UCLA Student Affairs In Focus Publication Spring 2010

SPRInG 2010

VolunteeringUCLA Students lend

a helping hand

BruinCorpsCreating Equity and Access for

Elementary and Middle School Students

Student AffairsFunding Student Services and Programs

Active MindsQ&A with Kelly Hitch and Chan Park

Student VoicesInterview with UCLA Students

A PuBLICAtIon of uCLA StuDent AffAIrS

THE UCLA STUDENTtHe uCLA StuDent

2 | In FOCUS mAGAzInE SPrIng 2010

SPRInG 2010

A publication of the UCLA Student Affairs Organization

EDItOR

Kathy Wyer

ASSIStAnt EDItOR

Maria Wilcox

DESIGn

Amy McFarland, Escott Associates

PHOtOGRAPHy

Studio 624

Student Affairs encompasses four divisions under the Office of the Vice Chancellor:

n Student Academic Servicesn Student and Campus Lifen Student Developmentn Student Health

Within these divisions there are more than 20 departments providing a wide range of programs, services and educational experiences for UCLA students.

2131 Murphy HallBox 951405Los Angeles, CA [email protected]

STUDENT AFFAIRS ORGANIZATION

On the cover: Student Farhan Ferozali Banani serves as Commissioner of UCLA’s Community Service Commission:

“Everyone can find a little extra time to give back to the community. It’s a fun and rewarding experience, and a great learning experience, too.”

In this issue:

04 Helping Those In NeedUCLA Student Civic Engagement

08 BruinCorpsCreating Equity and Access for Elementary and Middle School Students

10 Student AffairsThe Allocation of Funds for Student Services and Programs

12 Active MindsQ&A with Chan Park and Kelly Hitch

14 Student VoicesInterview with UCLA Students

124

SPRInG 2010

VolunteeringUCLA Students lend

a helping hand

BruinCorpsCreating Equity and Access for

Elementary and Middle School Students

Student AffairsFunding Student Services and Programs

Active MindsQ&A with Kelly Hitch and Chan Park

Student VoicesInterview with UCLA Students

A PuBLICAtIon of uCLA StuDent AffAIrS



SPrIng 2010 In FOCUS mAGAzInE | 3

vICE CHAnCELLOR’S mESSAGE


a message from The Vice ChancellorAs always, In Focus: The UCLA Student features articles on an array of outstanding programs and individuals who help to make a “UCLA education” such an exceptional and richly produc-tive constellation of experiences in our students’ lives. This issue offers highlights ranging from student community involvement to the crucial importance of our donors in these difficult times, and I commend each of these excellent features to your attention as bright windows into the complexity of UCLA’s world.

However, the events of the past months have, in large measure, overshadowed the ongoing activities and processes that constitute our normal co-curricular programming. The dual impact of budget reductions and student fee increases has been keenly felt by our students and families, including a number of students who find their educational futures in jeopardy because of finan-cial difficulties. Students have been active and vocal in protests related to these issues, the most emphatic of these demonstrations involving a regents’ meeting at UCLA in november that, in some instances, tested the good will of protestors and the UCLA Police Department.

Much more recently, two of our sister campuses have been rocked by incidents of unconscio-nable intolerance – a series of incidents of racism on the UC San Diego campus and homophobic vandalism against the Lesbian gay Bisexual Transgender resource Center at UC Davis. These incidents generated new protests throughout the UC system, including student actions here at UCLA that show the deeply felt impact of these deplorable events on our UC communities.

While the types of issues that have moved our students to action are different in their origins and proposed remedies, they are very similar in terms of emotional content and the critical need for empathetic, creative, result-oriented dialogue among all campus constituencies. In regard to fee increases, we must understand that higher fees will have a much more profound impact on certain student populations than on others, and we must be prepared not only to reach out to the most affected students, but to give full credence and consideration to some of the broader student concerns about long-term access for undocumented or under-represented students, and the impact of other budget-related variables.

The incidents on the San Diego and Davis campuses have been denounced by our University’s leadership, and UCLA is moving ahead on a number of fronts to reassure affected student groups and our entire community that we will do everything possible to ensure the well-being of all community members. We are committed to decisive responses when needed, to on-going dialogue with concerned students, and to multi-faceted educational efforts that will help us all understand the positive, unifying power of respect: inclusiveness and constructive engagement versus the destructive effects of intolerance and bigotry.

I believe that this issue of In Focus offers further insights into the quality and expanse of educational opportunities at UCLA, and I will close by requesting your continued support for our campus and the critical work of the University as we move into the future.

Janina monterovice Chancellor of Student Affairs

“ this issue offers highlights ranging from student community involvement to the crucial importance of our donors in these difficult times, and I commend each of these excellent features to your attention as bright windows into the complexity of uCLA’s world.”

12


Students Farhan Ferozali

Banani, Lydia Avila, and

Anthony Nguyen volunteer

regularly for different campus

causes, and lead student-run

community service initiatives.


StUDEnt vOLUntEERISm

Some of the benefits of community service work are

obvious and quantifiable: volunteerism carries social

networking potential, where one can meet others and

make new friends; there’s the possibility of gaining pro-

fessional experience while also learning new skills and

expanding one’s contact network; or discovering within

oneself a hidden potential for true leadership, and an

ability to motivate and inspire others to bring about a

positive change. But mostly the rewards of community

service can be found in a fulfillment that comes from

simply extending oneself for the betterment of others,

and the discovery of an innate capacity within to give

without looking for anything in return.

