Our university is one of the best colleges in the country. That said, we all know that because of recent budget cuts, UCLA and the UC system in general face a crisis not only in terms of funding but also in terms of reputation around the country.
Therefore, the office of external affairs has made the right move in buying ads to not only show admitted students why they should come to UCLA, but also to raise awareness in Los Angeles, in California and even around the country about the contributions that a school like UCLA makes to society. And, while the ad campaign may have cost $670,000, the cost is well worth ensuring that UCLA’s reputation for excellence will not be lost because of a budget crisis.
While there has been no definitive data, it seems that on some fronts, the ad campaign has already succeeded. One of the main goals of the ad campaign involved incoming freshman students.
“(One of the goals) was to support the admit-decision cycle, as students admitted to UCLA were making decisions to come,” said Lawrence Lokman, assistant vice chancellor for university communications, about the process high school students go through when deciding where to attend school. “We wanted to do everything we could to encourage students from all communities, including underrepresented communities, to choose UCLA, understanding they are sought after by other top schools like Stanford and Berkeley.”
Possibly as a result of the ad campaign, the class of 2012 will, according to released numbers, have the largest number of underrepresented minorities any incoming class has had within the last few years.
Furthermore, the incoming class will have about 4,900 students, a record for UCLA. And while 4,900 students may seem like a lot considering the crowded classrooms and dorms that UCLA already has, diversity must trump more room to continue the tradition of diversity at this school.
The ad campaign also focused on promoting the contributions that UCLA has made to both the Los Angeles and California communities. In an attempt to deal with the budget cuts, UCLA, through the ad campaign, hoped to advocate for funding for a campus that has given so much to California. At few other places in this state can one find such a truly diverse group of people.
Beyond that, the campaign also had a goal of educating the public about the contributions that UCLA makes to society beyond just churning out bright and gifted students. While it may be hard to empirically measure if the ads do raise awareness, the fact that UCLA is making the effort should be applauded.
“When the University of California and UCLA have done public opinion research about Californians’ perceptions of our campuses, the research has demonstrated that Californians by and large acknowledge the educational excellence of the system,” said Rhea Turteltaub, vice chancellor of external affairs, in a memo to UCLA faculty. “But the broader societal benefits, and our active presence in communities beyond the boundaries of our campuses, are not as well understood.”
Thus, the ad campaign also looked to rightfully point out to people that UCLA, as an institution, is more than just a college; it is an ever-growing organ of the body of Los Angeles. Be it through community outreach programs such as “I’m Going to College” and “Halloween on the Hill” or research done at UCLA about the city of Los Angeles, UCLA continues to give back to the community.
Finally, the campaign looked to instill pride among current Bruins and alumni. And with names such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Diane Watson as a part of the campaign, it’s hard not to be proud of this school.
For instance, in Abdul-Jabbar’s video spot he discusses a writing class he had that opened him up to the idea of being a writer. Also, in Watson’s ad she touts the history that UCLA has for giving back to the community throughout the years.
Overall, the ad campaign was not only necessary in this time of budget crisis but also seems to have already worked in terms of the incoming freshman class.
As a result of the budget crisis, UCLA must do what it can to raise awareness around the area as to how important UCLA is as an institution. With ad campaigns centered on getting students to come to UCLA while also touting the contributions UCLA has made to Los Angeles through its actions, UCLA will rightfully earn the status as a premier institution.
E-mail Margolis at mmargolis@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.