“I believe deeply in our research and teaching mission and I am extremely proud to be a part of one of the world’s great public universities, tackling society’s most vexing problems. I look forward to leading the Anderson community as we engage that mission with a spirit of collaboration, innovation and purpose.”
Antonio Bernardo, Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management, began his academic career at UCLA Anderson and has been a member of the finance faculty since 1994. He has a long history as an active and engaged member of Anderson’s faculty and its administration, having served as department chair and senior associate dean for academic affairs from 2006 to 2009, and finance area chair from 2013 to 2015 and again in 2019. He previously held the Joel Fried Chair in Applied Finance and Robert D. Beyer Term Chair in Management.
In 2019, Bernardo was appointed UCLA Anderson’s ninth dean, effective July 1. Read News Release.
In the News
Antonio Bernardo Named Dean of UCLA Anderson
Antonio Bernardo, an award-winning teacher and respected scholar who has taught at UCLA for 25 years, has been named the new dean of the UCLA Anderson School of Management, effective July 1
Office of the Dean
Dean Bernardo's First-Day Message to Anderson
"While I have my own personal perspective, I intend to broaden it into an understanding and set of goals that we all share."
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Wednesday 5/26/2021
To reinforce what Chancellor Block and Vice Chancellor Spain Bradley shared in their message this morning — hate and discrimination have no place at UCLA Anderson or in our broader community.
The disturbing rise in hate crimes, intolerance and harassment in Los Angeles and across the country has left many in our community feeling vulnerable or even targeted for their beliefs, backgrounds or identities.
At Anderson, we understand that our community is strengthened immeasurably by its diversity of views, of voices, of backgrounds; respect for one another's beliefs, for the differences that together create and sustain a vibrant whole, is our foundation.
We condemn anti-Semitism. We reject every form of discrimination or bias. As a community, we must stand together against hatred or violence that targets any one of us.
To quote Chancellor Block and Vice Chancellor Spain Bradley, "At UCLA, our commitment to inclusion means we can never allow hatred or discrimination to prevail. We thrive because we are a community united through our shared values, which in turn guide our actions."
Let's continue to build a more equitable and just community, here at Anderson and beyond, and let's each commit to speaking up against hatred and violence wherever they occur.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Previous Community Updates
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Tuesday 5/25/2021
Dear Anderson Community:
Today is the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death. His final words — “I can’t breathe” — became a global call to action against police brutality, and more broadly, against racist violence and hate in all of its forms.
One year later, we have seen real progress on many fronts, but we have also witnessed a continuing surge in discrimination and violence around the world.
Here in Los Angeles, hate crimes hit a record high just last month. The victims have been old, young, grandmothers, sons, business owners and high schoolers — in many cases, doing nothing to attract any attention to themselves at all.
Our city, country and the world need to do better.
UCLA is the nation’s top public university. Our mission is to uplift the communities around us — and the greater world — through our scholarship, leadership and service. At the very foundation of that call to action is our belief in equal respect and justice for all.
I am grateful to the many individuals across our community – students, faculty, staff, alumni and our Board of Advisors — who have made it a personal priority to build a more equitable, diverse and inclusive climate here at Anderson and beyond. To help unify, report and celebrate these efforts, our EDI team led by Dean Heather Caruso, has created a dynamic document, posted on our website. We will continually update this document to keep our EDI goals and progress top-of-mind.
As we reflect today on the death of George Floyd, let’s each commit to speak up and act against hatred and violence in its many forms. To echo what Chancellor Block and Executive Vice Chancellor Carter shared last night, “all of us can and must do our part to help create a world of compassion, justice and equity for all.”
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
The Chauvin Verdict
4/20/2021 6:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Tuesday 4/20/2021 6:00 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community,
The verdicts of guilty on all three counts, including murder, for Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd signals a hopeful and historic moment in the history of policing in the United States. In bringing accountability, our society moves closer to delivering justice in cases of police brutality and murder, and acknowledging the fundamental humanity of each and every one of us.
This accountability has been a long time coming, but it is just one step on a very long road still ahead of us to end systemic racism throughout our institutions and organizations, and to create a more just society.
As a school of management, our purpose is to prepare leaders to make a positive impact on the organizations and communities they serve. Our graduates not only have the opportunity, but the responsibility to build a more just and equitable future for us all.
As University of California President Drake shared last week, “we unequivocally stand in support of ending systemic racism, of an immediate end to the killing of unarmed Black and Brown individuals by law enforcement, and of prosecuting those that commit hate crimes against Asian Americans.”
And as Chancellor Block shared this afternoon, “As Bruins, we are committed to creating a world of justice and dignity for all. We must challenge the devaluation of Black, Brown, Native or Asian lives. This must be an urgent obligation and new normal for every person and every institution in our country.”
Even as we draw hope from today’s verdict, we must be conscious of the fact that it is in no way a conclusion. It is a call to further action.
In the weeks and years ahead, we must live Anderson’s ongoing commitment to social justice and the end of racism through our programs, curriculum, events and community engagement. Through our efforts and those of our 42,000 alumni worldwide, Anderson can help drive the change that is centuries overdue.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Supporting our AAPI Community
3/19/2021 7:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Thursday 3/19/2021 7:00 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community,
As the tide of anti-Asian racism and violence across the country rises, many members of our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community are feeling great distress, fear and anger.
Once again, in this most difficult year, I am asking all of us — students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters — to pull together as a unified community to respond with compassionate support and dedicated action.
Most urgently, for those in our AAPI community who might need immediate emotional support and counsel, I am sharing links to our Student Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and to our Staff and Faculty Counseling Center. UCLA’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion offers a number of additional resources.
Aside from these professional services, it is the personal care and concern of our family, friends and colleagues that matter most. We can each make a difference today. I encourage each of you to reach out to anyone in our community – or beyond -- who you know is feeling hurt and frightened.
Beyond personal compassion and professional support, the Anderson community is also creating opportunities to share insights and build understanding that will prepare all of us to address generations of national systemic anti-Asian racism, and make a meaningful difference through purposeful acts, both large and small.
I am grateful to students across our programs, particularly the leadership of many of our AAPI identity clubs, and to our FEMBA Council, who are partnering with faculty and staff to build understanding of this issue and to provide our community with insights and tools to address it.
Tomorrow, we will launch a new series of AAPI initiatives that will include communications, conversations and workshops. We’ll begin by sharing a new podcast, “What People of Asian Descent in America Face Now,” an interview with Anderson professor and UCLA BruinX Associate Vice Chancellor Margaret Shih exploring current cultural and workplace conflicts.
When students return for spring quarter, we will share a calendar and details on a number of key initiatives that will be open to our entire community and draw on the expertise of our alumni and scholars across Anderson, UCLA and UC campuses. Among them are the following:
- UCLA Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Anna Spain Bradley will lead a UCLA community-wide conversation on April 7.
- The FEMBA Council and leaders from our AAPI identity clubs will follow that with an Anderson-specific conversation later in the month.
- Professor Chris Tang and Matt Gorlick, director of student development and executive coach for the FEMBA and EMBA programs, will co-host an anti-Asian racism panel and dedicated intergroup dialog workshop, also in April.
- Professor Noah Goldstein and Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Heather Caruso will co-sponsor an event with Red Canary Song and the International Institute.
- Later in the quarter, scholars across campus will join us for a panel on “The History of Anti-Asian Racism in America.”
- Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications Mary Osako will host a panel on “Effective Cross-Cultural Communications.”
- Assistant Dean Heather Caruso and postdoctoral researcher Gautam Sood will conduct an intergroup dialog session on racial discrimination.
- Professor Margaret Shih will host a custom workshop tentatively titled “A Call to Civility.”
- Professor Chris Tang will lead a panel discussion on “Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling.”
- Leaders from across campus will host a panel on “Anti-Hate Advocacy.”
