Celebrate the best in undergraduate education

By Cynthia Lee

Opening the academic year in grand fashion, the Division of Undergraduate Education is asking students, faculty and staff to take a moment at the start of this fall quarter to reflect on what makes the UCLA undergraduate learning experience so rich and unique.

"At UCLA, we celebrate undergraduate education every day by teaching and mentoring our diverse and highly-engaged students — with innovative programs, multidisciplinary experiences, specialized seminars and opportunities to pursue research," explained Judith Smith, vice provost for Undergraduate Education.

To recognize the best of what UCLA offers its undergraduates, a weeklong celebration will be held, beginning Oct. 12 through Oct. 11, with presentations by faculty, students, alumni and staff who will touch on the wide spectrum of innovations that foster interdisciplinary study, promote core values such as diversity, incorporate the latest teaching technologies and open up new opportunities for dialogue between students and faculty.

Smith, who conceptualized and oversaw the planning for the celebration, said this will become an annual event, open to the entire campus, which will highlight a different theme in undergraduate education each year. "All of this year's events will be sponsored by the Division of Undergraduate Education and its partners," she said.

This year's celebration, on the theme of innovations, will open with an inaugural convocation Oct. 8 at 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Eli and Edythe Broad Auditorium, followed by a reception in the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden. Chancellor Gene Block will speak on "Personal Reflection on a Lifetime of Teaching." Also speaking will be Scott Waugh, acting provost and executive vice chancellor, and Smith, who will give an overview of such innovations as the Freshman Cluster Program, which offers yearlong interdisciplinary courses in which more than 12,000 freshmen have enrolled in the 10 years it has been offered. "The Cluster Program is unique — nationwide," Smith said. Another innovation, the Fiat Lux Freshman Seminar Program at UCLA, is the largest of its kind in the country.

Among the events going on throughout the week will be:

• A Competitive Edge in the Information Society — A panel of faculty and librarians will showcase successful collaborations and projects that enhance undergraduates' information skills and understanding of the scholarly process — Oct. 9, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Powell Library Rotunda. Lunch provided.

• Service Learning and Civic Engagement — Faculty who have taught service learning courses will present examples of their curricular innovations — Oct. 9, noon to 1:30 p.m., the Faculty Center, California Room. Lunch provided.

• Bruincast: Course Webcasting at UCLA — Learn about UCLA's video and audio webcasting options. Faculty who have used these services will share their experiences, and the Office of Instructional Development will present findings from its survey data on student use of these services and their attitudes toward classroom technology — Oct. 10, noon to 1:30 p.m., 186 East Powell Library Building. Lunch provided.

• Diversifying the Academy — Faculty panelists will discuss the challenges UCLA faces in diversifying the academy, and students and alumni will reflect on their experiences with such programs as the NIH Minority Access to Research Careers — Oct. 11, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Royce 362.

See the entire schedule of events and RSVP.