Yet even though UCLA’s standards for personal and

academic excellence are high and achievement within

the classroom is a priority, learning outside the class-

room is also valued. Underscoring the real value and

significance of community service, fourth year student

Anthony Nguyen, who as a member of the Student

Task Force helped establish UCLA’s Volunteer Center,

suggests: “You learn things about others and yourself

that you can’t read in a book, and you can only gain

by experience. It enriches your perspective on life and

balances out all the other academic and social obliga-

tions we have. It is important to distinguish between

community service, the noun, and serving the com-

munity, an action. The latter is something we should

all strive to do.”

For students, there are many pro bono causes to

consider, both on campus and off. The University has

an astonishing 947 student-run groups, many of which

offer volunteer opportunities. All have online portals

that coordinate their efforts through OrgSync.com,

a commercial entity contracted by the University of

California to provide a centralized infrastructure for vol-

unteer initiatives, including a search engine that tracks

volunteer opportunities. OrgSync.com engages stu-

dents for volunteer work by sending volunteer opportu-

nities posted throughout the system directly to UCLA’s

Volunteer Center website, where visitors can identify

causes for which they might like to lend a hand.

Overseen by Executive Director, Antoinette G. Mon-

gelli, UCLA’s Volunteer Center draws from the Student

Task Force, a steering committee that helped bring the

Volunteer Center to life. Comprised of student leaders

from various community service organizations, the Stu-

dent Task Force directly connects the Volunteer Center

to UCLA’s student population and meets weekly to

share and enact ideas to strengthen campus volunteer-

ism by providing support to hundreds of student orga-

nizations. The Student Task Force helps with all aspects

of managing the Volunteer Center, including designing

its website and providing resources for volunteers.

“The Volunteer Center brings into focus an already

strong campus commitment to service, which is one

of the core values of being a Bruin,” Mongelli said.

“We provide a place for those who want to serve to

find where they can make their most valuable contri-

bution. Our ultimate goal is to put out into the world

a whole new generation of leaders committed to

changing and bettering society in innumerable ways.”

For Mark Dakkak, a fourth year Mathematics ma-

jor, volunteering has become integral to campus life.

In addition to giving time to UCLA’s Project Literacy,

the Community Service Commission, Mobile Clinic,

and the Global Health Equity Initiative, Mark has

served on the Student Task Force since May of 2009,

working with directors of the Volunteer Center to help

promote campus civic engagement.

Speaking about the work of the Student Task Force,

Volunteerism, also known as community service or civic engagement work, has a long tradition at UCLA, and in many ways defines the very essence of what it means to be a Bruin. For anyone who has given of themselves or lent a hand to help those less fortunate or in need, there’s a recognition that the rewards of such service are often far greater than what one ever has to give.

Helping Those In Need: UCLA Student Civic EngagementBy Kathy Wyery Wyer

HOw YOU CAN HELp...If you are looking to

establish a campus

organization, you will

first need to register it

through the Center for

Student Programming,

where you can also sign-up

with OrgSync and reach

advisors. Contact: www.

studentactivities.ucla.edu

To find campus volunteer

opportunities, please visit:

www.volunteer.ucla.edu


Dakkak says: “We look at

all the different compo-

nents of programming

and implementing volun-

teer events in an effort to

understand what types of

relations we can establish

to help groups, includ-

ing providing publicity,

transportation, liability

coverage, food, and vari-

ous other things. Being

part of a new UCLA initia-

tive such as the Volunteer

Center, we recognize that

we are in a unique posi-

tion to create these relationships.”

Support for student civic engagement and commu-

nity service goes well beyond the campus Volunteer

Center. The Center for Student Programming (CSP), a

department within UCLA’s Student Affairs Organiza-

tion, which itself provides essential support services

and special programs to students, is charged with a

number of critical directives, among them advising

campus organizations, registering new and continu-

ing student organizations, and offering programming

assistance and leadership training. One of the primary

initiatives for the Center for Student Programming

is its collaboration with the Community Programs

Office (CPO), and together both offices help advance

student volunteerism.

According to Associate Director of the Center of

Student Programming, Kenn Heller: “The advising staff

in Center for Student Programming works closely with

the advising staff at the Community Programs Office to

help ensure that student projects within the community

are well run and provide service to beneficiaries and

safe environments for volunteers. The two offices have

worked very closely together in facilitating Student Risk

Education strategies to promote safe practices while

volunteering. By working closely together, the two of-

fices effectively manage many of the interactions that

community service projects have with the University.

The cooperative approach to advising helps to ensure

that programs and projects receive the resources they

need to carry out their service visions.”

The Community Programs Office Student Associa-

tion (CPOSA), chaired by fourth year student Lydia

Avila, serves as the governing and advisory board of

the Community Service Projects within the Community

Programs Office. CPOSA oversees more than 25 major

student-run projects, and the collaboration among stu-

dents is the driving force towards success. Says Avila, “I

strongly believe in the work that every single Com-

munity Service Project does. My interaction with all the

wonderful people that participate in the projects and

work at the department is something I really enjoy, and

I feed off of their energy and belief in social change.”

