Friday, October 9, 1998
Community briefs
Transportation fair held to educate masses
UCLA Transportation Services hosted the 1998 Transportation Fair
Wednesday in Westwood Plaza.
"Be a Roads Scholar – Learn your transportation options" was the
theme of this year’s event, which was designed to educate and
provide complete transportation information to the UCLA
population.
Alternative transportation and ridesharing were emphasized,
since both options can help reduce traffic congestion and air
pollution in West Los Angeles.
Alternative forms of transportation showcased at the fair
included both electric and Compressed Natural Gas vehicles. UCLA’s
current fleet of buses, which was introduced in January, run on
compressed natural gas.
Local transportation agencies and public transit operators –
including the Culver City Municipal Bus Lines, the Santa Monica Big
Blue Bus, the Metropolitan Transportation Agency and the Los
Angeles Department of Transportation – joined UCLA programs such as
Fleet & Transit Services, Commuter Assisted-Ridesharing and the
Office for Students with Disabilities provided booths and exhibits,
and activities included a free drawing, bicycle safety checks and
bicycle registration. The event coincided with California Rideshare
Week.
Brain mapping center dedicates new location
The Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center at UCLA opened its
doors Thursday, after moving to its new location near the corner of
Charles E. Young Drive and Westwood Boulevard.
At a cost of $5 million, the center will house an additional $10
million worth of equipment that will be used to further update a
database to develop a comprehensive map of the brain and its
functions.
"We now have an extensive database that can be used to generate
a structural brain map of individuals based on their age, race,
sex, educational background, genetic composition and other
distinguishing characteristics," said Dr. John Mazziotta, director
of the brain mapping center.
Over the next five years center officials aim to expand this
database to include all individuals from the ages of 40 through 90
years of age.
Fundraising website attracts contributions
Campaign UCLA, the university’s primary fundraising program, has
found its Internet site to be a lucrative source of new donations.
Aiming to raise $1.2 billion of private gifts and and grants to
UCLA, Campaign UCLA has generated $207 million in this year alone,
and has totaled over $650 million since the campaign began in
1996.
"The Internet is one of many tools the Campaign uses to reach
out," said Todd Weber, Webmaster for the Office of Development. The
site contains two donation forms, as well as links to various UCLA
programs.
"It doesn’t take the place of personal contact. The online
contribution forms, still rare among universities, were included as
a convenience to donors," he added.
So far, about $8,000 has been donated through the site,
including one contribution of $1,000 from a person who had no
previous relationship with UCLA. This year marked the third
-straight year in which UCLA has led all nine UC campuses in
fund-raising, and the second in which its own gift total has topped
$200 million.
UCLA received 70,345 individual gifts in 1997-98 – another
campus and UC record, up 1,473 from 1996-97. The year also saw a
significant increase in alumni participation, with a record 14.6
percent of UCLA graduates making donations to their alma mater.
Another goal of Campaign UCLA is to boost alumni participation
from the pre-Campaign level of 11.5 percent to at least 18
percent.
Compiled from Daily Bruin staff reports.
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