This post appeared in a previous blog and is here for posterity’s sake.

There appears to be a minor skirmish over at UCLA‘s School of Arts and Architecture concerning Dr. Sylvia Lavin, the wife of Greg Lynn. I’m not quite sure what is going on, but the students have created a website (here is internet archive snapshop of the now defunct website), which made it into Architecture’s Buzz section.
God knows that we have had our share of growing pains in our switch to a new M.Arch, but nothing has brought matters to a head for us to post things on a website. Unfortunately for these students, this press that they are now receiving will most likely be met negatively, and those mentioned in the website will have their backs to the wall. I don’t know the whole story, but in our case, we all made the concerted effort to work inside the system, and when we saw something that was amiss, we made it very well known. We were pains in the ass. We kept at the administration, and we didn’t always get what we wanted, but I can honestly say that the program is better now. I believe this is due to the changes made to the system, and the feedback we gave, even if the administration did not request it.
I hope the students at UCLA find some method of arbitration, because I [we] have been there – when you don’t believe that anything you say or propose is listened to. But you have to understand, you are beinging listened to, at least making noise to draw attention to matters of concern. I hope the administrators at UCLA can open their ears to the students, who appear on face value, to have
legitimate concerns.
UPDATE : 2002.11.26 – Additional Information
The Comments Section Internet Archive Snapshot: Comments Section of the website is extremely telling. it also appears that The New Yorker is collecting information for a story which was prompted by student contact.