UCLA students dedicate themselves to causes

large and small, and address issues that have an effect

both directly within the campus community, as well

as beyond; homelessness is one such issue. Shahida

Bawa, a fourth year pre-med and political science

student, is the Undergraduate Student Association In-

ternal Vice President for UCLA as well as Co-Founder

and Advocacy Director for BruINTENT, an initiative

dedicated to alleviating homelessness.

Similar to the University’s Economic Crisis Response

Team, the group advocates for students in financial

distress who may be struggling to meet basics such as

room and board, and offers a number of much needed

services, including a campus food bank, temporary

housing, and even financial assistance in the form of

scholarships created by both the Undergraduate Stu-

dent Association Council (USAC) and BruINTENT.

“These people are not defined by their misfortune;

they are not “the homeless,” but simply struggling

with an issue at hand,” says Bawa. “There are many

contributing factors behind their plight, ranging from

unemployment, strained familial economic matters,

or undocumented status which hinders them from

receiving any federal aid. I have seen their faces and

heard their stories, and feel compelled, if not obli-

gated, as a human being who has been blessed in life,

to help as much as I possibly can.”

An initiative dedicated exclusively to student civic

Student Mark Dakkak has given time to various pro bono groups, including UCLA’s Student Task Force, Project Literacy, the Community Service Commission, Mobile Clinic, and the Global Health Equity Initiative.

“When I walk into Kerckhoff Hall everyday, I realize how devoted and committed students at UCLA really are. This makes me proud and happy to be a Bruin.”—Student Farhan Ferozali Banani, Community Service Commissioner

engagement is The Community Service Commission, an

Undergraduate Student Association Council (USAC) of-

fice, which provides oversight and resources for a num-

ber of service projects within the greater Los Angeles

area. Projects offer support for literacy training, working

with incarcerated youth, preventative health care, and

helping orphanages, among other service efforts. The

Commission also produces large-scale service events

such as Promoting Individuality through The Arts (PITA),

and Community Service Days, which send volunteers to

various sites around Los Angeles to lend support.

Student Farhan Ferozali Banani serves as Com-

missioner of the Community Service Commission.

“In general, CSC addresses the general concerns for

service groups around campus, such as safety, risk

management, best practices and liability, as well as

funding,” says Banani. “As students, we may be in

a difficult situation with fee hikes and financial aid

battles. We may also be struggling to find jobs in a

market of increasing unemployment. But we must re-

alize that in a time like this, the marginalized in society

are still suffering, perhaps more than ever.

“We are working in Los Angeles six out of seven

days of every week. Our work addresses a variety of

the needs of greater Los Angeles. I am very fortunate

to be able to work with such an inspiring and hard

working group of people in these organizations, as

well as an extremely hard working staff. When I walk

into Kerckhoff Hall everyday, I realize how devoted

and committed students at UCLA really are. This

makes me proud and happy to be a Bruin.”

One of the largest volunteer events at UCLA is the

annual Dance Marathon, a 26-hour student initiated

fundraiser for the Pediatric AIDS Coalition, which

looks to educate the campus community about both

the worldwide pandemic as well as how individu-

als can protect themselves from contracting AIDS.

Thousands of students have participated in the event

every year, and in 2009, UCLA students raised more

than $362,000. Students pledge to stay on their feet

to raise money for the cause.

Christina Brown, a fourth year Physics and Political

Science double major, serves as Director of the organi-

zation, and leads a 115-person committee that works

throughout the fall and winter quarters planning the

event held in February. “The event brings in students

from all parts of campus to participate as “dancers,”

who pledge to stay on their feet for the entire 26

hours and each fundraise $208. A shot of Nevirapine,

which cuts the rate of mother-to-child transmission

of AIDS in half, costs just $8, so each dancer raises

enough to buy one shot for every hour they dance.

Close to a thousand students this year will once again

take a stand against Pediatric Aids.”

A member of both the Volunteer Center Student

Task Force as well as External Chair for the Community

Programs Office Student Association, Anthony Nguyen

was required to do community service in high school,

so volunteering was familiar ground to him when he

entered college. Yet his preconceived notions about

service work shifted dramatically after his first year

on campus, and revealed to him a deeper meaning

of service.

“It wasn’t until I took classes at UCLA that focused

on the disparities certain communities face that my

perspective as to why I did this kind of work com-

pletely changed,” says

Nguyen. “As you immerse

yourself in a culture of

service, you become more

conscious of your sur-

roundings, your privilege,

and your ability to effect

change.”

Christina Brown would

agree: “There are so

many people who truly

care and are willing to

give so much of them-

selves, and these people

are all around us here

at UCLA.” n

Student Shahida Bawa serves as Internal Vice President of UCLA’s Undergraduate Student Association and is Advocacy Director of BruINTENT.

StUDEnt vOLUntEERISm

“As you immerse yourself in a culture of service, you become more conscious of your surroundings, your privilege, and your ability to effect change.”—Anthony Nguyen, Fourth year student, member of the Student Task Force


As a service-learning program within UCLA

Student Affairs, BruinCorps helps advance equal

access to educational opportunities for elementary

and middle school students in underserved

communities in the greater Los Angeles area.

