On the Japanese Garden: Let’s Hear It from the Top

OK. It appears – after the embarrassing LA Timesarticle yesterday on the Japanese Garden proposed sale by UCLA – that the ship has run aground.*  We have angry heirs of a donor, a major Regent of his time.  We may discourage future donors because of this episode.  We have a statement that it was not the intent to destroy the garden, but – in contrast to that statement – the removal of objects from it in an amateur way.  And it is unclear that folks at the Fowler Museum want those objects.  There are angry neighborhood groups and concerned preservation groups.  There could be litigation which would discourage any sale.  We also had a resource in the Japanese Garden which – unlike, say, the Fowler Museum – was difficult for the public to access.  Any solution will need to address that issue as well as the sale/removal.

UCLA has long had a management problem with independent underlings operating with a “call-me-if-you-have-a-problem” relationship to the top.  Since no underling wants to make that call, the result is that problems don’t surface until the situation becomes worse than it has to be.  Would you want to call your boss and say you just created a problem? 

Some folks will remember the body parts scandal of yore which resulted from that management style.** And – more recently – there was (is) the hotel/conference center – still yet to be resolved.  Reforming the management structure is a larger challenge that UCLA needs to address.  But in the interim, on this particular issue involving the Japanese Garden, we need to hear from the chancellor.  He may not be able to right the ship at this point.  But at least he can help with the rescue.