MAYOR: As symbol of Los Angeles’ diversity, university has
opportunity to get involved in ways that will greatly influence the
future of the city  Jim Hahn Hahn is the
mayor of Los Angeles. UCLA students, faculty, and staff play a key
role in the growth and education of Los Angeles.
The UCLA campus is rich in diversity and educational resources.
Situated within the Los Angeles community, UCLA can draw on the
strength of its diverse culture to nurture collaborative and
original thinking. The university’s curriculum focuses not
only on academics, but also on public service and community
involvement. The highly motivated staff and students truly make a
difference in the Los Angeles community.
UCLA’s campus has become a symbol of L.A.’s
diversity and also a source of assistance in the local
community.
As the most multicultural campus in the nation, it is exciting
to see incoming freshmen begin their journey in higher education
and graduates who are making their mark in this ever-changing
world.
When students get involved, they make a difference. UCLA’s
multitude of community-oriented organizations is solid evidence.
Programs such as UCLA UniCamp and Neighborhood Knowledge Los
Angeles offer students an opportunity to shape our city.
It is the direct input and action of fresh minds that will make
our city a great place. I encourage all UCLA students to continue
this connection with and involvement in our community.
I invite students to expand this participation to include
further involvement in local government and community
organizations. Reach out to your city officials and become an even
larger part of what makes this city unique. There are uncountable
jobs and internships available in a variety of city offices. Your
input and activity will change the course of policy-making and
planning in the City of Los Angeles.
Whether you are a newcomer or a native Angeleno, Los Angeles is
designed to represent all of the diverse cultures and interests
that make up the fabric of our city. I encourage you to join your
Neighborhood Council, where you can propose your own ideas, ask
your own questions, and improve your community in a hands-on
setting.
Every Los Angeles citizen can shape the future of Los
Angeles.
I recognize and praise the students of UCLA for setting an
example and I challenge you to take new action and initiative as
members of the Los Angeles community.
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CHANCELLOR: New initiative focuses on UCLA’s commitment to
community outreach programs  Albert
Carnesale Carnesale is chancellor of UCLA. The UCLA family
is delighted to join with the entire city of Los Angeles in
celebrating “UCLA in LA”day.
This afternoon at Dickson Court, we will commemorate the 75th
anniversary of the Westwood campus dedication and honor the role
that Regent Edward Augustus Dickson played in UCLA’s
establishment.
We will pay tribute to the long tradition of civic partnership
between UCLA and Los Angeles. And we will look toward the future,
by formally launching our “UCLA in LA: Partnerships for a
Greater Los Angeles” initiative.
Like that of other research universities, UCLA’s mission
has three interrelated components: education, research and service.
But UCLA is also a rarity in academe. It is an outstanding public
research university that is located in a major world center of
commerce and culture.
UCLA and L.A. have grown up together. In fact, we recognize Los
Angeles as our foremost partner and greatest resource.
UCLA takes very seriously its responsibility to serve the many
diverse constituencies of Los Angeles. Community engagement is an
integral and essential part of our daily life.
Each day in L.A., our faculty and students work hand-in-hand
with public agencies, addressing critical issues such as urban
poverty, public health, and the quality of education in our K-12
schools. Thousands of students, faculty, staff and alumni touch
countless lives by volunteering their time and talents to make our
surrounding communities better, and to improve the lives of those
who are less fortunate.
Through our “UCLA in LA” initiative, we will build
on existing strengths in order to serve the community even more
effectively, while enriching and invigorating our academic
enterprise. The goal of “UCLA in LA” is to create and
foster mutually beneficial relationships between the surrounding
region and the university, emphasizing:
“¢bull; Youth: supporting increased access to, and quality in,
education and health care;
“¢bull; Economic development: fostering growth, especially in
building small businesses;
“¢bull; The arts and cultural affairs: enriching and celebrating
diversity through exhibits, training and performance.
As this is truly a collaborative initiative, Executive Vice
Chancellor Rory Hume and I have met with community leaders in
business, education, public service and many other areas, seeking
advice on how UCLA can best serve greater Los Angeles.
To ensure the long-term success of “UCLA in LA,” I
am creating a new position that will have executive responsibility
for UCLA’s community partnerships.
Student involvement in the “UCLA in LA” initiative
will be instrumental to its success. At any one moment, more than a
third of UCLA undergraduates ““ 7,000-plus students ““
are engaged in community service. 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.
To learn more about service opportunities, you can visit the
“UCLA in LA” Web Portal, at http://la.ucla.edu. There
you will find links to 335 community programs and projects
instituted by UCLA in the greater Los Angeles community. This
searchable web portal also contains a “Map Room,”
highlighting 1,200 locations throughout the Los Angeles area where
UCLA students, staff and faculty are involved in partnership
activities with community-based organizations and agencies.
Many of the community programs that now exist came into being
because a student had a great idea and a strong desire to make a
difference. I encourage you to think about how you, too, can
contribute ““ whether through a current program, or one that
resides, at least for the moment, in your imagination.
Help us redefine what it means to be an urban public research
university in the 21st century. Together, we can make every day
“UCLA in LA Day”.
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