BruinCorps engages approximately 125 UCLA

undergraduate student volunteers who serve as

tutors, teaching language arts to elementary school

students, and pre-algebra and algebra to middle

school students. Through its Volunteers In Service

To America (VISTA) component, BruinCorp also

sponsors a College Career Center project in middle

schools and community based organizations, to

help cultivate and support a college-going mindset

in young students in these communities.

Debra Pounds, Director of BruinCorps and

UCLA’s Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP),

which helps provide training services for volunteers

and VISTA members, suggests: “The program really

makes a difference for a lot of young students who

otherwise would fall behind in learning reading

and math, and also helps make real the possibility

of going to college someday, which unfortunately

for many isn’t even a consideration.”

The tutoring initiative of BruinCorps helps to

improve reading and math, two key academic skills

for elementary and middle school students. An

outgrowth of President Clinton’s “America Reads”

challenge, which operates in collaboration with the

Los Angeles Unifed School District (LAUSD) and

local community based organizations, BruinCorps

facilitates the training and service work of UCLA

undergraduates who provide tutoring in read-

ing to elementary school students in grades 3 –5.

Tutoring sessions, which are offered weekly and are

held either in-class or after-school, help elementary

school participants who are classified as “below

basic” in English proficiency to increase a full grade

level in their reading skills.

The math component of the BruinCorps tutoring

program also prepares UCLA undergraduates to pro-

vide tutorial services in pre-Algebra and Algebra to

students in grades 6 - 8. Middle school students are

tutored in the essentials of understanding Algebra,

and through weekly sessions held either in-class or

after school, increase their level of math ability from

“below-basic” to proficient.

New performance measures to assess students’

progress have recently been put in place, and were

developed by UCLA and AmeriCorps, which offers

funding for the BruinCorps program. Because the

initiative works to move students who perform

below California state standards for academic pro-

ficiency to a proficient level in reading and math, it

BruinCorps

Creating Equity and Access for Elementary and Middle School StudentsBy Kathy Wyer


BRUInCORPS

is essential to assess outcomes of student

performance effectively.

BruinCorps has proven to be a genuine

learning experience for both undergradu-

ate student volunteers as well as student

participants from under-resourced com-

munities; while the program helps foster a

lifelong commitment to community service

for volunteers and trains them to serve as

education advocates, the program also

prepares student participants within inner

city communities for educational success

by enhancing essential academic skills.

Undergraduate student volunteers

receive a small stipend through the Uni-

versity’s Financial Aid Office work-study

program for working 10 hours a week as

tutors, and after completing 300 hours of

service, volunteers receive an educational

award – a grant – which helps offset the

cost of their student fees.

Justyn Patterson, Program Manager of

the BruinCorps Tutoring Volunteers, sug-

gests that the service aspect has a positive

effect on undergraduate tutors: “Many of

our undergraduate student volunteers are

not from the communities they serve, so

the experience raises their consciousness

about education and social issues. It turns

them into advocates for education.”

The BruinCorp tutoring program

provides support to 14 sites, including el-

ementary, middle schools and local neigh-

borhood agencies in underserved com-

munities in Los Angeles, including 42nd

Street and 59th Street elementary schools,

Audubon and Belvedere Middle Schools,

and the Hope Street and Mar Vista Family

Centers. The elementary tutoring program

serves 400 students, while the middle

school tutoring program reaches approxi-

mately 320 students.

Every spring quarter, BruinCorps vol-

unteers coordinate a “Family Involvement

Day,” and bring participating middle school

students and their parents to UCLA’s cam-

pus for a gathering focused on education

and student-centered fun activities. The day

includes a campus tour, along with game

activities and food, as well as an educa-

tional component that delivers college

preparation information. The experience

helps cultivate greater awareness around

the prospect of attending college for partici-

pating middle school students, and fosters

aspirations and dreams for many. This year’s

Family Involvement Day is tentatively sched-

uled for the week of May 3rd.

The College Career Centers, another

vital component of BruinCorps, is funded

by a grant from Volunteers In Service To

America (VISTA); through this program, re-

cent graduates of UCLA and other colleges

and universities local to Los Angeles work

to establish college and career centers at

various middle schools and community

agencies, with the intention of cultivating

a college-going mindset for middle school

students in those local communities.

VISTA volunteers help disseminate col-

lege admissions information and provide

application assistance at approximately

10 sites, including Bret Harte and Carver

Middle Schools, The Boys & Girls Club of

San Fernando, and the East and South Los

Angeles YMCAs, among others.

Participating VISTA members, who are

all graduate students of UCLA and other

local colleges and universities, are a diverse

group, and have a range of academic

interests; some are engaged in studying

post-secondary education, pre-law, or

social work, and all have a commitment

to increasing equity and access to higher

education opportunities.

VISTA members plan to establish eight

College and Career Centers in 2009-2010,

and offer a minimum of five types of

college preparation services, such as A-G

workshops, college advising and indi-

vidual academic plan development, guest

speaker workshops, college field trips, and

also provide college preparatory materials

at each site. VISTA members write grant

proposals and are planning fundraising

events to help support the various College

and Career Centers. n

For more information, please visit: www.bruincorps.ucla.edu

“ ”The English Conversation ProgramLEArNING TO SPEAk LIkE A NATIVE

Aiming to build English fluency of international

students and scholars, the English Conversation

Program (ECP) is an 8-week series of group ses-

sions that strengthen the conversation skills of

individuals through more inclusive and informal

discussions.

