Albert Carnesale Carnesale has served as
chancellor of UCLA since 1998.
Fall has arrived, and with it the start of a new academic year.
We are delighted to welcome the newest Bruins ““ the 6,600
incoming freshmen and transfer students, 3,300 new graduate and
professional students and 265 new faculty members now joining our
campus community ““ and we are proud that they have chosen
UCLA as the place to pursue their dreams.
Seasonal traditions are echoed at colleges and universities
across the nation, but research universities such as UCLA stand
apart from the rest, in terms of our mission, our complexity, and
the opportunities we provide. As you embark on academic year
2001-2002, you can look forward to an experience shaped by the
unique advantages of being at a major public research
university.
Research universities are centers of scholarly life, dedicated
to the dissemination, preservation and advancement of knowledge.
Our extensive engagement in the latter role ““ the discovery
of new knowledge ““ and our responsibility for doctoral
education are what primarily distinguish research universities from
other institutions of higher learning.
Like that of other research universities, UCLA’s mission
has three main components: education, research and service to our
local region and beyond.
Because these components are interrelated, our tripartite
mission is a good example of a whole that is greater than the sum
of its parts. Education, research and service at UCLA are not
discrete, mutually exclusive categories; the same people are
engaged in all three activities.
Students are an integral part of this notion. Graduate and
undergraduate students learn from each other; they conduct research
independently and with faculty members; and they participate in
service activities, many of which have educational and/or research
functions.
Having chosen to attend a large research university, UCLA
students pursue their educational goals in an extraordinary
academic environment. One of its chief advantages is
comprehensiveness: across the campus, nearly 10,000 classes
covering 6,800 different subjects are offered each year by our 85
departments.
More than 300 different programs lead to bachelor’s,
master’s, and doctoral degrees. Our extensive academic
resources include the vast, highly-ranked UCLA library system and
an impressive array of archives, collections and galleries.
With so many choices available to them, UCLA students readily
can achieve both breadth and depth in their studies ““
exploring a wide range of subjects, and delving deeply into those
of special interest. And our students have the opportunity to study
with leaders in their respective fields, since the UCLA faculty
comprises distinguished scholars at the vanguard of knowledge
creation.
This is not to suggest that there is no downside to attending a
large research university. Scale confers inevitable disadvantages
along with advantages. It’s harder to find a parking space,
the walk to class is longer and the classes are larger. Professors
engaged in research and graduate training have less time to devote
to undergraduate education. The number of academic choices may be
bewildering, and the institution may seem impersonal.
The key to having the best possible experience at UCLA is to
make the most of the opportunities available here ““
opportunities that would be less plentiful or nonexistent if UCLA
were not a research university.
For instance, the General Education Clusters for entering
freshmen are yearlong interdisciplinary courses, team-taught by
distinguished faculty, that explore how different disciplines work
together to address a common challenge such as preserving the
global environment. The Honors Collegium, featuring small classes
and individual attention, encourages intellectual exchange among
students, discussion leaders and professors.
The Professional Schools Seminar Program makes UCLA one of the
few universities that enables lower-division undergraduates to
study under the guidance of top professional school faculty. And
the innovative Collegium of University Teaching Fellows enables
advanced graduate students to develop and teach a lower-division
seminar in their field of specialization.
UCLA undergraduates also have superb opportunities to
participate in basic and applied research, ranging from the
entry-level experiences afforded by the Student Research Program to
more advanced projects undertaken through independent study courses
and Departmental Honors Programs. Two undergraduate research
centers serving north and south campus are part of the College of
Letters & Science’s ongoing effort to engage students in
research and other creative activities. Collectively, these efforts
have been recognized with a National Science Foundation Recognition
Award for the Integration of Research and Education.
Opportunities to participate in service activities similarly
abound at UCLA. Each quarter, at least one-third of our students
join with many faculty, staff and alumni in volunteering their time
and talents to make our surrounding communities better, and to
improve the lives of those who are less fortunate.
These activities take many forms, from the student-initiated
projects overseen by the Community Service Commission and the UCLA
Community Programs Office, to experience-based education such as
service learning, internships, field studies and participatory
research.
Selecting among these myriad alternatives need not be a daunting
process. Guided by the following recommendations, students can
personalize their education, make a big institution seem small, and
experience the best of UCLA:
“¢bull; Be intellectually aggressive. Explore a variety of
subjects. Choose courses because the subject matter interests you,
not just because they fulfill a graduation requirement.
“¢bull; Get to know your professors. Take advantage of office
hours. Most faculty members are highly receptive to students who
take the initiative in student-teacher interactions.
“¢bull; Develop intellectual relationships with graduate
students. Teaching assistants play a significant role in
undergraduate education while preparing to join the next generation
of university instructors and scholars.
“¢bull; Participate in research. Whether it is through the
Student Research Program or another avenue, make sure that your
student experience includes the discovery process. You can work
side-by-side with faculty members, or independently.
“¢bull; Get involved. Sample the vast range of extracurricular
activities at UCLA, from astrobiology to the Model United Nations.
Join a club, play a sport, take part in student government. Indulge
your interests in the visual and performing arts. Give back to the
campus and the surrounding community through volunteer service.
A research university may not be the ideal learning environment
for everyone. But there is no richer academic setting, no type of
institution with more potential for opening the doors to
achievement, self-discovery and excellence. UCLA students, faculty
and staff understand this well.
I look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the
2001-2002 academic year, as we pursue our shared aspirations for
the future.