In the meantime, I want to encourage you all to join our broader UCLA community in the organized efforts of Stop AAPI Hate (in partnership with the UCLA Asian American Studies Center):
- Report a hate incident
- Share safety tips
- Be informed
- Support local efforts and be civically engaged in your local community
- Denounce anti-Asian racism and work toward racial justice
- Donate to AAPI organizations such as Stop AAPI Hate, NAPAWF and AAAJ
- Support Asian-owned businesses
- Support ethnic studies
As Professor Chris Tang has often said and written, “We need to support love and speak against hate.” When anyone in our community is targeted, we must all stand up together in support and compassion.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Fall Update
Monday 8/03/2020 7:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Monday 8/03/2020 7:00 p.m.
Dear Anderson community,
I am writing to follow up on Executive Vice Chancellor Carter’s email today that updates UCLA’s plans for fall quarter, including a reduction of on-site/hybrid courses to 8%. These courses will be limited primarily to lab, studio and clinical courses, in addition to a few others across the university that require in-person attendance.
At Anderson, we are adjusting our plans to operate within this strict guideline, which is driven by the need to balance health and safety concerns with the advantages of being on campus together. Even within this limit, I assure you that we will work in partnership with students to create a truly excellent student experience. We have taken care to build flexibility into our plans. Our faculty are prepared to offer additional hybrid classes should the situation improve.
Under the current plan, there is at least one hybrid course offering available for incoming students in each degree program. Each of our program directors will be providing more specific updates to their students before the end of the week. These on-site/hybrid courses are especially important for our incoming international students, who must meet strict visa requirements to attend Anderson. The Dashew Center for International Students & Scholars will be hosting a Town Hall on August 5 to provide the latest information available on those requirements and to answer any questions. We encourage all of our international students to register to join that meeting.
In the coming days, I hope to have more information to share about how we will be able to use our Anderson outdoor spaces for academic and extracurricular events. We will continue to work closely with student leadership to strategize the best use of this space to help students connect with each other and our wider community, as well as with professional contacts.
In the midst of all that is happening, today we are celebrating the first day of orientation for our incoming full-time MBA class of 2022! These students are beginning their time with us under very trying circumstances, which speaks highly of their adaptability, resilience and commitment to their educational goals. Let me again give an enthusiastic welcome to the newest members of our Anderson community!
While we continue to be challenged by the current pandemic, I am confident that, together, we will not only endure through this difficult time, but excel.
As always, please take good care of yourself and each other.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Anderson EDI Update
Thursday 7/16/2020 6:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Thursday 7/16/2020 6:00 p.m.
Dear Anderson community,
In the seven weeks since George Floyd’s death, racial justice has moved from an activist cause to a widespread call to action. Finally, communities, institutions and businesses across the nation are acknowledging systemic racism and grappling with ways to overturn it.
Academia is no exception. As UCLA Chancellor Block and Executive Vice Chancellor Carter shared in their email of June 30, “In this moment we rightfully have been moved to ask what more we can do to make UCLA a community where all will know that Black lives, Black intellects, Black aspirations and Black experiences matter.” In the same email, they laid out a 12-point plan to drive lasting change at UCLA.
Here at Anderson, we are making the goals of equity, diversity and inclusion a central element of our forthcoming Strategic Plan, which will set the future course for the entire school. Combating systemic racism is a clear priority, as is setting up the necessary systems and processes to ensure that all members of our community — across every identity and background — can fulfill their potential at our school.
As Inspirational 100 alumnus Blair Taylor (’90) recently emphasized in a discussion hosted by Anderson’s Seattle alumni chapter, we must prepare for some difficulty and discomfort as we transform ourselves into an institution whose power, weight and scale are actively attacking the root causes of systemic racism. We have the will and commitment to live our values in this way, but have not been organized to actively integrate equity, diversity and inclusion concerns into all of our operations. We are changing that.
This summer, the strategic planning committee is gathering input from alumni, students, faculty and staff across the school, and the Strategic Plan will be shared with our community in the fall. I believe this thorough and deliberative approach is essential to produce the durable, multifaceted change that we desire.
However, we are not waiting for our final Strategic Plan before taking action. We have convened a summer task force of students working in partnership with staff and faculty to make immediate and near-term changes. Key initiatives already underway include the following:
• Driving changes in our curriculum, including the development of new cases and greater diversity in guest speakers, to increase exposure to underrepresented protagonists and business concerns
• Expanding center activities to foster equity, diversity and inclusion through new events, professional development programs and community engagement
• Establishing new external partnerships and recruiting activities to increase the diversity of our applicant pool
• Improving our search and review processes to address and eradicate structural barriers to hiring and promoting underrepresented faculty
• Establishing a new year-round speaker series to inform and inspire conversations about race, racism and EDI-relevant activities
• Preparing a new interactive EDI workshop series to facilitate practice of skills for inclusive interactions among students, staff and faculty — inside and outside of the classroom
• More thoroughly integrating the exemplary work of the Riordan Programs into the MBA programs to empower underrepresented students to achieve their academic and career goals
• Facilitating dialogue, reflection, and collaboration to enable our alumni to better address systemic racism and create change in their organizations
• Establishing clear metrics to allow for better monitoring and transparency of the equity, diversity and inclusion in our student body, staff and faculty
I believe we are at a pivotal point in history. Anderson must respond with intention and resources that are commensurate with this once-in-a-generation moment. We will establish strong systemic support for a thriving, diverse community here, and I hope and trust that you will each be an active part of this work. I welcome your ideas and input and will be sharing regular updates on our progress throughout the coming months.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Supporting our International Students
Friday, 7/10/2020 6:30 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Friday 7/10/2020 6:30 p.m.
Dear UCLA Anderson community,
I’m writing to update you about developments concerning the new guidelines that were announced this week by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that prohibit international students from remaining in the United States if they are exclusively attending online courses this fall.
Please be assured that UCLA Anderson, UCLA and the University of California are doing all that we can to support and protect our international students. Specifically, the University of California has announced its intention to file a lawsuit against the federal government for violating the rights of the University and its students with this new guideline. The lawsuit will seek a temporary restraining order and preliminary and permanent injunctive relief to bar ICE from enforcing this guideline, which UC President Janet Napolitano calls “mean-spirited, arbitrary and damaging to America.” The University of California and UCLA are also aggressively advocating on behalf of our international students through multiple state and federal channels.
Here at Anderson, we are planning to conduct all degree programs during the 2020-21 academic year in a hybrid format. We are hopeful that this will protect the status of both current and incoming international students, while also complying with Los Angeles County Public Health guidelines to ensure the safety of all students on campus.
We are also working with the Dashew Center to ensure that all programmatic changes are fully compliant and documented, in keeping with legal requirements. The Dashew Center is also in the process of updating its information, including a revised FAQ, that will be shared next week. The directors of each of our degree programs will be forwarding that information, as well as additional updates as they become available.
We understand and regret how distressing this situation is for our international students, whose lives have already been upended by COVID-19 and travel concerns. The international diversity of our student body has long been a pride point for Anderson, with students coming from every continent except Antarctica. This diversity of nationality, experience and perspective enriches the learning experience for all of our students.
We greatly value our international students and will stand firmly by them as we deal with this latest challenge.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Observing Juneteenth
Thursday, 6/19/2020 5:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Thursday, 6/19/2020 5:00 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community,
Today is Juneteenth, the nation's oldest commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. It's a day to remember that we have not yet reached a truly equitable, just society for all Americans.
On June 19, 1865, more than two years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, a group of enslaved Black Texans finally learned that the Civil War had ended and that they had been freed. The news had been hidden from them by those who kept them in bondage.
Beginning the following year, Juneteenth was celebrated in Texas with parades, barbecues and picnics, and in 1980, that state became the first to make it an official holiday. Although Juneteenth is not yet a federal holiday, nearly all states and the District of Columbia now recognize it in some way and increasingly, many businesses do, too.
This year, Juneteenth carries special significance, serving as a reminder of the urgent work that must yet be done to achieve equity for African Americans in the United States. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Rayshard Brooks have cast a bright and necessary spotlight on the injustice and systemic racism that continue to plague our society.