Providing a forum in a relaxed environment

where students can improve their English speak-

ing skills while also sharing global perspec-

tives on world events and cultures, the English

Conversation Program offers classes at no cost

to UCLA students and at a low cost of $25 to

non-UCLA students.

When students register, they may choose

from either two levels of classes – Intermediate

and Advanced. By utilizing in-depth discussions

and activities, the English Conversation Program

helps students expand their vocabulary and

conversational expressions, while refining their

pronunciation.

“The program serves a diverse population that

includes UCLA international students, visiting

scholars, and spouses of students and scholars,”

says Sarah E. Cohen, M.A., English Conversation

Program Coordinator.

Held once a week for two hours in Tom

Bradley International Hall, the classes are limited

to 20 students and are led by UCLA student

volunteer instructors who are trained to teach

ESL, or English as a Second Language. The English

Conversation Program benefits both students

and instructors alike, who gain valuable hands-on

teaching experience by creating their own lesson

plans and leading small group discussions on

varied topics.

The program offers details that students often

find invaluable. UCLA law student Da Silva Zam-

boa, who hails from Brazil pointed out, “Teachers

give some tips to avoid embarrassing situations,

and help you learn some slang to better under-

stand your new environment.”

— Daysi Alonzo, Third Year Student

For more information visit:www.internationalcenter.ucla.edu


Comprised of 25 departments and approximately 900 employees, UCLA’s

Student Affairs Organization offers a number of critical services and programs

that provide support to students, and oversees key components of campus

life such as Financial Aid, Campus Recreation, Counseling and Psychologi-

cal Services, Community Programs, academic preparation efforts, as well as

many others. Such services mean the difference between students having an

ordinary college experience and an exceptional one, and the capacity to enjoy

the extraordinary richness, quality, and depth that UCLA has to offer.

The complex and ever worsening financial situation in California has had

a profound impact upon the University of California, UCLA and specifically

Student Affairs in the last year. For Student Affairs, 2009-2010 brought several

budgetary challenges, including a 5% decrease in state general funding, a

shortfall that has resulted in unavoidable changes for some programs and ser-

vices, as well as salary reductions and furloughs for staff. The 5% state general

fund reduction resulted in lost allocation of nearly $830,000, while the salary

reduction target amount was approximately $1.79 million. These budgetary

challenges follow a 1.2% reduction, or a loss of $185,000, from state general

funding in fiscal year 2008-2009.

As a University entity, Student Affairs receives funding from several sources

and uses these allocations to cover expenditures from its many departments.

Permanent allocations to the organization are made at the beginning of each

fiscal year on July 1st and are disbursed to the various Student Affairs depart-

ments through their Adjusted Budget, a department’s operating budget. The

Adjusted Budget must be funded sufficiently to cover all on-going expenses

for a department (such as employee salaries) to ensure that these expenditures

will be paid appropriately. Temporary funding amounts may also be allocated

to various Student Affairs departments, either as one-time temporary funding

commitments or as a “continuing temporary commitment.” The important

distinction between these two funding sources is that, unless other funding

options are secured, temporary funding allocations are not sufficient to cover

on-going expenditures.

Student Affairs:The Allocation of Funds for Student Services and ProgramsBy Monroe Gorden

ECOnOmIC CRISIS RESPOnSE tEAm: Students in Economic Distress Receive Crucial Assistance

Virtually every member of

UCLA’s campus community

– students, faculty, and staff

alike – has felt the impact of

California’s financial crisis, each

one affected in areas of serious

and vital concern. But for a small

number of students, the situa-

tion has gone beyond “serious”

to “critical.”

Enku Gelaye, Executive Of-

ficer for Student Affairs, recalls,

“We started finding out about

these situations in Fall 2008,

students who couldn’t afford

to stay in their residence halls

or apartments, ‘sofa surfing’ at

friends’ apartments, sleeping

in their cars, eating every other

day so they could afford books,

things like that. It was shocking

and heart-breaking.”

Forming the Economic Crisis

response (ECr) Team, Chancellor

Gene Block moved immediately

to set up an emergency fund

with the help of two private

donors. The ECr Team aims to

identify undergraduate and

graduate students in extraordi-

nary financial distress – whether

because of loss of funding,

financial crises impacting par-

ents/families, extra demands

on parenting students, or other

causes – and work out strategies

to relieve both immediate and

long-term financial stressors in

their lives.

2008-2009 STUDENT AFFAIrS rEVENUE BY FUND SOUrCE

31.9%Student Aid (USAP)

$55,211,094

27%Contracts & Grants

$46,794,209

13.6%General Funds$23,513,946

13.2%Registration Fee Funds

$22,948,687

10.6%Sales & Services

$18,443,725

2.2%Gifts & Endowments

$3,798,238

1%Student Referendum Fees

$1,650,6530.5%Student Academic Preparation

$839,708

Total: $173,200,260


StUDEnt AFFAIRS FUnDInG

Student Affairs departments receive various forms of funding, whether

permanent or temporary in nature, to cover budgetary expenditures. The

funding types include registration fees, state general funds, gifts, contracts

and grants, and sales and service funds.

