DEADLINE The application deadline is today at 5 p.m. in the
undergraduate admissions office in Murphy Hall.
In an effort to reach out to students in Los Angeles, the
admissions office is in the process of starting a program to send
current UCLA students to local high schools to represent the
university and answer questions. But some are opposed to the
program, Bruin Ambassadors, because they believe the money could be
spent on other outreach programs.
Last fall, Acting Chancellor Norman Abrams promised to increase
UCLA’s visibility in L.A. high schools, said Fabienne McPhail
Naples, associate director of undergraduate admissions and
relations of UCLA.
But the recruitment staff does not have enough manpower to visit
all the schools, so the office decided to get UCLA students
involved in order to reach more schools, Naples said.
“(Bruin Ambassadors) began because a limited number of
staff members were not enough to visit the 340 to 350 Los Angeles
schools,” Naples said.
“We want to provide a stronger presence and have greater
visibility in L.A.,” she added. “We believe UCLA
students have the greatest potential to relate to and excite (high
school) students.”
But Tina Park, external vice president of the Undergraduate
Students Association Council, said she believes there are other
ways funding could be better spent.
“If we can be putting more resources into programs that we
already have, like the Student Initiated Access Committee, it would
be a better use of our limited resources,” she said.
“It’s clear that when you want to really bring students
in, it’s not just telling them that (UCLA) is here; you have
to build a sense that you are wanted and needed here.”
Doug Johnson, chairman of the Afrikan Student Union, pointed to
existing student-initiated outreach programs on campus that could
use the money, such as Students Heightening Academic Performance
through Education, which tutors and mentors high school
students.
“It would be more effective if the administration were to
assist and better the existing programs we have and put the weight
of the university behind them,” he said.
Park also said she does not believe the program would be enough
to increase diversity on campus, because the program is “a
really simple and superficial solution to a really big
problem.” Park said she believes UCLA needs to utilize
programs that create a strong sense of a community for minorities
at UCLA and does not believe the Bruin Ambassadors program will
achieve this goal.
But Naples said she believes it is important to expand
UCLA’s communication with local high schools through
information visits to encourage more students to apply, and said
other outreach programs have been successful in the past.
“We have been visiting schools for a long time. We have
our recruiters visit high schools so students get provided
information about UCLA, so we get high-achieving students in our
applicant pool,” she said.
“I hope this becomes one of our signature programs here at
UCLA,” she added.
The admissions office is currently in the hiring process for
Bruin Ambassadors. Information sessions were held in January and
about 40 people attended.
The office plans on hiring between 20 and 25 students, with a
goal of bringing it up to 50 as the project progresses, said
Adfetez “Bank” Chantaruchirakorn, an admissions
officer.
Students are expected to work between six and 10 hours a week.
Bruin Ambassadors will be paid and are guaranteed a parking
pass.