This Juneteenth, I urge you to mark the day by learning about those pervasive inequities and reflecting on what you can do to combat racism in all its forms. We can all do more to create a more equitable, just and inclusive society.
At UCLA Anderson, we are putting together a task force to accelerate progress on several initiatives by our office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, including:
• Expanding the reach of our annual Embracing Diversity Week (Nov. 16-21)
• Developing an ongoing informational series to address structural racism and related issues
• Integrating development of inclusive leadership skills into the Leadership@Anderson program
• Increasing support for and impact of identity groups
• Expanding outreach and developing new resources to reach more prospective students from underrepresented backgrounds
As we mark this Juneteenth, here are a few resources for learning and understanding from a variety of sources, including Assistant Dean of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Heather Caruso, Senior Associate Dean Miguel Unzueta and our UCLA colleagues.
• UCLA’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office website
• The ECHO approach to conversations about equity, diversity and inclusion
• "Toward a More Inclusive Society" by Assistant Dean Heather Caruso
Related to systemic racism:
• A short, animated video explaining how systemic racism operates
• The National Museum of African-American History and Culture’s primer on structural racism: "Being Antiracist"
• A recent Black Lives Matter FAQ
On this Juneteenth, let us all unite with one another and the broader community to work toward a safer, more just, more equitable world.
Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other.
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
STEM Certification
Thursday, 6/16/2020 6:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Thursday 6/16/2020 6:00 p.m.
To the UCLA Anderson Community,
I’m pleased to announce that UCLA Anderson has now officially received STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) certification, retroactive to the class of 2019, for our full-time, FEMBA and EMBA programs. We are among a small number of business schools to receive this designation across all MBA programs, regardless of specialization. Our MFE and MSBA programs are also STEM-certified.
This designation reflects the increasingly quantitative focus of our MBA curriculum, in response to technological advances, employer needs and student interests.
The STEM designation positively impacts our program in a number of ways. Employers are increasingly interested in graduates with an analytical and technological orientation in addition to traditional management skills. The designation also makes it possible for UCLA Anderson’s international graduates, who now typically are eligible to hold U.S. jobs for 12 months, to apply to remain in the country for an additional 24 months after graduation and receive continued work experience.
The U.S. government established the STEM designation to address a shortage of qualified workers in scientific and technical fields. The Department of Homeland Security’s STEM Designated Degree Program list includes all STEM fields and, since 2016, has allowed eligible students on an F-1 visa to apply for what the agency calls the STEM OPT (Optional Practical Training) extension. All current UCLA Anderson international students on an F-1 visa are eligible to apply for the extension under the designation.
Please join me in thanking Deans Rob Weiler (’91), Gonzalo Freixes and Miguel Unzueta, and for all of their hard work in making the STEM designation a reality. I also want to acknowledge and thank the alumni in our Class of 2019 who so effectively advocated for this designation to be made retroactive to their class.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Fall Quarter Preliminary Update
Monday, 6/15/2020 9:20 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Monday 6/15/2020 9:20 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community,
By now, many of you will have seen Executive Vice Chancellor Emily Carter’s email about fall quarter planning. The percentage of in-person classes mentioned in her email relates to undergraduate courses. Anderson is still waiting for direction from UCLA for our fall quarter.
We are hoping to offer a significant percentage of the content of both core and elective courses in person for all of our programs. All courses will also be fully available in a remote modality for students who require that option. We will share additional information with you as soon as it is available.
As always, we appreciate your patience during this planning process. Please know that we are making all decisions with counsel from the CDC and other health authorities, taking into consideration the ongoing need for physical distancing and other safety precautions. While we are anxious for our community to be back together on campus, your health and safety remain our top priority.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Congratulations to the Class of 2020
Friday 6/12/2020 6:20 PM
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Friday 6/5/2020 11:30 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community,
Today we celebrated the commencement of the Class of 2020, and I could not be prouder to recognize these outstanding graduates.
Despite truly extraordinary circumstances, this class not only reached this milestone, but distinguished themselves through their resilience, courage and compassion for others.
As I shared in my commencement remarks this afternoon, this class was tried and tested like no class before them, but they kept their focus, powered through and excelled.
When their courses were suddenly shifted online, they partnered with faculty, staff and alumni to adapt, improve and help us all succeed, together.
They joined with others from UCLA Anderson and UCLA to support those in need during the most challenging days of the pandemic, collecting food and supplies, and raising funds.
They spoke out against the racial injustice that triggered civil unrest across the nation and the world during their final weeks here at Anderson.
Through all this, they excelled academically and in leadership roles across our programs, centers and clubs.
They have supported each other as classmates, colleagues and friends.
They are a truly remarkable group, and I have every confidence that as they head out into the world, they will continue to make us all proud through their leadership and service.
Class of 2020, I wish you every success and happiness in the years ahead! Remember, you will always be welcome back here at Anderson.
To the Classes of 2021 and 2022, I hope you will enjoy your summers! I wish you well with your internships, your work and personal opportunities, and I hope that you will also be able to fit in some much-deserved down time with your family and friends.
To our faculty and staff, thank you for all you do to support our students and school.
I look forward to the opportunity to see you all in person again soon. Expect continuing updates from me over the summer as we plan for the fall quarter. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with any ideas, questions, comments or concerns.
Most important, please continue to take care of yourselves and each other.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Culture of Compassion
Friday 6/5/2020 11:30 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Friday 6/5/2020 11:30 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community:
As this school year comes to a close, our community is reeling through a range of emotions related to the horrifying news that is dominating our attention. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery have shocked many in our community and felt all too familiar to others.
The very real pain of racial injustice and the resulting civil unrest is added to our already simmering fear and anxiety related to the pandemic.
These are deeply troubling times, made so much worse because we are experiencing them largely in isolation.
Many in our community are feeling overwhelmed, outraged and profoundly sad. It’s difficult for even the most optimistic among us not to feel at least some anger and despair.
With all of this, we need one another more than ever. When someone in our community who is hurting reaches out for help, we must listen and, especially now, respond with compassion and respect, not callousness or condescension.
No one should ever feel alone in our community. We are all made stronger and wiser when we share our experiences, our ideas, our fears, and our dreams, but that sharing will only happen if we can all trust that we will be met with understanding and empathy.
This community has demonstrated its care and compassion again and again over the past months. These qualities are not just important here at Anderson, they will be foundational to building a safer, more equitable future for all of us.
I am proud of the strong character that distinguishes this community. Thank you, all. Please continue to take good care of yourselves and of each other.
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Standards of Conduct
Thursday 6/4/2020 6:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Thursday 6/4/2020 6:00 p.m.
Dear UCLA Anderson Community:
On Tuesday, June 2, we were alerted to troubling conduct by one of our lecturers in the undergraduate accounting program. Our concerns have now been shared with all appropriate UCLA investigative offices.
Providing a safe, respectful and equitable environment in which students can effectively learn is fundamental to UCLA’s mission. We share common principles across the university of integrity, excellence, accountability, respect and service. Conduct that demonstrates a disregard for our core principles, including an abuse of power, is not acceptable.
This lecturer is currently on leave from campus. His courses have been reassigned to other instructors.
If anyone in our community ever feels unfairly treated or maligned because of identity, I urge you to contact Asst. Dean Heather Caruso or Professor Brett Trueman, our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion leaders for students, staff and faculty. You are also free at any time to report an incident of concern directly to UCLA’s EDI office.
Further, I ask that each of us — students, faculty and staff — help foster a strong Anderson culture of inclusivity that will assure effective learning for all students. In the months ahead, we will also work together to identify initiatives that Anderson might undertake to advance greater equity in the broader community.
I deeply regret the increased pain and anger that our community has experienced at this very difficult time. We must and will hold each other to higher standards.
