Chancellor Gene Block met with the editorial board Thursday afternoon, giving us a chance to ask him questions about student issues, the future of the university and fundraising.
The board was uniformly impressed with the chancellor’s answers to our questions. We found him to be straightforward, articulate, and knowledgeable about the needs of students.
We were impressed with the fact that he has expanded his interaction with students beyond the traditional office hours. He has been having regular breakfasts in the dining halls with groups of students, and has hosted dinners at his residence.
The chancellor was particularly sensitive to the recent increase in student fees, citing money for scholarships and support for graduate students as foci for his next fundraising program.
He has also been to Sacramento twice this year to talk to legislators about the budget, and seems committed to work on the issue. He also said he is committed to minimizing the impact of budget cuts on students, instruction and research ““ likely by holding off on purchasing new equipment or upgrading facilities around campus until absolutely necessary.
The issue of campus safety has concerned this board in the past, and the chancellor seemed genuinely concerned that CSO escort hours are not available into the early morning, and said he would look into extending them.
The chancellor said he has been working diligently on his main goals for UCLA, and expects his new Institute for Los Angeles to launch in the fall ““ increasing UCLA’s community outreach and involvement. The institute will likely use an interdisciplinary approach to solve social and community problems that are unique to the city.
Over the next five years, the chancellor said he hopes to see increases in both faculty and student diversity, and for UCLA to have distinctly defined itself as a public university.
He hopes the number of students who are historically underrepresented minorities will increase over the next several years, growing as each new class admits more. He added that faculty search committees are having members trained in diversity in an effort to attract a more diverse applicant pool for faculty positions on campus.
Though the chancellor said he is committed to expanding housing on the Hill, as well as for faculty, we are concerned that he didn’t show more of a willingness to lobby city government for more affordable student housing in Westwood.
We think part of the chancellor’s job should be to advocate on behalf of students who are reducing UCLA’s need for housing by living near campus in the Westwood area. If students are forced to live on campus longer because of soaring rent and transportation prices, the housing crunch will likely not get any better.
The chancellor expressed an interest in building more underground parking structures for UCLA and working with the city to establish a subway stop near campus to help resolve lingering transportation issues. Unfortunately, the newly-constructed lots would not likely reduce the price of parking.
This board looks forward to seeing positive change at UCLA in the coming years, and we commend the chancellor’s leadership, vision, and ability to quickly work toward accomplishing his goals.