History
The University of California, Los Angeles began as a teachers college in the southern branch of the California State Normal School in 1881. With southern California's growing population, the state felt the area needed a public university to provide a general undergraduate education. In 1919, the Southern Branch of the University of California was established, the second school (right after UC Berkeley) in the new UC system. The school moved to its present-day Westwood campus in 1927 and changed its name to University of California, Los Angeles.
The college in the post-war era experienced a building boom in an attempt to provide additional space for students going to college on the GI Bill. McCarthy-era paranoia also reared its ugly head. The school’s regents adopted a policy requiring its faculty and staff to disavow any loyalty or membership in the Communist party. Still, UCLA was seen as a breeding ground for Communism, and in 1950, the Saturday Evening Post published a story entitled “UCLA’s Red Cell: Case History of College Communism.” The Red Scare gradually passed, and by the end of the 1950s, the school had established professional and graduate schools to compliment its liberal arts programs. No longer just a branch in the UC system, UCLA is a proper university in its own right. It has developed a prestigious academic reputation, and today it offers 129 undergraduate majors.
-With special reporting by Danielle Ryan ‘09
Location
Unlike traditional urban centers, Los Angeles doesn’t have one central hub. But its unique neighborhoods present students with a number of nearby cultural offerings to enjoy.
As reported by Danielle Ryan ‘09:
"UCLA is situated within Westwood Village, which is the area surrounded by Bel-Air (on the north), Beverly Hills (on the east), Wilshire Boulevard (on the south), and Brentwood (on the west). The town of Westwood sets the college-town bar highwith a full slate of eateries and shops just a short walk away.
Though Westwood is home to many movie theaters, the historical Mann Village (“The Fox”) stands out from the crowd. It’s one of the country’s oldest and most recognizable theaters, with a tall neon-lit tower originally built in the 1930s. With a beautiful interior that houses over 1400 guests, the Fox is also one of the three theaters in Los Angeles to hold Hollywood premieres, complete with a red carpet and big-screen stars. It’s not to be missed.
For food, the best all-around hangout in Westwood is the Novel Café on Gayley Avenue, mere blocks away from campus. With good coffee, a great menu, and an even better atmosphere, Novel Café is equally good for studying or meeting up with friends. Its walls are lined with books, and its outdoor patio, trimmed with lovely plants, offers a great view of Westwood Village. But as far as late-night snacks go, the undisputed king of Westwood is Diddy Reise. Their famous ice-cream cookie sandwich (Dreyer’s ice cream of your choice between two fresh cookies of your choice) is only $1.50, and it’s always open past midnight. Enough said.
If you want to venture a little farther, the J. Paul Getty Center is just across the freeway. It’s home to one of the most extensive art collections in the country. Of course, the building and surrounding gardens rival even the most impressive art inside, offering one of the best views of the entire city. (It’s also a very cool place to study!) But if you want a truly memorable LA experience, take the Big Blue Bus down to the Santa Monica neighborhood. There’s the pier (complete with street performers and rides), three blocks of some of the best shopping in the city, giant theaters, unbeatable restaurants in every price range, and, of course, the famous Southern California beaches."
Campus
UCLA's campus packs 163 buildings into 419 acres. The campus is split between the north, which houses most of the arts and humanities buildings, and the south end, which is home to the engineering and science departments. UCLA students feel as if the campus is always undergoing renovation, earning it the nickname “Under Construction Like Always.”
As reported by Danielle Ryan ‘09:
“Despite our efforts and hopes, it’s almost a fact at UCLA that, at some point in your career, your schedule will involve holes that most would call “inconvenient”. It can be tough to find constructive ways to pass awkward amounts of downtime between classes, when there is too little time to jet back up the hill for a quick nap in the room but too much time to waste browsing the sale rack at Ackerman. So how do you avoid just killing time? With a little exploration—you’ll need a campus map to find the best-kept secrets.
Coffee Houses: If you want an easy, bustling, and familiar hub, Kerckhoff Coffee House is at the center of campus on Bruin Walk. It boasts an efficient and varied menu, with its tables constantly rotating through groups of students. Be it last-minute cramming, TA meetings, furious essay compositions, or that necessary meal, Kerckhoff is the place to go to get motivated. Also, every Monday night they hold a free Jazz Series concert—it doesn’t get more “college” than that. If you’re looking for fare similar to Kerckhoff's with a bit more elbow room, the LuValle Commons at the east end of campus has a coffee stand, a small but well-varied food court, and a quieter patio.
If you're seeking seclusion, venture up to the “north pole” of campus, where the dance and theater majors reign. Stop to enjoy the sun and splendor of the Sculpture Gardens, a sprawling lawn littered with modern and classical statues. Hidden behind the largest building on campus (the brown monolith, Bunche Hall), many don’t realize how close, and beautiful, the Sculpture Gardens are. The Sunset Recreation Center is an outdoor alternative with a more social atmosphere. Come spring quarter, it’s littered with students--some are studying, most are tanning or picnicking, and some are occasionally diving into one of the many pools. It’s truly a hot-spot for outdoor activity.
The place that best encapsulates UCLA is the aptly-named "Bruin Plaza." The Bruin Plaza has it all--food, music, people, and location. Bruin Plaza is home to the iconic Bruin Bear at the center of campus, as well as the base of Bruin Walk. It is the Mecca for those trying to get heard and be seen. There are weekly Concerts at Noon, which have featured (to name a few) The 88s and Phantom Planet."
Issues
While UCLA may conjure images of a laid-back, sunny, worry-free Los Angeles community, make no mistake: UCLA students are anything but beach bums. There are regular protests on campus in response to all manner of school, local, state, and national issues.
As reported by Danielle Ryan ‘09:
“Undoubtedly the largest recent controversy was the Taser incident. A student failed to present his Bruin Card when asked to verify his identity at a late-night security check at the library, and when the campus police tried to escort him out, he resisted, and they responded with a Taser. The event was caught on a student's camera phone, sparking a debate over police brutality and student rights.
I think the biggest problem resulted from the flood of gossip, which made it difficult to get a clear picture of what actually happened. I was fascinated, if not extremely surprised, by how quickly the full spectrum of opinions appeared—and on Facebook, of all places. Numerous groups formed to discuss the incident, half of which supported the actions of the police and half of which called for an official reprimand. I found myself torn; I do like to know that campus police take security seriously in a city where crime and danger are a reailty, but the response seemed alarmingly disproportionate. That kind of display was a sobering reminder that campus police are, in fact, regular police, and not necessarily there to accommodate student comforts.
Furthermore, several students were arrested at the UC Regents meeting for protesting the fee hikes approved by the regents. Most of the students were sympathetic to their peers, both in terms of their arrest and the position which they represented.
I see students protest the war, for example, almost weekly, and the great part about their particular method of protest is that, as university students, the protesters focus on presenting information to back up their positions. Bruin Walk is often flooded by protesters, all of whom usually have billboards, pictures, quotes, and statistics to back up their positions. It makes me proud to be their fellow student, regardless of their stances.”
