When I first started drafting this column, I found myself wishing that I had some beautiful story to explain why I applied to the Daily Bruin.

This post was updated May 22 at 9:48 p.m.
UCLA has spent at least $213 million on the Ascend Finance Transformation project, and yet, seven years after the project’s launch, it has few concrete accomplishments.  
“I can’t say that I’ve actually seen a live screen for Ascend,” said Reem Hanna-Harwell, a former member of the project’s steering committee. 
The initial reported budget for the project was $120 million, but, according to a presentation given during the May 2024 Ascend 2.0 quarterly town hall, the estimated total cost was projected to be roughly $286 million. 
The university declined to answer exactly how much money has been spent on the project since its official start date in April 2018. 
The Ascend project involves a transformation of UCLA’s financial system – moving from the current mainframe system to Oracle Cloud, modernizing the chart of accounts and upgrading all business applications which contribute data to the central finance, research and budget systems, according to the 2021 project charter.

Luis Jimenez was an exemplary son who sought unity between family and friends, helped with household chores and promised to spend his first paycheck taking his family out to eat. 
From a young age, he was noble, friendly and always ready to lend a helping hand.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to revise scheduled health care wage increases in his 2024-2025 state budget proposal, which was released Jan. 10.
Senate Bill 525, passed in October, established incremental wage increases to gradually phase in a new statewide $25 minimum wage for all health care facilities by June 1, 2028.

This post was updated Nov. 17 at 7:21 p.m.
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently approved two bills raising the hourly minimum wages for fast food and health care workers in California.

This post was updated Oct. 25 at 12:20 p.m.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill Oct. 7 that would have decriminalized the possession and use of some hallucinogenic substances.

This post was updated Aug. 20 at 9:48 p.m.
In July 2018, Emily Martin filed an official complaint with UCLA’s Title IX office, alleging harassment by a superior.

This post was updated May 9 at 4:18 p.m.
The Geffen Academy at UCLA for years touted its state-of-the-art makerspace. But behind closed doors, the program was rife with safety violations that endangered the academy’s teenage pupils, according to students, faculty and public records.

Hundreds of thousands of student fee dollars go unspent each year as a campus sustainability fund amasses a substantial surplus, according to a Daily Bruin financial analysis.

This post was updated May 12 at 12:52 p.m.
The University of California emphasizes diversity across the system. However, the most diverse campuses face barriers in receiving equal funding, said faculty and students.