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Photos by Cynthia Lee UCLA Today Chancellor Albert Carnesale, with his wife, Robin, enjoys a chat with Pilar MacDaniel, manager of customer service for the UCLA Medical Center.

FOOD, FUN AND A CONGA LINE

Staff get groovy at picnic

by WENDY SODERBURG
ucla today staff

“It’s picnic time! I’m enjoying the party!”

Josie Mancilla, an administrative assistant in Corporate Financial Services’ Equipment Management Department, was clearly having a blast at the first annual All-Staff Picnic, themed “Bruin Pride,” held July 29 in Dickson Court. “My boss told me to stay a while and have a good time,” she said happily.

Approximately 3,500 staff members, along with Chancellor Albert Carnesale and his wife, Robin, turned out to enjoy the sun, the camaraderie and a feast of chicken, potato salad, sweets, snacks and barrels of cold drinks.

“In tough budget times, everybody suffers, but nobody suffers more than the staff,” the chancellor told the crowd, sprawled on blankets, sitting at picnic tables and stretched out on the grass. “In a sense, you get paid less and you have to work harder. ... Hopefully, we will come out of these difficult budget times and be able to make it up to you.”

While some staff cool off with ice cream, others heat up on an impromptu dance floor.

Minutes later, pumped up by the music blasting from speakers commandeered by a DJ from Feet First Eventertainment, hundreds of employees spontaneously got to their feet, took over the walkways and gyrated to the macarena, electric slide and conga, to the delight of cheering spectators. Among the revelers were John Mathews, office manager for the Labor Occupational Safety and Health program, and Tom Narins, administrative assistant in the Institute of Industrial Relations.

“It’s great! Free food, good times, relaxing. ... We wish we had brought a blanket. We didn’t think ahead,” Mathews said. Narins added, “I was surprised that this was the very first picnic, and I hope it continues in the future.”

Hassan Ghamlouch, president of UCLA’s Staff Assembly, was pleased that everyone was having such a good time. The staff organization celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and was responsible for planning the picnic, which was funded by the Chancellor’s Office.

“This is the least we can do to show appreciation to the staff,” Ghamlouch said. “They haven’t had cost-of-living or merit increases, so this is the only way we can say thank you.”