schorzman echoed Kunerth’s sentiment, saying the Emerald is in a critical time, when media outlets are being bought up or folding altogether, and he said Kunerth understands the necessity to remain independent.

One way he said he plans to preserve the Emerald is by bringing in innovative ideas to increase profit from online and mobile platforms. He wants to maintain a diverse revenue stream and include new features in several EMG products.

The board chose Kunerth for the job particularly because he has a history of increasing revenue at news outlets.

“One part of his professional experience has been in fundraising. He was involved in a fundraising campaign in Alaska that raised over $660,000,” said Schorzman. “He has a lot of big-time experience that we were hoping to capitalize on.”

Kunerth said one of his highest priorities is quality journalism. Throughout his interview process, Kunerth said he wants to provide the resources and support to continue the Emerald Media Group’s legacy.

His mantra to various newspaper staffs in the past has always been, “The better the newspaper, the better the community.” He said the responsibility of a news outlet is to provide its readership with the awareness of issues and allow everyone to understand the state of the greater community.

“I’m passionate and committed to good journalism. Forthright honest reporting of the issues can bring out robust dialogue that provides the opportunity for a community to examine the issues.”

He said his vision for EMG is to uphold its reputation: “a relevant, independent voice for the University of Oregon.”

The post Emerald board of directors selects Bill Kunerth as next president and publisher appeared first on Emerald Media.

With graduation just around the corner, soon-to-be college graduates are sharing their photos. But these photoshoots aren't what you’d expect.

The internet has once again created a chain meme, and graduates are taking part of the challenge. The meme started on April 7, when Turning Point USA employee @BrennaSpencer posted a picture of herself on Twitter wearing a lifted “Women for Trump” shirt lifted that exposed a gun tucked into her pants. She captioned the photo “I don’t take normal graduation photos…,” which has gained over 18,000 retweets and 117,000 likes.

While her tweet sparked outrage with some users, others saw an opportunity to get creative and satirical with their own pictures.

Like this one by @thesugarhiccup with a graduation cap on, posing by a trash can, while eating chicken nuggets.  

"I don't take normal college graduation photos…" pic.twitter.com/3Q0ETICbYo

— Val Zivich (@thesugarhiccup) April 30, 2018

@Cyn_City69 used impressive symbolism by using Four Lokos to represent her four years of college.

Hire me! (: pic.twitter.com/8QkncqWL73

— Sin (@Cyn_City69) April 29, 2018

And @cradleofthedeep captures what it feels like to be in college. The fear on her face is within all of us.

i don’t take normal graduation photos pic.twitter.com/PqRDIzoJeh

— FULLER GO EASY ON THE PEPSI (@cradleofthedeep) April 23, 2018

There were some people that directly copied Spencer’s photo with their own weapon of choice. @alexuziel12 chose a flute.

I don't take normal graduation pics… pic.twitter.com/eXH2O6tpFd

— alex (@alexuziel12) April 20, 2018

And @kdunlap16 chose a trombone to stick down his pants.

I don't take normal college graduation photos… pic.twitter.com/SUZ7BH5VpG

— Kyle Dunlap (@kdunlap16) April 18, 2018

And then we have @plantbboi with her iguana named “Pancake” poking out from her jeans.

I don't take normal graduation photos pic.twitter.com/AFqe7kGKed

— Lindsay (@plantbboi) April 12, 2018

@vickerssnickers had enough friends to recreate the fountain picture from “Friends.”

I don't take normal graduation photos pic.twitter.com/KKhIBR7g3G

— Victoria Weler (@vickerssnickers) April 16, 2018

@whoisthisCJ grabbed the best movie ever made to stick in his jeans.

I don't take normal college graduation photos… pic.twitter.com/Yk1SMj7GqD

— Cameron Juhnke (@whoisthisCJ) April 15, 2018

A furry friend joined @madiisonmoore in her photo.

I don’t take normal graduation photos… pic.twitter.com/w3Xizwvwzs

— madison (@madiisonmoore) April 14, 2018

And finally, we have all those who took the plastic guns from various arcades to join in on the meme.

I don't take normal graduation photos pic.twitter.com/zsOKBj91TX

— gabe (@SomeFlop) April 20, 2018

“I don’t take normal graduation pictures.” pic.twitter.com/3KeiOPmDJN

— Alex (@alex_catmona) April 17, 2018

I don’t take normal college graduation photos… pic.twitter.com/9vMVkQZEZ7

— jackie jasso (@juxsterposition) April 29, 2018

The Bruins went 16-3 in the month of April.

One of those losses came from the 49ers.

No. 11 UCLA baseball (30-13, 14-7 Pac-12) will have a chance to avenge its April 10 loss to unranked Long Beach State (21-26) on Tuesday night. UCLA saw its eight-game winning streak come to an end following a three-game sweep at the hands of Arizona over the weekend.

“You kind of get used to having that winning feeling,” said freshman pitcher Zach Pettway. “It is tougher when you do get that loss.”

