What's on my
mind
The extraordinary vision of Norman Miller
By John Sandbrook
“Stormin’ Norman” is what many of us called Norman
Perry Miller, a fixture at UCLA for so many years. Norm, who founded
the Office of Cultural and Recreational Affairs (CRA) in 1962 and
was UCLA’s first vice chancellor of student affairs, died
last September at the age of 86, following some difficult last years.
On April 19, which would have been his 87th birthday, some of us
gathered at the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center to reflect on and
to celebrate the man who created “Sunset Rec” in 1966.
Many a visitor continues to remark that there is no other place
like it in any other university in the United States.
Norm was a visionary, and if any single word describes what he stood
for, particularly at UCLA, it would be “community.”
A native Angeleno and a Bruin from age 17, he believed deeply in
the concept of UCLA and of Los Angeles as a community. He most likely
formulated the concept while studying at UCLA, putting it into practice
almost immediately after returning to Los Angeles in 1949 following
the war and a brief graduate student career at Columbia University.
Starting out at UCLA as an assistant professor of physical education,
Norm applied the ideas of “recreation” and “community”
in the academic setting of a then-growing university, becoming a
well-known advocate throughout California for people’s holistic
development. His ideas fortuitously married his own enthusiasm for
UCLA with those of two other individuals who believed as he did:
Chancellors Franklin Murphy and Chuck Young.
The three took the concept of the UCLA faculty, students and staff
as an integrated community and made it a reality. Franklin’s
approval of Norm’s formulation of the CRA in 1962 as separate
from the traditional P.E. department or student association models
permitted UCLA to develop an organizational structure that eventually
became a national role model.
As CRA director, Norm persuaded Franklin to share his vision for
a deep, sage-filled canyon-like ravine along Sunset Boulevard as
the ideal site for a center for recreational and cultural programs.
“Murphy’s Folly” was what the Daily Bruin mockingly
labeled it when construction began in September 1964. “Breathtaking
and beautiful” was the verdict of students, faculty and staff
when it opened in February 1966.
Everyone agreed: Sunset Canyon was the perfect setting for both
communities of new resident undergraduates and of faculty, staff
and graduate students on the main campus. Thus did the concept of
a community facility at UCLA come to life, joining the Faculty Center,
Ackerman Union and Pauley Pavilion as special “community”
facilities that opened on campus between 1959 and 1966.
Norm removed himself from daily involvement at UCLA after 1984 at
age 66. He continued to be a regular presence around the Faculty
Center, however, greeting everyone he knew with his cheerful smile
and vigorous voice and handshake. His spirit and his belief in the
concept of community at UCLA remain today and will remain part of
our university as long as the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center continues.
We can reflect, celebrate and, most of all, pledge not to let Norm’s
indomitable spirit, concept and vision disappear.
Sandbrook is special assistant to the executive dean at
the UCLA College.
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