I hope we can use this event as an opportunity to recommit to respect, equity and compassion in all of our words and actions.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Racial Injustice
Friday 5/29/2020 9:30 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Friday 5/29/2020 9:30 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community,
This update will not be about COVID-19. Given recent events, I ask you to join me in focusing on a different danger to our community and the nation: Racial injustice.
As I write this, protests continue to erupt across the country over the death of George Floyd and other killings of African-Americans including Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
This horrific and frightening issue is important for all of us. As we make our way forward, it is more important than ever to show care for one another, especially for the members of our community who identify closely with the victims and their experiences.
UCLA and UCLA Anderson hold basic values and principles as a community that reject racism and violence and uphold respect for all, appreciation of diversity and a responsibility to address historical and divisive biases through education, research and dialog.
We are looking forward to working with student leaders and campus partners to address these instances of racial injustice, violence against African-American and other segments of our population, and to identify the actions to drive needed change.
As part of that effort, I’d like to share this message from Gaelen LeMelle-Brown, one of our full-time MBA students and a Consortium Fellow.
In this moment, learning from Gaelen and the BBSA presidents is a privilege for our entire community, and one we want to embrace with gratitude.
Great institutions are made so by their communities, and we seek to bring people to Anderson from a diversity of backgrounds precisely because we know that doing so is how institutions can keep learning and evolving to better serve our global society.
As a school dedicated to advancing principled leadership, we must stand together to promote equality and protect the civil rights of all.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Community Connections
Friday 5/22/2020 7:30 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Friday 5/22/2020 7:30 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community,
In normal times, many of us would be getting a jump start on a nice, long Memorial Day weekend. While circumstances are certainly different this year, I hope you will each be able to take a break from the many stresses of the past months to simply enjoy yourself.
To help, here are three Anderson sources of entertainment and information that you might want to check out this weekend:
First, a reminder of our new 1 Anderson Channel on YouTube, created by students primarily for students, though our entire community is welcome to enjoy it. On this channel, you’ll find content ranging from great brownie recipes to explorations of the night sky. And you might even take this weekend to create and upload a new segment on whatever personal interest or expertise you want to share.
Second, I’m happy to announce the launch of our new Anderson podcast channel, featuring four podcast series:
“How the World Works with Warren Olney”
• “Leadership (or the Lack Thereof) in This Global Crisis,” a conversation with Professor Sebastian Edwards
• “The Global Economic . . . Recession?,” a conversation with Professor Ed Leamer
• “Happiness in COVID Times,” a conversation with Professor Cassie Mogilner-Holmes
• “The Difference Between Thinking You’ll Do Something and Doing It,” a conversation with Professor Hal Hershfield
• “Incorporating Passion,” featuring a conversation with Darren Pleasance (’95), SVP of global strategy at Cisco
• “Chasing Your Dream Job,” featuring a conversation with Rosie O’Neill (’05), co-founder of Sugarfina
• “MBAs and Startups,” featuring a conversation with John Tabis (’06), co-founder and CEO of The Bouqs
• “The Business School Experience”
“DriveTime” with Dylan Stafford
• A conversation with Brian Thomas ('14), co-founder of Clutter, on the impact of Anderson on entrepreneurial success
• A conversation with Nasim Afsar ('17), chief quality officer of UCLA Health, on the impact of an MBA in medicine
• A conversation with Diego Benitez ('19), founder of Progress Brewing, on the business and science of microbrewing
• A conversation with Sai Chundi ('16), portfolio planner at Microsoft, on developing yourself as a leader at Anderson
• “Love Streams,” a conversation with Riordan MBA Fellows Alum Class of 2000 on dealing with life’s challenges
• A conversation with Dr. Portia Jackson (Riordan Scholar '98) on why challenges in life are essential for growth
• A conversation with Brian Henry (MBA Fellow '09) on living out your passion
• A conversation with Willie Alford II (MBA Fellow '03) on the art of asking for help
Third, we can all share pride in our very well-respected UCLA Anderson Review, which features our faculty research. Here is a brief sample of some great Review articles that are trending now
“Vacation Mindset: How Weekends Can Be More Refreshing,” research by Professors Cassie Mogilner-Holmes and Sanford Devoe
“Do Corporate Wellness Programs Boost Worker Productivity?,” research by Professor Ian Larkin
“Through the Minimum Wage Looking Glass: Economic Consensus Unrealized,” research by Professor Ed Leamer
“The Malleability of Who Falls for Conspiracy Theories,” research by Professor Jennifer Whitson
“Save-Save-Save, but Then What? Financial Structure and Spending in Retirement," research by Professors Shlomo Benartzi, Hal Hershfield, Suzanne Shu and Robert Zeithammer
“Diversity: Measuring How and Why Groups See It Differently,” research by Professor Miguel Unzueta
“Being Biased Against Friends to Appear Unbiased,” research by Professor Eugene Caruso
"Monthly Quiz: Test Your Business Knowledge" by UCLA Anderson Review Editor-in-Chief Jeff Bailey
However you choose to spend your time this weekend, I hope you will be able to take a deep breath and relax. We are in the home stretch now, nearing commencement and summer break. This next month will need us all back in top form, but for the next few days, enjoy.
Last, I want to take a moment to thank all of our Anderson active military and veterans for their service to our country and their many contributions to our Anderson community.
And, as always, please take good care of yourselves of each other.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Summer Session C
Wednesday 5/13/2020 2:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Wednesday 5/13/2020 2:00 p.m.
Dear UCLA Anderson Community,
Monday, the vice chancellor announced that UCLA will continue remote learning through Summer Session C (August 3 – September 21). A decision about the format for teaching in the fall quarter, which begins on September 28, will be made sometime in June.
As we’ve shared with you over the past several weeks, UCLA Anderson is fully prepared for remote learning to continue throughout the summer and fall. Once we are permitted to return to the physical classroom, our faculty will be ready to offer course material in an appropriate mode (in person, remotely or both), based on any physical-distancing restrictions and the capabilities of our facilities.
The strong feedback loop that has evolved between our students and faculty this spring quarter has been particularly informative, as it’s allowed us to identify and apply best practices for remote learning in near real time across all of our programs. This community partnership with our students, faculty and staff will continue to be our most important strategy to drive innovation and add value to the remote learning experience as we move forward.
While the administration of each of the Anderson MBA programs will be providing more detailed information in the coming weeks, I want to give you an overview of our plans for each program this summer.
• The full-time MBA program: The official start date for incoming students will be fall quarter. To prepare students for the program, an innovative online introduction focusing on career services and skill building will be provided during Summer Session C.
• The FEMBA program: All normally scheduled summer electives will be offered, but in a remote format.
• The Executive MBA program: All electives normally scheduled in the August block will be offered during Summer Session C, but in a remote format. The program’s International Business Residential (IBR), typically held in September, will be postponed to 2021.
• The UCLA-NUS EMBA program: UCLA and NUS are developing options for both current and incoming students for the August segment and beyond. The program will be sending further information about those options later this week to all UCLA-NUS EMBA students.
Our academic contingency planning committee, chaired by Professor Carla Hayn, is continuing to fine-tune curriculum strategies for both Summer Session C and the fall quarter.
In addition, we’ve established an administrative planning committee to detail operational strategies such as facility occupancy and sanitation, safety procedures and ongoing communications.
UCLA will be providing additional information in the coming weeks about when and how students, faculty and staff can return to campus. We will share this information with you as soon as it is announced.
In closing, there is no doubt that the months ahead will have their own challenges. However, we have sound reason to be confident and optimistic. Our Anderson community has already proven its resilience and compassion. We will get through this crisis together. Our cultural pillars — share success, think fearlessly and drive change — have never been more relevant or in greater evidence than they are now. I thank each of you for all you are doing to support Anderson and to keep our community strong.
Please continue to take good care of yourselves and each other.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Commencement Update
Friday 5/8/2020 5:15 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Friday 5/8/2020 5:15 p.m.
