Search for director continues

Wednesday, June 5, 1996

UCLA officials now consider board’s recommendationBy Michael
Angell

Daily Bruin Contributor

Now that graduation is near, are you looking for a job?

How would you like to oversee a $37 million operation, supervise
2,350 employees, and run 11 campus eateries and nine retail
outlets? Benefits include an office with a view of the Math
Sciences Building and a chance to meet UCLA Chancellor Charles
Young personally.

As the year winds to a close, the students’ association (ASUCLA)
is still looking for an executive director, which would oversee all
its day-to-day operations.

The board of directors approved the recommendation of one
candidate at their last meeting two weeks ago. The finalist’s name
has been forwarded to Murphy Hall for approval.

"There has been one finalist candidate identified," said Charles
Mack, the interim co-executive director. "The process would be to
allow that candidate to be interviewed up at Murphy. The chancellor
ultimately has the right to approve the terms and conditions of new
executive director."

Mack was hired last year by the association to help turn around
the financially beleaguered organization.

The search for a permanent director began in January. Although
there was no specific deadline, the board had hoped to find an
executive director by June.

"I think the board is moving forward in a timely fashion," Mack
said.

While the board is not looking for any specific job experience,
Mack suggested that anyone who has had to deal with a "complex"
working environment would be well suited to the job, because the
director has to deal with many different constituencies.

"I would look for a strong leader and someone who could relate
to the board as it is composed and someone who could be a champion
of ASUCLA’s services on campus," Mack said.

But the job will also involve tough decisions about ASUCLA’s
future. The organization faces construction delays on the new,
improved Ackerman Union, and the retail sector has experienced
financial losses as a result of the wait.

Additionally, the association also has a continuing deficit due
to poor financial judgements in past years.

"The incoming executive director will face reduced income and
increased capital expense, such that we’ll be running a deficit for
at least two years, resulting in a short and long term debt to
repay," said board member Tim Beasley.

Mack and others hope the new executive director will be a
communicator because he or she will have to deal with the
association’s professional managers and board of directors, plus
answer to students.

Throw into this mix the fact that university administrators will
be keeping a closer eye on the association’s spending.

The university is lending the association about $20 million to
help it fend off revenue losses and complete capital improvements,
such as completing construction of Ackerman Union.

Mack considered the university’s loan terms much better than
those from an outside agency. However ASUCLA will have new
constraints put on it by the university, which are listed in the
loan agreement under the ominous title "Negative Covenants."

Under this agreement, the association can not fund the Student
Interaction Fund until the organization turns a profit. This fund,
which last year totalled about $100,000, supports student advocacy
groups and cultural events.

Board member Peary Brug said the cut is necessary in order to
make ASUCLA financially stable.

"I’m concerned (about losing the fund)," Brug said. "But if
you’re losing money, where are you getting money for the Student
Interaction Fund. We’re in need of making a big turn around."

Brug said that the cut has a significant effect on graduate
student programming, such as Melnitz Movies and the Environmental
Coalition, which lost their funding from the graduate student
government. Undergraduate student programming will also lose some
money.

"The chancellor has said he will help in other ways with
programming funding," Brug said.

Furthermore, the agreement allows Young to stage a defacto coupe
d’Kerckhoff if he believes the board is not complying with the loan
terms. If Young does not approve of the board’s actions to fulfill
the loan terms, he can appoint his own representatives to the board
in order to get a majority.

"This means that if student concerns start costing money, and we
can’t repay the loan, there will be a real student-administration
showdown making the last month or two nothing more than a quibble,"
Beasley said.

Beasley cited a confrontation between the board and Young over
whether or not elected officials could serve on the board. The
association finally made the change that Young requested.

"(Young) is trying to protect the money he is giving us," Brug
said. "If board goes to some extreme, he wants to make sure that
the loan will be repaid."

The new executive director has to assume the position
immediately once hired. It is unknown when Young will interview the
finalist or whether he will give the candidate his final
approval.