( KTLA ) — In a now-viral TikTok video , Dr. Daniel McKeown, a professor at UCLA, claims low pay has left him homeless, shocking many of his followers.
“Hi everyone, my name is Daniel, and I’m an astrophysics professor at UCLA. I’m only being paid $70,000 for this academic year,” McKeown says in the video.
McKeown, listed as a lecturer on UCLA’s website, says he had to move out of his apartment because he could no longer afford the rent.
“Technically, I am homeless. I do not have a place of my own. I’m not on any lease,” he says.
McKeown says his rent was $2,500 a month. According to RentCafe , the average rent is $3,700 in Westwood.
Now, he’s turning to social media in an effort to afford a permanent roof over his head.
“I’m asking for $100,000 so I can afford my rent, so that I can live in Los Angeles in Westwood, so I can commute to school every day,” McKeown said in an interview with KTLA.
McKeown said he asked the head of his department for a raise but was denied.
KTLA reached out to UCLA several times for comment on his claims but received no response.