Dear UCLA Anderson Community,
Commencement is our most important celebration of the year, and even though we must stay physically apart this June, we will recognize this major milestone for the MBA and Ph.D. Classes of 2020 with great pride and traditional fanfare. In fact, we’re going to mark the Class of 2020 commencement not once, but twice — virtually on June 12 and, when possible, with a live celebration.
Today, I want to share an exciting update regarding the June 12 virtual commencement.
I’m delighted to announce that our commencement speaker will be Mike Hopkins (’01), senior vice president of Prime Video and Amazon Studios. In this role, Mike leads Amazon’s video entertainment operations and reports directly to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
Mike’s appointment to this role in February has been described by entertainment industry analysts and reporters as a “massive hire” and a “home run addition” for Amazon.
Mike has a 20-year track record of innovative leadership in the entertainment industry. Prior to joining Amazon, he served for two and half years as chairman of Sony Pictures Television, which followed four years as CEO of Hulu. He also was a longtime executive at Fox Networks, most recently serving as president of distribution.
While working full time in sales at Fox, Mike earned his MBA through our FEMBA program.
As an active alumnus, he has given back to the school in multiple ways, long serving Anderson as a member of our Board of Advisors.
Mike also has served on the Paley Center for Media’s Los Angeles Board of Governors and the boards for Hulu, Fox, the National Geographic Channel and the Big Ten Network.
Mike’s commencement address will precede the awarding of degrees to the Class of 2020. Each graduate will be recognized by name, as is our tradition.
We are currently working with student leadership to shape and personalize the rest of the program. We’ll share further details, including the names of student speakers, in the coming weeks.
Please mark your calendars now for this important celebration, just five weeks from today:
Friday, June 12
4:00 p.m.
Further updates will be shared here.
The Class of 2020 has shown extraordinary leadership and resilience through the coronavirus pandemic. I hope our entire community will join in this celebration of their exceptional accomplishments.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Community Update
Friday 5/1/2020 6:30 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Friday 5/1/2020 6:30 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community:
Coach John Wooden once said, “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
I think he would be very proud of the Anderson community today. Through the past many weeks of uncertainty and upheaval, you did not focus on what was lost, but instead pulled together to create and adapt new ways to stay connected with each other, to work and to learn. I believe he would call that “success.”
While the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to create uncertainty and disruption in the months ahead, with the positive momentum you have created, we can begin to turn our attention from immediate challenges to focus on what’s next.
Today, I want to update you on the work of two planning committees that are focused on our forward path.
First, the contingency planning committee, led by Professor Carla Hayn, has been exploring the various scenarios possible for summer session C and the fall and winter quarters, taking into consideration the possibilities of continued safety and distancing requirements.
Earlier this week, that committee presented a draft plan to the Faculty Executive Committee, which voted to support it. We are now moving forward with a multimodal learning strategy that will enable us to reopen our classrooms for live instruction as soon as it is safe to do so, while also providing remote learning options for students who may not immediately be able to join their classmates on campus. This flexibility will be especially important in serving our international students.
We expect UCLA to announce whether campus will reopen for summer session C in the next week or two. In early June, the university will share its plans for fall quarter. Please rest assured that we are prepared for all eventualities and that we will share specifics once we know them.
Meanwhile, we are also planning for our future beyond the challenges posed by COVID-19, with the formation of our strategic planning committee. This committee is co-chaired by Ian Larkin, professor of strategy, and Jim Moffatt (’87), former Global CEO of Deloitte Consulting, and a long-time member of our Board of Advisors. Fredrik Leuhusen, our recently appointed assistant dean of strategic initiatives, will provide essential support to the committee.
This committee is already at work to develop our next strategic plan. Their goal is to identify and explore critical priorities for the school’s moving forward in areas such as curriculum, branding and culture. They are currently forming a steering committee of students, faculty, staff and supporters to gather essential input and insights from across our community. We will share ongoing updates on this effort throughout the coming months, and will present the plan in full later this fall.
Without doubt, these past weeks have been some of the most daunting in Anderson’s history. But they have also been among the most innovative and inspiring because our community has risen together to meet our many challenges. I thank you again for your ongoing initiative, leadership and optimism.
Please continue to take good care of yourselves and each other.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Community Connections
Friday 4/24/2020 5:45 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Friday 4/24/2020 5:45 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community:
In this update, I want to spotlight our centers, which play such an important role in connecting our faculty thought leaders and students to business and broader communities. To the benefit of us all, they have stepped up with expert knowledge and creativity in response to the COVID-19 crisis and other current societal and business issues. Let me share just a few highlights of the many upcoming thought leadership events that you might want to attend:
The Center for Global Management is hosting the COVID-19 World Today Discussion Series, led by Professor Sebastian Edwards. These sessions are open by invitation from CGM to the Anderson community:
• “COVID-19 and the Corporate Debt Crisis” with Professor Mark Garmaise. Tuesday, April 28, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• “Lessons from COVID-19: Making Decisions under Entirely New Circumstances” with Distinguished Professor Ed Leamer. Wednesday, May 6, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• “A Rethink of the Global Supply Chain in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic” with Distinguished Professor Chris Tang. Monday, May 11, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
• “Political Economy Aspects of the COVID-19 Pandemic” with Professor Romain Wacziarg. Monday, May 18, 2020, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• “Helicopter Money and COVID-19” with Distinguished Professor Sebastian Edwards. Wednesday, May 27, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
The Easton Technology Management Center is hosting an ongoing series of timely conversations and workshops:
• “Technology and Society: Who Owns the Good and Bad Outcomes?”: A conversation with veteran strategist Eric Loeb, the executive vice president of government affairs at Salesforce. Moderated by Professor Terry Kramer. Wednesday, April 29, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Register here.
• “Technology-Based Disruptions: Leadership Imperatives in a Rapidly Changing Environment”: A panel discussion hosted in partnership with the Office of Alumni Relations and moderated by Professor Terry Kramer. Thursday, May 7, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Register here.
• “Working across Boundaries for Transformative Outcomes: Results from the First Annual Easton Innovation Challenge and Implications for MBA Education”: Winners of the recent Think in the Next Innovation Challenge — interdisciplinary team CranioView from UCLA Biodesign — will discuss promising areas for innovation, particularly in health care, with Professor Terry Kramer and Dean Tony Bernardo. Tuesday, May 12, 5:00 – 6:30. Register here.
The Fink Center for Finance is hosting the Fink Investing Conference, featuring keynote speaker S. Kenneth Leech, chief investment officer of Western Asset Management Company, in conversation with Dean Tony Bernardo. Thursday, April 30, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Register here.
Impact@Anderson is hosting a series of virtual talks on the Future of Impact:
• “The Future of Work,” Part II: Hosted in partnership with the Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment & Sports (MEMES), a pre-weekend discussion of the 2020 Academy Award-winning documentary American Factory, with Participant Media’s impact producer Heriseida Beraj-Viotti and faculty chairman and deputy dean of academic affairs, Sanjay Sood. Friday, May 8, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Registration information to come.
• “The Future of Housing”: Hosted in partnership with the UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate, a panel discussion moderated by Ziman executive director Tim Kawahara. Date and registration information to come.
The Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment & Sports is hosting a series of conversations moderated by MEMES executive director Jay Tucker (’09) with leaders in media, sports and entertainment, including:
• “The Business of Baseball: Maximizing a Player’s Value”: A talk by Arielle Moyal, director of baseball marketing at REP1 Sports. Friday, April 24, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Register here.
• “Leading in a Disruptive Time”: A talk by Grant Michaelson (J.D. ’97, ’19), VP of business affairs, Disney Channels Worldwide. Wednesday, April 29, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Register here.
• Lisa Brummel (’89), co-owner of the Seattle Storm. Friday, May 8, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Register here.
• S.E. Cupp, host of CNN’s “S.E. Cupp: Unfiltered.” Wednesday, May 13, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Registration information to come.
The Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, in partnership with the Entrepreneur Association, is presenting the Knapp Venture Competition. 25 teams will advance to next week’s semi-finals and then to the finals to be held the evening of May 14. Registration to come.
The UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate is hosting a series of webinars with distinguished speakers:
“Affordable Housing Development and Investment Explained, Part 2”: Hosted as part of the UCLA Ziman Center’s Levine Affordable Housing Distinguished Speaker Series with Rob Wasserman (MBA/J.D. ’98), senior vice president of U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation. Wednesday, April 29, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Register here. (Watch the video of “Affordable Housing Development and Investment Explained, Part 1” here.)
Bill Dudley, economist and former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Wednesday, May 6, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Registration information to come.
“Housing, Equity and Community in the Time of COVID-19”: Hosted as part of the UCLA Luskin Virtual Summit in partnership with the UCLA Lewis Center. Thursday, May 7, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Registration information to come.
Please look for more information on these and additional upcoming events on Anderson’s new community calendar.
My thanks go out to each of our centers for their strong leadership, collaboration and innovation in bringing these opportunities to our community. I hope to see many of you at the events I’m moderating, and I look forward to joining you at others.
Please continue to take good care of yourselves and each other.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Community Connections
Friday 4/17/2020 8:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Friday 4/17/2020 8:00 p.m.
Dear UCLA Anderson Community:
We all took a giant leap of faith when we began this quarter together, dependent on each other to keep our community connected and to create a learning experience of real value. I am so proud of the partnerships across our community that have made our transition to remote learning not only feasible, but as successful as we’d hoped it could be through a willingness to adapt and innovate. My thanks go out again to our faculty, who reinvented delivery of their courses so quickly and admirably; to our students, whose patience, engagement and feedback continue to improve course delivery each week; and to our staff, who are our unsung heroes, supporting all of our efforts. We may not be physically together this quarter, but I believe our community has already grown stronger.
With this update, I am happy to share news of five initiatives that will bring added value to this quarter, and perhaps well beyond. Each of them is the result of collaboration among faculty, students, staff and, in some cases, alumni and supporters as well.
First, in consultation with student leadership, our faculty identified and developed four new 2-unit courses to offer during the last five weeks of this quarter:
• Professor Charles Corbett will teach a course on global supply chains
• Professor Stuart Gabriel will teach a course on COVID-19’s impact on real estate
• Professor Eric Johnson (’91), vice president of global multimedia sales at ESPN, will teach a course on COVID-19’s impact on entertainment and sports
• Professor Ian Larkin will teach two 2-unit versions of his General Management course, which will focus on “the things managers need to know to react in the moment”
These courses are cap-free and open to all students. Registration for them will open next week.
Second, in response to student interest in high-level guest speakers, we are launching a digital Dean’s Distinguished Speaker Series (DDSS). Thanks to strong support from our alumni network and the broader business community, we are pleased to announce a top-tier roster:
• Brian Cornell (B.A. ’81, CERT ’91), Board Chairman and CEO of Target
• David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs
• Johnese Spisso, President of UCLA Health, CEO of UCLA Hospital System and Associate Vice Chancellor, UCLA Health Sciences
• John Stankey (’91), CEO of WarnerMedia and President and COO of AT&T
I plan on focusing the first part of each DDSS conversation on these two core questions:
• How are you managing the current crisis?
• How do you see your industry changing post-COVID-19?
We’ll also be posing questions from the community, which we’ll collect in advance of each session. Look for upcoming email invitations, which will also be sent to our alumni network.
Third, many of our students have also expressed interest in entrepreneurship content and experiences. In response, our UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator team is opening many of its sessions to student attendance. The Accelerator’s April calendar is posted here and includes a day-long Fundraising Bootcamp that students may attend in full or in part. If you are interested in attending any of these sessions, please contact Will Freas at william.freas@anderson.ucla.edu to register.
Fourth, our community engagement task force, led by Professors Corinne Bendersky and Cassie Mogilner Holmes, has collaborated closely with leadership across the MBA programs and our marcomm team to create a new master calendar of Anderson events. You can view a preview of that calendar here. Now we ask leaders across our degree programs, centers, departments, clubs and organizations to help populate it with key events.
Last, student leadership, supported by our community engagement task force and our marcomm team, is launching a new 1Anderson Channel on YouTube, focused on live content by and for the Anderson community. It will feature ongoing programs such as AnderCooks, AnderFit and AnderTalks, as well as a wide range of additional social events. All students are welcome to share their interests and skills on this channel. Learn more and sign up to host programming via CCLE here. View a calendar of upcoming 1Anderson Channel programs here.
Working together, our community is creating an innovative, eventful and dynamic quarter at Anderson, despite the challenges. Thank you, all. Let’s continue in partnership to make this a quarter we will remember with satisfaction and pride.
Take good care of yourselves and each other.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Community Update
Thursday 4/9/2020 2:15 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Thursday 4/9/2020 2:15 p.m.
Dear UCLA Anderson Community:
As we near the one-month milestone of remote learning, it is almost inconceivable how much our day-to-day lives have changed in such a short time.
For some of us, those changes are especially challenging. For all of us, the need to take good care of ourselves and each other has become far more pressing and all too real.
Health and well-being are our fundamental priorities at this time and we mustn’t lose sight of that in our pursuit of other goals, however important.
We are incredibly fortunate at UCLA Anderson to have a community and resources that support our individual and collective health and wellness.
In this update, I want to underscore some of our most critical resources and also share a handful of the many community initiatives underway to help you feel more connected, calm, fit and happier through these days that we are apart.
First, here are important resources to support essential needs.
For students:
- If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms: Call the Ashe Center Infection Control Line at 310-206-6217. A registered nurse will talk with you about your symptoms, testing and treatment. The Ashe Center is also staffing a support line at 310-825-3894, Monday – Friday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm for students who are feeling overwhelmed by the COVID-19 crisis and need help managing through it.
- If you are in an emotional crisis, feeling anxious or depressed: Call the UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) hotline at (310) 825-0768. This is a 24-hour hotline. Counselors can also help if you are seriously concerned about another student’s well-being. You may also schedule an appointment through the CAPS Patient Portal.
- If you are experiencing financial hardship: Please talk with your program administrators if you are facing severe financial challenges. There are many ways we can assist with financial aid. Also, UCLA is offering some special services to help students in need at this time:
- Students with questions about how to work with an off-campus landlord can receive legal assistance from UCLA Student Legal Services. You can request a Zoom appointment by filling out this online form. Answers to frequently asked questions regarding COVID-19 and terminating an apartment lease are available here.
- The UCLA Programs Office (CPO) is operating an Online Food Closet to help students in need with a Basic Needs Gift Card. You can apply here.
For faculty and staff:
- If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms: Check the UCLA Health website for up-to-date information on when and how to seek care and testing.
- If you are unable to work: Employees who are unable to work because of issues related to COVID-19 are eligible for 128 hours of administrative leave. Please contact Carlos Ray at carlos.ray@anderson.ucla.edu for details.
- If you need emotional or mental health support: Call the Staff and Faculty Counseling Center at 310-794-0245 for confidential counseling services.
Beyond these essential resources, our community is working together to create a wide range of content and activities to promote our health and happiness. Our own happiness expert, Professor Cassie Mogilner Holmes, offers the following straightforward tips for “staying happy in unhappy times.” To learn more, read her full article here.
1. Get moving
2. Don’t forget to breathe
3. Spend time offline
4. Structure your days
5. Stay connected
6. Notice the good
Our students, staff and faculty are creating many opportunities to help us follow Prof. Mogilner Holmes’ advice. Following is just a brief sample of initiatives currently underway:
Get moving:
- Friday Night Lights: All students are invited to participate in this weekly fitness program, held on Zoom each Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. This Friday’s session will be taught by CorePower’s Alexandria G. Password: anderfit
- 30-Day Ab Challenge: This challenge starts students out easy, but builds to a daily target of 125 sit-ups, 200 crunches, 65 leg raises and 125 planks! Open to all and promoted daily on Slack.