UCLA scored 6 runs or more in eight-straight games leading up to the Arizona series, but averaged less than 2 runs per game during the weekend. When the Bruins met up with the 49ers a month ago, they only scored 2 runs.

Redshirt sophomore pitcher Jack Ralston got the start for UCLA in that game, but he couldn’t make it out of the second inning. The righty allowed three earned runs and the Bruins fell 5-2. Ralston has started three of the last four Tuesday games for the Bruins.

Sophomore second baseman Chase Strumpf was the lone bright spot for the UCLA offense that night, driving in both of his team’s runs on a two-run homer in the third. Strumpf, who leads the team with 10 home runs, hit another one out Saturday in the series finale against Arizona.

Strumpf is in the middle of a 13-game hitting streak, hitting .551 over that stretch, but he said he was more focused on getting his team back on track.

“Next week’s a new week,” Strumpf said. “Hopefully we can take this weekend, throw in some fire and bring it into the next week.”

Coach John Savage also said the Bruins are far more prepared this time than they were when they previously faced off against the 49ers.

“We’ve been a hot team up until Thursday – we’d been playing as good as anybody in the country,” Savage said. “We’re a different team, we get to learn from this weekend. … It’s baseball, it happens, and you move on.”

UCLA was 4-4 in their last eight games heading into its earlier matchup with Long Beach State, and the Bruins are 5-3 in their last eight games this time around. However, Strumpf said he and his teammates are looking forward to getting a chance to fight back against the 49ers.

“We play Long Beach a lot. … We can definitely learn a lot from that game,” Strumpf said. “We can use our experience as an advantage and try to get the win.”

The Bruins’ pitching staff will continue to play shorthanded, as both redshirt sophomore right-hander Kyle Molnar and junior right-hander Jon Olsen will undergo season-ending elbow procedures this week.

UCLA and Long Beach State will get back at it Tuesday night, with first pitch at 6 p.m.

Prior to this school year, I had only written sports articles for the Maine Campus. When I went and studied in Scotland for the fall semester of this year (my senior year) I really wanted to write the study abroad column for the paper, because I knew it would be a great way to document my experience as well as to share it with other people in a way that wasn’t, “Look at me, look what I’m doing,” but rather a shared experience where I could make fun of myself and have fun discovering the land where legends like Groundskeeper Willie and Fat Bastard uttered their first words only a few short decades ago.

The weekly study abroad column was rightfully part of the culture section so I was a writer for culture throughout the fall, but I never really felt like I was necessarily in the culture section, or part of that group of writers. I was thousands of miles away, so most of my writing felt like it was its own thing, and it pretty much was. I had a ton of fun with it, and at the end of the fall semester, when I had arrived back in Maine for spring semester, I was asked if I wanted to continue writing for culture. I said yes, not really thinking about it, but then was sort of nervous and unenthused about it. What did I know about culture? How was I supposed to knowledgeably write about it? Was it just going to be a bunch of art galas and ballet recitals?

While there were certainly art galas and ballet recitals to report on, peers of mine who were much better suited for the job undoubtedly wrote them. The stories I did cover, however, heavily shaped my perspective on journalism in ways that I hadn’t necessarily given enough consideration to. Experiencing clubs like the Dungeons and Dragons Club, interviewing people for the #YouMaine stories, reviewing albums and comic books, and being forced to write thoughtfully on poetry slams and combined band concerts expanded my journalistic skill set as well as opened my eyes to the events and opportunities both at the university and in the greater Bangor area.

The Maine Campus is essential for journalism students because, at least in my case, it gives professionalism and legitimacy to what becomes a considerable chunk of the body of work in our resume and portfolio. Prior to this year, all the consistently-paying, journalistic-style writing I was doing for a legitimate publication was for the Maine Campus, and it was always about sports. All my writing other than my sports writing was for a class. While writing papers for a class can sometimes produce great stories, it can often be harder to find those stories and gain access to crucial people associated with the story because you don’t have a publication behind you. Sometimes it feels foolish to say to a potential interviewee that it’s simply “for a class.” But when it’s for the Maine Campus, it feels more legitimate both in the writer’s and the interviewee’s eyes, at least in my own experience.

Writing for the culture section opened my eyes to the University of Maine and its unique culture. There are so many events that I never would have gone to and clubs that I never would have known about had I not been part of the culture section, simply because many of them need to be sought out. They rely on people seeing and reading flyers in the Memorial Union. And it took until the final semester of my senior year to really understand how much is going on! If I could go back in time knowing what I know now, I’d first stop the Brady strip sack on the final drive of the 2017 Super Bowl, and then I would write about culture sooner.  Writing for culture was a welcomed new experience, and I think sports writing has helped improve my culture writing and vice versa.