STATE GENErAL FUNDS are primarily intended to be used for general

operating purposes, such as the University’s mission in teaching, research

and public service. The majority of these funds are provided by the State, as

designated in the California State budget, with additional funding coming

from fees collected by the University, such as the application for admission

fee, nonresident tuition, and a portion of the prior year’s indirect cost recovery

from federally funded projects. Several Student Affairs departments receive

state general funds, including Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with

Schools, the Registrar’s Office, and the Financial Aid Office, to name a few.

Although provided as state general funds, the University Student Aid Program

(USAP) monies are allocated through the Financial Aid Office to support need-

based grants, as well as loans and work-study awards to undergraduate and

graduate students.

THE UNIVErSITY rEGISTrATION FEE is a mandatory fee charged

to each registered UC student. The fee is set by the Regents of the UC and

is currently the same amount for all students at all UC campuses (currently

$300 per quarter). The Registration Fee is allocated through the Student

Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC), a student majority advisory committee to

the Chancellor. In addition to registration fees, SFAC reviews and makes

recommendations on all proposals for new student fees and non-inflationary

increases in existing fees. Income from the University Registration Fee is used

to support those services that benefit students and complement, but are not

directly a part of, the instructional program. These programs create a sup-

portive learning environment and provide general student enrichment. The

majority of Student Affairs units are funded through the University Registra-

tion Fee as, for example, the Community Programs Office, Counseling and

Psychological Services, the Bruin Resource Center, the Career Center, and

others. Student Affairs works very closely with SFAC regarding budgetary

decisions for registration fee funded departments.

SALES AND SErVICE ACTIVITIES are non-profit campus-affiliated

business enterprises that provide quality services and goods at rates that

are reasonable and equitable. A number of Student Affairs departments

have established sales and services accounts in their provision of services to

our campus constituencies. For example, Cultural and Recreation Affairs,

the Arthur Ashe Health and Wellness Center, and the Dashew Center for

International Students and Scholars have established fees for some specific

services. Sales and services fees provide the additional necessary funding to

allow some Student Affairs departments to continue to offer the high quality

programs and services that general funds or registration fees cannot cover.

Student Affairs has started to rely more on individuals, foundations and

corporations to contribute much-needed funding in support of student

services and programs. These contributions come in the form of gifts or

through contracts and grants. In general, gifts are awarded by individuals or

organizations external to the University, without any expectation of a quid

pro quo and without any contractual obligations imposed upon the Uni-

versity. By contrast, contracts and grants are typically awarded in response

to a call for proposals from a sponsor, with specific performance expecta-

tions and an obligation that the University provide deliverable services on a

particular timetable.

Prior to budget reductions in fiscal year 2008-2009, Student Affairs

began implementing efficiency and costs saving measures for the organiza-

tion. For example, Student Affairs moved aggressively to consolidate those

departments where duties and purpose would benefit from a common

infrastructure. In addition, Student Affairs is working actively to identify ad-

ditional external funding to bolster grant funding where appropriate. Finally,

like most organizations, Student Affairs always reevaluates open senior

positions and in most instances has reassigned duties to use the funding for

operational needs. n

Multiple campus departments

pool their resources under the

Team’s umbrella. responses may

include processing emergency

loans, reviewing financial aid

needs, helping with finding on-

campus employment, researching

housing options, clarifying the

food stamp process, and even

providing an on-campus “food

bank” in the Community Pro-

grams Office funded by campus

community donations.

“We are all strongly commit-

ted to making sure our students

have the best possible educa-

tional experience at UCLA,”

says Vice Chancellor of Student

Affairs, Janina Montero. “We’re

taking a proactive approach

to supporting and helping our

students, and looking for ever

better ways to be responsive to

students’ concerns and needs as

they arise and evolve.”

–Dennis Lyday


UCLA’s Active Minds, a local chapter of a nationwide initiative dedicated to promoting awareness and understanding of mental health issues on college campuses, is affiliated with and sponsored by Counseling And Psychological Services (CAPS), a department within UCLA’s Student Affairs Organization. Originally established more than 35 years ago as the Peer Helpline, a telephone crisis hotline took calls from students in emotional distress, the organization recently transitioned into service as Active Minds, delivering a more extensive campus outreach effort which now hosts special events, workshops, and movie screenings.

Active MindsAn Interview with KELLy HItCH (current Executive Director) and CHAn y. PARK (former Executive Director) of UCLA’s Active Minds

By Kathy Wyer

For more information, please visit: www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/psn


ACtIvE mInDS Q&A

Counseling And Psychological Services lends students sup-

port as a resource of information and expertise on mental health

issues, and provides clinicians who advise student volunteers for

Active Minds on a number of fronts. Although not officially sanc-

tioned to serve as a peer counseling service, Active Minds offers

material and other information related to many different issues

related to mental health, including addictive relationships, coming

out, stress management, test anxiety, and developing confidence.

