“˜UCLA in L.A. Day’ to benefit campus, region relationship

By Dexter Gauntlett
Daily Bruin Reporter

Today marks the first UCLA in L.A. Day ““ a day that
coincides with the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of UCLA at
the Westwood site.

Mayor James Hahn, who officially proclaimed this as UCLA in L.A.
Day after meeting with Chancellor Albert Carnesale on Sept. 28,
further encouraged UCLA’s students and researchers to
directly participate in the city.

“It is important to recognize the hard work of the UCLA
community and celebrate how influential it has become,” Hahn
stated in an e-mail.

Hahn, who is in Washington D.C. for the conference of U.S.
mayors, will miss the commemoration ceremony that will take place
at 3 p.m. today in Dickson Court to honor original UC Regent Edward
Augustus Dickson.

The mayor praised UCLA’s community involvement and invited
students to become further involved in local government and
community organizations.

According to Chancellor Albert Carnesale, more than 7,000
undergraduate students are engaged in community service, ranging
from tutoring inner-city youths to working in neighborhood medical
clinics.

“The goal of “˜UCLA in L.A.’ is to create and
foster mutually beneficial relationships between the surrounding
region and the university,” the chancellor said in a
letter.

According to Carnesale, the program is aimed at building upon
existing strengths between UCLA and the community, emphasizing the
university’s expansion in the city in youth programs,
economic development, and the arts and cultural affairs.

Hahn stated in the e-mail message that bringing City Hall to the
people was his top priority. He also cited neighborhood councils as
a direct link for students to become involved in local
politics.

According to Hahn, internships are available with the
Mayor’s Office, Building and Safety, and the City
Attorney’s Office, to name a few.

Associate Director for Community Relations Derek Mims said UCLA
in L.A. Day itself does not initiate any new programs, but it
brings cohesion to all of UCLA’s programs that play a role
interacting with the city.

“The chancellor is recognizing the work that has existed
for many years. Part of his goal is to integrate the mission of the
university ““ which is research, teaching and service ““
into the Los Angeles area,” Mims said.

Many existing student-led UCLA programs focus on increasing the
amount of underrepresented undergraduate applicants.

For example, “I’m Going to College” seeks to
reach the less represented regions of L.A. to provide opportunities
for would-be students to gain exposure to college.

John Rogers the Associate Director of the Institute for
Democracy, Education and Access, intends on getting those living in
underrepresented areas such as Compton, Inglewood and East Los
Angeles more involved in decision making processes that affect the
city.

“The issue speaks more than just admissions. The voices,
experience and ideas of young people and adults in those areas need
to become more utilized in engaging in research and public
health,” Rogers said.

Law professor Gary Blasi said often brilliant ideas are
developed at UCLA, but added, they are usually stored on the
shelves.

In an example of combined efforts to improve general well-being
between the city and the university, Blasi and 11 students spent
five months documenting problems in California’s public
schools last year.

“It was my students and not me who facilitated a gathering
at the Law School with parents and community groups in order to
bring them together and help them see how they can be better
working together,” Blasi said.

“It was the students who made it the reality,” he
said.

Many students were unaware that today was proclaimed UCLA in
L.A. Day, including first-year undeclared student Holly Fish. But
she said programs such as Wednesday’s All-Hill Halloween,
where on-campus housing students open their doors to
trick-or-treaters from the community, is a great way to bring
inner-city kids onto campus.

“It’s important that students contribute to the
community because we will all be out there at some point,”
Fish said.