Good morning everyone.
This is my first time speaking to you as chancellor, and I am honored to do so. I feel very proud to represent the resilient UCLA community.
My first full week as chancellor was not what I had expected, but throughout my career, I have learned to pivot quickly to an emergency mode of operation.
Let me first acknowledge that taking up this position at a moment when so many Bruins are living with fear, anxiety and pain has truly been heartbreaking.
The suffering is very real. And it is going to take a long time to process the losses and repair the damage.
But seeing how we all come together – and truly support each other – has given me energy and hope.
When the crisis was at its worst, I updated the Bruin community every day through social media videos and campus messages. And I used that opportunity to thank everyone for staying connected.
I also thanked everyone for finding, in the middle of a crisis, the energy to tap into their own reservoirs of kindness.
Let me now extend that same gratitude to you:
The Regents, who reached out with generous offers of support – even when some were facing the loss of their own homes.
President Drake, who provided guidance and help from Day One.
And my fellow chancellors, who offered space and campus resources, sent their emergency personnel to our campus, and extended an open hand.
Your kindness touched me and everyone in the Bruin community.
I may be new but I quickly learned that this is a community that sticks together and stands together.
The first fires broke out on January 7, and Bruins came together quickly. They opened their homes. They made meals. And they checked in on one another.
UCLA emergency personnel and health care professionals worked literally around the clock to ensure the safety of our campus community.
Staff worked extra hours and answered calls late in the night.
The Emergency Management Planning Group was activated all day and all night. And we made sure that our students, staff and faculty who lost homes – or who were otherwise affected – knew that the university was there to support them.
The UCLA Volunteer Center stepped up with 500 emergency packages for Bruins in need in the first days of the crisis.
We launched the Bruin Wildfire Relief Fund for students and employees whose homes were destroyed, or who faced other serious hardships. It’s been heartening to see the amount of support to that fund.
At the height of the crisis, we held four UCLA Connects Town Halls, and nearly 16,000 Bruins came with questions and heard from senior leaders, including myself.
At the same time, we are looking out at our wider Los Angeles community.
It’s been said that no crisis should go to waste. And this is absolutely an incredible opportunity to demonstrate that UCLA is not just a university of Los Angeles – it is the university of Los Angeles.
It’s not just in – but of – the City.
For example, we donated the use of space at UCLA Research Park for the Disaster Recovery Center, which was set up by FEMA and by the City of Los Angeles.
I toured the space on opening day, along with the mayor and a FEMA representative. Even before the doors opened, there was a line of people waiting to receive support of all kinds from local and state agencies – truly impressive.
UCLA experts and many of our alumni are there providing their services. This is just another example of how the university fulfills its mission of service to the community.
Of course, we continue to deal with the loss and destruction – the emergency is not fully over – but now we also have to focus on recovery. That will be the next phase in this process.
We intend to continue to be deeply engaged in the efforts to reimagine a more resilient future for our city – our community. Internally, I believe in a culture of continuous improvement.
So we are going to do a thorough evaluation that looks at our preparedness for this emergency, and ask a key question: how can we do better the next time? Because there will be a next time.
What lessons can we learn from this experience?
We will answer those questions and continue to find ways to help each other – and those around us.
Thank you again to all of you for your partnership and support throughout this crisis, and thank you for welcoming me with such kindness to the UC community.
I look forward to continuing to build UCLA’s relationship with each and every one of you.