Tuesday, January 21, 1997
FACULTY:
UCLA’s former vice chancellor will continue work combining
education, technology By Brooke Olson
Daily Bruin Staff
John Kobara doesn’t think he will ever get away from the UCLA
campus.
In fact, the former associate vice chancellor of university
relations left UCLA last Friday only to move several blocks away
from the campus and assume the position as president and chief
executive officer of The Home Education Network (THEN).
"In all honesty, I’ll be closer to the campus than some of my
staff," Kobara said, referring to several of UCLA’s offices located
on Wilshire Boulevard.
Kobara will assume control of the 4-year-old educational company
this week, enabling him to use his marketing skills in a field that
combines two of Kobara’s interests  education and
technology.
THEN was founded in 1993 to become a leading global provider of
distance learning by providing convenient and flexible delivery of
educational content via online technologies. The company has
acquired the exclusive worldwide electronic rights to more than
4,500 courses offered by UCLA Extension.
"What I loved the most about (being vice chancellor) was that I
could say that I worked for UCLA," Kobara said. "Now I’ll be saying
that I work with UCLA."
For the man who always "was and will be a Bruin," Kobara is
certain that THEN is the perfect career opportunity.
After 10 years of service at UCLA Â from director of the
Alumni Association in 1987 to associate vice chancellor in 1994
 Kobara felt that it was time for a change.
"I had originally thought I would stay at UCLA for only five
years, but I became smitten with working in higher education,"
Kobara said. "But now I can incorporate everything I care about
 education, technology, marketing and finance."
Kobara formed his ties with UCLA early in his career when he
attended the university as an undergraduate, earning his B.A. in
political science and sociology.
As undergraduate community service commissioner and director of
the Prison Coalition at UCLA, Kobara intended to pursue either
prison reform or law school.
He did neither.
After spending over three years as a counselor in a maximum
security institution for juveniles, Kobara was crushed after a
young ex-convict murdered a man six weeks after being released from
jail.
"I had put a lot of time and energy and emotion into that kid to
get him on the right track … and it really just failed," Kobara
said.
Instead, after receiving his M.A. in urban studies from
Occidental College, Kobara went on to become vice president and
general manager of a cable television company. He also earned his
M.B.A. in marketing and finance from the University of Southern
California.
Ten years ago, he left his management position to become the
executive director of the Alumni Association of UCLA, and is
credited with making the association one of the strongest alumni
units in the nation.
"(Kobara) really hit the Alumni Association into the front
ranks," said Ted Mitchell, dean of education. "Now the association
ranks right up there with the great and prestigious private
university alumni relations."
Kobara not only expanded the association with alumni, he also
conceived the idea that students become future alumni.
"It seems like a really simple idea, but no one had ever really
thought about having the Alumni Association reach out to the
students before," Kobara said.
But his achievements did not end with the Alumni Association. In
1994, Kobara was appointed to associate vice chancellor of
University Relations.
Within the university, Kobara and his staff established minimum
technology standards for UC workers. This includes knowing how to
access the Internet and using a word processor.
In addition, Kobara was also involved with designing the new
UCLA homepage, which will make its online debut Jan. 31.
Although Kobara believes that state government’s ability to
provide accessible and affordable education is declining rapidly,
he remains one of the few people optimistic about the future of the
university.
"UCLA students and alumni have this complex about USC, Berkeley
and Stanford," Kobara said. "To be a Bruin is to doubt  doubt
about having a better athletic team, or academics.
"These same people are the ones that, in a winning UCLA game,
worry we’re going to lose," Kobara added.
But for the former vice chancellor, the glass at UCLA is always
half full.
"UCLA is and always will be full of promising people and
events," he said. "Olympians, Nobel Laureates, Oscar winners Â
you name it, a UCLA graduate has probably won it.
"We launched the Internet in 1969, invented the technology that
made the CAT scan possible and produced a groundbreaking study of
television violence in 1995," Kobara added.
In addition to running the University Relations office, Kobara
has hosted and produced more than 440 live radio programs for
National Public Radio affiliate KPCC, focusing on the issues and
personalities of the Asian Pacific American community.
He has also written numerous academic articles, and writes a
regular column in the UCLA Magazine. Kobara also delivers dozens of
presentations on education, career change, technology and personal
empowerment each year and taught a course on Asian American music
last Fall Quarter.
He also serves on the boards of several art foundations, and
maintains an active involvement with the Rose Bowl Council and the
Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
Many staff and faculty admire Kobara for his dedication, his
optimism, and his lifelong support of UCLA.
"(Kobara) has added depth to his office and he’s got a huge
amount of energy that always translates to his staff," said Nancy
Lumsden, Kobara’s executive assistant.
Some students will also miss Kobara, remarking that the former
vice chancellor always believed in the students.
"Having Kobara leave is a great loss for UCLA … he’s one of
the administrators who truly cared about the students’
perspective," said undergraduate President John Du.
"Because he was a student at UCLA, he understood the feelings
and the views of the students and he was always willing to listen
to us," Du added.
CHARLES KUO/Daily Bruin
John Kobara, outgoing assistant vice chancellor of UCLA, was
instrumental in the creation of the new UCLA homepage, premiering
Jan. 31.