Service & Maintenance Staff
1,427
Student Centers
- Ackerman Union
- North Campus Student Center
Main Libraries
Powell Library
Popular Places to Chill
- Ackerman Union
- Bruin Café
- The hill near Janss Steps
- Northern Lights
- Sunset Canyon Recreation Center
Coffeehouse on Campus
- Jimmy's Coffee House in Lu Valle Commons
- Kerckhoff Coffeehouse in Kerckhoff Hall
- Northern Lights in the North Campus Student Center
Movie Theater on Campus
The James Bridges Theater in Melnitz Hall
"Green" Initiatives
UCLA joined the "green" bandwagon years ago, when the University began recycling 44 percent of its waste via the Facilities Management Recycling Program. Students are encouraged to recycle in the dorms, and pilot programs are being conducted that instate compost-making programs in some buildings. Housing is also skilled at coming up with incentives that motivate residents to conserve power.
School Slang
- 8 Clap: The ultimate display of Bruin pride. The 8 Clap is performed simultaneously by thousands of students at sports events.
- Blackout: The week before/during Greek rush periods, when the party scene is essentially dead
- BruCaf: Bruin Café, the buzzing dorm eatery open until 2 a.m.
- Bruin Walk: The central walkway that separates North Campus and South Campus
- Buck Fiddy's: Student nickname for a food stand officially named Tommy Taco, which is a popular late-night nacho and fries hangout
- Cluster: A group of classes that, when taken together, give credit for multiple general education classes in different subject areas (e.g. humanities, social sciences), and sometimes shave off extra classes students have to take
- The Dungeon: Basement area of Powell Library (one of the quietest areas to study on campus)
- Midnight Yell: Finals week tradition of screaming loudly one time at midnight to relieve stress
- North Campus Majors: A nickname for social science and humanities majors, because most of these departments are located on the northern half of campus
- Rape Trail: The (now) well-lit walkway between the dorms and the apartments
- South Campus Majors: A nickname for life and physical science majors, because most of these departments are located on the southern half of campus
- Sunset: All-encompassing term for the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center's field and two pools. Bikini-clad students swarm this area during spring quarter's warmer days.
- URSA: The online enrollment system and infamous source of frustration over hard-to-find classes
- Wooden: John Wooden Center, home of the ever-crowded gym
Traditions
- Basketball Campout: Tents are pitched and pizza is ordered outside Pauley Pavilion on nights before big basketball games as students stake out for the best seats.
- Book Reading Marathon: This little jewel is an English-lover's delight, as the Undergraduate English Association sponsors a reading of a book in 15-minute increments. Many times, actors will come out to read the first hour of the book and support the English department.
- Dance Marathon: Each winter, hundreds of Bruins subject themselves to 26 hours of constant dancing in Ackerman Grand Ballroom to raise funds for pediatric AIDS. Celebrity appearances and killer food sponsors are highlights.
- Inverted Fountain: All UCLA students are only supposed to touch the fountain twice in their entire UCLA career: during orientation and on graduation day (assuming you remember). The fountain ushers all students into the University and bids them adieu, as well. It is a time-honored tradition that links all UCLA alumni.
- Undie Run: On the final night of each quarter, students strip to their knickers for a speedy jaunt around Westwood and through campus. Though cops have been cracking down on the event lately, a hundred or so brave souls have kept it rolling.
Urban Legends
Some say the Inverted Fountain, which was designed by a USC grad, was made to look like a toilet when viewing the fountain with Franz Hall in the background.
Favorite Things To Do
Between classes, students like to soak up sun, grab some chow, sculpt a stellar body at the gym, or play a round of pool. The pre-screenings at UCLA are always packed, regardless of how a movie is going to do at the box office. There are also events, from speakers to plays, at the North Campus Auditorium each week. At the end of the year, students like to check out cultural shows-there is a show every day from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in Ackerman Square, but the end of the year is best because the squads have gotten in a lot practice.
Clubs and Organizations on Campus
On a campus as large as UCLA's, you will encounter hundreds of student groups trying to make their mark. Most students join a club or organization of some sort in search of a niche among UCLA's 25,000 undergrads, and community service organizations are popular. The Student Alumni Association, composed of fun-loving Bruins, is very active and plans well-respected events like Spring Sing and Homecoming that attract current students and alumni. The Dance Marathon committee is also a somewhat "trendy" service group to join.
Student Activities Offered
- Campus ministries
- Choral groups
- Concert band
- Dance
- Drama/theater
- International student organization
- Jazz band
- Literary magazine
- Marching band
- Model UN
- Music ensembles
- Musical theater
- Opera
- Pep band
- Radio station
- Student government
- Student newspaper
- Student-run film society
- Symphony orchestra
- Television station
- Yearbook
ROTC
Air Force ROTC:
YesNavy ROTC:
YesArmy ROTC:
YesDid You Know?
- In addition to UCLA's main library-Powell-there are 11 other libraries: Arts, Biomedical, Clark Memorial, College, East Asian, Management, Music, Performing Arts, Research, Science and Engineering, and UCLA Lab School libraries. This doesn't include all the special collections and reading rooms also available.
- While there isn't a bowling alley on campus now, there used to be one in Ackerman about 20 years ago!