In Focus sat down with two outstanding students involved with

Active Minds – former Executive Director Chan Y. Park, a fifth year

student, and current Executive Director Kelly Hitch, who is in her

third year, to learn more about this critical campus initiative:

What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced?CHAn PARK: The unfamiliarity with mental health on campus is

probably the biggest challenge. Controversial issues regard-

ing race, gender, and other concerns are talked about, but

the seriousness of mental health on college campuses is

something students don’t feel comfortable talking about.

The stigma is a challenge; nobody wants to be seen as the

“crazy” one.

KELLy HItCH: Because of liability issues regarding peer

counseling, we’re unable to offer such services. So in order

to maintain a personal and empathetic relationship with

students on campus, we’ve come up with more events,

workshops and meetings that give students the same sense

of openness to talk freely about the issues they are facing.

Where do you see room for growth?CP: We need more active publicity through flyers and networking

with other student organizations. With more publicity and

efficient planning of events, we can grow to spread the word

about mental health and its implications on our campus.

KH: We would love to see a greater appreciation for mental

health advocacy on campus. We hope to improve our stu-

dent attendance at Active Minds events, as well as provide

students with information and resources to further educate

them about issues surrounding mental health.

What kinds of work do volunteers do?CP: There’s a variety of work volunteers can do. We are divided

into three committees – workshops, events, and training –

with different committee directors, and each volunteer can

choose a committee they would like to work with.

KH: We typically recruit and train new members one to two

times a year and encourage all majors and ages to join.

Aside from events we put on for the campus and commu-

nity, we have several dinners, retreats, and social events

we enjoy together as a chapter.

Do you have an accomplishment of which you are most proud? CP: “Post Secret,” which was part of an art exhibition in con-

junction with the Hunger Project, where students posted

secrets anonymously online and in “Post-Secret” boxes

around campus. Although they were anonymous, some stu-

dents would comment on others’ secrets, and it made me

smile when I saw that students realized they weren’t alone

in going through a tough time.

KH: “Post Secret”– students were allowed to anonymously blog

online about their deepest feelings. It is gratifying to see so

many people take advantage of the event – we had close to

1,000 entries!

What would you like to communicate to the campus community?CP: It is important to understand that as much as will power

is important, mental illness consists of biological and

psychological components in a person’s life. People

with depression can’t just snap out of it, and once such

misconceptions disappear, there will be fewer stigmas for

people with mental illness.

KH: I was shocked to hear how prevalent depression and anxiety

problems are among college age people. Yet students are

not alone in dealing with such a large amount of stressors

at this time in their lives, and there are many great resources

on UCLA’s campus that improve mental health.

What kind of service work might you like to pursue in the future?CP: I enjoy working with people. Currently, I am also working as

a peer counselor in AAP (Academic Advancement Program),

and I would love to be involved in service work that involves

counseling and interacting with other people.

KH: I am pursuing a career in genetic counseling, a growing field

that requires some of the same interpersonal skills that I have

developed throughout my years as a member and officer in

Active Minds. I would love to continue working with Active

Minds, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), and other

mental health advocacy organizations.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?CP: Bad things can happen in life and at times we will be

depressed and we will feel like we’ve lost balance, but if

students can realize that they are not alone in this, that will

encourage more students to seek the help they need rather

than struggle on their own, without direction.

KH: Active Minds receives a limited amount of funding from

CAPS. Beyond that, we do our own fundraising events on

campus. From bake sales to blood drives, we are always

looking to improve our funding so that we may continue to

carry out more and more events!


tREvOR FInnEmAn UCLA Law Student

I am hard-of-hearing, and the only

such student in the UCLA School

of Law. To be a legal advocate,

I must first complete my legal

education; through a referral

from the Office of Students with

Disabilities, I have received the Dr.

Bernard Sanghyun Kim Memorial

Scholarship Fund for the Hear-

ing Impaired, which will help me

accomplish that. It will help me to

first empower myself so that I may

in turn use my legal training to

help empower other people with

disabilities, by removing barriers to

both education and employment.

The scholarship has helped

to fund the legal education that

I need to be an effective and

persuasive advocate. More notably,

the scholarship benefactors have

vividly demonstrated to me the

importance of community service

to empowering individuals with

disabilities. They have reminded

me that community service can

change lives for the better. They

have given me an example to

follow. While I have in the past

been an active advocate for people

with disabilities, I hope now more

than ever to empower people

with disabilities with the skills and

confidence they need to succeed

as students, as employees and as

members of a community.

tRISHA HOUStOnFourth Year StudentEnglish Major

I have received two scholarships,

one from the MacDowell Estate

and another, the Dr. Bernard San-

ghyun Kim Memorial Scholarship

Fund for the Hearing Impaired,

through a referral from the Office

of Students with Disabilities (OSD).

OSD is vital to my years at

UCLA, and I couldn’t survive

without them. They made sure I

got the finest interpreters, since

I’m an active listener and partici-

pant in class. I used their note-

taking services for a class where

it was difficult to focus on the

interpreter, PowerPoint screen,

and the professor. Not only that,

but OSD has been able to provide

me with interpreters for some

off-campus services but that still

relate to school, such as attend-

ing a lecture one of my professors

gave at a museum, along with

museum tours.

