A week in UC student news

Former employee sues UC Berkeley over alleged discrimination

A former UC Berkeley health center employee, Armando Hugo Flores Cortes, is suing the UC after allegedly facing discrimination, and later termination, on the basis of his sexuality and race by his supervisor.

Flores Cortes, who worked as a medical assistant at the University Health Services, Tang Center, is a Mexican man who identifies as LGBTQIA+. He filed the suit on Oct. 19 with California’s Civil Rights Department, alleging his former supervisor commented on his sexuality on several occasions, one time saying, “Yeah, he’s cute, but I think he’s gay.”

Additionally, Flores Cortes alleges his supervisor frequently mocked his height and pressured him to dress up as “Miguel,” a Mexican character from the Disney movie “Coco,” in front of his co-workers on Halloween. 

Flores Cortes’ colleague made a harassment report in November 2023 to the UC Office for the Prevention of Harassment & Discrimination. Following this, Flores Cortes alleged his supervisor started applying stricter tardy policies toward him and denied training and promotion opportunities. Flores Cortes ended up filing a subsequent formal written complaint to the UC Title IX Office, however, he claims he was never informed of the investigation’s outcomes. 

In January 2025, the UC’s onboarding office found that Flores Cortes’ employment records did not have a completed Form I-9 — a required employment eligibility verification document. Following this, Flores Cortes took a leave of absence to resolve the issue. 

After returning to work in February 2025 at his supervisor’s instruction, the campus escorted Flores Cortes out of the building and terminated his employment two months later. 

After obtaining over $200,000 in drones, less-than-lethal weaponry, UCLA Police Department is requesting more

UC Los Angeles’ Police Department (UCLAPD) bought $220,020 worth of drones and less-than-lethal weapons in 2025 and is now requesting to buy more, according to its Oct. 19 military equipment report. 

The drones are part of UCLAPD’s new Drone as First Responder program that aims to reduce response times and provide video evidence during emergency incidents. According to the report, UCLAPD’s military equipment inventory includes drones and  less-than-lethal weaponry, such as 40-millimeter sponge rounds and projectile launchers. The department also owns semiautomatic patrol rifles, but it classifies them as “standard issue service weapons” rather than military equipment. 

The report states that the department did not use its military equipment outside of training in 2025. However, several community members have expressed concerns over the inventory. 

UCLA political science professor Michael Chwe started a petition on Oct. 30 urging UCLAPD to stop using 40-millimeter projectiles, which were banned in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for crowd control purposes in January. 

Per AB481, the UC Board of Regents can grant UCLAPD permission to use military equipment only if it is cost-effective, the department has policies to protect civil liberties and there is no reasonable alternative for upholding safety. The Regents will review systemwide military equipment policy at its November meeting. 

The department wants to buy two more Skydio X10 unmanned aircraft systems, artificial intelligence-powered camera drones and their associated parts. 

The department is also requesting 1,950 additional PepperBall rounds and 50 more 40-millimeter projectiles. Despite the LAPD ban, the department said it will continue to have the weapons available to combat violent people and that officers have never and will never use them for crowd control. 

However, UCLA alum Jakob Johnson said a UCPD officer shot him in the chest with a 40-millimeter projectile on June 10, 2024 when he was attempting to leave a protest. 

UCLAPD did not respond to the Daily Bruin’s request for comment. 

A version of this article appeared on p. 2 of the Nov. 5 print edition of the Daily Nexus.