UCLA students are up in arms over campus leaders’ delayed response and class cancellation amid wildfires

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Students on the UCLA campus took to TikTok to loudly criticize and scrutinize the school’s leadership for its delayed response to potential safety threats from devastating wildfires.

It wasn’t until Wednesday night that Chancellor Julio Frink announced that U.C.L.A It would limit campus operationsCancellation of university classes and transfer of graduate classes to remote locations on Thursday and Friday in light of the multiple forest fires in the region.

As of early Thursday, at least five people had died and more than 28,000 acres had burned as residents and UCLA students watched the flames spread.

“UCLA? More like a university that couldn’t care less about ‘its students’ lungs,'” TikToker @negativesmart wrote while snapping a photo of the bright red, smoke-filled sky from their alleged dorm room.

Live Updates: California wildfires ravage Los Angeles County, killing 5 people and threatening thousands of homes

“Los Angeles may be on fire, but don’t worry, UCLA says all is normal.” Another TikTok video by @ayiana.scott he said, which has been viewed more than a million times.

University of California logo with image of the Wildfire Coast

UCLA students on TikTok were unhappy with campus leaders’ late decision to scale back operations and cancel classes on Thursday and Friday. (Getty Images)

Additional videos posted by users @jiwonapieceofme and @chelsealstone to the social platform have received hundreds of thousands of views and show the near realities of the fires on campus, with titles such as: “Hey UCLA, (what do you mean) I still have a semester”??!! !????” and “Hey UCLA, just wondering if I still have to plan on going to my lecture tomorrow morning?”

“Although there is no immediate fire danger on our campus, given the expected change in wind patterns in the coming hours, air quality in Westwood is likely to worsen,” the university chancellor said in his letter announcing the temporary closures.

“Viewpoint: Evacuation (because) UC retracts its words just hours after claiming we are ‘safe,’” one student with the handle @kennedyhayashi filmed packing her bags and facing long traffic lines With others evacuated The campus as well.

With the sun barely peeking through the black, smoky sky during the day, TikToker @eirending made a comparison between “UCLA’s claim that everything is fine (versus) all the students being scared,” and included a weather report on “unhealthy” air quality. .

“We will continue to monitor conditions in the area and are prepared to further adjust campus operations if necessary,” UCLA’s chancellor also wrote in his letter Wednesday evening. “Any adjustments to classes after the next two days will be determined in collaboration with the Academic Council, and we will immediately share them via BruinALERT with our community.”

UCLA employees have been asked to coordinate with supervisors if they are able to work remotely, but health facilities will remain open and fully operational on Thursday and Friday.

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However, student videos on TikTok — and comments reacting to the footage — before Frink’s official announcement to scale back campus operations show utter opposition to the late decision.

“The fact that UCLA has not canceled all classes is extremely irresponsible.” “I wish UCLA employees were given the same option. We are still (forced) to go to work.” “All my life, I’ve been told that UCLA is a great school, but they never stop respecting their students.”

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