UCLA

| |

ObamaJam Possible Tuesday-Wednesday

Byuclafaculty

From LAObserved yesterday: There are a few more details now about President Obama’s trip to the Los Angeles area on Tuesday to appear on the Jay Leno show. According to the White House schedule, Air Force One will arrive from Phoenix and land at LAX about 3:30 p.m. The president will be staying overnight… On Wednesday the president is scheduled to fly to Camp Pendleton to visit with military families and deliver remarks to troops, then make an mid-afternoon departure from LAX. Full story at http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2013/08/obamas_arrival_on_tuesday.php Since the ground routes have not been announced, the impact on Westside traffic near…

| |

UCLA History: Pauley Pavilion (and a report of a bomb threat yesterday)

Byuclafaculty

The photo shows the original Pauley Pavilion under construction in 1964.  It opened in 1965. The Daily Bruin yesterday evening posted a short article at about a bomb threat that closed Pauley Pavilion and other buildings in the area for a time.  Nothing was found.  See http://dailybruin.com/2013/08/03/pauley-pavilion-wooden-center-evacuated-reopened-following-bomb-threat-investigation/ Pauley Pavilion was substantially reconstructed and reopened in November 2012.  A promotional video released for the reopening is below:[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/57012095 w=250&h=141] Pauley Pavilion Through the Years 1965-2012 from Ariana Berlin on Vimeo. The video has some historical photos of the origins and original construction.  It omits reference to the fact that H.R. Haldeman…

|

Defensive Moves on the Grand Hotel

Byuclafaculty

Yours truly went by the “work” site of the UCLA Grand Hotel at the former Ackerman bus turnaround.  Seems like the main accomplishment since it was closed off July 8 was putting a fence around it (gradually) and digging up some landscaping dirt. I didn’t see anyone actually doing anything at the site when I went by yesterday.  Last week I hypothesized that maybe everyone was taking an extended lunch.  I was a little later yesterday so maybe it was an early dinner. But come to think of it, I did hear some voices from inside the site:[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GMZPek0ABs?feature=player_detailpage]

|

Well traveled

Byuclafaculty

The San Diego Union-Tribune is running a story researched by the Center for Investigative Reporting on UCLA travel expenses for administrators: Excerpt: Thirteen years ago, the University of California changed its ban on flying business or first class on the university’s dime, adding a special exception for employees with a medical need. What followed at UCLA was an acute outbreak of medical need. Over the past several years, six of 17 academic deans at the Westwood campus routinely have submitted doctors’ notes stating they have a medical need to fly in a class other than economy, costing the university $234,000…

|

Business of College Sports Not What It Was

Byuclafaculty

The Sacramento Bee ran a story June 4 that mysteriously reappeared for a time on its website today and that reminds us that the business of college sports is not what it was back in the early 1940s when Jackie Robinson played football for UCLA (photo). Excerpt: Ending weeks of speculation, Eddie Vanderdoes made it official Tuesday: He will not attend Notre Dame on a football scholarship and will instead play at UCLA.Vanderdoes, the 6-foot-4, 305-pound All-America defensive end from Placer High School, expressed gratitude to Notre Dame in a text sent to The Bee for being “gracious” in the…

| |

Almost Secret Garden

Byuclafaculty

In the past when we have written about UCLA and gardens, it has been about the Japanese Garden that the university has been blocked from selling.  The university would prefer that the less said about the Japanese Garden, the better.  (If you are unfamiliar with the saga of that garden, use the search engine for this blog for past postings.)  But there is another garden on campus which is not intended to be secret but at least was a discovery for yours truly.  On the south side of the Anderson School, you will find the Nix Garden – which according…

| | |

Campus Happenings Yesterday

Byuclafaculty

Demonstrators return to campus Yesterday, this blog noted that UC had imposed its terms on the union (AFSCME 3299) that had struck for two days recently at university med centers.  There was a demonstration yesterday the blocked traffic at Westwood and Wilshire Boulevards.  Yours truly happened to be in a coffee shop at Lindbrook and Westwood as the demonstration ended.  Photo above. You can find a news account at http://centurycity.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/protest-rally-near-ucla-leads-to-arrests. In a totally different vein, there was some kind of children’s program at the campus Fowler Museum which produced the two figures below. Fowler fare     Yours truly noted…

| |

UC Hospital Dispute Seems to Have Ended

Byuclafaculty

Although UC and AFSCME 3299 – the union that called the recent 2-day hospital strike (including at UCLA) – seem to have gone their separate ways, it appears the dispute is over for now.  The Daily Bruin carries a report that UC has unilaterally implemented its last offer. Under state labor law, an employer can implement its offer unilaterally if negotiations have reached an “impasse.”  In such instances, the union might challenge the implementation before PERB on grounds that an impasse had not been reached.  Or it could threaten or undertake a strike.  However, the media release by the union…

|

The UCLA Grand Hotel: No Apparent Rush

Byuclafaculty

Yours truly ambled by the site of the UCLA Grand Hotel yesterday afternoon.  The only difference I saw from last week is that the construction cones blocking off the entrance to the Ackerman bus turnaround are now supplemented by a makeshift fence.(!)  There was a pile of dug up landscape but that was there last week. And there was the usual dearth of any sign of work activity.  However, it was 3 pm so maybe everyone was on an extended lunch.Anyway, no need to rush:

|

We’re 34! We’re 34!

Byuclafaculty

UCLA ranks 34th in the nation.So says Forbes in its college and university rankings:http://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/.  According to Forbes, “the FORBES list of 650 schools distinguishes itself from competitors by our belief in “output” over “input.” We’re not all that interested in what gets a student into college, like our peers who focus heavily on selectivity metrics such as high school class rank, SAT scores and the like. Our sights are set directly on ROI: What are students getting out of college?”  Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinehoward/2013/07/24/ranking-americas-top-colleges-2013/ Now where is Forbes ranked?  Maybe I missed it. Maybe it’s here:   Or maybe here?   We’ll…