University of California, Los Angeles
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[edit] Introduction
The alma mater for many Enigmans, this public research university is located in Los Angeles, California. Among some notable features is its proximity to the 405 freeway, the cities of Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Culver City, the beach, and the San Fernando Valley. The campus is home to over 40,000 students, staff and faculty, and boasts some of the top programs in medicine, law, business, and applied research in the country. The students are split between a small commuter population, and a larger dorm or local apartment/greek based population. Complaints about the cost and difficulty of obtaining parking on campus or in the nearby Westwood Village area are common.
UCLA has its own hospital, a world-class concert hall, police station, and gas-fired steam/electrical co-generation plant. In terms of parking spaces, it is second only to LAX, and the interconnected buildings that make up the UCLA Medical Center have a square footage second only to the Pentagon. There is an elaborate steam tunnel network that extends beneath the campus, which intersects with a hidden bridge.
The UCLA media (including radio, the newspaper, magazines, and bruinwalk.com), student union facilities (Ackerman Union and Kerckhoff Hall, student government (GSA, USAC), and a majority of the eateries on campus are owned and controlled by or run under the Associated Students UCLA student union organization.
[edit] Parking
UCLA Parking is a convoluted system of parking structures and lots that require a scorecard to keep track of. Enforcement is according to posted time, and anyone parking is urged to check the small print closely. Aside from rare exceptions on national holidays (not to be relied upon), enforcement is out checking spots almost every hour of every day. Unless you see a sign saying otherwise, always assume enforcement is on the prowl. Typical UCLA meter prices are 8 minutes per quarter, 2 hours maximum. Lately, some spots have been equipped with automatic payment machines - these machines were giving 30 min per dollar, but some have been spotted with just 20min per dollar. Daily permits can be purchased early in the day for $8. These permits become harder to get when busy, as spaces run out.
Although parking is very hard to get as a student, staff and faculty can often pay for permits without difficulty, provided that their department has been allocated enough spots. It is not uncommon for someone to be assigned a space halfway across campus, although many permits and structures allow you to re-park in any lot after 4:30pm, which can be convenient if you wish to use the exercise facilities at the Wooden Center on campus. These re-parking privileges generally do not apply to one-day parking permits.
[edit] Transit Info
UCLA is served by several bus lines: Santa Monica Bus Lines (Blue Bus), Culver City Bus Lines (Culver City Bus), and the Metropolitan Transit District (Metro). One Culver City bus runs as far as the LAX (airport) area, where it connects to the Green Line of the LA light rail system. It is possible to commute from UCLA via bus throughout the greater LA area, however trips beyond 5 miles become difficult due to traffic and connection issues. There is currently no light rail or subway service to West Los Angeles; to make connections with rail requires bus travel as far south as the airport or as far east as Hollywood. The main rail hub in Los Angeles is located Downtown.
[edit] Places to Live
Housing choices are varied. The basic places that students, staff, and faculty can live are on-campus university housing, off-campus university housing (nearby), off-campus private housing (nearby), and off-campus university and private housing (farther away).
Some areas include:
- UCLA - there are a number of on-campus dorms of various styles.
- Westwood Village - just south/southwest of UCLA. Includes both private and off-campus university housing (for example, Weyburn Village.
- Enigmaville - 1 mi southwest of UCLA, approx 15 by bus (Santa Monica Blue Bus #1). Private apartment housing.
- National/Palms/Venice - 3.5 south of UCLA, approx 30 min by bus (Santa Monica Blue Bus #12), this area also encompasses Enigmaville South. Some university owned apartments exist, notably along Sepulveda Blvd. south of the 10 freeway, and on Venice just north of Overland Ave. Because of these university apartments, there is a UCLA-run shuttle that runs to these areas, which can be convenient for local residents even if they do not live in the UCLA-owned buildings.
[edit] Places to Eat
There are a number of eateries on campus, near the residence halls, and near campus, including privately run restaurants/cafes, restaurants/dining halls owned and operated by UCLA, a cafeteria operated by the UCLA Medical Center, and restaurants owned and operated by ASUCLA. For a more or less complete listing, refer to Dining Out.
[edit] Additional Resources and Facts
- The nearest state university is Cal State Northridge
