Speech Excerpts

At Chancellor’s Associates Dinner

October 2008

“I want to thank this group, and its leadership, for your dedication and for your many contributions to UCLA. We couldn’t do what we do without you.

Last year, I said that Los Angeles is the city where America is changing, and the best place to prepare tomorrow’s leaders for almost any arena. Today, I believe that more strongly than ever.

We must maintain UCLA’s excellence so that we can take full advantage of being part of such a great city and make lasting contributions to our region. I so appreciate your partnership as we pursue these goals. Your gifts and your advocacy are critical to our success….

We are delighted that UCLA has been selected as the first partner with the Los Angeles Unified School District to operate one of five pilot schools on the former site of the Ambassador Hotel in the Wilshire Center/Koreatown area of Los Angeles. The area to be served is the most densely populated in California. The school age population is 84% Latino, 89% low income and 50% English language learners. Our school will relieve overcrowding.

Although the Bruin Community School will be part of LAUSD, it is similar to a charter school, with autonomy over budget, staffing, governance, curriculum and the school calendar. Dean Aimee Dorr of our Graduate School of Education and Information Studies chairs the advisory board. UCLA faculty, staff and students will participate as mentors, instructors, tutors, learners and researchers.

The Bruin Community School will not only fill a dire need in the community; it will also provide a setting for engaged scholarship, enabling us to develop real-world solutions that can be replicated elsewhere. It will also help us address our diversity challenges.  

We have to take bold measures in order to broaden the pipeline of students competitive for UCLA admission. We have made significant progress in developing an admissions process that captures capable, promising students from all populations. But that alone does not nearly solve our diversity problem. We must grow our pool of qualified candidates. We have to address this from a number of angles if we are to succeed….

I am thrilled that we have made such great strides this year. Meanwhile, I have seen more and more potential for UCLA to be the leading research university.”

At Parents’ Weekend welcome event

October 2008

"I want to say, first, to our parents, congratulations, and thank you for a job obviously well done.  And to students, both new and continuing—you will learn so much about yourselves and the world at UCLA. And more often than not, UCLA will be where the world learns about you."

At Fiesta de Inspiracion, a UCLA Latino Alumni Association event

October 2008

"We need your partnership to ensure that today’s and tomorrow’s students have the same opportunities that you had.  The scholarships you fund are critical for students who otherwise couldn’t attend UCLA.  Please continue to give them your support."

At Blue & Gold Scholarship Reception

October 2008

"As a UCLA student, you will inspire those around you, and not just on campus.  I am so pleased that each of you has committed to volunteer 20 hours a year with the Los Angeles educational community."

At Hammer Museum's Gala in the Garden

October 2008

"As a major research university, UCLA must push the boundaries of knowledge.  The Hammer certainly does that, by providing a venue for art and artists—often emerging or underappreciated—alongside exhibitions of historical and scholarly importance.  As a public university, UCLA must serve the community.  Again, the Hammer certainly does—in both award-winning exhibitions and diverse public programs, which are presented at no charge."

At New Student Welcome

September 2008

"We know—without a doubt—that you are academically gifted.  But more than grades and scores got you here. You are here because, based on the sum of your experience and achievements, we know you have the potential to become exceptional leaders....

One thing you all have in common: an appetite for excellence. You chose UCLA because you want the best education. So, within this great diverse community, you are all pursuing a single purpose....

Diversity and excellence go hand in hand. Broad knowledge of other cultures and understanding of other points of view enriches your learning. But to gain the most from diversity, we must be open-minded. You won’t always agree with everyone, but don’t let fear of differences rob you of the chance to learn from and appreciate others."

At Staff Assembly's Town Hall

April 2008

Chancellor Block talks about his appreciation for staff, the need for staff engagement, his recent trip to Asia and UCLA's budget prospects. See the video clips.

On teaching

"Teaching is at the heart of what we do. It is through teaching that lives are changed, one student at a time. Our teachers are the ones who have daily contact with our students and who touch them most closely. Ensuring the quality of our teaching is a high priority for me and the university."

On interdisciplinary collaboration

"Important breakthroughs in 21st-century science are evolving among traditional disciplines, not within them. Cross-disciplinary collaboration is essential, and it is a hallmark of UCLA, something we have to do even more in order to maximize our contributions to society."

On diversity

"I am deeply committed to diversity. Each of us must champion inclusiveness at every level. Talented people from all backgrounds have to feel welcome and included here. We depend upon all of the Bruin family to ensure that UCLA continues to provide access to opportunity and possibility.

UCLA reaches out to the best and brightest from all walks of life. Twenty-five percent of our undergraduates are first-generation college students. Many more have overcome great odds to be here. The result is an ever-expanding cadre of leaders from all walks of life. Achieving that is the very essence of a world-class public university."

On academic excellence

"We are beginning a process of campus-wide strategic planning, focusing on programs that are poised to move into the top echelon in their fields to create spires of excellence. We’ll determine where we can have the most impact."

On community engagement

"We can and must do much more, at the leadership level, to engage in the community, to improve the quality of life around us. Our engagement has to be focused and sustained. We will build upon the progress of previous programs and expand our commitments.

UCLA should serve as the model for great public research universities in the 21st century. We should lead the way in combining superior teaching, research and civic engagement."