Monday, March 31, 1997
FUTURE:
Carnesale should boost morale, university standing and
reputation with help of students
By David J. Altman
The Chancellor is gone! Long live the new chancellor! I hope
this is the first thing on your desk, in your new office, because
it is a students’ eye view of UCLA. First of all, congratulations
Chancellor Carnesale. WE are honored that you have accepted the
chancellorship of UCLA. YOU should be honored that we extended the
invitation. At this point I could write several more paragraphs, or
even pages, of salutations and regards, but in truth, in the next
two weeks you will hear such sentiments from those both more
eloquent and illustrious than myself. Needless to say, rest assured
that both the alumni and current student body wish you the best and
know you will love our university as we do.
Now, since time is short, and with your task at hand, on to
business. Before I can proceed, a bit of history. Over the last 40,
and especially 30 years, UCLA has skyrocketed from a second-tier
institution to a top-tier university. This was due mainly to the
ability, talents and leadership of ex-chancellor Charles Young. He
had the vision, got the funding, hired excellent faculty, and
recruited a diverse and elite student body. Even those who
intensely disliked him still felt respect, if not awe, for his
accomplishments. He built this institution and everyone knows
it.
When I was preparing to go to college, I remember several
surveys ranking UCLA in the top 15. But, in the last few years, the
university’s reputation has slid …. Not far, but significantly.
No one dared say a word or confront the chancellor on this issue.
How could we  after all, he had built the place into what it
was? And it was hard to blame him in the face of massive budget
cuts. So we let it slide. Fortunately, UCLA has (yet) again
out-maneuvered UC Berkeley for the top talent in the country (as it
has for the last 30 years in athletics and academia), and I know we
got the better chancellor. Unfortunately, you won’t have much of a
honeymoon period at the office before all the pent-up anxiety over
the school’s reputation problems comes knocking on your door,
soooooo, I have a few suggestions ….
Keep hiring the best faculty. Not the best money can buy. Just
the best. As you may know, recently, the Gourmand report rated
UCLA’s Undergraduate Film and Theater Department No. 1 and is about
to do the same with Drama. Why? Because we brought on the brightest
AND MOST DRIVEN faculty that could be found. Result? No. 1. The
lesson is simple: do whatever it takes to bring in, keep, retain
and utilize top-rated faculty. Be systematic and build the
departments up professor by professor, department by department.
Push the departments that are already in the top 20 into the top
10. This will yield inestimable benefits, as you well know.
Don’t ignore the undergraduate education level. I am truly proud
of our excellent graduate and research education. But don’t ignore
the undergraduates. That side of UCLA has gotten relatively less
attention, with resulting setbacks in reputation and morale. Get
more and better teachers into the classes. I know it’s expensive,
but university fundraising, as well as the high student fees,
should cover some of that. It’s up to you to finagle the rest out
of Governor Wilson.
Also, completely aside from the academics, you must pay close
attention to undergraduate morale. Many of my friends who went to
other schools such as Amherst, Stanford, and even Brown are
appalled at the lack of camaraderie, esprit de corps and general
lack of intense Bruin Pride that permeates the student body. As the
leader of the campus community, YOU must make sure that the
students know and understand how special they are for making it
here, that they are a part of a history that includes academic
prizes and distinctions in every field of study and endeavor,
Olympic gold medals, and history-making projects and politics.
Students must be made aware of the campus heritage early and often.
The school should become less bureaucratic and infinitely more
friendly to students. I had a terrific experience as a UCLA
undergrad. Why? Because the people around me, professors, staff and
students, acted as if they were my family.
Only when undergrads can look back and think of UCLA in those
terms will you have accomplished the goal of making UCLA the best
college experience it can be.
Improve that physical facilities of the school. We are moving
into the next century. This school has to be on the cutting edge.
When students show up for orientation they should think they have
just arrived at Starfleet Academy. I can guarantee you that among
good facilities, faculty and 10 nationally ranked athletics
programs, you will attract the best and the brightest.
Another important point about campus morale. The stink of petty
graft and big money salaries for unknown, minor administrators has
recently wafted through campus. You should have zero tolerance for
these kinds of shenanigans. These types of things eat away at our
pride and confidence in our school.
Campus diversity is important. Nothing breeds intellectual
stagnation and ignorance faster than rank homogeneity. It’s
important to have diverse viewpoints which represent all sides.
Nothing has been as eye-opening for me as talking to people of
different colors, religions, political affiliations, creeds and
backgrounds. I have radically changed my philosophy based on the
insights I gained during conversations with people who were
different from me. But, diversity is not an end in itself. I would
not have gained the benefit I did from talking to these people if
they did not have the undeniable intellectual ability found in most
UCLA students ….
Ignore student government. I have been here a lot of years. I’ve
learned that they are infantile grandstanders with unseemly amounts
of selfish political ambition. Each one of them believes that they
are the next Bill Clinton. They see their job as mindlessly and
loudly criticizing anything administration does (and occasionally
getting arrested) in the pathetic hope that we’ll actually believe
they care about us. Do what Chuck did. Just say no.
Don’t ignore real student needs. Just remember that in years to
come alumni will express gratitude to you based on the quality of
education they received and the ability to impress others with the
reputation of the college they attended, not kowtowing to student
government.
Utilize the alumni. There is a solid core of true blue Bruins.
They are always writing to the Daily Bruin, the LA Times, cheering
at home games and boosting the school to anyone who will listen.
Build and expand on that. We’re all in the same boat. What we’ll be
able to say about our education is directly correlated to how the
university is doing that year. You have access to thousands of
educated, vocal, eloquent spokespeople (and dare I say
contributors). Use them.
That is my list. It is by no means exhaustive. The Los Angeles
Times reported that you told the selection committee that you were
prepared to take UCLA into the top ten. I hope so. You know that I
and about 500,000 other alums will be cheering you on. Just
remember, we’ll be watching you.