2018 New Student Welcome

Speech

This is Bruin Life

Good afternoon, everyone. And thanks to all the wonderful artists who just performed.

I am thrilled to see you all here!

I can still recall when I was beginning my studies at a community college, pondering my future. And I remember when I was beginning my journey as a transfer student at a four-year university, excited by new opportunities.

Back then, I never would have imagined I would be standing here today, as chancellor of the greatest public university in the world, honored to say to all of you: WELCOME TO UCLA!

Clearly you are here because you have great taste in your choice of a university. In fact, just a few weeks ago, UCLA was ranked the #1 public university in the nation!

I suspect you are also here because something about UCLA resonated with you personally. Perhaps you were attracted by our talented and diverse student body, or by our beautiful campus, or by our societal mission as a public university. Or perhaps it was the “whole package” of characteristics that made UCLA your top choice. Whatever your reason, we are happy you are here.

You, our newest students, are truly special. Last year, 137,000 students from all across California, the nation and the world applied to UCLA — more than any other university in the country — and out of all of those applicants — we chose you.

We chose you because we saw exceptional academic accomplishment and leadership qualities that resonated with our values.

We recognize that each of you has something special to contribute to this institution: Your ideas, your energy, your creativity will help shape this university!

So, I congratulate you all on getting here and I am excited to see where your UCLA experience will take you!

Some of you arrive here straight after high school or from time in the workforce or after starting families. Others are transferring from another school. And some of you are either visiting from other countries or you are immigrants to this country.

And to those of you who are immigrants, I want to say a special word of welcome. And I want you to know that UCLA appreciates how much you contribute to our campus and to our country. Your dreams are American dreams and we will do all we can to support you.

About one third of you in this incoming class are, like me, among the first generation in their families to attend college.

I’d also like to take a moment to recognize those who are here after serving in the U.S. military. We are honored to have all our veterans joining the Bruin family.

No matter where you came from, or what path you took to get here, UCLA will be your new home for the next few years. A home where you will have all the resources of a leading research institution at your disposal.

Where you will learn new things about yourselves and about the world, where you will discover new friendships and new talents.

Maybe you will direct a play, work in a lab and co-publish a paper, or find something unexpected that inspires your imagination.

In my case, I found myself fascinated with studying status hierarchies among Rhesus monkeys and investigating brain mechanisms underlying memory in fish. Yes, believe it or not, monkeys and fish led me to a career as a scientist and eventually brought me here before all of you today. You never know how new passions can change your life!

So, use your time here wisely. Embrace all the opportunities you will find. And create new ones! I do recommend you get involved in some type of independent research or work with a faculty member on a project. There is probably no better way to experience the thrill of discovery. (And, hint, hint: For most of you who will be going on to professional or graduate education — this is also a great way to get a strong faculty recommendation letter.)

But right now, all of you are probably just focused on starting your new adventure at UCLA. That’s as it should be.

But keep this in mind throughout your life as Bruins: Employers don’t just want the smartest students or the ones who have mastered the most knowledge. Employers tell us, time and again, that they need people with strong communications skills, who can work in teams, and solve every day problems.

So, remember this: How well you can communicate and collaborate with your fellow students is as important for your future as anything you will learn in class.

Just as this is an important moment for you, it is also an important moment for UCLA, as we prepare to celebrate our 100th year. You will be part of that milestone. But more important, you will help begin our next century. And because of you, UCLA will only get better, reach higher and achieve more.

At UCLA, we think broadly and deeply. We challenge stereotypes and we question assumptions. We have an exciting opportunity to do just that in a shared experience for your whole class.

This year’s common book is The Line Becomes a River, a powerful examination of the complex flesh and blood realities along our southern border. I hope the book will stimulate your own thinking and your own passion for insight.

There is something magical about a university campus. And something very special about this one.

UCLA has students from every state in the Union, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. Students, faculty and staff come to UCLA from over 100 countries, speaking dozens of different languages, with a multitude of different religions, cultures, political views, and life experiences.

Walk down Bruin Walk, go into a classroom or lab or performance space, and you will feel the electricity that this diversity generates.

And yet, somehow, amidst all this difference, we come together to form a community. Communities don’t just happen. They are created by the choices and care that each of us contributes. The UCLA community is bound together by our dedication to evidence-based reasoning and collaboration, a quest for deeper understanding, our commitment to each-other’s well-being and our True Bruin Values.

That means having the highest ethical expectations for yourself and others. And it means caring about your classmates’ hopes and fears and treating each other with empathy, even when you disagree with each other. In time, you may even come to see a reflection of yourself in those who are different.

No matter who you are, you can find other students with similar experiences, but I also encourage all of you to push yourself out of your comfort zones.

Connect with different people and challenge yourself with new ideas. There are many ways to do this, including through any of the 1,200 student clubs and organizations on campus.

Being open to the world around us is where transformation begins, where learning happens, where community is built.

We want UCLA to be a home, an extended family even, in the best sense of those words. Not everyone in a family sees things the same way. But even when family members have tough disagreements, everyone deserves their seat at the table and has a right to be heard. In this regard, we are holding you to a high standard. We will protect your right to free expression, but we insist you allow others that same right.

There may be speakers from both outside and inside our institution with whom you vehemently disagree. That’s bound to happen, in any family, at any university. But if you choose to attend an event, you have the responsibility to allow others to hear the speakers. First Amendment rights are precious and we protect our own freedom of expression by protecting the freedom of others.

Continuing a moment on our expectations, I need to stress one of the most important ones: We have zero — zero — tolerance for sexual violence.

Sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking are crimes. Crimes against the dignity and safety of an individual, and crimes against the values of our community. They will be treated as such.

Pay attention to the Student Code of Conduct and the University of California’s Policy on Sexual Violence. Understand what “consent” means. Know your own boundaries and respect the boundaries of others. And if you encounter sexual violence or misconduct, please report it immediately to authorities on or off-campus.

Finally, I know I have talked about some serious things. But I want to leave you with the reminder that you all have the intelligence, the imagination, the drive and the discipline to succeed at UCLA and to make UCLA proud.

We are delighted you are here! Please remember that we are all here to support you.

Just ask for any assistance you need. We’ve been doing this for a long time and UCLA is prepared to help you in any way we can. We can offer guidance on academics, career planning and volunteering in the community. We will do everything we can to help make your time at UCLA, with these extraordinary people, among the best years of your life.

Once again, my very best wishes to all of you. Welcome to your new home and your new lives as Bruins!