She led one of the country’s largest student enterprises
from the brink of bankruptcy, and after seven years, Patricia
Eastman will be stepping down from the helm of the Associated
Students of UCLA. Eastman announced on Friday her intention to
resign, effective at the end of the calendar year, as executive
director of the university’s student-controlled association.
She declined to say what she will be doing next, but said in an
e-mail that it was important to make a public announcement about
her plans before entertaining other job opportunities. “The
seven years I have spent with the association have been wonderful,
challenging and rewarding,” Eastman said in a statement.
“Now it is time for me to move on to the next position. I am
currently considering several opportunities,” she continued.
Some of the association’s longtime administrators saw
Eastman’s announcement as a surprise. “It is kind of
unexpected. Last year was very successful; I didn’t expect
her to leave,” said Bob Williams, ASUCLA food services
director, adding that he had no knowledge of the resignation before
Friday. He did add, however, that it seemed like she wanted to move
on and was fielding new opportunities. Under her leadership, ASUCLA
““ which operates the campus restaurants, student stores and
student union ““ has gradually moved toward fiscal soundness
and innovation after struggling for much of the 1990s. The
association is generally heading in a positive direction, with
cautiously optimistic budget projections and a bevy of plans to
renovate its campus facilities and enhance its programming.
Running start Eastman was appointed by the
board of directors in 1996 on the heels of a $20 million loan from
the university to fund capital improvements, mainly the expansion
of Ackerman Student Union. The conditions of the loan, stipulated
by then-Chancellor Charles Young, required university supervision
of ASUCLA’s finances ““ and the chancellor’s
approval of the association’s annual budget. Eastman’s
appointment, according to board members at the time, stemmed
largely from her experience in hospital administration, in which
she received a master’s degree from the Loma Linda University
School of Public Health. Prior to her stint at ASUCLA, she served
as head of business development at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in
Los Angeles. While there, she oversaw ambulatory care services, as
well as the construction of a new building. But, as is the case
with her recent resignation, she felt the need to move on. “I
couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a career change,”
Eastman said upon her appointment to the association. “ASUCLA
is in a difficult position right now, but the only direction for
the organization is up.” That direction began with tackling
financial woes in 1996, as ASUCLA coped with a deficit of $3.5
million. As she settled into office, the association’s
financial stability was shaky, projecting losses for some of the
years following the loan agreement with the university. But the
association seems to have found its footing in recent years, with
net incomes of $2.8 million and $2.3 million in 2001 and 2002,
respectively. At the end of the 2003 fiscal year, the association
in some ways surprised itself by netting a $557,000 gain, more than
$400,000 higher than its mid-year projection.
A period of change Also during Eastman’s
tenure, ASUCLA introduced some key additions to the
association’s entities, including a Copeland’s Sports
franchise and an STA Travel location in Ackerman Union. However,
the union has seen its share of failed enterprises, such as two
record shops that did not perform well. Other features of ASUCLA
that students now consider commonplace were implemented under
Eastman’s watch. Coffee shops have been serving Fair Trade
coffee for the last few years. Rubio’s Baja Grill and La
Cucina are fixtures in the Terrace food court. Tobacco is no longer
for sale on campus. And for the first time in recent memory, the
association is seriously considering installing an on-campus pub.
ASUCLA, which is run by a student-majority board ““ one of the
last of its kind among universities ““ had its fair share of
struggles with the UCLA community under Eastman’s leadership
as well. One of the first community conflicts dealt with the
Ackerman expansion. Some retailers in Westwood were troubled by the
impact the renovated student union ““ one called it a shopping
mall ““Â would have on their business. A quiet
three-person picket ensued, and the controversy eventually
subsided. Years later, ASUCLA had to address about 80 subcontracted
non-student workers fighting for the right to unionize and be hired
as full-time employees, with the association voicing concerns about
the financial impacts of such a decision. Eventually the two sides
reached a compromise, and the workers are now full-time unionized
employees.
Unfinished business Eastman steps down as the
association is working on plans to revitalize the student union and
renovate its food service facilities on campus. How her departure
will affect these pursuits is not yet known. Maggy Athanasious,
ASUCLA board chairwoman, said the board is currently planning to
recruit Eastman’s successor. “We will miss Pat. She has
been very good for ASUCLA and will not be easy to replace,”
she said.
With reports from Menaka Fernando and Vanda Suvansilpakit,
Bruin Senior Staff.