- 1-minute Plank Challenge: Here’s how it starts; Hold a plank for one minute, then plank-challenge someone else. Keep the challenge going by adding 10 seconds to your plank every day for a month. Make it through 30 days, and you’ll accomplish 4-minute planks. The best part of these challenges is that we can all get stronger together. Check out the video from organizer Julianne Tadeo here.
Don’t forget to breathe:
- Mindfulness Meditation: Sara Tucker conducts a half-hour drop-in session on Zoom each Monday morning at 11:30 a.m. Everyone is invited. The link is here and the password is 138556.
- Guided Meditations: UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center also offers free meditation sessions online or via an app.
Stay connected:
- D46s. Anderson student leaders are organizing this series of virtual dinners for six on Zoom. The entire community is invited. Click on these links to sign up:
Student Survey
Faculty & Staff Survey - Decision Making During Uncertain Times: Listen to this talk by Professor Hal Hershfield, who will explain why it’s so difficult to make decisions now. Friday, April 10, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Register here.
- Caregiver Support Group: All faculty and staff are welcome at this support group led by Jami Carman for those caring for elderly parents. The group meets every other Friday. Check your email for an invitation and Zoom details from Jami. She also is about to launch a broader support group for faculty and staff seeking a safe space to share their challenges through this current crisis.
- T he Future of Work: Listen to this panel exploring tech’s impact on the evolving nature of work with Professor Terry Kramer moderating. Monday, April 20, 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm. Register here.
Notice the good:
- Resilience & Emotional Well-Being: Join this inspirational webinar led by Tia Graham, Founder of Arrive at Happy, a Los Angeles company with a mission of transformation through the science of happiness. Thursday, April 9, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Register here.
Next week, we will share many more activities via the launch of Anderson’s new community calendar on our website and our new “1 Anderson” YouTube channel.
In the meantime, please continue to take good care of yourselves and of each other.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Community Update
Wednesday 4/1/2020 7:30 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Wednesday 4/1/2020 7:30 p.m.
Dear Anderson Community,
Thanks to our community’s extraordinary resilience and creativity, there is a lot of good news to share as we begin this unprecedented Spring quarter together.
Last week, hundreds of us connected in town hall meetings to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead. Our conversations were candid and the feelings expressed were real – disappointment and compassion, frustration and understanding, fear and optimism. Students, faculty and staff all voiced concerns, posed questions, suggested ideas and shared examples of activities already underway to ease this crisis.
Those conversations generated many important take-aways, but the most significant for me was simply this: Anderson is not defined by a place, but by our community. We may not be physically together this quarter, but we remain “one Anderson.” We are connected by our shared goals, values and experiences, all of which are magnified rather than diminished by our current situation.
Because maintaining and supporting our already strong community will be crucial as we navigate this challenging time, Professors Corinne Bendersky and Cassie Mogilner Holmes have stepped up to lead a new task force to support and enhance community engagement. By helping to coordinate social and intellectual extra-curricular activities and events across our programs, centers and areas, this initiative will enhance the connectedness of the whole Anderson community. As a first step, they are working closely with students and staff to build a central community calendar on our website.
Also as part of that initiative, MBA students are working together across all programs to create a wide range of activities and content for Anderson students by Anderson students. The core concept is to establish a channel, most likely on YouTube, that will feature topics such as health & wellness, cooking, live entertainment and service projects. It also will include interviews and discussions on timely topics from Anderson and industry thought leaders.
Other student initiatives are underway to create academic and career opportunities to connect with each other, our alumni and recruiters. One stand-out idea already in the works is to connect our graduating classes to alumni from 2008-2010, who also had to navigate an unexpectedly challenging job market. There will be much more to come on these efforts in the weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, our community is also organizing to support the critical challenges posed by COVID-19 in the wider community. Here is a sample of the many activities underway:
• Judy Choe (FEMBA ’22) and three classmates led a drive this weekend to collect personal protective equipment (PPEs) to donate to local hospitals. They gathered approximately 2000 N95 masks, 50 boxes of surgical masks, 50 boxes of gloves and 150 reusable shields and goggles. Check @PPEDrivesSaveLives for further collection announcements.
• The Anderson Board of Advisors launched a fundraising initiative to help low-income UCLA undergraduates get the technology resources they will need to continue their studies remotely.
• Our alumni relations, development and Price Center leadership and staff are spearheading an effort to reach out to alumni and their companies to obtain much-needed PPE supplies for UCLA Health.
• Center executive directors Tim Kawahara and Elaine Hagan, and Anderson Venture Accelerator director Trish Halamandaris are helping make essential supply and manufacturing connections for a team from UCLA Health and UCLA Samueli School of Engineering who are designing, prototyping, testing and manufacturing protective gear that purifies contaminated environment air for hospital settings.
• Professor Auyon Siddiq is working with a colleague from the University of Wisconsin (UW) on an optimization model that connects hospitals in urgent need of face shields with a growing network of mostly small manufacturers that are producing them using a new UW-created design.
• The UCLA Anderson Forecast is working with the California State Government, the University of California System and other state governmental agencies to better understand the implications of the current pandemic-induced recession.
• Professor Chris Tang is consulting with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research as they develop models and precedents for how to prioritize and distribute a Covid-19 vaccine when it becomes available.
• The Social Impact Consulting Corps will launch 11 student teams next week to work with LA-based nonprofits this quarter.
I have never been more proud of this community than I am today. Your energy and willingness encourage me, and the forward progress we are already making gives me hope for the future. While it’s true that our campus life cannot be the same this quarter, it’s also true that we are already creating something new and extraordinary together.
Please continue to take good care of yourselves and of each other.
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Dean’s Update
Wednesday 3/25/2020 3:35 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Wednesday 3/25/2020 3:35 p.m.
Dear UCLA Anderson Community,
As we move forward in the challenging months ahead, three powerful themes should guide us: community, excellence and partnership.
Community is paramount. While isolation and social distancing are the precautions we must all take to protect against COVID-19, the underlying motivation is not separateness, but unity. Our concern is to protect not only ourselves, but each other.
For the first time in most of our lives, we share a common challenge across all the categories that often divide us: geography, economic status, age, race, gender, political affiliation, religion, etc. “One Anderson” takes on a much deeper meaning in this new context. It serves as both comfort and a call to action.
As a community, we take real comfort in knowing we are there for each other, in ways large and small. In the past weeks, I have been inspired by the many ways faculty, students, staff and alumni have been supporting one another, going well above and beyond our normal care and collegiality. The last two weeks have made clear that our strong sense of belonging is not about physical proximity, but our genuine concern for one another and our shared values.
At Anderson, we have always been committed to excellence in research, education and public service, and this crisis has not changed that commitment. While remote learning and staffing pose obvious challenges, we are more than up to the task. Our faculty is already working on some of the most pressing issues posed by our current environment, and they are creatively and effectively adapting and innovating coursework for remote modalities. We are determined to deliver an excellent learning experience for our students.
Moreover, we believe our collective creativity, intellect, problem-solving and compassion can have a profound impact on the wider community. Let me share just a few examples of efforts that are already underway:
• Four of our Decisions, Operations and Technology Management faculty members formed a COVID-19 taskforce to work with UCLA Health to address the critical operational, logistics and supply chain challenges it is facing.
• Other faculty are creating real-time content to inform and teach our students and the wider community about the issues this crisis has raised in finance, management and health.
• A group of Anderson staff members is collecting donations for the UCLA Food Closet at a time when others are hoarding supplies.
• Our staff and alumni are working together to gather personal protective equipment (PPE) for severely undersupplied local health services.
• Students are organizing to deliver essential supplies to elderly and vulnerable neighbors, to provide tutoring to homeless students and to collect PPE for area hospitals.
The months ahead will not be easy, but they can be more rewarding through ongoing partnership across our community. More than ever, we must rely on each other for ideas, feedback and innovation. While we are operating under new and challenging circumstances, we can still accomplish much if we work together.
