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VOL. 24. NO.1 AUGUST 12, 2003

BUREAU BRIEFS

SCHOOL OF LAW

Professor Norman Abrams will become interim dean of the School of Law on Aug. 16, pending approval by the UC Board of Regents. A nationwide search will soon begin to find a permanent successor to Jonathan Varat, who decided to step down as dean and return to full-time teaching and writing. Abrams, who served as associate law dean in 1989-91, has been both an academic and administrative leader, including a vice chancellor for academic personnel from 1991-2001. “Norm Abrams has earned, and continues to merit, the trust and respect of his colleagues across the campus and beyond,” said Chancellor Albert Carnesale. “I am certain that he will bring to the interim dean position the integrity, conscientiousness and commitment to excellence that have marked his career.”

UCLA MEDICAL CENTER

UCLA Medical Center moved up to No. 3 in the nation while maintaining its top ranking as the best hospital in the western United States for the 14th consecutive year, according to a U.S. News & World Report survey of 2,550 board-certified physicians from across the country. Ranking No. 1 and No. 2 in the nation respectively were Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Also ranked best in the West in their specialties were UCLA’s geriatrics (No. 1 in the nation); the Jules Stein Eye Institute (fifth in the nation); the Neuropsychiatric Hospital (sixth nationwide); and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (eighth nationwide).

ATHLETICS

Winning women athletes from UCLA who brought to Westwood three NCAA team championships in 2002-03 were honored June 27 by the Los Angeles City Council, represented by Councilmembers Jack Weiss, Wendy Greuel, Cindy Miscikowski and Ed Reyes, all UCLA alumni. The women’s gymnastics, softball and water polo teams and their coaches were recognized for their national victories. The top-ranked gymnasts won their fourth overall NCAA championship April 25 while the softball team became only the second in history to lose its opening game and come back to win the championship, its 10th NCAA title overall. The women’s water polo team won its second NCAA championship on May 11. Along with an NCAA title win by the men’s soccer team, which was honored earlier by the city council, UCLA took four NCAA championship titles this year.