Dear Student Affairs Educators,

I hope that you are well. As we approach the end of Winter Quarter, it is important to reflect on where we’ve been. Over the past two months, we have

• Welcomed our new Chancellor, Julio Frenk, to campus. I want to extend a special thank you to those of you that were able to join our Listening Exercise on March 10. 

• Grappled with the immediate and lasting effects of devastating wildfires across our city. We will continue to share updates about how UCLA is supporting rebuilding efforts for those impacted on our campus as well as in the broader Los Angeles community.   

• Hosted the inaugural Student Affairs-wide Illuminate Conference, bringing together nearly 400 attendees from across the organization. The event featured 50 sessions led by our own educators, showcasing their expertise and innovation. 

With great change also comes profound opportunity – it is in moments like these we define our common purpose. In Student Affairs we are here to support students and ensure they have the best possible experience at UCLA – shaping a better future for us all. You have built a strong foundation of trust and community for our students during a tumultuous time. You have provided knowledge and resources, paving a path of stability and structure in which students may thrive. You have also stayed present for our students – for their questions, their growth, their development, and with that clarity of purpose, no change or crisis is too great for us to overcome.  

With that, I hope you enjoy reading through the winter edition of the Student Affairs newsletter. In this edition, we will share more about the Illuminate Conference, a deeper dive into the ways we are investing in you all with resources, a welcome to our lead for Organizational Development and highlight some great work happening across the organization. I hope this newsletter provides an even greater opportunity for you to stay connected to each other and our work – in these ever-changing times, our one constant is the relationships we have an cultivate through this life-changing work.  

Sincerely, 

Monroe

Monroe Gorden, Jr.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

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📅 Important Dates

Spring Break

Saturday, March 22 - Sunday, March 30

Students go on their spring break toward the end of March. Some on-campus services may have reduced hours to reflect decreased student demand, and the university will be closed on Friday, March 28 in observance of César Chávez Day.

Performance Evaluations

Spring Quarter

It's that time of year again. Supervisors, make sure to schedule your performance evaluations with your team, and submit your reviews to your HR lead. More information about the process can be found here.

Bruin Day

First-years on April 12, 2025 | Transfers on May 10, 2025

Prepare to welcome newly admitted students and their families, and help shine a light on the wide breadth of resources and opportunities at UCLA. Sessions offered on Bruin Day typically include resource fairs, sample lectures, financial aid consulting, campus tours and more. Staff are welcome to volunteer and join in on the fun.

New Staff Welcome Spring 2025

Wednesday, April 30

Student Affairs welcomes new professional staff educators to join the next New Staff Welcome luncheon. These meetings are held biannually and serve more than just lunch: meet colleagues from across the organization, leadership from different areas of Student Affairs and learn more about UCLA.

Spring Sing 2025

Friday, May 16

This UCLA tradition showcases our students' talents in music, dance, and comedy. Hosted by the UCLA Student Alumni Association and UCLA Alumni Association, this year's event will be held at the Los Angeles Tennis Center (LATC). Staff have the opportunity to snag seats, so keep up-to-date through the Spring Sing website. The planning committee is also active on Instagram @uclaspringsing.

Commencement Ceremonies

Friday, June 13 - Sunday, June 15

Another class of Bruins will be closing out their UCLA chapter this Spring. The College of Letters & Sciences' main commencement ceremony will be held on Friday, June 13 in Pauley Pavilion, while departmental and professional school ceremonies will take place throughout the weekend.

Spring All-Staff Meeting

Tuesday, June 17

Save the date! Come round out the academic year with us at our annual Spring All-Staff Meeting. More information to come.

🧩 Organizational Effectiveness

Staff Website Updates

Newly added onboarding resources

Got a new educator joining your team? With so many tasks and systems, the onboarding process can be daunting for both hiring managers and new employees. Use of these checklists, templates and other resources to smooth out the experience.

💡 Illuminate Wrap-up

The 2025 Illuminate Conference at UCLA brought Student Affairs colleagues together for a day of inspiring sessions on DEIB, wellness, technological innovation, and enhancing the student experience. Attendees left energized with new ideas to better support UCLA’s diverse student community.

See you next time!

Email: engage@saonet.ucla.edu

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