Bumped. UCLA do not deserve the support of its alum until it fires its incompetent athletic director Dan Guerrero. Make sure to jump flip to read through the recommended actions in this post. - BN Eds.
Dear Fellow Bruins,
UCLA students and alumni are a grand mixture of people from different backgrounds and situations, each with their own story as to why they decided to attend one of the world's greatest universities. We have come from all over the globe to receive an excellent education as well as experience everything UCLA has to offer socially, culturally and athletically. One of UCLA's best attributes is our diversity in people and our differences in opinions and perspectives. These differences provide strength to our convictions and decisions in that they are supported by intelligence, debate and core experiences. This is one of the reasons I love my fellow Bruins and place a higher value in the discoveries, policies and people that are produced at UCLA.
Given this perspective, you may understand the pain and anguish I, and others, feel when one of our own is tearing at the fabric of UCLA and is intent on soiling the incredible global reputation of our university. Dan Guerrero, our athletic director, is a Bruin alumni. In addition to being a student at UCLA, he was fortunate to play Bruin baseball where he was known for his determination and solid play. He earned the nickname "The Warrior". He graduated and went forward to pursue his career using the tools that he acquired at UCLA to build his reputation, experience and wealth. About 10 years ago, Mr. Guerrero was given the opportunity to be the steward of our UCLA athletic program. He was charged with promoting our athletic programs to the highest standard of excellence as well as ensuring the education and well-being of our student athletes. Instead he has focused on self-promotion and individual wealth, failing miserably in the goals and standards of excellence we entrusted to him. Mr. Guerrero abandoned the integrity and honor that accompanied his education at UCLA. In doing so, he abandoned all UCLA Bruins.
The news today of hiring a new head coach for the UCLA football team that has limited college experience, a poor professional record and questionable integrity in the support of his own players, is simply the latest in a long list of poor decisions by Dan Guerrero. This candidate has no record of doing what is best for our student-athletes from an educational perspective in football or life. He is not the leader that the students that compose our football team require to excel and achieve on the field or in the classroom or in life. It is not Jim Mora's fault that he is the next head coach of our football team. He is being set-up to fail by a "Bruin" that should know better and should have had a decision process that put UCLA and our student athletes as the priority - not some afterthought. I am not surprised as Dan Guerrero has forgotten what it means to be a Bruin and the honor and integrity that was instilled in each of us during our education at UCLA.
Many of us have made requests to the UC Regents and Chancellor Block to take the reigns of leadership that they have been entrusted and remove Dan Guerrero from his position as AD. As in the past with anything that pertains to athletics, these requests have been ignored or dismissed. Dr. Block, not a Bruin, has consistently held the position that he alone knows what is best for UCLA, does not engage in debate and believes his intelligence is sufficient in these matters. Dan Guerrero has been allowed to embarrass UCLA on a regular basis from ill-advised comments, self-promoting wine tasting tours to the latest disorganized search for a new head football coach and the selection of a candidate that cannot meet the needs of our student athletes. The reputation of UCLA, all of UCLA, is being compromised internationally by this individual that has abandoned the Bruin values outlined above. This line of errors must end.
As Chancellor Block has made the misjudgement that academics and athletics are separate entities, with the latter being disposable, it is on us, the students and alumni of UCLA, to take action to move towards excellence in all aspects of the college experience. Since donations and funds are the only metric that concerns our current Chancellor, I propose the following:
1. Write and call the Chancellor's Office to request Dan Guererro be removed as AD of UCLA and that the HC search be reopened to find a candidate with the experience that will support our student-athletes.chancellor@ucla.edu and 310-825-2151.
2. Withhold all donations to all programs and funds at UCLA or UC. Send a note or if called - let them know why you choose not to donate at this time.
3. Do not attend any UCLA events that require payment for admission or donation until Dan Guerrero is removed.
4. Do not purchase any UCLA branded merchandise until Dan Guerrero is removed as AD. You can choose, as I did, to send your gear to the Chancellor as a token of your commitment.
5. Do not purchase products from the sponsors of UCLA programs. Send them a note or phone call letting them know why and the criteria for re-engaging.
6. To the boosters that support Dan Guerrero, boycott their businesses. In supporting this reign of errors, they have also forgotten our Bruin values.
7. Engage the media to voice your concerns about Dan Guerrero and his selection of HC.
I am certain that not everyone will agree with my request or actions. As a Bruin, I respect different opinions and perspectives. In this case, I feel that Dan Guerrero is eroding the decency and integrity of our athletic program that was built up by people like Coach. I ask if Coach Wooden would be pleased with what is happening to our student athletes and programs. Would he want the students and alumni to be indifferent or silent while a former Bruin dismantles UCLA athletics for personal gain. I think he would be disgusted by the latter and would expect more from all of us to protect our beloved UCLA.
I hope we can come together in a common cause as Bruins.
Taz