This week, we are holding virtual town halls with each of our campus communities to encourage the honest and open exchange of questions, concerns and ideas. We will share a summary of those forums on Friday and continue to update you with new information as it becomes available. These measures are just the beginning of a series of forums we will be holding to engage a free flow of ideas and to empower action.
I remain so very grateful for the support, resiliency and generous spirit of the Anderson community through this challenge. Together, we will not just weather the current storm, but emerge from it stronger and better.
Please take care of yourselves and one another,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Update on COVID-19
Wednesday 3/18/2020 7:15 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Wednesday 3/18/2020 7:15 p.m.
To the UCLA Anderson Community:
Let me begin this update by thanking all of you for the incredible patience, understanding and resiliency you’ve demonstrated over the past week. Our lives have all been upended by the COVID-19 crisis, yet I have been so encouraged by the way this community has pulled together. We have made a rapid transition to remote learning, and will soon complete Winter quarter under this new approach. The change has not been easy or without problems, but we are working through it creatively as a community, with the widespread support and collaboration of students, faculty and staff working together. Moving forward, we will need that same generous spirit to support each other through the changes and challenges yet ahead.
The Chancellor has just announced that the Class of 2020 Commencement will now be held remotely. This was a wrenching decision to make, and I sincerely wish that the Class of 2020 could experience their last few weeks and celebrate their graduation together in person. But it is simply not possible to do this while protecting the health and safety of our community, which is paramount. We will work with student leaders to organize in-person celebrations at a later date, as imperfect a substitute as this will inevitably be.
I truly believe that the way we will get through these challenging times is by relying on and reinforcing our connections as a community, and the bonds we share as an Anderson family. As a first step towards reinforcing those bonds, we are opening new channels of communication. Next week, we will hold a series of town halls with students, staff and faculty, where you can share your questions, concerns and ideas. You will be receiving an invitation shortly.
Beginning next week, we also will be initiating regular communications about important developments each week. I will send community updates each Tuesday and more often as needed. Degree programs will send program-specific updates each Wednesday, and, again, more often as needed. Centers and administrative departments will establish and share their own communication schedules with their teams and communities.
Many of you have already shared questions that we don’t want to wait until next week to address. The attached two documents answer, to the best of our ability at this time, the questions most frequently asked by students and staff respectively. Please understand, however, that things are evolving rapidly, and we may not be able to answer everything with complete certainty.
While COVID-19 is demanding increasing sacrifices from all of us, it is also bringing us opportunities to adapt, innovate and serve others. I believe that our Anderson family will rise to the occasion by finding ways to help across our community.
I am grateful every day for this community. Working together, I am confident that we will meet the present challenges, and emerge, in meaningful ways, even better and stronger.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Update on COVID-19
Friday 3/13/2020 7:20 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Friday 3/13/2020 at 7:20 p.m.
To the UCLA Anderson Community:
UCLA has just announced that it has extended the transition from in-classroom to remote learning alternatives through the end of Spring quarter. This decision was made with one goal in mind – to protect the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff.
While I know that this will be troubling news for many of you, I also have absolute confidence in the ability of this community to adapt and excel.
Throughout this past week, I have been continually impressed by the care, collaboration and resilience I’ve seen demonstrated all around me. Many of you went above and beyond to help each other through this challenging transition and time. I am personally grateful for your efforts and know that my appreciation is widely shared.
Over the next days and weeks, I will be consulting closely with faculty, students and staff across the school to quickly develop and adopt best practices for all Anderson operations throughout the coming quarter. There are many important considerations that must be made to ensure an excellent experience for our students, in particular.
I will be updating you regularly as we firm plans. I also welcome your ideas, comments and questions. Together, I know we can meet this challenge and serve as a positive role model for other schools and organizations.
The weeks and months ahead will continue to be challenging as COVID-19 runs its course. First and foremost, I wish both you and your loved ones well throughout this crisis. We have a strong and caring community and we will get through this together.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Update on COVID-19
Tuesday 3/10/2020 4:20 PM
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Tuesday 3/10/2020 4:20 p.m.
To the Anderson Community:
With concern and uncertainty about COVID-19 remaining high, the Chancellor just announced that UCLA has made the decision to suspend in-person classes wherever possible and transition to remote alternatives beginning tomorrow. Currently, the plan is to continue remote instruction through at least the first two weeks of Spring quarter.
This decision was made in the spirit of caution. There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at UCLA. But as a preventative safeguard, the university is taking steps to limit crowd size to under 100 people. At Anderson, we are taking an even more cautious approach by encouraging you to further limit the size of the event if it includes guests from outside of our community.
Our faculty is working with ACIS now to set up remote learning and testing alternatives through Zoom, Mediasite on CCLE and Examity. As those alternatives are established, faculty will reach out to each class with details.
Similarly, administrative areas are currently working through staffing plans to support all of the school’s critical operational functions while offering telecommute work options, where possible. Staff should check in with your supervisors for details.
To be clear, the campus is not closing. But the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff is our top priority. Thus, we want to take all well-advised precautions.
By now, I’m confident that each of you is well aware of the steps you can take individually to protect yourself. Nevertheless, I am going to repeat them since they are so critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19:
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Contain coughs into a tissue or sleeve
- Stay home if you are sick, especially if you have a respiratory illness or fever
- If you develop flu-like symptoms – fever, cough and difficulty breathing – and you believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19, seek medical attention by first calling your health provider:
- Students should call the Ashe Center Infection Control Line at 310-206-6217
- Faculty and staff should call their health care providers
- Cancel non-essential travel, especially to countries categorized with Level 3 Travel Notices, currently including China, South Korea, Italy and Iran. Also, please note, that travel restrictions may be subject to rapid change.
We encourage any community member with health vulnerabilities or family responsibilities complicated by COVID-19 precautions, to please put your health and family first. We will work with you to enable remote solutions, as needed.
Know that we will continue to keep you informed of any significant COVID-19 updates. In the meantime, the university’s COVID-19 information page is an excellent source for additional and timely information.
These are stressful days for all. Thank you for your care, cooperation and support as we work together to safeguard our community. Please feel free to reach out to me directly with questions, comments or additional concerns.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management
Update on COVID-19
Wednesday 3/4/2020 12:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Wednesday 3/4/2020 at 12:00 p.m.
To the Anderson Community:
As concern continues to rise about COVID-19, I want to reassure you that the health and safety of the Anderson community is our top priority. There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at UCLA at this time. But, we are working in close collaboration with the university to inform, safeguard and care for our community throughout this period of heightened concern and uncertainty.
As part of that effort, we encourage some practical precautionary steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Contain coughs into a tissue or sleeve
- Stay home if you are sick, especially if you have a respiratory illness or fever
- If you develop flu-like symptoms – fever, cough and difficulty breathing – and you believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19, seek medical attention by first calling your health provider:
- Students should call the Ashe Center Infection Control Line at 310-206-6217
- Faculty and staff should call their health care providers
- Cancel non-essential travel, especially to countries categorized with Level 3 Travel Notices, currently including China, South Korea, Italy and Iran. Also, please note, that travel restrictions may be subject to rapid change.
Currently, there is no need to cancel classes or on-campus events. Should that need arise, please know that we have contingency plans in place to keep the school operating, and most specifically, to keep students on track with coursework and recruiting.
In the spirit of caution, we have made the decision to cancel upcoming Global Immersion in-country weeks in Brazil and Israel later this month. We are exploring the option of converting those course offerings into two-unit courses for interested students.
We will continue to very closely monitor any further outbreak of COVID-19 and will keep you informed of any updates. In the meantime, the university has established a COVID-19 information page in the UCLA Newsroom to share insights and further resources.
At stressful times like these, I am reminded how fortunate we are to have a well-informed, strong and caring community. Please feel free to reach out to me directly with questions, comments or additional concerns.
Best,
Dean Antonio Bernardo
John E. Anderson Chair in Management