If this isn’t an endorsement to try to write for the paper and to perhaps dabble in genres you may be unsure about (and if it isn’t just me doing some nostalgic navel-gazing), it’s certainly an endorsement to make an effort to experience both the UMaine culture and the cultures surrounding the university.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, is currently accepting applications for its 2018-2020 Council of Students. The Council, comprised of student vice presidents from chapters across the nation, serves as the student engagement committee for the Society.

Established in 2007, the Council is tasked with enhancing communication with Phi Kappa Phi’s student vice presidents, planning and hosting a student leadership conference, and interacting with student vice presidents in the Society’s five divisions, among other tasks.

The Council of Students will be comprised of no fewer than five members, representative of the student membership as a whole. These students will gain valuable leadership skills and will communicate regularly with staff at the national office and the two student representatives who serve on the Board of Directors.

“Being part of the Council made me feel an important part of my chapter. I made sure to help others feel important and essential as well,” said Ana Lu Ramirez, a 2016-2018 Council of Students member. “I mobilized my chapter and we accomplished events and chapter growth. We hosted a book drive and a member drive. It was a fantastic experience, and I highly recommend it to all the students.”

The Council will meet for the first time at the 2018 Convention in Minneapolis from August 1-4 with all expenses covered by Phi Kappa Phi. The Council will also be expected to attend and take a leadership role in the Student Leadership Summit held in July 2019. The opportunity to serve on the Council requires a commitment to serve through the 2020 biennium, when the Society selects its next Council of Students. The selected Council members must maintain student status at their institution for at least one full year of the two-year term served on the Council.

“The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi has given me numerous opportunities to expand my horizons outside the academic setting and get engaged in the community services,” said Amreen Mughal, a 2016-2018 Council of Students member. “Council of Students is a platform for me to connect with hundreds of other chapters to learn and effectively share new ideas to fulfill the motto of the Society, ‘Let the love of learning rule humanity.’”

Current Phi Kappa Phi student vice presidents interested in applying should visit www.phikappaphi.org/council to download the application and access full eligibility requirements. The deadline to apply is May 25, 2018.

About Phi Kappa Phi
Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Phi Kappa Phi inducts approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni annually. The Society has chapters on more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. The Society’s mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.” For more information, visit www.phikappaphi.org.

###

CONTACT
Hannah Breaux
Communications Director
hbreaux@phikappaphi.org
225.923.7777

Unions representing medical employees in the University of California plan to hold a strike in solidarity with the UC’s largest union this week.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, which represents service workers such as custodians and food service workers, is holding a strike from Monday to Wednesday because the union was unable to reach a contract agreement with the UC. The University Professional and Technical Employees and the California Nurses Association, which both represent hospital workers, are holding a sympathy strike from 4 a.m. Tuesday to 3:59 a.m. Thursday.

UPTE employees striking include clinical lab scientists, pharmacists and therapists. Clinical nurses, nurse practitioners and anesthetists, who are members of CNA, are also participating.

UCLA Health said in a statement it has retained health care professionals and has contingency plans to address patient needs during the strike.

“While we value the contributions of all employees and respect their rights, we are committed to maintaining access to our hospitals and clinics,” Johnese Spisso, president of UCLA Health and Dr. Kelsey Martin, dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA said in the statement.

Last Wednesday, the Public Employment Relations Board, a state agency, filed a lawsuit against the AFSCME strike after the UC sought legal protection to block some medical employees with specialized skills, such as technicians who operate medical imaging equipment, from striking.

The unions filed to block the injunction, and Friday, a superior court judge issued a restraining order barring essential UC employees from participating in the strike because their absence could pose an imminent threat to public health and safety.

“This injunction obtained by PERB reflects the UC’s ongoing efforts to limit disruptions on our campuses and medical centers and to ensure our patients get the care they need and our students the service they deserve,” said UC spokesperson Stephanie Beechem.

Others part of campus are also experiencing disruptions because of the strikes. For example, there will be limited dining options for UCLA students living in residence halls for the duration of the strike.

About 300 UC employees participated in AFSCME’s picket line on Bruin Plaza on Monday, demanding higher wages and increased benefits.

Protesters walked around campus and then congregated in Bruin Plaza, beating drums, using air horns and vuvuzelas, chanting “Who’s got the power? We got the power. What kind of power? Union power” and holding signs such as “Safe staffing now.”

The UC said in a statement it believes it is inappropriate for the union to use the strike as a negotiating tactic and added the University proposed multiyear wage increases and excellent health and retirement benefits during the contract negotiations.

“Under state law, strikes that a pose a substantial and imminent threat to vital public services like patient care are illegal,” Beechem said.

Christopher Miramontes, a UCLA Dining Services worker, said he will stand with other protesters for as long as it takes to get their demands heard. He added he would like the University to increase wages and provide better health care benefits for workers.

José Castellanos, a worker at the Jules Eye Stein Institute who participated in the strike, said the institute is understaffed and puts pressure on employees to complete tasks.

“We have what I like to describe as a ‘skeleton-crew,’” he said. “There’s pretty much nobody to keep up with all the workload.”