Student voicesIn these challenging fiscal times, UCLA has looked to the added support provided by generous donors and benefactors who have helped advance students’ academic and personal growth by establishing scholarships and providing much needed additional funding for special programs and services. In Focus talked to several students who have benefitted from such donations made to two departments within UCLA Student Affairs – the Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars and the Office for Students with Disabilities – and who have experienced first hand the difference that these gifts can make. Here’s what they have to say:

By Maria Wilcox and Kathy Wyer


StUDEnt vOICES

mAURICIO COmAS GARCIA Ph.D. StudentPhysical Chemistry

A fundamental donation I’ve

benefited from is the one

given in support of the Da-

shew Center of International

Students. I’m from Acapulco,

México, and the Dashew Center

has many programs that help

foreign students integrate into

UCLA and American society. I

think without them, it would

be really hard, and donations

have created an amazing place

to interact, learn and be part

of UCLA. There is no way I can

express my gratitude towards

the people that work at the

Dashew Center.

CHRIStInE O’KEEFEPh.D. StudentSocial Research Methodology

I have received several referrals

through Office of Students with

Disabilities (OSD), including

to the Will Rogers Scholarship

Committee, which has funded

software purchases such as the

Kurzweil Education Systems

software, which converts text to

audio. This has been indispens-

able for my progress through

my graduate program.

The OSD staff has been

wonderful, and in particular,

Dan Levitt has played a key role

in my graduate career. His en-

couraging words and indispens-

able advice have been crucial

in helping me get this far, and

I cannot thank him, OSD, and

the Will Rogers Scholarship

Committee enough for their

support. We are very lucky to

have the OSD and the resources

they provide.

yUSUF yUCELPh. D. StudentEngineering

I am from Ankara, Turkey

and have benefited both in

academic and social aspects

by donations that are given to

programs. When I first came

here, the Dashew Center for

International Students and

Scholars contributed in lots of

ways for my adaptation here

and for meeting new people.

The orientation program that

they have organized and the

trips they have arranged helped

me to adapt to both UCLA and

Los Angeles, and I was able to

make new friends and get used

to life at UCLA.

The opportunities that

donations provide are priceless.

Thanks to them, students have

more research opportunities

and can be more successful in

their academic life. Also, the

social resources that come from

these donations provide relief

from the stress of academic life

and help students improve their

social skills in different areas,

and to have different views of

life. Donations are a crucial part

of school and education life,

and have helped every single

student in some way.

“DUnCAn” KOnStAntInOS PALAmOURDASPh.D. StudentMathematics, Logic

First and foremost, a huge part

of my scholarship is coming

from donations. And since that

kind of financial support was

absolutely essential to me in

order to come and do research

in the States, since I am from

Greece, I consider these dona-

tions a generous academic gift!

Secondly, the Dashew Center

for International Students and

Scholars was founded with

the aid of donations. And the

people in Dashew Center have

helped me multiple times in

many different ways, through

visa issues, tax issues, and extra-

curriculum activities, etc. As a

foreign student, there are a lot

of bureaucratic issues that you

have to deal with and lots of

cultural/social differences that

you need to overcome. The

Center helped me with both,

and provided the opportunity of

developing a healthy network

throughout their amazing social

events! I am grateful for that. “Donations are a crucial part of school and education life, and have helped every single student in some way.”–Yusef Yucel, Engineering Ph. D.

PresortStandard

u.S. Postage

PAIDuCLA

UCLA STUDENT AFFAIRS ORGANIZATION

2131 Murphy Hall Box 951405 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1405

www.studentaffairs.ucla.edu

An initiative of Chancellor Gene Block, Bruin Parents + Families is a recently established program formed to provide information to new Bruin parents and help them get involved in their college students’ campus experience. The program is a collaboration between UCLA’s Student Affairs Organization, the Division of Un-dergraduate Education, and the Department of External Affairs, all of which share an interest in creating a great relationship between UCLA and students and their families.

Jacquelean Gilliam, Director of the Office of Parent and Family

Programs, oversees the program. “Parents have become engaged in a variety of ways,” says Gilliam, “There are a number of different things parents do – they reach out to faculty, help negotiate roommate conflicts, and offer advice. Getting involved also brings parents into the greater UCLA community, where they can become more familiar with the campus and all its services.”

The program serves as a first-stop for parents seeking campus information. Parents may call the Parent Helpline directly at (310) 794-6737, email: [email protected], or visit UCLA Parents at

Facebook.com. The UCLA Parent & Family Association also provides an online newsletter – Bruinlink – which posts resources and other information that parents may find useful.

Although the program serves as a primary gateway for parents seeking campus information, Bruin Parents + Families also engages in direct outreach to students and their families, including helping to establish a direct connection between UCLA and parents of students who may be the first in their families to attend college. Oftentimes, par-ents of first-generation students

may want to get involved or help their college-going child adjust to campus life, and Bruin Parents + Families provides a great place to start.

The program is also exploring creating a number of new opportu-nities for parental involvement. In the past, Bruin Parents + Families hosted a series of Welcome Recep-tions, and a number of experi-enced Bruin parents opened their homes near various UC campuses to nearly 150 new Bruin parents. Parents may also get involved through volunteer opportunities at UCLA’s annual Parent Weekend, held in October of each year.

Bruin Parents + Families

UCLA Student Affairs In Focus Publication Spring 2010

Documents

Transcript of UCLA Student Affairs In Focus Publication Spring 2010