The Financial Impact of Keeping Chianti Dan: One Bruin's Story
by Nars on Dec 30, 2011 6:30 PM PST
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PrintBumped. Happy New Year Chancellor Gene Block. Expect lot more of this as long as you keep Chianti Dan in charge of UCLA's dysfunctional athletic department. -BN Eds.
Let me preface this post by saying that I've been a Bruin my whole life. I graduated from UCLA in 2001 and from the Anderson school in 2006. I have invested an unfathomable amount of time, money, and emotion in support of the school that I love.
While I have not regularly donated to the athletic department, I have been a consistent donor to other areas of campus. From the general scholarship fund, to the business school, and especially to the Pathway Program at UCLA Extension.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Pathway Program, here's a brief synopsis:
Pathway at UCLA Extension is a two-year certificate program for students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, offering a blend of educational, social, and vocational experiences, taught and supervised by experienced instructors sensitive to the individual needs of our students. On campus, Pathway students attend classes and participate with UCLA students in the many social, recreational, and cultural activities of a major university.
I wholeheartedly support this program. Sharing the school that I love with those who are less fortunate and hopefully giving them a fighting chance of living a more fulfilling and meaningful life is important to me. The extension program helps give young adults with intellectual and other developmental disabilities a true college experience and teaches them skills that can be applied to a career. Really, isn't that why we all went to school?
As a proud Alum, UCLA and its related programs have always gotten top billing from me when it comes to making charitable donations. There are many wonderful initiatives and causes that are part of the "UCLA ecosystem" that are tremendously worthwhile and noble causes. I only wish that I had more to give. The school that has given me so much has always been at the top of my list - UNTIL NOW.
It has been a difficult and painful decision not to contribute to these programs and initiatives, but given the discussions that we've all been engaged on here at BN, it is my only recourse. I have called the Chancellor, I have sent e-mails, and I even scrapped plans to buy basketball tickets at the Honda Center (side note: as an OC Bruin and die-hard hoops fan this was particularly painful). Unfortunately, my largest contributions to the school are through hiring new employees, and making charitable donations. I will not consider stopping our campus recruiting, but I have chosen to make my charitable donations elsewhere.
In the last few weeks, I have found several other worthwhile causes to donate to, and as the year draws to a close, I sent checks to 4 non-UCLA related non-profits.
UCLA deserves better than Dan, we all do.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.
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No better comparison than
the Pac 10/12 before and after Larry Scott. UCLA has their own version of tom hansen. I think all UCLA fans and alums pray that they get their own Larry Scott soon…….
"A legend is an old man with a cane known for what he used to do. I'm still doing it." Miles Davis
I admit error
I was unwilling to give Scott any credit for anything. I don’t think it is fair in a general sense to compare Scott with Chianti Dan, but that comparison demonstrates the vast difference between a competent athletic administrator and some who is incompetent in ever sense (other than giving himself a raise.) I therefore an willing to concede error about Scott, and, througn the BN, I apologize to him.
I also apologize for using his name and Chianti Dan’s name in the same sentence. Chianti Dan makes Donald Sterling look good.
Great post Nars
Well fwiw we are about to make a four figure donation (not much I know for many of you) to a charity of our choice. Ideally, we make this donation to a UCLA related scholarship program or the annual fund. This year it will go somewhere else. We love everything about UCLA but until the Block shows he gives a d*mn about our athletic program by bringing in a competent AD, not a penny for the school.
What a sad state of affairs
When lifelong Bruins are forced to withhold giving back to the University to enact change. I’m still waiting for UCLA to call me to ask for money so I can laugh in their face (politely, of course).
Nars, I'm in the same boat.
Albeit a few years behind – BA ’06, MBA ’13. The way our athletics (and many other aspects of our university) have been handled has just been so mind-boggling and discouraging. The only thing Chianti Dan has led us in is as one of the worst decade-long train wreck athletic implosions in the nation.
At least I can report that while the rest of UCLA seems to be stumbling over itself, Anderson remains excellent in all aspects. But I’ll still be withholding all donations to the UCLA fund until Dan is canned, and replaced with someone that isn’t incompetent.
I agree
I refuse to donate to any UCLA fund and I won’t be watching Bruin football or basketball until they change the leadership at the Morgan center.
by Big Bully on Dec 30, 2011 7:47 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Sadly...I am doing the same as another OC Bruin
Living in OC has been difficult to battle with the other LA school dominating the entire Southern California region. I am still in contact with many UCLA and UCI alumni that have totally lost faith in the blue and gold and it is painful to say that I am heading down the same path. I have made a decision not to make any more contributions and not to renew my season tickets going forward because we do not take our athletic program seriously. We are more concerned with trying to get overseas students and boosting academic ratings that do not need to be drastically improved (unfortunately we will not overtake Harvard or Stanford in these ratings). These are the same students that will not carry on the UCLA tradition (just look at the attendance—no young folks with any passion)
I am surprised that there are so many UCLA Alumni in OC that are just hiding in the closet due to the fact that they have lost faith. I’ve always told myself that I will not be one of them but it is just embarrassing to have my kids get hazed in school during jersey day because we get blown out week in and week out.
I will always sport my lone flag in my neighborhood but to waste my time and effort (especially an entire Saturday) on our athletic program is now long gone. I refuse to let my blood pressure rise while seeing Mr. Guerrero get raises and going on vacations when I should be doing the same.
Let's keep up the pressure.
There is so much at stake! Block “and tackle” needs to feel the pinch of our missing donations in order for this strategy to work. We must continue to call his office and articulate the absence as well as motivation behind our missing financial support. They look at our faithful (and regular) donations as their bread and butter. No longer will we be their financial foundation while they turn a blind eye to the AD mismanagement.
by TazTerri on Dec 31, 2011 7:31 AM PST via mobile reply actions
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