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UCLA Launches $250 Million Fund Drive to Recruit Top Faculty and Students and Bolster Position as Leading Research University

Building on UCLA's long-term efforts to maintain its momentum as a leading research university that powers the economy and provides direct societal benefits, Chancellor Albert Carnesale announced June 3 an ambitious plan to raise $250 million over the next five years to help recruit and retain the very best faculty and students.

The central aim of the Ensuring Academic Excellence initiative is to generate new funds sufficient to enable UCLA to continue to attract and retain the finest faculty and students. Among the $250-million initiative's financial goals are to raise $100 million to fund 100 new endowed chairs for the recruitment and retention of professors across campus, $100 million to fund fellowships and scholarships in the UCLA College, and $50 million for fellowships and scholarships in UCLA's professional schools.


The $250-million initiative builds on the momentum of Campaign UCLA, among the more ambitious fund-raising efforts ever undertaken by a major public research university. Launched in 1997, Campaign UCLA has raised more than $2.5 billion, exceeding the goal of $2.4 billion well before the campaign's scheduled conclusion in December 2005. The current total includes approximately $287 million in commitments specifically earmarked for the support of students and faculty.

By Aeolus (Aeolus) on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 11:43 pm: Edit

Its good because the UCs need it. I have included a link below to UCSD's goal of one billion dollar fund drive (UCSD: Imagine What's Next):

http://campaign.ucsd.edu/

So far 591.7 million dollars have been raised.

By Kevin720 (Kevin720) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 12:54 am: Edit

Do you think this fundraising campaign will offset the financial deficits induced by the California budget crisis? What will UCLA look like five years down the road?

Aeolus-did you really attend Oxford?

By Thedad (Thedad) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 02:32 am: Edit

UCLA has a separate five-year fundraising campaign, Campaign UCLA, which is already at $2.7 billion, over its target of $2.5 billion. UCLA has the most successful public university fundraising history.
They're light-years ahead of Berkeley.

By Barrons (Barrons) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 11:26 am: Edit

Guess they are feeling the heat from a rising USC.

By Any1can (Any1can) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 12:37 pm: Edit

USC rising? Where? The great network for USC is only local-Southern Cal, maybe the state but not elsewhere. CA has such a great state system, you can't beat the education for the price-even though it is rising! UCLA is a terrific school for the $$ and much more rounded as far as education, reasearch, attitude, donations, etc. It too has terrific alumni associations and financial backers. However, being an alum most likely won't get your kid into the school like it might at USC depending on the amount of $$$ etc., donated.

By Frustrated24 (Frustrated24) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 01:39 pm: Edit

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville recieved $300 million dollar gift from the Walton family charity. The biggest to any public university And they have raised a total of (inculding the gift) around $850 million.

By Barrons (Barrons) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 02:01 pm: Edit

Pretty much everyone knows USC has made huge strides in academics the last 10 years and has a similar star faculty hiring program already underway. Its average SAT score is much higher than UCLA's (1330 v 1270 or so)now. While nearly every private school will make an admit if the donation is high enough, I'd bet $20 that the same thing would happen at UCLA.

By Kazz (Kazz) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 05:25 pm: Edit

Michigan had one in the mid 90's... which I believe was very successful... I don't have any numbers.

They just *publicly* launched the 2.5 billion dollar 'Michigan Difference' campaign last month and it's currently at $1.25 billion

By Barrons (Barrons) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 05:51 pm: Edit

Virginia recently completed a $2 Billion program and just announced a $3.0+ Billion effort.

By Aeolus (Aeolus) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 10:50 pm: Edit

Kevin, I was a visiting student at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University last year. In October, I will attend Worcester College, Oxford University to start on my MPhil degree.

By Kevin720 (Kevin720) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 11:34 pm: Edit

Aeolus--wow...THE Oxford? That's pretty incredible. I never thought I'd talk to someone who's attended this school. What'd you have to do to get into this program? And what's a MPhil degree?

By Kevin720 (Kevin720) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 11:52 pm: Edit

There's no doubt that UCLA has an excellent fundraising program and is a great school--heck, I would've went there had the navy not offer me a big scholarship for USC. However, one thing I will say is that since it is a public school, it is more affected by the unstable financial state of the government more than privates like SC are.

In so. Cal., the alumni network of USC is definitely better than UCLA's, and outside, it's as good or better than LA's also. With SC's academics on the rise, it should flare much better in the national rankings five years down the road.

By Shitakirimusume (Shitakirimusume) on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 04:29 am: Edit

Honor Roll

These medical centers all ranked high in at least six of the 17 Best Hospitals specialties, demonstrating unusual breadth of excellence. Their rank in the Honor Roll is based on a point system in which hospitals received 2 points for ranking at or near the top in a specialty and 1 point if slightly below that.

Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore
32 points in 16 specialties
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
28 points in 14 specialties
UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles
24 points in 14 specialties
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
24 points in 12 specialties
Cleveland Clinic
23 points in 12 specialties
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.
22 points in 13 specialties
University of California, San Francisco Medical Center
21 points in 12 specialties
Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis
18 points in 12 specialties
University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor
16 points in 11 specialties
University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle
15 points in 10 specialties
New York Presbyterian Hospital
15 points in 9 specialties
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
14 points in 8 specialties
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
13 points in 9 specialties
University of Chicago Hospitals
10 points in 7 specialties
(tie) Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Stanford, Calif.
9 points in 7 specialties
(tie) University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
9 points in 7 specialties
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville
8 points in 6 specialties


Note: 2 points were awarded if a hospital ranked 3 or more standard deviations (S.D.) above the mean score and 1 point if it ranked from just below the 3 S.D. threshold down to 2 S.D. above the mean. Where possible, ties were broken by number of specialties.