This remarkable accomplishment by Campaign UCLA was attained despite the nation’s uncertain economic climate. Capping the effort was a landmark pledge of $200 million in May from entertainment executive and philanthropist David Geffen.
The largest single donation of its kind ever made to a school of medicine in the United States, Geffen’s gift was also the largest ever received in the UC system. To acknowledge his generosity, the school was named the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The $509.4 million fundraising total reflects gifts and pledges received between July 1, 2001, and June 30, 2002, elevating the total for Campaign UCLA to more than $2.017 billion. That equals 84 percent of the $2.4 billion overall goal for the campaign, which concludes in 2005. The previous fundraising record for UCLA was nearly $330 million, set in 1999–2000.
“We are enormously grateful for the support our donors provide,� Chancellor Albert Carnesale said, “because government funding alone does not meet the needs of a world-class public research university. With the UCLA family’s continuing commitment to our mission of teaching, research and service, I believe that even greater days lie ahead.�
Campaign UCLA chairman Bob Wilson said the record year was particularly gratifying given the decision in March to extend the fundraising initiative until 2005, boosting the goal from $1.6 billion to $2.4 billion. “Our donors have responded magnificently to the challenge,� Wilson said. “Much work remains to be accomplished, but I’m confident that the campaign will continue to build on its previous successes.�
Dennis Slon, associate vice chancellor, development, agrees, saying he is encouraged by the large number of individual donors who support Campaign UCLA. “We have so many friends who appreciate the vital role the university plays, not only in Southern California but throughout the world,� Slon said. “Their generosity helps UCLA attract and retain outstanding faculty and students and improve facilities campuswide.�
Launched in 1997 with an initial goal of $1.2 billion, Campaign UCLA is the most ambitious fundraising effort ever undertaken by a public university. The campaign supports academic and research programs and provides financial aid for graduate and undergraduate students. To meet substantial capital improvement needs, the campaign is securing funds to restore buildings dating back to 1929 and construct new facilities for the life sciences and medicine, physics and astronomy, the visual and performing arts, and other campus units.
Of the contributions received during the past fiscal year, 50.4 percent are unrestricted and 49.6 percent are designated for specific purposes.
Designated gifts and pledges are as follows:
-
Campus improvements: $111.4 million, 44.1 percent
- Research: $74.9 million, 29.6 percent
- Scholarships/fellowships: $17 million, 6.7 percent
- Instruction: $12.8 million, 5.1 percent
- Academic programs: $30.4 million, 12 percent
- Other activities: $6.3 million, 2.5 percent
Sources of contributions break down as follows:
- Alumni: $70.8 million, 13.9 percent
- Non-alumni: $290.8 million, 57.1 percent
- Nonprofit foundations: $49.3 million, 9.7 percent
- Other nonprofits: $14.1 million, 2.8 percent
- Corporations: $29.6 million, 5.8 percent
- Campus organizations: $3.8 million, 0.7 percent
- Estates: $51 million, 10 percent
In addition to the pledge from David Geffen, among the numerous highlights of the past fiscal year is a gift of $5 million from Southern California real estate executive Richard S. Ziman to help form a new center within The Anderson School at UCLA. The center conducts research on the rapidly changing real estate industry.
Another highlight is a gift of $3 million from Amgen Inc. supporting the adult oncology wing of UCLA’s replacement hospital, currently under construction on the Westwood campus. The gift is in memory of Dora Menchaca, an Amgen employee who was killed Sept. 11 aboard the airliner that crashed into the Pentagon.
And the New York-based Freeman Foundation gave $2 million to the College of Letters and Science to bolster undergraduate education in the Humanities Division. The funds will support Asian studies in several key areas, such as enhancing language programs, expanding interdisciplinary curriculum and increasing student participation in education abroad programs in Asia.