Dozens of students gathered around a bright yellow truck parked in Bruin Plaza last Wednesday, waiting in line for free colorful gelato bars.
Fun facts about the University of California system decorated the gelato wrappers, detailing various contributions to society made by UC campuses and individuals.
Throughout the day, hundreds of students flocked to the gelato truck, which is part of a new outreach campaign by the UC Office of the President called Onward California.
At a time of financial uncertainty for the university, the campaign aims to promote the UC as an institution that is important to the California community.
This is one of the UC’s first major campaigns to promote itself ““ something which the university has not done in recent years, said Jason Simon, marketing and communications director for the UC.
Another minor effort to promote the UC happened a few years ago, and included print, radio and billboard advertising in the Sacramento area.
“We’re here to promote support for the UC system,” said Christine Andrews, tour manager for Onward California. “(Onward California reminds) students that when they leave the walls of the campus, they need to carry this message out into the world.”
The UC has faced $875 million in cuts from state funding over the last four years, according to Daily Bruin archives.
“(The cuts have) had a critical impact to the university,” Simon said. With decreasing resources, he added, the UC needs to have Californians understand the University’s value and be encouraged to support it,
The University faces an uncertain financial future with the upcoming November state elections, when voters will determine the fate of Proposition 30 ““ a measure that would raise the sales tax in the state by a quarter of a cent for four years as well as income taxes on households that earn $250,000 or more annually. If the governor’s tax measure fails to pass, the UC will lose $250 million of state funding.
Andrews said the purpose of the Onward California campaign is to encourage Californians to support the UC when issues like Proposition 30 arise.
The campaign is funded by the Edward F. Searles fund, an endowment created in 1919 that was designated by the donor for initiatives that are not paid for by the state, said Dianne Klein, UC spokeswoman. The fund cannot be used to offset tuition or create scholarships, Klein said. In the past, the fund has paid for several residences of UC campus chancellors.
Organizers hope the campaign, using methods like the gelato truck, will also encourage more Californians to donate to the UC, Simon said.
Before arriving at UCLA, the gelato truck had raised about $2,000 in donations at its various stops, he said.
During the truck’s visit, students were also encouraged to sign up for an Onward California newsletter, take pictures at a photo booth and write on postcards to be used in a digital collage on the campaign’s website, Andrews said.
Many students came out to the truck just for the gelato and said they were initially unsure about why the truck was in Bruin Plaza.
Justin Saco, however, said he was unconvinced that free food is the right way to engage passersby. The first-year molecular, cell and development biology student stood with friends while he licked a chocolate-flavored bar.
He signed up using a false email because he was not interested in the promotional aspect of the truck, he added.
The stop at UCLA was the truck’s twelfth in a twenty-four-stop tour throughout California. Before arriving in Bruin Plaza, the truck had already visited downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica and three other UC campuses after its initial departure from San Francisco in September,
The gelato truck will travel north to visit the Bay Area before finishing its tour near UC Merced on Oct. 25.
“Regardless of what happens with state funding, we’re going to continue to need to grow private and corporate philanthropy, so the campaign is done to raise consciousness of (that),” Simon said. “We hope that by having that outcome, people will be more likely to increase or begin private support (for the UC).”